Did some business with a CFF member recently

Scsmith42

Scsmith42

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About a year ago CFF member JP8819 (Kevin) started a conversation with me about some oversized trees that his family was going to be taking down on the family farm. From posts here and previously on CSC he knew that I have a sawmill operation that specializes in milling oversized logs and he wanted to let me know that his family might have something of interest.

This Sunday we met up to load out the last of what turned out to be three trailer loads. The red oak behind me on the trailer is about 6’ across at the crotch, and the maple and black walnut behind Kevin is somewhat less. I’ll mill these into live edge slabs around 3” thick and dry them for a few years before selling.

Kevin, it was great to meet you, Ron, your brother and father. Too bad we didn’t have time to go shooting but hopefully you can stop by the farm one day when you’re in the neighborhood. Thank you for reaching out to me for these logs.

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Pleasure doing business with you as well Scott and your wealth of knowledge on the big trees. I def want to take you up on the offer and still want to get by and see the mills sometime I am down that way as well. Glad the timber will go to a good use! I am sure we will have more for you in future years now that I have a better understanding of what you can use.
 
NCLivingBrit said:
Sounds like that is going to be some nice high dollar timber. You don't find those big trees like you used to.
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Not near as many as used to be and finding them solid still without hidden treasures (metal or hollow spots) so Scott can mill them makes them harder to find especially if around barns or old home places. We had a bigger one we took down but until we got it down we did not know for sure it was hollow in the center at the base and not much left holding it. One other one we took down for Ron a neighbor that helped was beside a shop and unfortunately had metal in it and a old generator the tree had grown around at the base that was pretty wild to see. All but one of these trees was already dying or been severally damaged in past years ice storms. If I remember right It was one white oak, couple red oaks, the black walnut and a sycamore. Ranging from about 30"-55+" at the bases depending where you measured.
 
I’m drooling over here.
 
drypowder said:
Out of curiosity, how do you load logs that large on/off a trailer?
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Very carefully not to damage the trailer or someone else.
On our end we used a tele handler we have on the farm to load with and its rated to pick up 8k with boom all the way in and the Log behind Scott it picked up but didn't want much more. It wouldn't pick up the tree enough to get a strap out from under it we used to pull the tree until sawed up. Not sure what he used to unload them. Picture of it below with dad taking a picture of a corn field earlier in year with it boomed out about 35 ft and he didnt want to go any higher.
 

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drypowder said:
Out of curiosity, how do you load logs that large on/off a trailer?
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Joe, it varies. Sometimes we use a process called parbuckling which is when you use a winch, blocks, and ramps for loading over the side of a trailer. Below is an example:

Blandwood article.jpg

Other times I will mobilize in a loader. If it's a new removal, I try to coordinate with the tree service or grading contractor to have them load it on my trailer using a crane or excavator. In the photo below we are loading 60' syp logs onto a trailer (I'm milling 58' beams from them). Each log weighs 18,000 lbs and we used a combination of an excavator and a forklift in tandem to lift the logs, and then backed a trailer underneath them.

Duke Logs.jpg

This crotch log measures 7' on the narrow end, 9' across the crotch, and weighs 34,000 lbs. It required two very large excavators to lift and we backed the trailer underneath it.

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As far as unloading on my end, for logs under 20,000 lbs we typically use this machine:

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If I need to pick up more than 20K lbs, I use this:

Crane.JPG
 
Thanks for the explanations and pics, guys. Interesting stuff, and totally new to a city slicker like me.

Looking at the pic of the guy standing on the "pancake" side of the ramp - that's confidence right there!
 
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Milling dimensioned lumber and live edge is all great, but do you do anything for turners?
 
drypowder said:
Thanks for the explanations and pics, guys. Interesting stuff, and totally new to a city slicker like me.

Looking at the pic of the guy standing on the "pancake" side of the ramp - that's confidence right there!
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lol. That's me on the side. I trust my rigging ;)
 
Am I correct that gunstocks come from the area where branches are and not from the area were roots are?
If so why not the area where the roots are?
Thanks,
Ron
 
Scsmith42 said:
Unfortunately no. Most of the stuff that we handle is too large for turning :)
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You just haven’t seen an above average lathe

Anatoly Tsiris is a local turner that works with fairly large pieces, James Soder is another although he may have stopped turning. David Barkby is an interesting artist, there are dozens more. It’s a small group.

Pic of the world record turned wood bowl.


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Chdamn said:
One day, hopefully before I'm too damn old to be able to do it, I'm going to get a shop set up and do more wood working. Would love to build some nice live edge furniture.
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It's too late...............you're already too old. Give it up.
 
Brangus right there with the words of encouragement.
There's no excuse for it even though he's right.
 
JimB said:
Milling dimensioned lumber and live edge is all great, but do you do anything for turners?
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If you were closer or headed this way in the near future you could have some of the black walnut limb pieces if you could use them or wanted them. There is some 6-8" in diameter
 
Jp8819 said:
If you were closer or headed this way in the near future you could have some of the black walnut limb pieces if you could use them or wanted them. There is some 6-8" in diameter
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I love turning small thin natural-edged bowls, but not headed your way until the end of the year. Appreciate the offer though!
 
ronn47 said:
Am I correct that gunstocks come from the area where branches are and not from the area were roots are?
If so why not the area where the roots are?
Thanks,
Ron
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Ron, highly figured gunstock material can either be harvested from a root ball or from the main trunk where a limb intersects it at almost 90 degrees. It is not usually harvested from limb wood.

Non highly figured gun stocks are milled from the main trunk wood.
 
Chdamn said:
One day, hopefully before I'm too damn old to be able to do it, I'm going to get a shop set up and do more wood working. Would love to build some nice live edge furniture.
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You can make some pretty cool pieces with live edge and large slabs but the rules on finishing are a bit different than traditional woodworking.
 
JimB said:
You just haven’t seen an above average lathe

Anatoly Tsiris is a local turner that works with fairly large pieces, James Soder is another although he may have stopped turning. David Barkby is an interesting artist, there are dozens more. It’s a small group.

Pic of the world record turned wood bowl.


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I recall reading about that a few years back. That was done in Europe, wasn't it?
 
Scsmith42 said:
I recall reading about that a few years back. That was done in Europe, wasn't it?
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I believe so. Seem to recall several guys working on it in rotation over the course of a week or two.
 
I stumbled into this thread with great pics while searching for something else.
It seems as good of a place as any to give @Scsmith42 a shout out.
I recently acquired a large lathe & he jumped in Johnny on the spot to help out. Now we both have a new machine to learn.
My family is looking into a new venture & Scott sat down a spell with my wife & I to share his thoughts.
He’s a gent, a scholar and is one that makes CFF a great community.
 
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Get Off My Lawn said:
I stumbled into this thread with great pics while searching for something else.
It seems as good of a place as any to give @Scsmith42 a shout out.
I recently acquired a large lathe & he jumped in Johnny on the spot to help out. Now we both have a new machine to learn.
My family is looking into a new venture & Scott sat down a spell with my wife & I to share his thoughts.
He’s a gent, a scholar and is one that makes CFF a great community.
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Completely agree, Scott is one of the best!
 
Looks like there was at least an attempt at a larger bowl in Hamburg, but it isn’t listed as a world record, not sure what’s up. 15’ in diameter.
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