OK, we dug up this big old walnut tree and now I need a sawmill specializing in milling blanks. I"m 100 miles south of Amarillo Tex and would like to haul it myself and possibly watch the operation. My searching on the internet has not been too succesful. Was hoping to find one within 500 milles. I talked to a fellow in Spavinaw OK about 20 years ago regarding another tree project but I can find no listing for him now. Any ideas? Thanks, RandyB.

Do you know where the crotch of a tree is located ?. Is this ALL you want out of the tree Stock blanks , or do you want lumber also ?.

A local lumber yard can sometimes help you find a milling source close by .ASK THEM !.

I generally use a GOOD chain saw with a sharp chain !. Sharp Chain !. For green wood Sq. Chisel tooth , for dry Carbide or Stellite tipped Blade .


Picture a trunk lying down , now level it up putting a couple of notched logs or some type of cradles under each end and up off the ground , so as to allow a chain saw clearance while cutting .I use this method for lumber cutting .

Straight bole trunk ( free of branches ) lay a 2X4 or 2X6 8 10 12 what ever you have on top of a secured bole . level it the best you can . Then cut straight down using the edge of your 2X what ever as a straight edge guide . Cut the thickness of your lumber by moving and securing your 2X .

Look on the internet for Ring growth orientation so as you can see plain sawn or flat cut quarter sawn heart cut Etc.
http://www.radialtimber.com/radial.html

http://www.frankmiller.com/default.asp?ID=210&SubID=52#SpeciesRQS

Cutting for Stock blanks is easier , cut the crotch area if possible 5' each side of the crotch center , Seal the ends of the wood with several coats of latex paint , leave the bark on the wood !!. Now using plastic loose bag ,tent what ever and use Bug Bombs . Like ones for a house ? use two or 3 of those inside your confined log enclosure !. Leave it sealed up for DAYS !.

Remove it reseal the ends with latex paint , store it at least under cover UP off the ground by at least 12-24 " a shed north facing or inside is Idea . Let it set for 10-16 months until you can find some one to saw it up for you using a band mill . This wastes as little of the wood as possible . Also allows your pieces to be cut say 2.75" thick by what ever length your needs are .

The reason I prefer cutting each side of center of a crotch is I've seen equally beautiful pieces come from both sides out of a crotch .
Generally the lower area of the crotch is the most desirable but not always !!.

I've made cradle logs and batten sliders , a system in which a log can be positioned and chain sawed into various widths and thicknesses with 2X8 & 2X4 lumber .

There is a mill near you and You just don't know it !. Check with some of these manufactures about a person who may have one in your area , they will cut it for a price and it's FAR CHEAPER than you going to a mill !!.

http://forestry.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/X.../www.timberking.com/

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/p...t_6970_152334_152334

Find someone with a big Wood Mizer. That's how I've had most of the trees I bought cut. It's a band mill that wastes little. I was cutting only for specific figure and as such would cut thin until I got into figure and then flip and start over until I got into figure again. Then decide how to proceed based on remaining thickness. Get anchor seal and paint the figure as it's sawn or it'll check.

That's correct if your going to cut into dimension thickness you'll need to seal everything . I prefer to allow the log to dry for months sometimes years before slicing . Depending on the Diameter and species .
Hairbol gave sound advise , look for a band Mill type sawyer in your area .

I'm cutting a Huge Eucalyptus 5' Dia. into lumber and possibly a few stock slabs tomorrow , depending on what I see . A saligna Sydney blue gum , stout sometimes interlocked grain nice brown to salmon pink color . In two weeks I'll drop a Spotted Gum Eucalyptus maculata . This wood in near twice the shock strength of Hickory and very nice looking wood . I have several different species of hardwood floors in my home 5 from Australia .

I've grown some where near 10K Eucalyptus around 60 species over the last 40 years .In several locations including my own acreage . Now many of them MUST come down as they are HUGE . All of of them are Hardwood Lumber proven species from seed stocks I picked up from the CSIRO in Australia .

Ain't retirement grand !. Shoot Straight Know Your Target. ...


Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

Randy

Where in Texas are you? I might be able to help.

I"m 30 miles SW of Plainview. I"ve done enough research and study to know all about quarter sawn and slab sawing and can do it myself. The problem is I do not have the time right now as it is planting season. We get that done and then wheat harvest will start. I do not want this tree to go to waste. Walnut trees are rare around here. If nothing else I will seal it up and wait till I have more time. Had an old timer at the coffee shop tell me to put it in the pond underwater till I was ready!

I've got what used to be the biggest woodmizer made, HD40(?), which I don't use much. Reason I'm posting is, unless they've made a bigger, meaning taller, model since I bought mine about 15 yrs ago, the largest cant (log) they can handle is about 36 inches in diameter, sometimes, depending on log shape you can cheat a little by trimming with a chain saw, but if you've got a really big old walnut tree, especially if you've got the root ball then it will likely be too big for a woodmizer unless you quarter it or something similar.

don't forget the stump - some of the fanciest wood comes out of the big taproot

Randy

There is a sawmill near Bowie, TX that can saw up your blanks.

Stice Sawmill (940) 872-1934

He is set up to cut old telephone poles but has cut stock blanks in the past. I think he charged approximately $75 per hour. It would be best to call and make an appointment so you could get it done the same day you bring it.