boxelder

[excess650]

I was off to mill a 30"+ boxelder log this afternoon. The log was a bit over 8' long and covered with gnarly knots and bumps. My 2x4s to support the CSM for the 1st cut were only 8', so I lopped 3' off the log. It appeared that there had been ants in the log on the one side, but they hadn't actually gone end to end, but had attacked both ends. I brought 7 slabs home, each was 5' long up to 33" wide, and 2.5" thick. I took my camera, but managed only a single photo before the batteries quit.



This was the 1st or 2nd cut made. Notice the birdseye.:msp_w00t: The color is off a bit, and there is red stripe, some blue stain, and possibly a bit of spalting. Some of these slabs are gonna make spectacular coffee table tops. Others will be cut into smaller bits for other purposes. I'll have to work around the bug damage, but was happy to mill this log...and there is more.

 

[Daninvan]

Looks great with the tease photo - Hope you can post more!

 

[excess650]

Looks great with the tease photo - Hope you can post more!

I had hoped to have more to post! The slabs are still on the trailer, so maybe I can take pictures of some of the better slabs. I need to get back out and finish the log that I started and then the 3' section that I had cut off. I also need to mod my mill so I can more easily reach the front chain adjusters on the Husky saws.

 

[excess650]

I needed to unload the trailer, so put fresh batteries in the camera and took a few photos of yesterday's work.

for scale, the trailer is 5'x8'

you can see some of the coloration and bug damage

 

[excess650]

The remnants of yesterday's slabbed log (5' long) and the 3.5' long section I amputated awaited me today.
Lotsa bug action!

little Makita DCS401 with 14" bar for scale

The deep creases in the bark and gnarly knots and bumps are a mixed blessing. The birdseye is in and under the bumps, but some of the bark inclusions are 4"-6" deep. I tried to salvage some of this for wood to be turned or cut into short, thin boards.

I decided that there was so much bug damage that this became a salvage log. I noodled flats onto it and brought a "cant" home to put on the bandmill.

 

[DSS]

I never thought of milling that stuff. I throw most of it away. Nice boards.

We call it Manitoba Maple up here.

 

[excess650]

I never had one of these logs to mill before. After seeing some pictures of boxelder milled, I decided to have at it. The showy stuff may end up in chunks for wood turners, and I may have a slab or two that will be good enough for coffee table tops.

 

[DSS]

I'd love to start milling, I get a lot of big stuff from a tree service. But I don't have a big saw I hate enough to do that to

 

[excess650]

I'd love to start milling, I get a lot of big stuff from a tree service. But I don't have a big saw I hate enough to do that to

While its true that milling is hard duty for a saw, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will be the death of the saw. First, you have to know that it requires lots of displacement to make the torque required to mill. If you already have the saw, then you have to tune it a little richer, run a bit more mix oil, keep the chain sharp, filter clean, and allow it to idle between cuts to aid in cooling. My first saw purchased with the intention of milling was a freshly rebuilt 066. This was after I discovered that my 272xp didn't have enough grunt to do what I wanted. The 066 soon received a WP BB kit (thinking 2008), dogs deleted, and went onto the mill with a 32". Later I bought a 36" and have been using both ever since. I've pulled the muffler and took a look a couple of times and the P&C still look pristine. The ONLY part replaced due to breakage was a clutch because the carrier/spider broke. 30" wide cuts in hardwood definitely make the saw work, and I've made milling cuts in 90*F weather that took 10 minutes, but the saw continues to work.

A few weeks back I picked up a 394xp as backup to my 3120 for mill work. The 394xp did the majority of the cutting of the boxelder because the 42" bar that I needed was for the Husqvarnas. The 394 definitely has more power than the 066BB, and oils better besides.

 

[DSS]

I was thinking 394/395 when I actually buy a saw to mill with.

Any suggestions on a mill for a newbie? I probably wouldn't mill anything over 36" or so.

 

[brookpederson]

I love to hate boxelder. I love it because of it's blood red coloring, not to many woods have that color. I hate it because that nice red color will turn to brown after a few years of exposure. :msp_sad: Those are some nice wide pieces. The stuff i run into usually has some rot starting in the middle when they get that big. Although i've noticed that the more rot there is the more red coloring there is too.

 

[excess650]

I was thinking 394/395 when I actually buy a saw to mill with.

Any suggestions on a mill for a newbie? I probably wouldn't mill anything over 36" or so.

You're a newbie? Judging by your post count it appears that you've been around this site for a while.

