# Mill it or burn it?



## kaler9969 (Feb 25, 2005)

Down maple tree. Looks like lots of birdseye full length. 18-20’ long and 24”+ diameter. Discolored in the center, but not really soft. Is it worth taking to a mill? Would like to keep the lumber.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

I would try to and find someone with a bandsaw mill to cut it. Way less waste of lumber.


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## wirehair (Oct 16, 2007)

Looks like it is spalted. mill it


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Bring it up to grayling I'll mill it for you. Spalted Birdseye, should get some nice boards.


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## rcmjohn (May 28, 2021)

kaler9969 said:


> View attachment 769594
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Cut it in half before you mill it unless you have a need for 18' maple. You'll get a higher yield.


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## Gander Club (Dec 31, 2004)

Mill it into 1 1/2"+ squares and cut call makers will go nuts for that stuff.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Any chance of nails?


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## Salmonslammer2 (Jan 28, 2021)

How much would it run to mill something like that?

Have a pile of black walnut that I need to deal with. Torn between buying a chainsaw jig or taking it to a mill.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Salmonslammer2 said:


> How much would it run to mill something like that?
> 
> Have a pile of black walnut that I need to deal with. Torn between buying a chainsaw jig or taking it to a mill.


Seal the end grain until you decide.


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## rcmjohn (May 28, 2021)

Salmonslammer2 said:


> How much would it run to mill something like that?
> 
> Have a pile of black walnut that I need to deal with. Torn between buying a chainsaw jig or taking it to a mill.


Most band saw guys charge by the board foot. Depending how you want it sawed determines the price. Grade sawing costs more than just slabbing it up.


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## rcmjohn (May 28, 2021)

You'll probably have to hall it to a mill since you don't have a large quantity.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Salmonslammer2 said:


> How much would it run to mill something like that?
> 
> Have a pile of black walnut that I need to deal with. Torn between buying a chainsaw jig or taking it to a mill.


Some guys charge by the bf, other guys charge a set up fee, so much a blade and by the hour. I mostly trade up.50% of wood cut.


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## kaler9969 (Feb 25, 2005)

I’ll have to see if I am able to drag it out this weekend. I had anticipated cutting it in half. It will still be bigger than anything else I have pulled out of the woods


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## rcmjohn (May 28, 2021)

If you drag it out get the front of log up of the ground or the sawyer might not saw it if it has too much dirt embedded in the bark.


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## martini77 (Jan 13, 2009)

Salmonslammer2 said:


> How much would it run to mill something like that?
> 
> Have a pile of black walnut that I need to deal with. Torn between buying a chainsaw jig or taking it to a mill.


If you have a saw big enough, buy the jig, if not expect to wait awhile to get a saw big enough. I ordered a saw a couple months back and was told it would be at least 3 months.

if you know someone who has a mill get them out there, and like has been said, seal the ends till then.


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## BumpRacerX (Dec 31, 2009)

Northern tool sells a decent little ATV log arch. Might be an option if you have a quad. I have an ancient Yamaha I used to move around logs. Did alright.


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## rcmjohn (May 28, 2021)

kaler9969 said:


> I’ll have to see if I am able to drag it out this weekend. I had anticipated cutting it in half. It will still be bigger than anything else I have pulled out of the woods


If you can get it up near Roscommon I'll give you a Michigan Sportsman Forum discount for milling it.


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## rcmjohn (May 28, 2021)

^^ After Labor Day. Too hot to mill in the summer.


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## ReallyBigFish (May 8, 2014)

How do you seal the ends?


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

ReallyBigFish said:


> How do you seal the ends?



Spray or brush on end grain sealer products. Most are wax based.


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

The pics do not convinces me the log is indeed birdseye. Birdseye on the surface of a log looks like pockmarks, craters if you will, not lumps as appears in the last pic. Back in the day I worked for a company in the WUP and was required to knock bark off all hard maple logs that entered the yard because of the high value of certain, but not all, birdseye logs. I grabbed the pic below off the internet to show what the pockmarks on the surface of a birdseye log look like. The larger and denser the pocks, the prettier the limber. FM

OP, knock some bark off in a couple of places and look for the craters. FM


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

What is the purpose of sealing the ends? I’ve heard it many times and have seen it, just never really knew the reason or asked.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

jiggin is livin said:


> What is the purpose of sealing the ends? I’ve heard it many times and have seen it, just never really knew the reason or asked.


The ends are pourus, thats the first place the logs will start to dry. If it drys to rapidly checks and cracks of your boards will start there. Sealing slows it down. Look at some rough sawn boards sometime and youll notice 4- 6 inches of the ends will have cracks. Left unsealed these cracks can travel a lot further, Wasting a lot of material on the board.


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

brushbuster said:


> The ends are pourus, thats the first place the logs will start to dry. If it drys to rapidly checks and cracks of your boards will start there. Sealing slows it down. Look at some rough sawn boards sometime and youll notice 4- 6 inches of the ends will have cracks. Left unsealed these cracks can travel a lot further, Wasting a lot of material on the board.


Ah, that makes good sense. I kinda figured it was something to that effect.

I cut a dozen pines out along one of my property lines and stacked all the wood up about a month ago. Didn’t split any of it yet because it sucks to do when it’s wet. I was surprised that it’s already looking pretty dry and starting to crack at the ends. Was just noticing that last night.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

jiggin is livin said:


> Ah, that makes good sense. I kinda figured it was something to that effect.
> 
> I cut a dozen pines out along one of my property lines and stacked all the wood up about a month ago. Didn’t split any of it yet because it sucks to do when it’s wet. I was surprised that it’s already looking pretty dry and starting to crack at the ends. Was just noticing that last night.


I have painted log ends before with latex paint, but I have found that a product called anchor seal works a lot better.


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## rcmjohn (May 28, 2021)

jiggin is livin said:


> Ah, that makes good sense. I kinda figured it was something to that effect.
> 
> I cut a dozen pines out along one of my property lines and stacked all the wood up about a month ago. Didn’t split any of it yet because it sucks to do when it’s wet. I was surprised that it’s already looking pretty dry and starting to crack at the ends. Was just noticing that last night.


Old wives tale!
Best time to split is right after it hits the ground.


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## jiggin is livin (Jan 7, 2011)

rcmjohn said:


> Old wives tale!
> Best time to split is right after it hits the ground.


I have not found this to be true at all with pine. Although it sucks all the time pretty much. Lol


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