Curly Maple?

[GANGGREEN]

Thanks for the info.  As I said, I really wish I had someone with the equipment and experience to help me find the best trees to harvest and the knowledge to do it correctly.  The good news is that the giant maple is right on a woods road and would be easy to get to with a tractor, loader, etc..

Gang,

that white maple you posted a picture of has lots of beautiful figured wood in the base, for sure.  There is probably some core rot where that dimple in the bark on the left side of the tree shows.  The challenge is to fell it with cuts that are low enough to allow you to make use of the root flare.  If the tree circumference is two times a 60 inch tape then the circumference is 120 inches and the diameter s close to 40 inches.  That's a BIG tree! 

I agree with Tallbear.  There is a special connection with anything made from lumber that you made from a tree you harvested.  I have furniture that started as trees that were harvested from my own land as well as trees that were victim of hurricanes.  For maple I would urge you to opt for kiln drying by some one who specializes in hardwoods and can adjust the drying schedule for the 10/4 slab stock you would cut.  Also, for sawing, make the first cuts quarter-sawn planks.  You will be glad you did. 

Best Regards,

JMC

[flinchrocket]

It's a joke, don't take the world serious.( Euell Gibbons according to Wikipedia - A 1974 television commercial for Post Grape-Nuts cereal featured Gibbons asking viewers "Ever eat a pine tree? Many parts are edible." While he recommended eating Grape Nuts over eating pine trees (Grape Nuts' taste "reminds me of wild hickory nuts"), the quote caught the public's imagination and fueled his celebrity status.) I can't tell you about the beaver.

[RMann]

Harvesting my own wood really fuels my enthusiasm for woodworking. It is the "treasure hunt" adventure that adds so much to the process.  I have harvested a lot of large turning blanks, and figured maple is especially my favorite, even with all the walnut or cherry I could want.  But I have found in general, that evidence of figure is typically telegraphed in the bark.  But I sure would like to talk to a professional who really knows his stuff, from the standing tree to the mill.  One observation of those huge maples along the road- they often are hollow at that stage, and often have random, naturally culled lower branches in the bottom section, that do not occur in the deep woods where the trees are stretching for the sunlight.  And in my woods, those pesky maple sap spouts riddle the nicest trees! (Looks cool in the side of a bowl, but not through a gunstock)  Good luck in your search.  If you find a workable tree, but with limited figure higher up, every inch of soil you can dig down, including for chainsaw access, is really helpful.  A sharp mattocks is helpful too.

[GANGGREEN]

Thanks.  So far my treasure was a very large (20-21" DBH) American chestnut that lived on my property and eventually succumbed to the blight.  I made good use of the lumber, but I'm always on the lookout for interesting wood, particularly figured maple.

[snapper]

I have harvested several trees from my farm and there is a certain satisfaction with knowing that you cut it, and turn it into something.

My youngest son, if he ever gets motivated, has all the boards cut for a kitchen table and benches sitting in the shop.   He helped me harvest and cut up that tree.  Since Covid has him living and working out of our house, the boards are taking up less space then a completed table and benches in my work shop, so I am not complaining.

Fleener

[GANGGREEN]

This is why I generally don't feel the need to purchase stock wood at the moment.  I have enough really nice curly maple to accommodate my personal builds for quite a few years, but it doesn't mean that I wouldn't really love to find a curly maple tree like this on my property.   I have a small stockpile of blanks/wood that I keep for myself, but I have a friend who wanted to try a Kibler build.  I suggested that I'd save him some money on a premium upgrade and still give him a nice piece of wood (I'm selling it to him cheaply enough that he'll save a lot of money).  I think I accomplished that and that he'll owe me for this (no idea if he realizes how nice this wood is).   I'm hopeful that this blank is large enough for me to also get a stock blank out of it in addition to his Kibler build.  Just planed it today to show him what he'd be getting.

[Long John]

Gang,

If that tree were in my property I would would set my chainsaw up with a 48 inch bar and chain and get to work.  The biggest challenge is avoiding felling checks.  These are caused when a tree hits the ground with a thud and the impact causes a check (split) to run up the log where the tree was forced to flex .  If the tree has a well branched crown those branches might cushion the fall.  In the old days the loggers would cut small trees and fell them across the drop line for the big tree to cushion the impact.  As soon as the log hits the ground seal the butt end with a good quality timber sealer.  I get mine from Highland Tool.

I would cut the bottom off at 7 ft.  A 40 inch diameter log cut 7 feet long of green white maple will run approximately 61 ft³ and at 55 lbs/ft³ for green wood the log will weigh about 3,400 lbs.  That's a heavy log!    Since I don't have a machine that strong I would have to process the log where it fell.  I would take a marker and draw a line across the butt end from side to side across the widest width of the log.  Nail a 2x4 along the side of the log starting with the line on the butt and extending to the center of the cut end.  Roll the log over and repeat with the other side.  (Rolling a 3000 lb. log over with a crowbar and ropes is NOT a simple/easy task!  Don't ask how I learned that.)  Now you have ripping guides on each side of the log.  Start at the butt end and rip the log with your long-barred chainsaw using the 2x4s as a guide.  If the chainsaw bar extends completely across the log it will ride along the 2x4 guides.  Just take your time and stop to sharpen the chain whenever the chips start getting small.   As you get most of the way through the log you will need a wood wedge to keep the kerf open.  I find it easiest if I make this cut with the bar vertical.  If you can get this cut done in one day you are better than I am!

