Huge Fremont Cottonwood Tree

[820wards]

Might be getting this tree to mill. It's a huge Fremont Cotton Tree that was so top heavy it blew over during a recent wind storm. My buddy and I went out today to check it out.

My question, is cottonwood trees worth milling?

Fallen Tree

Comparison with Simon

Big Limb

 

[logging22]

Man, thats a big tree.

 

[Daninvan]

Wow! That's a big tree!

Interesting that the trunk is not very long though. I guess it was growing in the open from the get go and never had to compete for light.

I'm not a faller so I have no idea how to finish that job on a tree that is 'partly fallen' on its own.

Cottonwood is extremely soft, I don't think there are many other trees that are much softer. Even yellow cedar is harder. So it should be easy to mill despite its girth. I don't think it would be appropriate for 2x4's or fence posts, it would make some excellent slabs though!

Dan

 

[betterbuilt]

Cottonwood makes a pretty nice board. Its strength is pretty amazing for its weight. It shrinks a lot and I'd assume if you slabbed it, it cup quite a bit. It does smell like urine til it dries. I painted a pretty bad picture here.

I use this link a lot because it has an incredible amount of pictures. You can see some of the possibility's in cotton wood.
Exotic Wood cottonwood

If and when I get a cotton wood, I'm gonna be milling it. I bet that tree is gonna have some figure.

 

[StihltheOne]

That right there is what I wood call a "medium" size tree!! I would guess that there is 4.5 cords in that tree. We have cut up a lot of big ol cottonwoods. I am currently working on one that has arms as big as yer trunk!! I have often wondered how many 2x4 one tree would make!! Good luck with it, if I were there I wood jump right in on that little project!! Just one more reason to have an that 090 and 660 you have been wanting!!

 

[820wards]

That right there is what I wood call a "medium" size tree!! I would guess that there is 4.5 cords in that tree. We have cut up a lot of big ol cottonwoods. I am currently working on one that has arms as big as yer trunk!! I have often wondered how many 2x4 one tree would make!! Good luck with it, if I were there I wood jump right in on that little project!! Just one more reason to have an that 090 and 660 you have been wanting!!

I'm still trying to get permission to cut the tree so I won't know for a few days. I have a big 820 WARDS saw with a 32" bar that I would use on the big pieces. My friend has a place just up the road and he has a tractor we can use to move the pieces around. My plan is to try milling some nice slabs and then cut the rest for firewood. I have firewood guys lined up for that stuff.

jerry-

 

[Hddnis]

That tree should be worth milling. Looks like a lot of areas where you can get good figure. Look it over carefully for burls and cluster burls. I've milled a couple of them and was really happy with the results. It might be yellow when green, but will dry almost white.

Makes good firewood too.



Mr. HE

 

[820wards]

That tree should be worth milling. Looks like a lot of areas where you can get good figure. Look it over carefully for burls and cluster burls. I've milled a couple of them and was really happy with the results. It might be yellow when green, but will dry almost white.

Makes good firewood too.
Mr. HE

Yes, there is some nice areas on the tree that should have nice figuring. Made another call this morning to the people who own the land. Just waiting for a call back.

jerry-

 

[preach it]

I have cut into boards several large cottonwoods. I put together a heavy duty work bench with some while it was still green/wet. It did shrink quite a bit and it did cup a little. But since it was a work bench I didn't mind, I use it for saw maintenance. I see no real problem with it. It is common knowledge that it can't be used where it will get wet or it will rot quickly. So inside use is fine. I tried also making a single log holder with some and it works fine. The log it holds is for checking chain sharpness etc. It sits out side year round and I painted it to shield it from the weather. It has held up fine for years now. No complaints here.

There is a sawmill near me here that uses cottonwood exclusively for pallet making, and has done so for years. They must have a good sized contract for pallets as they mill cottonwood all summer and make pallets all winter.

 

[tmroper]

It's kind of good timing you posted this questioned for the last month I have been visiting w/ older neighbors who have a mill on the topic of cottonwoods and this is what I found out kind of surprised me.

