Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
How to pick a tree for lumber
Dan S in NC
>I am in the fortunate position of having the privilege to choose a tree (likely oak, but possibly walnut) for cutting and milling. My Uncle has some forest land in Virginia, and is making a gift. We'll be tramping around there this weekend, and I'd like to pick one for cutting.
I'm looking for advice as to how to choose a single tree for cutting. I'm primarily interested in producing stock for furniture.
Re: How to pick a tree for lumber
Adam Cherubini, NJ
>Dan,
Milling lumber more efficiently than a mill is difficult. IMHO, or at least in my specific situation, its tough to justify this sort of work financially. The mill is often paid for, the guys don't make that much money. I find it cheaper to pay the mill to saw, dry, and store the lumber. Then I can show up and pick only the best boards from a number of trees.
That said, were I in your situation, I'd look for something I couldn't readily buy in a mill. For example: I just realized my inlaw's house in the poconos is surrounded by beech trees. If you could find a beech and split it, that riven green beech would be worth a good deal of money for plane blanks, wooden workbench screws, and the like. Would be easy to sell such pieces to folks here.
The other thing I would look for would be a big black walnut, or black cherry. If you could get some wide straight flitches out of it for coffee tables, dining tables etc, that would be worth your while.
I'd avoid oak since its common enough and cheap. That is unless you haven't got a shave horse. If you haven't got a shave horse and are even remotely interested in making one, I'd select a nice red oak and get a copy of Roy's book that has the instructions in it.
Another idea would be to find white oak for a new workbench. Might be fun to make some 4x4's for legs and massive quartersawn beams to make up the top. Not sure where I could go to find such lumber. Of course it has to sit for many years.
One more thing: (and maybe this was really your question) Look for a tree whose bark is not twisted, growing or more or less on flat ground, that has a lot of competition for sunlight (forested). The first branches should be pretty high.
Cut it soon as spring sap will start flowing soon. Try to saw as far thru as possible to reduce felling stresses.
goodluck,
Adam
Re: How to pick a tree for lumber
Alan Hamilton
>Dan,
In the first of his Woodwright's Shop books Saint Roy of Underhill talks about what to look for when selecting a tree for wood working. As usual in those books the writing is clear, concise and fun to read.
Alan
Re: How to pick a tree for lumber
Jack Guzman from Maine
>In case you can't get a copy of this book,one thing he says of note is that you can usually tell what the wood grain is doing by looking at the patterns in the bark.If the bark spirals around the trunk,you can be pretty sure that the grain spirals also.Sounds like a neat gift.Have fun.---Jack