What to mill these into...

[FLtreeGuyVHTC]

Got over 4mbf probably closer to 5 mbf of Scotch and Norway Pine. Most of them are 14' with 25" to 30" diameters. I was going to sell the logs but haven't found a buyer that wants Scotch/Norway pine. I also have over 2mbf of white pine. I would like to mill these up to sell as lumber. What should I mill these up as for maxuim return as sold lumber and so they don't warp/split on the ends? Some are long with no knots. One is 14ft long with a 32" diameter on both ends with no knots(scotch). I figure the knotty ones could be cut into 1"x10"s for flooring ( may build sheds out of this lumber ). I also will be harvesting black walnuts, black cherry, and white ash... But really need to figure out what to do with these scotch pines... they take up alot of space.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Depends, what are you going to mill them with, CSM or BSM?

SR

 

[jnl502]

With that many bf of timber it would be a good time to buy a nice band mil with all the goodies if you don't have one already. Maybe a skidder and wheel loader too.
jnl

 

[sachsmo]

7 mbf eh?

figures out to be 14 cords. Bet you could build one nice log home.

 

[FLtreeGuyVHTC]

With that many bf of timber it would be a good time to buy a nice band mil with all the goodies if you don't have one already. Maybe a skidder and wheel loader too.
jnl

I can get a skidder for $100 a day which I usually use on jobs and it cost me $.20 a bf to be milled. I plan on buying one... but I think a bucket truck and a chipper has more use at the moment. I was thinking about building cabins for some of the local camp grounds. If I do this would I have to get the lumber graded? Or can I just mill them up and use them. Figure the white pine would make nice rafters.

 

[procarbine2k1]

$100/ day for a skidder seems super cheap. I dont know what kind of deal you would work out on the camp grounds, or if you have any youth camps/ non-profits around.. but I imagine if you were reay busy and needed to move on to the walnuts/ cherry you could possibly donate some of the logs for camp/cottage construction (to youth camp or some charitable camp ground deal) with a nice tax write-off? Just slingin ideas.
I would love to have a bandmill myself, just for the spalted stuff, burls, crotches, figurative wood (low volume stuff).

 

[FLtreeGuyVHTC]

$100/ day for a skidder seems super cheap. I dont know what kind of deal you would work out on the camp grounds, or if you have any youth camps/ non-profits around.. but I imagine if you were reay busy and needed to move on to the walnuts/ cherry you could possibly donate some of the logs for camp/cottage construction (to youth camp or some charitable camp ground deal) with a nice tax write-off? Just slingin ideas.
I would love to have a bandmill myself, just for the spalted stuff, burls, crotches, figurative wood (low volume stuff).

Farmer we rent it off use to be my babysitter when I was like 6... We've also done a lot of tree worf for just about nothing. I was thinking about trying to sell some of it to some of the local schools really cheap for their tech classes. I'm really busy but I don't have a lot of equipment. Would like to get a bucket truck and trying to put every penny I can together to get it. At this point I got enough tax write offs... Need equipment more then anything. Been climbing ten years, would like a piece of equipment to make my life easier.

 

[Dave Boyt]

Back to Rob's question, how are you going to mill the lumber? Chain saw mill would be OK for cabin logs or beams, but you'd want a band or swing blade mill for production work. Consider your time and try to be realistic. If you don't have a band mill, consider hiring a sawyer. You won't want to cut the walnut and cherry with a chain saw mill, and it looks like there's going to be more of it down the line since you're an arborist in New York. Cabins sound easy, since you are only milling two sides, but construction is time consuming. Donating some wood is a great idea. My suggestions are 1) figure out what you need for your projects and cut that first. 2) put an ad in Craig's List saying that you will custom cut to the customer's specifications.

If you cut flooring, you will need to job out the kiln drying, planing, and tongue and groove. Unless you've lined out a customer ahead of time that will be a big investment with the risk you won't be able to sell the end product.

Establish connections with woodworkers now so that you'll have an idea of how to cut the hardwoods for their best use. Don't assume that if you cut it they will come.

Pine will start to blue stain a couple of weeks after it has been cut, especially in this weather, so you need to cut it right away. Woodweb.com has a listing of sawyers, if you need to find one in your area.