Thread: Old Elm tree . Nice wood - Big Job

The larger bit I cut free hand. To hard and to wonky .
The new Alaskan mill should sort it out . Looking forward to trying it out !

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Rob

That looks like quite an interesting task. A long one thou.

Wow. That is a big job.

Elm is one of my favourites - you are one lucky person.

Looking good. What about the main trunk?

I'm up to the main trunk now , I probably could have cut it into sections with the 25 inch bar from both sides when its down on the ground but I now have the big bar to go with as well so that should be good .

Ive been doing a lot of thinking about that trunk . Its 7 foot off the ground at the top and is being held up there on three points . It looks like three or four ton of wood with a guess? maybe much more? Its 6 to 8 ? meters long and would average 1 Metre thick of wet Elm .

If I were to cut at the red arrow on the right to get it down it would be coming at me big time! If I stood on the other side a similar but smaller fall towards me .

So I reckon the best way is from the end and cut that tall branch at the Yellow lines and try and do it in steps. It cant come at me . The hardest thing doing this is not getting the saw jammed or ripped from my hands in a flash! Been there and done that! So some wedges may be the go ? Any one know a good technique for this . Put a half cut under first on the bottom yellow line put a wedge in that then finish up the cut on top ??



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Its resting on the three green dots and the red line is where its been cut back to. Its One meter thick at the green line with arrows. 7 foot high at the tall end.
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Rob

Thats a life time supply.

Looking forward to seeing the crotch area

Originally Posted by wheelinround

Thats a life time supply.

Looking forward to seeing the crotch area

Yeah that will be good to see . I did cut one seat size one in half free hand but there is a lot more going on in the end there in the picture.

Looks good! Could you stick a log under that high end so it holds it up when you do the cut of the limb holding the trunk up?


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Yeah that's an option . If I placed it under where I need to cut later so the later section can drop from that . I think I will do the trunk in two pieces ? Haven't decided that yet . The trunk is rotten 1.5 meters up from the bottom and a good meter from the top end is crotch which I will probably cut off and do separate. Ill have to get the tape and chalk onto it and decide that when I get back to it .

Rob

Good luck with it all, it's a challenge! I have only just got into milling late last year, loads to learn and you never know how good the tree is until you get into it. Each slab is different. [emoji3]


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Thanks Cal , Ive only ever hauled logs back and milled on my band saw or paid to have it done or bought direct off the tree loppers who milled it . Ive liked it because its a fantastic way of getting special stuff that you never see at a timber yard .

I have a lot of large Banksia around where I now live , I'm keeping my eye out for one of those next. There are Black wood trees around as well .

Rob

Support the log with jacks or chocks or both. This stuff is not easy to dry. End splitting will be an issue at this time of year, so try to keep lengths as long as possible. The best stuff will be below ground level.

If you are going to do the red cut first part cut from the top and then cut from below. Do this with the other red marker and ignore the yellow lines as you run the risk of pinching the saw and or the block of wood kicking out. When cutting suspended logs look for the tension and compression side. Where are you milling this elm as if it is near Sydney or on the central coast I could maybe help you out with the branches acting as props.

Originally Posted by rustynail

Support the log with jacks or chocks or both. This stuff is not easy to dry. End splitting will be an issue at this time of year, so try to keep lengths as long as possible. The best stuff will be below ground level.

I wont be able to take anything under the ground level . The large bit I have been given split off above ground and the rest of the tree is still living . Id be interested to know what the root wood may look like ? Have you seen any before or got a picture .

If I go supporting the log then I still have to get that out and the log down . I will keep it as simple as possible with safety first.
Thanks though.
Rob