Once you have completed the first rip slather the cut faces with linseed oil.

Now the halves weigh about 1,700 lbs each.  Still too heavy to lift.  The next step is to rip each half right down the center using your 2x4 guides the same way as before.  As soon as a half is ripped slather the face with linseed oil.  Now the quarters are about 850 lbs each.  I can drag that with my green machine to where some one could set up a Wood Miser mill.  The first rips at the mill should be parallel to the chainsaw cut faces.  these will be your quartersawn slabs.  Slab off one face, rotate log 90 degrees and slab off the next face.  Rotate back 90 degrees and get a second almost quartersawn slab and repeat.

That's how I do it when I do it.  It is four to five days of hard work to get that log to where it can be milled if you don't have access to heavy logging equipment and a knowledgeable operator. 

Good Luck or have fun, which ever.

JMC

[GANGGREEN]

That sounds like a glorious adventure.  If you're anywhere nearby, I'll give you half of the wood for your equipment, expertise and labor (and of course I'll labor right along with you).     I'm in NC Pennsylvania in the event that anyone actually would wish to take me up on the offer and if you did show, I'd likely be able to offer some assorted other tree or trees in the bargain (at a 50/50 deal).

I guess my concern would be that the tree simply wasn't as nice as we had hoped and we ended up with some rot or some clear maple lumber which may not have been worth the trouble (although nice, hard maple is surely worth $3-4/board foot I would presume and plenty of guys do build rifles out of clear maple).

Gang,

If that tree were in my property I would would set my chainsaw up with a 48 inch bar and chain and get to work.  The biggest challenge is avoiding felling checks.  These are caused when a tree hits the ground with a thud and the impact causes a check (split) to run up the log where the tree was forced to flex .  If the tree has a well branched crown those branches might cushion the fall.  In the old days the loggers would cut small trees and fell them across the drop line for the big tree to cushion the impact.  As soon as the log hits the ground seal the butt end with a good quality timber sealer.  I get mine from Highland Tool.

I would cut the bottom off at 7 ft.  A 40 inch diameter log cut 7 feet long of green white maple will run approximately 61 ft³ and at 55 lbs/ft³ for green wood the log will weigh about 3,400 lbs.  That's a heavy log!    Since I don't have a machine that strong I would have to process the log where it fell.  I would take a marker and draw a line across the butt end from side to side across the widest width of the log.  Nail a 2x4 along the side of the log starting with the line on the butt and extending to the center of the cut end.  Roll the log over and repeat with the other side.  (Rolling a 3000 lb. log over with a crowbar and ropes is NOT a simple/easy task!  Don't ask how I learned that.)  Now you have ripping guides on each side of the log.  Start at the butt end and rip the log with your long-barred chainsaw using the 2x4s as a guide.  If the chainsaw bar extends completely across the log it will ride along the 2x4 guides.  Just take your time and stop to sharpen the chain whenever the chips start getting small.   As you get most of the way through the log you will need a wood wedge to keep the kerf open.  I find it easiest if I make this cut with the bar vertical.  If you can get this cut done in one day you are better than I am!

Once you have completed the first rip slather the cut faces with linseed oil.

Now the halves weigh about 1,700 lbs each.  Still too heavy to lift.  The next step is to rip each half right down the center using your 2x4 guides the same way as before.  As soon as a half is ripped slather the face with linseed oil.  Now the quarters are about 850 lbs each.  I can drag that with my green machine to where some one could set up a Wood Miser mill.  The first rips at the mill should be parallel to the chainsaw cut faces.  these will be your quartersawn slabs.  Slab off one face, rotate log 90 degrees and slab off the next face.  Rotate back 90 degrees and get a second almost quartersawn slab and repeat.

That's how I do it when I do it.  It is four to five days of hard work to get that log to where it can be milled if you don't have access to heavy logging equipment and a knowledgeable operator. 

Good Luck or have fun, which ever.

JMC

[GANGGREEN]

And, for what it's worth, I have another slightly less impressive tree on the other side of my property that I've always presumed was curly.  It's right along the edge of what used to be a pasture and it's grown a bit differently (larger spread, lower limbs, etc.), but it's still a nice tree and again, easy enough to get to with a tractor, 4 wheelers, etc..

[Top Jaw]

Be advised that some large trees along wood and pasture edges may have old fence wire grown into them.  Or nails, staples, etc.  So checking with a metal detector first is Usually a good idea. 

