Found Wood

[Rob Powell]

I just "found" some red maple. #This wood was cut from some trees that fell during a storm. #It's about 13-16" diameter and anywhere from 20-40" lengths. #It was chainsawed about two weeks ago and looks to be pretty good.

So, I'm wondering what I should do with it...if anything.

Can I reasonalbly expect to use this wood? And if so, what are the next steps...???

I apologize in advance if I'm off topic....

--Rob

[sunburst]

Are the lengths still round? If so, they need to be halved lengthwise at the very least and preferably split or sawn into 4 or more pieces. If left round they will split.
The ends need to be sealed. If they haven't been sealed they have probably already started to check, and if so it may be hard to keep the splits from growing.
You should peel the bark off to help avoid fungus and to see if there is any figure in the wood.

If they are milled into wedges or billets, end sealed and bark peeled, the next step is to put them where air can circulate, out of weather and direct sunlight, cross your fingers and hope for the best.

If you missed this thread (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=7;t=15197), It should help.

[Rob Powell]

Thanks Sunburst!

Some of the tree was chainsawed into about ten 20-40" length logs. I cut the bark off one yesterday. There is some minor cracking at the cut. Being without a chainsaw or any milling tools I'm trying to figure out how I can split this down further. I guess I'm just going to get an axe and do it the old fashioned way...

--Rob

[John Zimm]

I recently had a lot of success splitting some walnut logs into billetts. I used a hatchet, a wedge and a hammer and it worked famously. Just tap the hatchet with the hammer along the line you'd like to cut, then progressively and carefully make the cut deeper, making sure not to get over zealous because the wood may want to split roght down the middle of the billet. Then, after I had split everything, I sealed the ends with titebond glue. There had been some minor cracks and checking, but after carefully glueing them all the checking did not get any worse.

I hope this helps a little.

-John.

[Rob Powell]

Hey John!

Well I finally starting splitting it today and it's not too bad. #The bummer is, it's an entirely unspectacular piece of wood and now I'm not even sure if it's maple #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[sunburst]

Good try tho. Most of the time maple is some of the plainest wood you'll ever see, but it could have been......

[John Zimm]

Beergeek-

It may be a blessing in disguise if it isn't the wood you thought it was. It is always good to try new procedures on wood that isn't of first-class importance. Also, I bet it was a blast to see the fine billets emerge from a chunk of wood. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif Cn you get a close-up pisture of the grain of the wood? Maybe some of the experts here could help identify it.

-John.

[Rob Powell]

Ok...here it is...I apologize if the oic doesn't work..anyone know?

[Spruce]

Man, that's hard to tell...
Is that dead-on quarter?

I take it it hasn't leafed out yet. Are there any old leaves left over from last year on the ground? That will tell you the species...

[Rob Powell]

Nah, it's just from the first small split I did to check it out. That's the thing...leaves around it are red maple, sugar maple, norway maple, poplar, oak...the list goes on....

[Spruce]

Feel free to send me a large shaving in an envelope...

I should be able to ID it...

Generally speaking, look for the "snakeskin" like medulary rays when cut dead-on quarter.
Look at any violin bridge for an example of what these medularies look like, although exageratted (these logs are selected for their strong meds)...

Any pics of the bark?

[ethanopia]

hey guys ironically enough my neighbor just cut down big maple tree and is giving away the chunks

I'll include a pic so you guys can tell me if you think it looks like it is worth saving. the big chunck must be 8 feet long and three feet thick with a nice crotch that from my limited knowledge of wood could yeild some pretty sweet quilty stuff.

The shiny blue thing you see in the pic is cd for scale, so tell me should I get this thing would it be worth it? It's only about 50 yards awaying from being in my back yard...

-e

[ethanopia]

the other end (stump side) the blue thing is a cdr for scale

[ethanopia]

here is the pile of selected shorts

[sunburst]

Why not? It's plenty big, it's plenty close,...it's a lot of work!
The figure at the top end would be crotch figure, not the same as quilt, but fancy none the less.
The dark color you see in the center of the butt end means it's probably not as valuable as if it were white, but so what? I can't tell the difference under a sunburst.
I'd almost bet there is at least some amount of curl down near the butt end of that log. There sometimes is where the log swells at the butt.

If you're gonna go for it, don't waste time! There are threads here that tell you what to do, and if you have questions you can get those answered here too. Especially if you can catch Spruce on line.

[ethanopia]

I was afraid you would say that... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

it's just the matter of moving it that makes me a little nervous, all I have is an appliance dolly and that ain't gonna move chunck like that.

what size chunks would be preferable to cut it into if I did get it, 24" then hand split it?

I'll look for other threads on it. Spruce you out there is this a worth while endevour? I'm not a builder but I do know a builder who who might enjoying a free stash of mediocre wood to play with...if it's free you can experiment away.


Would the smaller logs be of any value for a tone wood?

