# DIY cutting a downed tree into boards?



## dpoisson (Jun 3, 2010)

howdy!
I was taking a stroll with my little boy the other day and noticed a sort of "wood dump" near where I live. It's on public land, but it was used to access the town's old water reserve, so there are concrete blocks blocking the gravel road. A lot of normal sized trees have been sent there after being cut, however I noticed one that was HUGE and that it didn't seem to have any rot in the middle. It was about 2ft (maybe a tad more even) wide at it's widest. Now, it's in 2 sections: One that's about 5-6' long and another one that has to be at least 10-12 long. I thought it was quite the find!

However, there's the problem of getting it out of there! I could get a trailer to within about 100ft of where the pieces are. The road to get to the wood trunks is rather nice, but there's a part where the road is blocked to vehicles with concrete blocks. I could get a wheel barrel or something of the sort in, but I couldn't get my car/trailer to the wood. If there was a way to cut the wood nicely with a chainsaw (which I already have), then I could potentially get each board out one by one…which would be much less heavy. But, the potential to screw it up would be quite big. I was thinking of doing thick boards (like 3" thick) and planning them to 2" eventually and making a kitchen table with the wood (I don't even know which essence it is!). If I really do it with the chainsaw, I'd mark the cuts on both sides with chalk lines and have a "spotter" on the other side of the log to guide me. I'm guessing there would be a bit of chain oil on the wood after the cutting, which isn't a good thing and which is why I'd want to bring it out and have it cut at a place that does this kind of stuff (a mill, right?).

So, how would one go about getting those pieces out: Safely and cheaply?

Cheers for your comments!

Fish


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## Ole (Dec 23, 2009)

Try searching online for chainsaw mills . I believe they are called alaska mills or something like that. Seems like it would be somewhat of an investment though. Good luck and keep us updated!


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## Dcase (Jul 7, 2010)

Cutting a trunk that size with a chainsaw sounds like a very soar back and arms. I have seen some homemade jigs that you cut put your chain saw on and cut through trunks like that. Even then you would probably need a really good saw with a long enough blade. You would probably have to sharpen the blade on site as well. I personally wouldn't even try unless it was a really valuable wood.

Your best bet would probably be calling around to the lumber yards and or mills that are within your area. Ask them if they have or know anyone with a bandsaw mill. I did this a while back and after a lot of calls I finally had a lumber yard that knew someone with one. Its a portable mill and they can come out and cut it on site. With what you said about the road being blocked I don't know how far back they could get. Also don't know how far the trunk is from the blocked road. The guys I have seen with a portable mill usually charge so much per hour. To cut up one trunk like that it shouldn't take them that long at all. The price would be far worth it compared to doing yourself with chainsaw.

As far as having to move the trunk, wedge it up onto some smaller straight logs and roll it to where you need to…. Kind of makes you wonder how they built the pyramids..

Good luck!


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I do it just like you describe. Cut the pieces 2" thick. They aren't prefect, but as long as you have a good sharp chain that cuts straight, it is pretty easy to slab up pieces that are 3 to 6 feet long. I split the log as close as I can down the pith; quarter it, then quater saw the boards. You have to get the pith out or on an edge, the wood wil split there if you don't. I just finished "milling" some spalted cherry about 3 hours ago  I'll post some pictures on of these days.

BTW, I find it easiest to cut straight standing the log on end. I use a brace or two to hold it up. Cut off the end of one of my 16d brace nails today:-(( Suprisingly, didn't hurt the chain much, but I touched it up with a file anyway. Could only see damage on 3 teeth. )


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

BTW, I found chalk lines to not be very durable. I now go over them with a black marker or mostly just lay teh 2" blade of my framing square on the edge and mark it. I make a mark on the end to get strated square. It is really easier than I thought it would be.

I use a marker called Ideal Marks A Lot. It is full of ink and renews when you press the tip. Probably fiind them in industrial suipply houses, not teh office store ;-))


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

I have no good advise to offer but I have a question. I always think of chainsaws doing a cross cut. I would expect the teeth on the chain are designed primarily for cross cuts.

Do they cut equally well on a rip cut or do you switch to a different chain?


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I have just started doing this. Sharp new chain cuts really well for a little while in green maple. After slabbing half a 24 inch log 10 feet long, all of a sudden you can feel a great difference. There have been discussion on another thread here telling me that is normal but I don't have the source right off the top of my head. You could probably search it.

