“Free” wood…

[steve_g]

A couple of Pecan trees had their roots undercut by a stream and fell in a recent storm. We were offered these trees “Free…”

Three old men and 3 days of hard work later, I’ll debate the meaning of “free”! The boles of these trees are 28”-30” in diameter and too large for our friend’s mill. We will have to trailer them to another mill, likely cost $200 -$300 to have them slabbed. The main portion of these trunks are 16’-18’ long… too long for our solar kiln. Sooooooooooo… Kiln drying is 50¢ per bd. Ft. per month. We’ll likely have $2.00 a bd ft in direct costs in these “free“ trees.

Value is yet to be determined… we’ll know more soon. One tree appears to have fallen several years ago, and the tree will be worthless for live edge slabs, the other one may have a bee hive in it….
SG

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[Tim Lucas]

Starting a bee hive isn't cheep so you will have to subtract that from your cost as you got one with the trees.:rolleyes:

Pecan being a cousin of hickory you should have some beautiful slabs but if nothing else, use it while grilling your steak and chicken as it adds a sweet smooth flavor. ;)

Tim

[dmidkiff]

I respectfully disagree about the worthless for live edge slabs. They sometimes look better without the bark, if that is what your thinking. And if it is not too rotten should have some beautiful spalting going on.

[jTr]

Nothing wrong with air drying, provided you have space and patience. Massive savings over kiln process.
Yep - all it takes is a few trips to the woods with a chainsaw to appreciate the lumber truck delivering to your door. However, like most things in life - the really spectacular stuff will never land at your feet. In a year or so, your memory of this phase will fade, and all the possibilities with those stacks of slabs would make any of us giddy. Hang in there, think it through and you'll eventually be very glad you landed this lumber. (And likely swear you'll never do it again....!?)

jeff

[steve_g]

I guess I’m a glutton for punishment… The lady who gave us these trees just offered us a HUGE Osage orange (Bois d'Arc or Bodark for you Texans…). Normally, Osage orange is only available in short chunks, this tree will have planks big enough for a large table… or several of them!
SG

[myxpykalix]

I guess I’m a glutton for punishment… The lady who gave us these trees just offered us a HUGE Osage orange (Bois d'Arc or Bodark for you Texans…). Normally, Osage orange is only available in short chunks, this tree will have planks big enough for a large table… or several of them!
SG


I've only seen it in chucks big enough for bowls so i would go by this slogan...

"My name is Jimmy, i'll take anything you gimmie"

[Tom Bachman]

Well, there is very little in this world that is truly "free", but sounds like you are going to come out ahead. Pecan and Osage Orange nice!

[Joe Porter]

Hmmm... Pecans and Osage Orange, sounds like the start of a nice fruit salad....joe

[khaos]

Have you ever used a chainsaw on Osage? I don't know if that would be worth the pain and suffering. :o Think about it more like cutting steel than wood.

[steve_g]

Khaos…
Yes, I’m not going into this venture blind! I’ve actually seen sparks fly when cutting Osage orange at dusk! Will be ordering a carbide toothed chain before we tackle this tree! Recent rains have delayed when it will be practical to get to the field where the tree is. Even if I must wait till summer, it’s not going anywhere!
SG

[steve_g]

2.5 years later, here’s the first project from these trees! Milling and drying isn’t a speedy process!

There’s lots of stages of spalting, lots of stuff so rotten it fell apart handling it! But a couple of thousand bd ft of fantastic lumber!

My wife claimed this table… said she was tired of me selling “the good stuff”!

I cut the perimeter of the tabletop on the bot and cut a dado/groove for the apron to fit into… Pecan has so much internal stress I didn’t trust pocket screws to keep the table flat. I cut the 3” wide feet coming off the central pedestal out of 2 - 1.5” thick boards, while I was cutting them, I added a couple alignment dowel holes, ½ round slots for the hanger bolts that hold the feet to the pedestal and half of a ¼” slot that that would become what I drilled and tapped for the 3/8”- 16 shank of the leveling feet.

[scottp55]

Beautiful to see Steve after al that work....Your wife was right! :)
Good addition to your Stash as well!!
Nothing quite like having a selection of slabs with a story behind them! :)
Well done!
scott

[steve_g]

Here’s the next project using my Pecan stash… it’s another project my wife gets to keep!

The kitchen countertops are now from the same tree as the breakfast table!

SG
​

[scottp55]

Really ties the room together Steve! :)
Great job on that!
(still remember those carved cabinet doors from when I started) :)

scott

[waynelocke]

Those look great.

[dmidkiff]

Good looking counter tops.