Got a new toy

[TraditionalTool]

I cut the cedar logs to that length so the logs would fit into the tractor's dump bucket. We were on a cemetery & didn't want to skid a large log over the lawn. With short logs, we could roll them into position for the tractor to reach.

I saw the big cross and was wondering, but didn't say anything as I didn't know...some folks have those in their yard...(cemeteries that is).

That is some nice looking cedar, great score! I guess it's fair to say you brought it back from the dead...

This mill supposedly will cut a 36" diameter log, and does indeed have a 30" throat opening. But I don't think I could ever push it's limits. If this were oak or maple instead of cedar, i'd have never been able to handle the logs to get them on the mill.

The 18HP engine might have a tough time on some of the harder wood also...but if you take your time you should be ok. A sharp blade is key...the blades seem to go dull faster than most would like...I know they dull faster than I would prefer...

 

[Hunt'n'photos]

Sweet! That looks like a pretty nice setup. I just picked up a chainsaw mill and hope to get anything half that nice! Sure wish we had cedars up here!

 

[TraditionalTool]

Sweet! That looks like a pretty nice setup. I just picked up a chainsaw mill and hope to get anything half that nice! Sure wish we had cedars up here!

No whining from Alaska, don't you have the ability to get a permit for a given number of trees per year. Seems a friend of mine up there does that and can get about 25 trees per year. He moves them on the river.

That seems like a pretty decent deal...that's a lot of wood for 1 year, IMO...cause you can get another 25 next year...

 

[Hunt'n'photos]

No whining from Alaska, don't you have the ability to get a permit for a given number of trees per year. Seems a friend of mine up there does that and can get about 25 trees per year. He moves them on the river.

That seems like a pretty decent deal...that's a lot of wood for 1 year, IMO...cause you can get another 25 next year...

LMAO!!! No whinin' from me! I havent looked into the permit yet. I have enough private land that I have been working on thinning and clearing that I havent needed it yet. But we have no hardwood up here like you guys in the lower 48 and no cedar, but we use a ton of cedar for the inside of our sauna's and cabins! Most of it comes from Russia. The best firewood we have is birch.

 

[Alaskat]

Southeast has yellow cedar. Kachemak Cooperage in anchorage uses it in their saunas and hot tubs. You will find birch fun to work with and the abundance of spruce.I had a mobile dimensional sawmill and several CS mills. I built a timberframe from the beetle kill spruce using mahogany splines and purple heart pegs all mortise and tenon and some half lap dovetail knee braces. Good to see another from ak on forum.

 

[Brmorgan]

Southeast has yellow cedar. Kachemak Cooperage in anchorage uses it in their saunas and hot tubs. You will find birch fun to work with and the abundance of spruce.I had a mobile dimensional sawmill and several CS mills. I built a timberframe from the beetle kill spruce using mahogany splines and purple heart pegs all mortise and tenon and some half lap dovetail knee braces. Good to see another from ak on forum.

Yep, lots of Yellow Cedar up that way, and Western Red Cedar well into the Panhandle as well. The stuff in this thread is actually Juniper (and nice Juniper at that!), but everyone in the SW states seem to call it Cedar, so I guess it's a regional thing.

 

[qbilder]

Yep, lots of Yellow Cedar up that way, and Western Red Cedar well into the Panhandle as well. The stuff in this thread is actually Juniper (and nice Juniper at that!), but everyone in the SW states seem to call it Cedar, so I guess it's a regional thing.

We have juniper here in NM & it's completely different than the eastern red cedar. The cedar I cut was in Ohio. I'm sure the two trees are related to an extent but they are clearly different species.

 

[qbilder]

Southeast has yellow cedar. Kachemak Cooperage in anchorage uses it in their saunas and hot tubs. You will find birch fun to work with and the abundance of spruce.I had a mobile dimensional sawmill and several CS mills. I built a timberframe from the beetle kill spruce using mahogany splines and purple heart pegs all mortise and tenon and some half lap dovetail knee braces. Good to see another from ak on forum.

Wow!!! It's really cool to see folks from AK on here. I used to live in AK, am married to an Eskimo. She retires from the military in a year or so & we plan to come back up there. There is one tree that I know of that's pretty hard. I used to cut them in Whittier along the coast. They grow out of the coastal banks & are only exposed to cutting during low tide. It's an evergreen that doesn't get all that large but is always swirly & figured. I have no idea what it is, never could find out. But it's as hard as any oak or maple, and pretty heavy even when dry. Grain looks like some kind of swirly spruce but with a red tint. Pretty stuff.

 

[TraditionalTool]

LMAO!!! No whinin' from me! I havent looked into the permit yet. I have enough private land that I have been working on thinning and clearing that I havent needed it yet. But we have no hardwood up here like you guys in the lower 48 and no cedar, but we use a ton of cedar for the inside of our sauna's and cabins! Most of it comes from Russia. The best firewood we have is birch.

What's wrong with softwood? I'm building with it...using Eastern White Pine. Sides are done on a band mill.

 

[Hunt'n'photos]

What's wrong with softwood? I'm building with it...using Eastern White Pine. Sides are done on a band mill.

Nothing wrong with building with it! But for heating it leaves lots to be desired. Thank goodness there is lots of birch around our cabin!

That looks like a really cool project! Keep us posted on your progress!

 

[TraditionalTool]

Nothing wrong with building with it! But for heating it leaves lots to be desired.

Give a man a couple cord of wood and he'll stay warm for a winter...give him a home and he'll stay warm for many years...not my fault your burning what you could build with...

 

[Hunt'n'photos]

Touche'