Today, I was ripping some seasoned cherry, it cut very well. Never noticed any difference even when I cut into the dirt and hit a piece of gravel going a bit too low once. Shortly after that, I cut off the end of one of 16d nails holding my brace to keep it vertical. I stopped and touched up the chain, You need to be very careful filing chains to not change the angles. They will cut circles doing cross cuts if they are off very much; I have seen that :-(( I can't imagine how bad it would get ripping logs.


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## tnwood (Dec 13, 2009)

A chainsaw mill in itself is not very expensive but then you need a chainsaw and it has to be a fairly powerful one so several hundred dollars and then you need ripping chain, etc. While this is a task worth doing, given the difficulty of getting to the log and getting it out, you are probably better off buying wood unless you want to make a hobby of this. By the way, I started this way also and ended up with several thousand dollars in equipment. It was great fun and took up all my spare time. Just think it through all the way first.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I should say I am not planning on doing this on a large scale. I am a curious little devil and have to try everything including making lumber) The boards are not anything like cut with a mill. When stickering, you need to have a few shims handy to keep you pile as square and supported as possible; other wise, I anticipate that it will introduce a lot of stressing into the stack. They are pretty good, but not perfectly flat. There is going to be some of loss getting one side flat. It is flatter than I would start to flatten with a hatchet; maybe an adze would be appropriate for some of it and some can be started with a plane.

Using tools you already have for inaccessible finds, go for it! Nothing to loose except a little time and some gas and oil. I don't worry about any bar oil, because it will be planed away long before I reach usable wood)

You might try riving to get it ripped. I tried that on a maple log, but it twisted about 90 degrees in the length of 8 or 10 foot log.


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## Daren (Sep 16, 2007)

They got there somehow. If I understand the situation it's just like the dump pile at my citys water treatment plant…slip a city guy a 12 pack and he will load them on your trailer with whatever equipment put them there in the first place (city backhoe in my case). Then take the logs to a local mill. Much less work/more lumber for pennies a bft.

I highly doubt for insurance purposes you would be allowed to "mill " on site with a chainsaw.


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## dpoisson (Jun 3, 2010)

Wow guys! Thanks for all the replies. I'll try to reply to everyone in a single post…

Unfortuntaly, an investment at this point is out of the question (well, I wouldn't mind dishing out a few hundred dollars for a husky chainsaw, I doubt the missus will agree ;-). FYI, my chainsaw is a craftsman 16" that my grand-father gave me…not exactly forestry oriented gear alas. So, I would have to do 2 cuts for each slab (one of left side and another on right side). I had planned on having several shims handy as well.

Daren, there's no one on site to buy beer to….so that wouldn't work unfortunately. BUT, there is a lot of construction going on near there (a fresh new phase of our development is starting right near where the concrete blocks are), I could probably offer a couple of $$ to the next guy that comes around that digs the foundation for a house and ask if he could move a concrete block.

They're forecasting rain for the next day or two, but I'll try to get a couple of pictures of the tree so you guys can help me ID the tree. If it's a pine, I'll probably have other uses for it than a kitchen table. But if it's maple or something similar…then it's another story.

Survivor, what's riving exactly?

Dcase, I think I'm going to try going for that route…get a bunch of friends in and try to roll it out! Not exactly sure how we,re going to lift it up into the trailer though, but I have a couple of ideas…

Cheers!

Fish


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## Nomad62 (Apr 20, 2010)

Generally speaking, cutting a log along it's length is best done with a chain ground to around 5 degrees, not the standard 25-30 degrees that they start out at for general cutting; this angle change reduced vibration and flat out shake while you cut. My partner and I use a 2×6 guide type guide, I pull the saw with a boat winch attached to the far end of the 2×6 and he holds the saw straight. It works well; we quartered a 5' maple tree with it to allow us to load it into our trailer. There is alot of trial and error involved; a one time project as you mention is much easier said that done. You need a powerful chainsaw, a 16 incher will not do; find one with at least a 30" bar and the engine to push the chain accordingly. You can probably rent one. If you go after it, remember one thing: a log is rediculously heavy! The wood holds as much weight in water as the wood itself. It is great you are trying to save that piece from rotting, I would recommend snooping around for some help. You could build a sled to drag the log over the top of the concrete blocks. A cable/chain and pick-up can do alot of work. Someone with a small boom truck could be a good friend to find. But before you do, I would recommend getting ahold of the land owner (county, whatever) and making sure it is okay! They get awfully mad at people doing this kind of thing without permission, even if it is "trash". They may have a date where they will move the blocks, making it easy to nab them. I have also found that counties often sublet these types of things to local contractors, allowing them to keep whatever wood they remove in whatever task they are performing; taking the log may well be theft. Be careful, and good luck!


