Sequoia Tree Advice

[Boon]

There are two "redwood" trees native to the west coast of the USA. The sequoia sempervirens is a coastal tree the is commonly logged. It is also the current tallest tree at around 380' tall. There is also the sequoia gigantia (sp) (botanical name may have changed) That grow in the Sierra Nevada mtn range in the lower elevations. It is no longer harvested. The tree you have appears to be this species judging by the growth rings. It does not make good lumber but does work OK for garden benches and the like. I would imagine it would also make nice interior siding. I will post a few pics of a 7' giant sequoia we milled a few years ago. The guy in the pics is not me. I'm much more handsome. And a lot fatter.

ok, thanks for the info.

Am not really after anything structural, got a pantry cupboard to make & this would be easy to look at and an interesting piece to have even if it is used as inlay or combined with other timbers.

Got any idea on how well it finishes both in fine sanding and clear high gloss & high polish

 

[Boon]

This one is of me working up a blowdown. This is 10 miles north of Big Sur on the slipperiest hillside in Monterey county. All these trees are native sequoia sempervirens. This is as far south as these redwoods grow.

How did you manage to mill this one? looks near impossible where it is

 

[2dogs]

ok, thanks for the info.

Am not really after anything structural, got a pantry cupboard to make & this would be easy to look at and an interesting piece to have even if it is used as inlay or combined with other timbers.

Got any idea on how well it finishes both in fine sanding and clear high gloss & high polish

I don't know how it will look but I suspect fine. The one thing I would do is let the wood season for as long as you can before sanding and applying the finish.

 

[2dogs]

How did you manage to mill this one? looks near impossible where it is

I cut it to 12'6" or 16'6", I don't remember, and drug it to a deck to wait for milling. I was milled by a Lucas mill or a Woodmizer or an Alaskan mill. I kinda lose track after awhile.

 

[Boon]

I don't know how it will look but I suspect fine. The one thing I would do is let the wood season for as long as you can before sanding and applying the finish.

1 inch 1 year drying sound about right ? So at 65mm or 2.5 inches = 2.5 years ??
Am never quite sure on this one, was told about 3 months for structural timber

 

[Calisdad]

Everything's relative. You're looked wet enough. 2.5 years sound like a long time but I'm not aware of your weather. We used to get lumber on jobsites we joked was 'pond dried'. It would spit at you when you sank a nail. I dropped a 110' sugar pine a couple of months ago that died this year. It was 32" of wood at the base and was already so dry the stump never even puddled a drop of sap.

 

[Calisdad]

2 dogs I didn't 'garden' but I did shoot pigeons. That commute was only bearable because I had a street bike. Taking the San Clemente Dam down would be a great job for somebody.

 

[Boon]

Everything's relative. You're looked wet enough. 2.5 years sound like a long time but I'm not aware of your weather. We used to get lumber on jobsites we joked was 'pond dried'. It would spit at you when you sank a nail. I dropped a 110' sugar pine a couple of months ago that died this year. It was 32" of wood at the base and was already so dry the stump never even puddled a drop of sap.

that was a good fell, right between them trees., impressive

 

[Calisdad]

Thanks and sorry for hijacking your thread. I was trying to miss that small cedar but some upper branches had other ideas.
The stump is now a seat with a backrest and foot stool.

 

[Boon]

Thanks and sorry for hijacking your thread.

Nah its all good AS people posting what more could you ask for

Stacked and covered now just need to change the cover as i think it will mould if not enough air flow plus its wnnter here and quiet moist