[Metalshaper]

Be advised that some large trees along wood and pasture edges may have old fence wire grown into them.  Or nails, staples, etc.  So checking with a metal detector first is Usually a good idea.

Good Idea to throw out there!! I lost 3' of a nice walnut log, cuz the sawyer could see ( me to for that matter ) that there was what appeared to be a fold in that section
of the tree's bark..  he figured a fence wired had been wrapped around it!

Respect Always
 Metalshaper/Jonathan

[WadePatton]

... I've often wished I knew someone that was really expert at sizing up a tree and guessing what was hidden under the bark.

That last tree looks awful from a sawyer's POV.  Where is Sawfiler to confirm? 

The thing about logs is you really don't know how much useable lumber is in them until they are cut.  Trees that look perfect on the outside can have hollows in the middle.  Trees that show problems on the outside, are often worse when opened up.  Yes knots and holes create interesting grains, but inconsistent and possibly stressed or otherwise unsuitable.  If you have contours on your land, go look on North faces and especially deep in in narrow valleys/ravines or thickest forest, this is where the trees grow tallest and straightest with less low limbs. Also slower which gives tighter grain structure.

I've had firewood buyers comment on how good my "hill country" firewood was over that taken from the flat land of the Barrens. It's the slower growth and harder life thing. Gives density.

I'm no expert but I've seen big trees yield disappointments when they hit the ground or when the saw hits that soft spot hidden inside. I've got a lot of maple and ash and walnut and cherry myself, and it'll be safe until it's blown down or I hire a sawyer and cut and mill some out.

Timber can be tricky to judge standing. There's just not much way around that.

also-the most wicked tight and consistent curl I've ever seen has been in such unsuitable woods and soft maple and boxelder.

[WKevinD]

I have ALOT of very curly maple...unfortunately it's all two foot long and cut in wedges.
Kevin

[Long John]

Gang,

Given half a chance, there will be folks that will tell you that what you want to do is hard, apt to fail, crazy or______.  Remember that greatness cannot be achieved unless great obstacles are encountered.

If you are going to harvest that tree, white maple should be harvested in late December when the moisture content of the log is at a minimum.  Before you start such an effort, about 6 to 7 long days of serious work, you need to read the log the best you can to cipher out, the best you can, that the wood inside is worth more than the annual sap/sugar harvest.  Keep in mind that amateur/avocational timber harvesting is NOT a sure thing!  I spent three weekends harvesting a cherry tree last year that turned out to have a bark inclusion 4 feet long right in the center of the plank I wanted for a project.  I didn't find out about it until the first center-rip of the log.  A second slab I cut from that tree exploded from a felling check.  I blew a chain out because of a strand of barbed wire in the log.  But..........I got some beautiful cherry slabs that I am turning into furniture.  Its an adventure with no guarantees except for serious fatigue and expenses you didn't imagine.

Starting now I am spending most weekends at my place in eastern Columbia County, PA.  PM me if you want to connect.  I am old, obnoxious, and my "equipment" consists of a little JD 2025 with a tow chain.  So you don't get much!

JMC

[GANGGREEN]

I appreciate all of the input and advice.  For what it's worth, these couple of trees are accessible and I do have a smallish (30HP) Kubota with bucket and a few shorter chains, so I can get logs out, at least the smaller ones.   I don't have a suitable chainsaw for the big ones, although again, I can manage the more reasonable ones.  I did have a well-known board member who probably knows curly maple better than most who offered to come around and take a look sometime, so maybe I'll actually be able to report some success at some point.

Gang,

Given half a chance, there will be folks that will tell you that what you want to do is hard, apt to fail, crazy or______.  Remember that greatness cannot be achieved unless great obstacles are encountered.

If you are going to harvest that tree, white maple should be harvested in late December when the moisture content of the log is at a minimum.  Before you start such an effort, about 6 to 7 long days of serious work, you need to read the log the best you can to cipher out, the best you can, that the wood inside is worth more than the annual sap/sugar harvest.  Keep in mind that amateur/avocational timber harvesting is NOT a sure thing!  I spent three weekends harvesting a cherry tree last year that turned out to have a bark inclusion 4 feet long right in the center of the plank I wanted for a project.  I didn't find out about it until the first center-rip of the log.  A second slab I cut from that tree exploded from a felling check.  I blew a chain out because of a strand of barbed wire in the log.  But..........I got some beautiful cherry slabs that I am turning into furniture.  Its an adventure with no guarantees except for serious fatigue and expenses you didn't imagine.

Starting now I am spending most weekends at my place in eastern Columbia County, PA.  PM me if you want to connect.  I am old, obnoxious, and my "equipment" consists of a little JD 2025 with a tow chain.  So you don't get much!

JMC

[flatsguide]

Didn’t Eulle Gibbons pass away a few years back? I heard he was diagnosed with Dutch elm disease.

[flinchrocket]

Didn’t Eulle Gibbons pass away a few years back? I heard he was diagnosed with Dutch elm disease.

Euell  Gibbons passed away in 1975 from a ruptured aortic aneurysm.