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## dpoisson (Jun 3, 2010)

Nomad, I hadn't thought of it this way, but now that you mention it, you're absolutely right! I just simply thought it was a dump, but there could be more to the story.

I'll give the land owner near by a call, if it's not theirs, they might be able to tell me who owns the land there.

Cheers!

Fish


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## Knothead62 (Apr 17, 2010)

Make sure that you tell the sawyer the sizes of the logs. I called a guy that had a Woodmizer bandsaw set-up but said that the logs had to be 6 ft. long. Have to find another place.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

sniff,... sniff, sniff, sniff… What's that smell? Trespassers will be shot.

"Sort of a wood dump" Huh? Not sure what that means.

"On public land" Is there a sign that states this? If not, do not "assume" that it is just 'cause you've "strolled" on it several times in the past.

If you *know *the City owns it, contact the City. 
If you *know* the County owns it, contact the County. 
If you *know* the State owns it, contact the State.
If you *know* the Fed owns it, contact the Fed.

Problem solved, contact one of the four entities above for LEGAL permission to remove the lumber. The concrete blocks are their for people who would just stroll in and take things that are NOT theirs to take.

Yep, contacting the actual land owner sounds like a very good idea.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Dumps are obvious) All the timber companies here in Water World locked up their land about 25-30 years ago because of the yuppies in their new Jananese SUVs couldn't afford dump fees ceased the opportunity to use the land as a surban toilet :-((


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## dpoisson (Jun 3, 2010)

Hi Mike, appreciate the reply, even though a bit rude …nevertheless, every post deserves a reply!

Let me explain and you'll see the situation isn't as clear as you seem to think it is: At the end of the road where we live, there is a junction with a non-paved road (vtt type road). The concrete blocks are present where the road ends, to designate the end of the residential area. On the right, there's a junction to go to what I believe to be either: The town's old fresh water reserve (municipal juristiction) or a fairly small hydro power station (provincial juristiction?) that isn't used anymore. On the left of the junction, there's a road that leads to the golf course.

The land where several downed trees is (the dump), is more or less in the middle of these: It could be owned by any of the following: the golf course, municipal or private owner (the land is still a property of the gentleman that has all the farm land around our area)...it could still theoretically still be owned by hydro-quebec even.

Sorry if I can't better explain what it is as far as "dump" is. Construction is booming in our area and it simply looks like a place where contractors go to dump their cut-offs, wooden skids, paint buckets and what-not instead of dumping them at the eco-center. Maybe that's why I assumed it was more or less up for grabs. I did however post in post #14 that I intend to give the proper land owner a call. I'm not sure exactly what more you'd want me to say. Or perhaps you didn't read the whole thread?

Also, whoever is the owner of the land, I'm fairly certain that they are not going to remove any concrete blocks just for a simpleton like myself. So, I believe my questions on how to transport such a beast remain valid.

PS: In Canada, we'd run out of sign-making metal if we were to label every piece of public land there is lol!

Cheers, no hard feeling


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

I am glad that you now understand that:
"It could be owned by any of the following: the golf course, municipal or private owner (the land is still a property of the gentleman that has all the farm land around our area)...it could still theoretically still be owned by hydro-quebec even."

That is a far cry from "It's on public land" and I never recommend that someone act on "Maybe that's why I assumed it was more or less up for grabs."

I tend to see things in black and white and try to clarify for those that want to do the "ass-u-me syndrome" without fully thinking things out. Facts can seem harsh in the light of day, but they are facts never the less.

If you consider me rude for trying to keep you out of jail, so be it. Remind me to NOT help with bail if/when things go south. Other than that, have a nice day… And don't drop the soap! ;-)

"PS: In Canada, we'd run out of sign-making metal if we were to label every piece of public land there is lol!"
Oh yeah, I'm sure the Feds wouldn't mind you logging to your heart's content in the National Forests without asking LOL!


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## dpoisson (Jun 3, 2010)

Called the golf people this morning: The clerk I spoke to told me she would check with her boss/manager and see what's up with the wood. Took down my phone number and her manager will give me a call.

She did confirm that the land was the golf's though. She said it's pretty easy: Anything west of our houses/street is owned by the golf and it goes all the way north up to the river.

Can't wait to see what the verdict is!

