A few board feet of maple

RPA_Ukuleles

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Well, this grand old tree's time has come. I'll miss the shade. Was really hoping I could find a mill to cut it into lumber, but it's so huge, and nothing close by. I am keeping a few manageable pieces. Will try to saw and stack those for the future.

 
Well, this grand old tree's time has come. I'll miss the shade. Was really hoping I could find a mill to cut it into lumber, but it's so huge, and nothing close by. I am keeping a few manageable pieces. Will try to saw and stack those for the future.

If you have the "fill in whatever is appropiate" you can break that down using hydraulic jacks from the rental store. Cut long grooves, get a bunch of metal wedges and maul. Install jacks in pockets cut into each end and proceed to pop it. Won't be easy, but I saw a 50"+ maple reduced in that manner.

Or try and advertise on CL free for retaining part of the material.. Good Luck there.

PS: you could get a ripping chain for that chainsaw.
 
I'd be surprised if you find many willing to mill it since it is so close to other structures. The odds of it having a nail, bolt or other item that would destroy a saw blade is pretty high. Blades aren't cheap. Hope it has some good figure to it.
 
Split it into cants after sawing it to 'uke/guitar' lengths - 24" long for guitar backs, 34" for sides.... This process will produce good quarter and will be satisfyingly efficient.
 
Well I had the tree cutter make a few careful rip cuts and I was not impressed with any of the figure. Some nice spalted look here and there, but nice figuring doesn't seem to be there so likely not worth the effort in the end. I'm keeping some uke sized pieces and will split em, then saw on my bandsaw. Moreover though, the cutter is a great guy and has offered me some black walnut he had milled, plus he regularly cuts sycamore and is willing to save select pieces. He's already dropped off two sycamore logs, 20" dia. by 38" I'm going to contact the sawyer Adam mentioned (thanks) and see if he's willing to quartersaw these logs.

And Andrew, the cutter did find some concrete in the trunk. I felt bad for him, it was on his biggest (60-inch) chainsaw. :(
 
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