White Oak Trees (Should I sawmill them?)

[NUTTSGT]

Originally Posted by Tazfink

Maybe a local tractor/steam club would know of a saw mill or even have one on their show grounds and could saw the lumber for a "donation" to the club.

Those are about a thing of the past around here. Since one exploded a few years back at a fair with fatalities, I believe the operators now need a state boilers license to run them.

[Jackfre]

On e you get set up with a sawyer, have him cut to maximize qtr sawn. I did this with some large wh oaks years ago any made a lot of furniture with it. Currently finishing an oak/mahogany trestle table for my daughter. A few years ago I took all the end pieces and cut them into wedges. Gave bags of them as Xmas gifts. Some folks were kinda befuddled at that but a lot came back asking for more.

[theoldwizard1]

Quarter sawn is definitely preferred for furniture makers. You get a lot less lumber out of a log when it it is quarter sawn.

You can dry it yourself by storing it off the ground with wood strips between each layer. If it is stored outside, put a tarp on it. It you live in an area with termites or carpenter ants, spray the ground around your stack a couple of times a year. Use an oil based paint on the end to minimize cracking.

You should also rotate the stack every 6-12(?) months.

[madosta]

Well here's one of them on the front of a JD 510... lol

[KEH]

Making progress! That JD loader is the real thing, that is a heavy tree. there are tables for figuring the weight,but I'm not familiar with them. Looks like you could get an 8 or 10 foot cut off the bottom and make good, straight grained boards. On the rest of the tree with the forks in it, if you have a good sawyer and are lucky at getting it sawed the right way, you will get some furniture grade crotch grain short boards. Then if you are lucky again the boards will dry without cracking.

KEH

[BigMike782]

I had a 20" walnut log that I raised off the ground and painted the ends.I took it to a steam museum to have sawn.The sawyer hit a nail and offered to throw it on their burn pile......nah just set it in my truck and I'll pay the tooth charge and go be my way.Found a guy with a WoodMiser,100.00 an hour and 23.00 per blade that gets damaged.125.00 later I have a nice stack of beautiful walnut that has air dried in the barn.Just found a company that will plane it for doughnuts.....winner,winner chicken dinner
The WoodMiser guy said it would have sawn better green but I am VERY happy with how it came out.I stacked and stickered it and never moved it from that point forward.If it is stacked well and stickered there should be no need to need to turn it.

[madosta]

I found a local WoodMizer thanks to a suggestion via this awesome forum of awesome dudes! I'll let you know what I end up doing!

[Bib Overalls]

Rough sawed white oak planks are the preferred material around here for heavy duty trailers that carry bulldozers and equipment. They are treated from time to time with used motor oil. Prevents rot.