Your choice of mill is going to be dependent upon what your goal is. I like live edge slabs, and wide boards, so I felt the need for a fairly wide mill. With a 36" Granberg Alaskan you are limited to 34" cuts, and you'll need a 42" bar and big saw to accomplish that. My 394 got that done in the boxelder. The problem with those wide slabs is that they get really heavy, so handling becomes an issue. Quite often I'm working alone, and find it a chore to wrestle slabs that weigh more than me into the trailer, and later to be unloaded and stacked with stickers.

If you're wanting to cut cants, beams, boards, etc, I would still suggest the 36" Granberg and the Granberg Mini-mill for edging. Make a top cut with the Alaskan, edge both sides with the mini-mill and then cut boards/beams/cants with the Alaskan. A log will yield a square cant 70% of its small diameter. The Granberg willl cut 12" thickness, so a 17" log will give you a 12" square cant. With a much larger log, make a top cut, edge cuts, and split the log in half or thirds with the mini-mill. Realistically, 18" boards are pretty wide, and wider than you can generally find for sale. 24"s are virtually unobtanium unless you cut them yourself, or can find someone to do it for you. Its strictly a niche market.

If you have a bandmill, and I do, there are logs that are just too big or inaccessible for the bandmill. They can be cut into more manageable sizes with a CSM, and then put onto the bandmill to resaw. The BSM uses less fuel, is quieter, quicker, and makes a much narrower cut, so less wood is lost.

 

[jessejames]

(I also need to mod my mill so I can more easily reach the front chain adjusters on the Husky saws. )

I also run a 395 for milling. You can drill a hole right in front of the tensioner screw, through the skid plate, wont weaken it as the strength is in the sides. since your dogs are off you might access tensioner with a cheap ratcheting screwdriver. I havent bothered I pull the saw out of the mill to sharpen and adjust tension at the same time.

 

[Daninvan]

Thanks for the extra pictures! Those are some great slabs, looks like there is a lot of solid wood in many of them.

It is true that the colour will fade over time, the more light it is exposed to the quicker it will fade. You will probably notice the fading starting quite quickly in your wood pile as it dries.

I'm not sure that a tabletop is a very practical way to use this wood unfortunately, as the red will disappear. That being said I have a couple box elder bowls that a friend turned for me, they are three or four years old and the colour is still pretty good as they are kept in a dark room with little sunlight.

I have a couple slabs that are similar to yours, my plan is to use them on the inside of a cabinet with doors. That way the light exposure will be minimal.

Dan

 

[DSS]

You're a newbie? Judging by your post count it appears that you've been around this site for a while.



Your choice of mill is going to be dependent upon what your goal is. I like live edge slabs, and wide boards, so I felt the need for a fairly wide mill. With a 36" Granberg Alaskan you are limited to 34" cuts, and you'll need a 42" bar and big saw to accomplish that. My 394 got that done in the boxelder. The problem with those wide slabs is that they get really heavy, so handling becomes an issue. Quite often I'm working alone, and find it a chore to wrestle slabs that weigh more than me into the trailer, and later to be unloaded and stacked with stickers.



If you're wanting to cut cants, beams, boards, etc, I would still suggest the 36" Granberg and the Granberg Mini-mill for edging. Make a top cut with the Alaskan, edge both sides with the mini-mill and then cut boards/beams/cants with the Alaskan. A log will yield a square cant 70% of its small diameter. The Granberg willl cut 12" thickness, so a 17" log will give you a 12" square cant. With a much larger log, make a top cut, edge cuts, and split the log in half or thirds with the mini-mill. Realistically, 18" boards are pretty wide, and wider than you can generally find for sale. 24"s are virtually unobtanium unless you cut them yourself, or can find someone to do it for you. Its strictly a niche market.



If you have a bandmill, and I do, there are logs that are just too big or inaccessible for the bandmill. They can be cut into more manageable sizes with a CSM, and then put onto the bandmill to resaw. The BSM uses less fuel, is quieter, quicker, and makes a much narrower cut, so less wood is lost.

Ok, ok, I'm a milling newbie.

Thanks for the info. I will mostly be looking to mill boards and such.

 

[harley2143]

Fire Box elder or red box elder same tree different name.

I'v got quite alot of it on my proprty and take it only when ts going to come down anyway. But I have one and measured it at th base its a burl but hge 4' in diameter and can't what to do with it when the time comes. My question is , Is it a rule of thumb that of the tree has burl that it will be red inside or is there another way of knowing before you cut it. Here are couple pics of some bark edged bowls I turned from red boxelder[View attachment 291082

 

[ffquimby]

Finishing

You could consider using a clear finish with a UV blocker in it. the red color should last quite a while. The down side is that the finish is expensive.

PQ