I asked my brother-in-law who got some wood sawed at a local mill and he said it cost him 40$ to get it sawed. Pretty cheap. I wonder if they wax up the ends at that price…If not, where could one get some wax to seal up the ends?

Cheers!


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Great! Glad things are turning out for some free wood. Work on cultivating a relationship with the golf course folks and who knows how many more logs you could end up with over the next few years. You could even end up as their "go to" guy.


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## Nomad62 (Apr 20, 2010)

The most popular product for sealing log ends is called "Anchorseal", it cleans up with water and is applied with a paint brush, real easy. You can get it at most any woodworking store. Nice job cleaning up the legalities, it keeps you out of jail and every "urban logger"s name a little cleaner.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I have been using free latex paint off craigs list to seal, use a couple coats. May as well keep the cost of free lumber low ;-))


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## Sawmillnc (Jan 14, 2010)

I use a future forestry arch to take back to my sawmill

Future forestry is now owned by Logrite

http://www.futureforestry.com/


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## dpoisson (Jun 3, 2010)

Well, good news/bad news.

Spoke to the guy responsible for that kind of stuff at the golf just a few minutes ago…

He doesn't really care if I take the wood that's at the spot (there a couple of much smaller trees there as well that would make nice firewood for our outside fireplace). It's all remains from cleaning operations and they will not be using it for anything. He did make it clear though that I can't use a chainsaw on-site (doh, but I figured as much, since it would disturb people playing golf) and he won't be moving any concrete blocks for me (that was expected).

So, I can take the firewood, but unless Scotty can beam that nice log out for me, it'll just rot in place.

I'm still toying with an idea, that would be based on what someone mentioned here I believe.

What if I take 2 straight 2×10, nail them to the sides of the tree so to create a guide…and then use a hand saw (a long one obviously) to cut up all the boards.

Mind you, this is starting to get desperate…it would be a lot of work too, but it might be worth it.

Fish


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## uffitze (Apr 23, 2010)

Given that those logs contain about 350 board feet of lumber, it may be worth your time and effort to get them out, but I would inquire as to what species they are if you haven't already. And, for what it's worth, I think that your effort will be best spent trying to remove the logs to take to a mill (as opposed to trying to mill on site with a hand saw.)


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I think I would crosscut it and rive it. It will be a thousand times faster)


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## learnin2do (Aug 5, 2010)

my man cuts even bigger than that with the beam machine attachment to his saw, but he does that for a living and has a very big, expensive one. -Nomad mentioned the tooth angle and weight and all. It is a chore and very dangerous., but the fruit is worth it -especially when he finally digs into a 3 or 4 foot around walnut trunk; the crotch pieces are my favorite.

This wood salvager around here rolls them onto the trailer using straps or ropes over it pulled by a truck. That would take a lot of rope though.

How many big guys do you know who like you enough to risk back injury to help? -that is how mine got here!

-How much is the anchorseal? -I don't have much, but i'm watching my walnut trunks crack and it takes a lot to cover a bunch of 3-4 foot diameters.


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## dpoisson (Jun 3, 2010)

uffitze: The main problems are:

1) the distance from the road… If I could just roll a trailer next to the log, I'd be able to put it in no prob. I'll have to attempt to "lift" it up a couple of inches (using a lever probably) and to put some small round logs underneath and roll the sucker out.

2) I don't own a trailer. I have to borrow my father in law's trailer.

So, for now, I'll have to wait to get the trailer, once I do, I'll have to summum a couple of friends and we'll attempt to move this log out!. We'll have to work smart, not hard, since there's no way we can lift it without mecanical advantage. Lots of rolling and levering in perspective!

Fish

PS: Oh, and I'll try to go take pics of the tree as soon as possible for ID. I could sure use your help though with that since I'm no tree expert.


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## bigjppop (Aug 3, 2010)

I have no idea what I'm talking about here, but I was watching an old episode of Dirty Jobs recently and Mike was working with a couple of good ol' boys who have a team of mules and they do exactly what you're trying to do; haul logs out of places that you can't get a truck into. Maybe a little googling or asking around might turn up someone with some old fashioned "Horsepower."

Just a thought…


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## uffitze (Apr 23, 2010)

I appreciate that it will be difficult to move, but a bit of engineering … a lever, a cart of some sort, and some brawny assistance should be able to do it. Nevertheless, it's probably easier to move it than it is to mill it where it sits considering that you can't use a chainsaw.

