Big red oak advise

[DAGUS WYSONG]

My neighbor expressed a fear that a big oak tree might fall on his house so I cleared the area around the tree and hired an insured arborist to cut it down. My neighbor and I split the cost, $450 total. It looks like the tree could produce some excellent lumber. As it lays on the ground there is 18 feet of unblemished trunk and the diameter is about 36 inches. I am wondering if there is some advise on the most profitable way to dispose of the wood. My neighbor knows a little about trees and he suggested that it may be used for veneer.

By the way, I am new on this forum. Thanks

 

[crackajeff]

If it's completely unblemished and straight it could be veneer. If not it would at least make a nice saw log.

 

[Mike Van]

There's no veneer mill I know of that would take a log that was right over or next to someones house. The risk of metal in it is just too great. If you could find a bandmill owner to come saw it, you'd be all set. Most large mills that buy logs don't want yard trees either, and probably would not send a truck for one log anyway.

 

[BlackenedTimber]

I agree with Mike Van, most mills will not even look at the timber if it has been anywhere neer a residential setting. If your really interested in cutting veneer, sound the tree with a mallet to check for any dead, rotted, or hollow spots that not be visible from the outside, and go over the tree thouroughly with a metal detector. (easier said than done, I know...) If the wood is sound and no metal is embedded in the spar, you may be able to find a local logging company to haul the timber to a mill of your choice, but you would foot the bill for the hauling. Make an appointment with your mill to have the timber scaled and graded. They may or may not purchase your log. If they dont, you eat all the cost. If they do, you might make a lil bit on the deal. Timber is a craps shoot, especially in an urban/suburban setting. Also, timber prices are in the gutter right now, so even a high quality veneer log may not fetch as much as you think, and mills can be very specific about the dimensions of logs that they will accept for veneer. In NY I had to cut my veneer 9'4", so you may have to have the gentleman who grades your timber buck out an appropriate sized log for you in the mill yard, in which case you may end up having 2 or more logs, of varying size and grade.

Good Luck.

 

[380LGR]

Smash it into firewood you will be much farther ahead in the long run. With red oak you will get blue spots in the ends of the log if there is metal in it.

 

[BlackenedTimber]

That is true, for some odd reason "Bluing" slipped my mind. You are absolutely right.

 

[Cletuspsc]

Firewood

 

[songofthewood]

Firewood

:agree2: