# What to do with maple tree cut down in front yard



## grace123 (Nov 2, 2010)

My brother lives in a house with two 85-year-old maple trees in the front yard. The insurance company will no longer provide insurance for the house because some of the tree limbs hang over the top of the house unless the trees are cut back or removed. One tree cut has been cut down. The second tree will be radically cut back. The result will be pleasing in a summer or two.

My question is this: This is a silver maple tree. There are large pieces of trunk lying in the yard. How can I use this wood? I do not have a lathe and do not know how to turn wood anyway. Should I cut the wood with a bandsaw into boards and let them dry? How long to dry? or is this just nice firewood?


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## Andy123 (Aug 17, 2011)

Photos or it didn't happen!


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

Grace 
make lumber .. deffently not firewood 
as fast as possiple after you crosscut you seal the ends with wax/paint/latex.. your choise 
then you can do it on a bandsaw but depending on the size of both the Bs and the trunks 
it cuold be better to let someone do it for you

asap after the cutting tolumber you stack and stick between each layer 
be sure you have the stickers right over each other and 30 -50 cm between them

if you let it dry outside I hear it takes 1½ year for the first inch and you should add a year for 
every inch you add in thichness …. if you don´t have access to a kiln

when its time to use it (dry enoff) then get it in the shop 1-2 month before to let it settle 
and fits the invirement of your shop

Dennis


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## DMIHOMECENTER (Mar 5, 2011)

If I had them, they would be re-sawn on the bandsaw, then stickered to dry. Drying time varies due to how wet they are now, how well air gets to the stickered stacks, the temp and average humidity of the air at the storage site, etc. Invest in a moisture meter.


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## grace123 (Nov 2, 2010)

This is in response to Andy123. Here are pictures from the tree trimming going on at my brother's yard.


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## grace123 (Nov 2, 2010)

My brother is quite upset about the trimming on this maple tree. My other brother suggested that we make something in the woodshop from some of the wood as a sentimental keepsake. Ideas?


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## DMIHOMECENTER (Mar 5, 2011)

oh, yeah… I'd love to have the stack in picture #2. Sweet.


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

of course that wood have to be used in the shop 
but get those ends sealed yesterday
I second David


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

when you seal them
keep them from the sun
(but they need air also)
it will make them dry too fast
and they could split to much

here is anchorseal
you put it on the ends
to keep them from drying to fast
(for that pile you will need a 5 gallon pail)

http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2080619/29484/anchorseal-2-green-wood-sealer-gallon.aspx?refcode=10ingopb&gclid=CO


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## Nomad62 (Apr 20, 2010)

I just got done working with some silver leaf maple, it was soft and machined/sanded very well. The wood oxidized to a fine yellow as it sat in my house drying (not the whole tree, lol), but after machining was a very light gold, quite beautiful. The only problem was that it warped as it dried, and I had to work to get a board from it. The pics of the tree show mostly limbs that have an angle to them, something that generally loads the wood with tension that unloads as it dries; if you do slice it up, slice it thick and let it do its thing as it dries, leaving you something to work with. Beautiful tree… if there's any rot in it, cut it all down or it will just rot faster after trimming.


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## buroak (Sep 28, 2011)

A word of caution on the maple tree/lumber. The saw-able logs appear to be limb logs not main trunk logs. The lumber from limb logs will have a tendenciy to warp. The wood is under stress and when sawn it sometimes goes around corners. Your logs are growing some-what straight and may not be a problem But be prepared just in case it happens. Also there appears to be several crotches that may be usable. I think it all worth a try and good luck and be safe!!!!


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