Newbie questions

Sapling, the ends of the boards should be sealed to prevent checking since wood will lose moisture faster through the ends. Any type of product that seals the wood- latex paint, wax, etc.- will work but the consensus is that Anchorseal, a product designed for this type of application, works best.

The second question I really do not have an answer for. If I were in that situation I would take them to a sawyer as soon as possible in order to start the drying process. Air drying will take about a year for each inch of thickness.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

The wood will dry alot faster if its cut into boards while green (unseasoned) but taking them to a sawer can be expensive. Depending on how big the logs are, you may even be able to cut them into boards yourself. you can buy a chainsaw mill which aren’t too expensive to cut the logs into usable sizes so you can put them through your bandsaw; or better yet you can make your own chainsaw mill quite cheaply like this one- http://ablett.jp/workshop/csm.htm

but this all depends on what you already have and how much you are looking to spend

-- BRODY. NSW AUSTRALIA -arguments with turnings are rarely productive-

Welcome to Lumber jocks Sapling. Find someone willing to saw the logs first, they like it green. Not to discourage but some can be picky about what they cut. You can air dry under a roof, but go here and read up. http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr117.pdf

-- Tim: Remember, if it doesn't say Binford, someone else made it.

Welcome to Ljs seem the others have this question handled

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture ,maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com

Check with Woodmizer http://www.woodmizer.com/us/index.aspx (it’s a portable sawmill company)

They used to keep a list of local owners you could contact to give you pricing for cutting up logs.

-- Steve, Webster Groves, MO

Question to the masses.

When a person with a large property has trees on it and wishes to cut a few down. .............................

............DO they replant say 2 or more for every one they fell?
Just thinking of the future generation

Sorry “Sapling” nothing personal. :-)

-- "Even small steps makes a distance." (Shawn Phillips, musician)

Welcome to Lumberjocks! Lots of friends with lots of talent!

I look forward to your projects and posts.

-- spanky46 -- Never enough clamps...Never enough tools...Never enough time.

It seems to me everytime I take a tree out of my woods, mother nature has done a much better job of providing hundreds of little saplings around the tree I take out than I could plant myself.

Taking a “few” trees out of my woods will never affect future generations. My woods is quite capable of regenerating itself without my help. Unless you clear cut and trash a large section at a time, I’m sure mother nature can fend for herself.

Sawmills are cheap, particularly when you compare the price to the big box stores. Paint ends, saw green, sticker flat as possible, 1” = 1 year for air drying. The kilns around my parts are not really expensive to get your wood in a couple of weeks. Even at a $1 a bf for sawing and $1 a bf, it would still be cheaper the the store.

I’m guessing $$ varies quite abit from region to region. I would prefer to get a sawmill on site. It’s much easier to handle the sawn lumber (I get tired of lugging logs around.)

-- arborial reconfiguration specialist

I agree with the above posts. Saw green and sticker. I use a local sawyer who is set up with a large stationary bandsaw. He removes a 3/32 kerf instead of 3/8. About every 5th or 6th board is found wood instead of sawdust. I only pay 25 to 30 cents per board foot of milled wood. No smooth faces, just cut to my specs. I can have an entire flitch or have him focus on standard lumber sizes, depends on what I want. I would treat the ends as logs, lots easier than indiv boards.
As far as stickers go, I bought mine from the sawyer and just recycle them over the years. This way, they are all the same thickness on all four sides, much flatter stack. Don’t forget to weigh down the top with cinder blocks or something heavy.
Heads up, pecan and hickory WILL attract bugs. I recommend kiln drying for these two species. I have asked sawyers and they don’t know of anything to treat the wood with to keep the bugs and beetles away that won’t stain the wood. You might ask an exterminator.
Hope this helps. Just a few things I’ve run into the last several years. BTKS
OH YEA, WELCOME TO LJ’S!!!!

I do not suggest that the logs be stored uncut unless the bark is removed first. Bugs, BUgs, BUGs, BUGGGGGGS will eat your wood. Rough saw and sticker. Oh, buy a moisture meter.
Welcome.
Bill

Thank you very much for all the comments and links. They are very helpful and informative.