[Rob Powell]

Found wood heaven..hehee

Anyway, thanks Bruce for the offer to mail it but I think I'm just gonna split it and use it for fun. I'll post some pics after I get it split and surface planed.

Here's a pic of the bark if that helps at all...

[John Zimm]

Ethanopia-

I think I remember someone saying that 25" logs would be the right length. You never know, by the time you get it all prepared and dried the spirit may move you to make an instrument from the wood you have collected. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

-John.

[austin]

hey, what do I know, but it doesn't look like hardwood to me... Looks like pine from both pics....
my.02

[Spruce]

OK...
A lot of issues here....

Is log #2 (with the crotch) figured?
That would determine how quickly I'd jump on this log...
Any pics of the cambium (right under the bark)?

Does the cambium look like a baby's bottom or the back of a Loar?
The latter is obviously what you want.

Best advice on the planet:
Look at the log with your head and not your heart.

If the log is unfigured, it's really not worth the hassle of working it up. #Or at least to me it isn't.

Do we know the species? #Looks like Red Maple, but it could be Silver.

This log is a great example of why we only see slab-cut wood in this species. #
See the red heart? #(duh...)

You can see why all the sawmills mill the wood on the slab 'till they get to the red-heart, and then rotate the log 90 degrees, mill again 'till you get to the red-heart, etc. etc.
The result is a lot of slab-cut white wood, with none of the red-heart present in the boards (hopefully)...

I'd mill it on the quarter, though. #Especially if there's 5" of white wood or more, which it looks like there is.

Cut 20" lengths, then either split out your billets (wasteful) or saw them out with a chainsaw.

I'm in LA at the moment (yuck), but will check in here within the next few days to see how you're coming along...

Luck!

[Michael Lewis]

If you are going to process the wood cut some pieces for the sides at least 30" long. It doesn't take much but if you forget, you will have to find wood from some other source that won't be a perfect match.

[Luthier]

Beergeek, From those two pics of the bark and the wood, I have to go out on a limb with austin and with my .02 take a stab at a species of pine also.

Don

[ethanopia]

thanks Bruce and everyone that responded.

It turns out that at first I thought it was a Red Maple, but after posting my pics I went back and looked closer and I think from the leaves it looked more like a Silver. The leaves were more jagged and had a white under belly. So I became a little less excited then, and after further disscussing it with the owner he said that the arborist who cut the tree down was going to mill the big log.

No loss though really it's a lot of work, and under neath the bark there didn't appear to be any figure at all. but thanks everyone I'll keep my eyes peeled.
thanks,
-e

[Rob Powell]

Thanks guys!

Austin and Don... the one thing I do know is that it's not pine. No species of pine anywhere in the vicinity. After finding another tree with similar bark and examining the leaves on that tree, I'm now thinking it might be magnolia.

Anyone ever used magnolia before?

--Rob

[Luthier]

Well heck, it smelt like pine. #Must be time for a new monitor.

Don #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[whistler]

The bark doesn't look like any magnolia I've seen, but perhaps you have different magnolia species in the US. I know someone who has used magnolia for tool handles. It's very hard and quite interestingly coloured - pale yellow, with pink and purple streaks. The magnolia that grows in the UK (not native, but popular garden ornamentals) tends to be small in height, and wouldn't often reach 1' in diameter. It might do for bridges and fingerboards (they don't HAVE to be dark wood), but I've no idea how it bends, as I've never come across a piece big enough to try.

[Rob Powell]

Another theory shattered http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[delsbrother]

Hey, had to revive this old thread..

I have to get rid of a large (well, large to me, maybe 35-40' tall?) tree in my back lot, and according to the arborist, it's some kind of Ash. Is this worth doing anything with, or am I better off fulfilling my Fender mandocaster fantasies at the local lumberyard?

[sunburst]

It pretty much comes down to whether or not you want the project, have the tools available, and have the space to dry the wood.
Could be fun and interesting.
Lawn trees are renowned for having "hardware" in them. Nails and things to dull or ruin your tools. Ash is pretty easy to get from suppliers.
What do you think?

[Bill Snyder]

I milled down some wood from a native Texas ash we cut down a few years ago. I don't know about using it for a mandolin, not really big enough, but I have just about finished making a strumstick (aka stick dulcimer) from some of it.

[JGWoods]

Well heck, it smelt like pine. Must be time for a new monitor.

Don http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif LOL

jgw

[delsbrother]

It pretty much comes down to whether or not you want the project, have the tools available, and have the space to dry the wood.
Could be fun and interesting.
Lawn trees are renowned for having "hardware" in them. Nails and things to dull or ruin your tools. Ash is pretty easy to get from suppliers.
What do you think?
Yah, thanks. I think I'll pass on this one - I'm guessing the chances it would have any kind of figure are pretty slim, and as you said, ash is readily available without having to do tons of work.