They said that it mills easy if done while green. They said also that If the tree was by a sandy bottom creek,river or just in really sandy soil it would dull your blad so for me to select on in a good location. I had kind of noticed this when cutting up on for firewood but just never thought about it much. Then I asked what I have always been told that it sucks up water like a sponge and not to use where exposed to the elements. One of the older gentlemen told me to get in the truck and we went up to visit an older friend of his who had a cabin on the stillwater river that he had sawn the lumber to build. The siding was cottonwood and according to these to old fellas had been up for 30 yrs. It was lap siding and the cabin had good overhangs. Now I am from Montana and we have a really dry climate so this may not work in other areas. The old millers also told me if I wanted to use it to stack and sticker it and band it good and tight. They said I would get a lot less twisting and cupping however there would be some loss.

Now for my own experiments I took a chunk of firewood split it square and run it through a planer and applied a different finish to each side and it was some good looking wood to me. I carried that chunk of wood around in my truck door to show some pretty handy woodworkers and quiz them on the species, Most thought the piece I had was hickory or didn't know. I also turned some handles for chainsaw files to see how I liked it and it really turned nice. But I have yet to mill any. I am wanting to mill some pretty soon so I can give it a try.

I am envious of you guys that have so many different species of trees to mill all we have local is ponderosa pine and cottonwood, although my folks ranch 3.5 hrs away have aspen, fir, lodgepole pine.

Good luck to you and I hope you post some pics and feedback on what you learn.

 

[820wards]

Guys, sorry I haven't been replying. I've celebrating the birth of my second grandson born Jan 31st. Baby/Mom all doing good.

They said that it mills easy if done while green. They said also that If the tree was by a sandy bottom creek,river or just in really sandy soil it would dull your blad so for me to select on in a good location.

** Sometime you have to listen to those ol boys because they've been-there-done-that. This tree is in front of an old ranch house so sand shouldn't be an issue, but I will remember that.

Now for my own experiments I took a chunk of firewood split it square and run it through a planer and applied a different finish to each side and it was some good looking wood to me.

** So did you find a finish color you liked best for this wood? Any chance you could post a picture of the sample piece with the different colors?

I am envious of you guys that have so many different species of trees to mill all we have local is ponderosa pine and cottonwood, although my folks ranch 3.5 hrs away have aspen, fir, lodgepole pine.

** All the years I hunted in Utah, I never brough back a piece of aspen to make something with. Dang...

Good luck to you and I hope you post some pics and feedback on what you learn.

** Came home today and had a message on the answering machine from the contact person on the tree. She has one more person to contact and will let me know if I can have the tree to mill. The tree is on public utilities land so the show stopper would be liability. I'll see.

Thanks to all for your comments/information.
jerry-

 

[tmroper]

** So did you find a finish color you liked best for this wood? Any chance you could post a picture of the sample piece with the different colors?

I personally like a light finish on most woods and felt the same with this sample. Since I had 4 sides obviously on the sample I just applied a different stain on each side. I think these are the stains I tried- straight polyurethene, walnut, I can't remember the other two one was something oak (real light tint). I thought the dark looked good also. It would be a really hard choice. I will see if I can find the sample and take some photos for you. I think you will be really surprised. I am interested in trying to use it for sheathing on interior walls in my saddle shop. Living in the prairie I don't have a lot of choices in tree species close and cottonwood would be easy to come by. If I get to it before you do I will let you know how it goes for me. I figure it is worth a shot and if it doesn't turn out I can use it for firewood. I also learned something else from those oldtimers about cottonwood that you can use it for smoking meat. It doesn't put a strong flavor in the meat but it does taste nice. This summer I smoked a pork shoulder and a turkey and an old cowboy that I am friends with stopped in and ate with my wife and I. We were sitting at the table as he was getting his second helping of this turkey that was smoked with the cottonwood when I asked him " you know what I smoked that turkey with?". He said "Yeah a 45". He's quite the character.

Hope this helps you and I am glad to pass it along.

 

[tmroper]

Almost forgot since I mentioned smoking meat with cottonwood. The oldtimer that passed this info onto me said to use dry wood. I don't know if it makes a difference but figured it might be.