My son had his last T-ball game today, after the game I got to talking with the coach about his day job. I knew that he worked for a tree company, he apparently runs a tree crew that goes around the county cutting down and trimming back trees for So Cal Edison. He told me he could give me whatever I wanted. I told him I was looking for 24" or larger diameter American hardwoods logs. He said he gets those all day long, Oak, Eucalyptus,Walnut,Maple etc. I just fell into heaven. He offered to leave the log in place, he would give me a call, and I go and pick it up, he asked me, what size do I need them cut to, I told him anything in the ball park of 6 to 8 feet will do. He said done.
I am going to have to do something special for the guy after the first batch of slabs cure.

WoW! Sounds like a goldmine to me! Congrats on the good fortune, and when your stockpile gets to be too much you can start shipping it East! LOL!

John that sounds like a great find.

I have asked our city horticulturist to let me know when ever they have to take anything down so I can get it. He has said he would, but I have yet to get a call.

If you get overloaded with lumber, I may have to join in with my two Tennessee friends and share the shipping to get it send to this part of the county.

Great deal, keep us posted.

I might just do that Jason, if it all works out as well as I hope, I should be swimming in the stuff by next year this time. So, how about a starter mill? The Alaskan chainsaw mill maybe to get my feet wet?

The solar kiln, me too, looking at it very hard right now. So what do you want, we'll have plenty of Eucalyptus!

Keep after the city John, they forget really easy, you know, government workers and all

 

I don't know much about them. When I was a kid, my dad, uncle, and grandfather went in together on a sawmill. I was too little to care much, but I was big enough to get in the way while they sawed up timbers for building barns and fence posts. We used it several years and sold it. I sure wish they still had it now...!!!

 

LOL

 

Oh I know how you feel, the things we had as a kid and took for granted, if only we knew then what we know now right? And Jason, how does Eucalyptus turn?

 

Yeah I haven't been living long, but I've certainly learned to be grateful for what we did have growing up!

Not sure on the Eucalyptus- I've never even seen it in person I don't think?

 

On 7/10/2010 at 2:01 PM, John Morris said:

runs a tree crew ... cutting ... trimming back trees for So Cal Edison ... whatever I wanted ... 24" or larger diameter American hardwoods logs ... he gets those all day long ... he asked me, what size do I need them cut to

Beautiful.  My plan in retirement, practicing rift sawing of logs.  Still unclear on how soon after felling you cut.  Seasoning / drying.  Are trees cut a certain season better for the sawmill.

 

Two golf courses about here are being combined into one. The developer came through and cut down a load of sycamore, oak, and many other species I'm not learned on. All that wood, laying there. 120 years + old and likely a few old growth. Thirty-five years ago on a bicycle ride, a random chat with a local old timer showed me that there are people who know the names of every tree on the block and neighborhood. Where have the old timers all gone?

Hey @John Morris, whatever became of this?  I don't think I've ever heard you talk about a stash of lumber stacked & stickered...

24 minutes ago, Cal said:

Hey @John Morris, whatever became of this?  I don't think I've ever heard you talk about a stash of lumber stacked & stickered...

It never happened! Fell through

So its been awhile John tell us what all you did with the free lumber?

1 hour ago, John Morris said:

It never happened! Fell through

Sorry to dredge it up!  

 

I'll try to get past the fences and get pics of all the downed trees. Maybe you'all can educate me on what will cut up best.

 

we don't have any hardwood trees in this area, and most of the power lines are buried.  what we do get, now and then, is rock thieves.  people will stop on the side of the road and take large rocks (40-80 lb, square-ish), load them in the back of their Subaru, and take them home to decorate their gardens.

 

Rock thieves......

Dab if you have been on 93 between Phoenix and Kingman those rock thieves might think they are in heaven until they got closer to them. That's some monsters. 

  Back in the early 90's we went down that road a few times and got to see trucks and people and helicopters on top of those bolders for they were installing electric transmission lines right over the middle of them. I bet that was one job they were glad to finish and get back on level ground.

On 7/10/2010 at 2:01 PM, John Morris said:

My son had his last T-ball game today, after the game I got to talking with the coach about his day job.

Sorry about the wood John, but what really jumped out was this statement. Loved reading it to begin your thread. Time zips by doesn't it? 

just imagine if you had planted a tree the day this thread started.....you'd have  a nice tree by now.