My bigger point was that you should ID the wood … if it's curly maple, then it is easily worth your time and effort, on the other hand if it is something that retails for something like $2-4/bf, then it's probably not worth your time.


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## dpoisson (Jun 3, 2010)

uffitze: It'll cost me a couple of brewskies for my friends that will come over to help me out, that has already been established by them lol. But I'm somewhat confident that we'll be able to move it out. Once ID'd, I want to try to put it on smaller logs with 1 friend to see how hard it's going to be be…if just doing that is too hard, I might have to think or something else…

I can't take a pic right now, cause the girlfriend has the camera and is at a camp site with our son…I recall that the bark was grey'ish, had no ridges and had oval'ish shapes on it (almost like non-overlapping scales), where the ends would rise slightly. Any idea what that could be?


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## Catspaw (Dec 15, 2007)

If someone were willing to allow people to do stuff there, they wouldn't have blocked the road.

You can buy ripping chains to order. They are ground more or less straight across.

Chainsaw ripping a log into cants is not what I want to do. I've done it. Use/hire a band mill.

Any mill will use oil to lube the saw. So you can only assume you'll mill off the oily wood once dried. The only recourse is to chain-mill it yourself and use organic oil (olive, vegatable, or if you don't mind mineral oil.)


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## learnin2do (Aug 5, 2010)

-those oils are just as well- (or better?) than more chain oil for ripping?


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## dpoisson (Jun 3, 2010)

Hi guys,
Finally been able to take some pics of the tree, any help ID'ing the tree would be really welcomed. Also, any evaluations as to how the logs' condition would be appreciated as well:





























!


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## Daren (Sep 16, 2007)

Looks like pine or spruce to me… Are there a lot of evergreens on the golf course ?


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## dpoisson (Jun 3, 2010)

Yup, I think there's a bunch of those on the golf course.

Not looking good eh? ;-(

Fish


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## dpoisson (Jun 3, 2010)

I was kind of thinking though, it could still have it's use…maybe not as I had hoped (to make a kitchen table out of it), but maybe a table for the kids or something like that. Would be great practice too so I can someday make a kitchen table.

Any feedback on the apparent quality of the wood? Both ends do look ok.

Fish


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## dpoisson (Jun 3, 2010)

Oh, and by the way, my location is near quebec city, quebec.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Looks like pine to me.


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## Nomad62 (Apr 20, 2010)

Yeah, I say pine too. It has it's uses, but if it's going to be a lot of trouble to get then I'd leave it.


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## kansas (Apr 7, 2008)

My dad cut down a pine tree several years ago that I thought looked too good to waste. After all--it was free--right? He had a chain saw and ripped it in half for me but it was such a rough cut I bet it wasted at least 2 inches of thickness just to split it. Then I still had to get it sliced up and dried. I bet I spent 6 hours hard sweat equity so I could trip over a few ugly boards for a year. I think when it was done I could have bought the same quantity of construction grade lboards at the lumber yard for $10 that would have been better quality. Heck, with the time you've spent on this blog you could have found a dumpster at a construction site full of free already sliced and dried boards just like you are likely to get from that log. That being said, everyone has to try it once. Good luck!


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## learnin2do (Aug 5, 2010)

I do love a dumpster full of roof beams!


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## rdlaurance (Mar 28, 2009)

I cut down and moved 9 large dead elm trees a few years ago. Did it all with my chainsaw, two hand-winches and a lot of rope. Cut the pieces into 9' logs (about 3'+ in diameter), then just used other trees nearby to winch them to the barn. Also used a long 15' beam (an old timber joist) to lever them up to slide small round-rolling branches under (the leading edge) so that they slid easily.

Sounds like you could dispense with the chainsaw aspect. If you can't find someone with a truck and a lot of big rope to drag them out, maybe you could do the winch trick that I did. It'll still take lots of very strong rope and something to anchor the winch to and a full day of work. Better with someone to help you as well…

Good luck … sounds like a great find … if you need the pine…


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## BobG (Apr 17, 2010)

For pine, save yourself a LOT of trouble and find a nearby rough sawn lumber dealer! There you could probably get enough 8/4 lumber of almost any type to build that table. In your neighborhood you would have to wait at least 2 years to be able to use those logs. What's the formula for air drying, "an inch an year"?

I know the feeling of saying "I did it myself start to finish" is great but, so is finding a good lumber dealer that after you have bought some from him will let slide that extra 5 or 10 pieces of wood that just aren't perfect just to get rid of them!

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Bob G.


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