home brewer Loc: Fort Wayne, Indiana

I learned that there is 3 inches or more of standing water in some places and I will not be mowing for at least a month.
I learned that I have about 86 trees that I want removed that could be lumber ranging from 10" to 23" in diameter. Each tree will yield 1 to 3 eight foot to 10 foot logs. assuming I mill each log to a square it would yield 7,000 or more board feet of oak, sycamore, maple, walnut, yellow poplar, sweet gum and pine. I estimate we could have over 1,000 board feet each of both maple and oak.

I do not have a place to dry or store the wood.

I have over 1,500 board feet of oak and cherry in our garage that is designated for future furniture that I may not ever build. At 74 years old I am running out of stuff to build. My son has raided all the walnut that I had in the garage. I also have couple hundred board feet of oak, walnut and other wood in my basement shop.

Buying a mill seemed like a good idea until I ran the numbers.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I understand completely. I don’t have as many trees to cut down as you (just 2-1/2 acres in the city), but my garage is full of stickered lumber and all the racks in my shop are as well - Black Walnut, White Oak and Maple mostly. My son had a large stock of white Oak drying for the last 10 years, and after realizing there wasn’t much he wanted to do with it, he sold off 2,700 bd feet. Like you, I’ve got a well outfitted wood shop, but nothing really left to build, so my son uses it - we recently did a father-son project of a good sized Black Walnut Nakashima style table, and I’m guessing the chairs are next (chairs are harder). I too have looked at a portable tree mill, but kinda pricey unless you have a large operation or rent it out.

Cheers

home brewer Loc: Fort Wayne, Indiana

A mill would at least pay for the "value" of the lumber and I have a friend that has trees he wants to mill. As long as I don't buy a new mirrorless camera and new lenses I have then money. Many of the trees have to be removed.
But: it will take a year to dry the wood if it is all 4/4, make it 2 years for 8/4 and and 3 years for 12/4. I may have enough flat surface to stickler that much wood while it dries. In the past I only did 3,000 board feet at a time.

I would need to build more racks to store the finished lumber. I may build a new rack any way to make better use of floor space.

I do not want to turn the wood into firewood. I may have a lead on someone who will buy the trees.

My 20 year old granddaughter wants a bed to go with the dresser and nightstands I made her, so maybe 100 board feet or so of the oak will go for that.
When my son and daughter-in-law build a house with a larger wood shop than he currently has he would have the space. Some day or my grandchildren he will have my tools

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Yep, my son will get mine - I feel really good about that. So far, all my grandchildren are girls, so can’t predict about the next generation.

Many of my large power tools are Delta, and some parts are getting hard to find. Had a pulley break on the variable speed drive for my larger lathe, and had a hell of a time finding one (and it wasn’t cheap)

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Be sure to cut some of the walnut into rifle stock blanks

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Why, if you don't need them, do you want to cut them?

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Exactly my thought - I think its 2” thickness may be enough.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Your trees have stood the test of time and they have provided a habitat for nature's critters, including much-needed food. They have stood strong holding the soil and enriching it with the decades of leaf fall which is important for the smallest of critters that help digest it. Perhaps your standing trees are far more valuable than their lumber.

home brewer Loc: Fort Wayne, Indiana

Slipperjug104
These trees represent less than 1% of the total number of the trees on the place and are either shading fruit trees, too close to other trees causing issues or leaning more each year towards our house. Think this act as pruning at
1/2" above the ground. The squirrels will still have plenty of walnuts and whatever seeds they take off the bird feeder.