I was wondering if anyone can give me a few suggestions...
I am cutting down a large maple tree (not exactly sure specific species, anyway to tell if it does not yet have leaves?) and instead of buring the big stuff, would like to save some of it and maybe make a few small items for the cabin (a butcher block island maybe). What is the best way to cut it (lengths) and store it?? Should we remove the bark? What diameter is useable for furniture?
Thoughts??
Thanks!!
If you were saving it as logs you would probably want to remove the bark - bugs will loosen it in a few months but if you are using it for furniture you would probably want to cut it into planks or turning stock sizes. Hardwood will dry on the ends and beging cracking and checking soon - How you do it would depend on what you are going to use it for - painting the ends will help keep the ends from checking as bad- some recommend latex paint. The bark can be taken of with the caps -first slabs you cut. Put dry wood stickers between the boards for air to circulate and band it is one way to do it. Making it extra thick will leave room for surface planing.
Turning stock can also be made by gluing planks together - maybe better than solid stock.
A bandsaw has the least waste but the Alaskan sawmill attachment will make planks cheaply- more work and more waste though. Much slower.
For lengths, I like a standard length plus a few inches - I usually go 6 but if ends are fairly square less will do - a few more inches will allow you to get rid of more checks or cracks etc. and still get a standard length out of it-- by standard length +6" I mean - 8' 6" 12' 6" 16' 6" etc. or similar in shorter lengths.
That's most of what I know - maybe others will have more suggestions.
If it's a big old tree, and has a good length of fairly straight trunk, it might be worth thinking about selling it.
My baby sister and her DH used to be loggers, and would get some impressive money for good sized hardwood trees. They sold them to a veneer manufacturer, who would send a truck down from Canada to pick up a tree or two.
It would be especially worth thinking about if it's curly or tiger eye; gunstock makers like that stuff too.
If it is worth more to you as lumber for furniture, etc., the only thing I would add to Glenn's advice is to keep the stickered stack under cover if it will be sitting any time at all.
Another way to seal the end grain is to melt paraffin onto it. Did that with some green black walnut slabs years ago, and it worked well.