Backyard Maples and Saving the Lumber

I have 5 maple trees that will be cut down shortly. 2 are growing out of one base, and 3 are growing out of the other. Each trunk is about 2' in diameter. And FWIW I'm not cutting them down for sport; they are quite close to the house, leaning over the house, and have large portions already broken off.

I have 2 questions:

1. The 3 trees growing out of one base have a giant base mound that is about 6' in diameter and about a foot off the ground before the 3 trees grow out separately. Is there usable wood in this mound close to the ground?

2. How do I calculate if it's worth trying to save the lumber and get someone with a portable sawmill to come out and cut up boards properly?

Thanks always.
 
Pictures would help Cynthia :D

Some of the others here with portable mill experience will chime in, but if you can do it I think it is worth it, you need a good spot to keep it for a few years, and there is some work involved, but if you can do it I say go for it! :thumb:
 
the picture said triple but I counted 4 or 5 trees-this tree will make a good table-top
 
cynthia i would agree with bill on gettin in touch with a sawyer on this but you do have some lumber there,, your only looking at 5 logs that are real decent the second logs in your trees are pretty knotty.. and maple should be kiln dried to keep the white color also this time of year is bad for cuttin maple, it likes to sour easy with the sap up ,,they generally cut maple in the late fall or winter.
 
I can't speak toward flat lumber, but it looks like some nice turning blanks where the trees are joined near the ground. Consider saving some of those pieces that won't make it to the mill anyway. If you aren't a turner, coat them with some anchor seal and sell them on eBay.
 
First, Ray, the triple is 3. There's a little deformed fir on the right that's coming down too. It's stunted because of growing up against those maples. Otherwise those 3 coming out of the mound look like more, but it's only 3.


cynthia i would agree with bill on gettin in touch with a sawyer on this but you do have some lumber there,, your only looking at 5 logs that are real decent the second logs in your trees are pretty knotty.. and maple should be kiln dried to keep the white color also this time of year is bad for cuttin maple, it likes to sour easy with the sap up ,,they generally cut maple in the late fall or winter.

Larry, what does this mean in little words? What color would it be if I air dried it? What does sour mean? The one that's knotty might not be great for boards, but I could use it for something else, though, no? Is it important that I not cut them until Fall? Any of these may fall before Fall. Pun intended.
 
Close to the house. I hope this is not a do it yourself project taking those down. The risk to the house calls for professionals with insurance.
Others have pitched in with sound advice. Although I echo the great possibilities for turning wood from the bases.
 
don't worry. no DIY project here. These are 40' trees. I'm getting estimates. It's not cheap. The can reach the triplets with a bucket truck, but not the twins.

So the knotty parts are things that turners would like? So explain to me, please. Cut out big squares or slices with the whole knot to save for turners?

THANKS
 
I can't speak toward flat lumber, but it looks like some nice turning blanks where the trees are joined near the ground. Consider saving some of those pieces that won't make it to the mill anyway. If you aren't a turner, coat them with some anchor seal and sell them on eBay.

what's anchor seal and where do i buy it? and no, i'll just give them to some turning buddies in the FAMILY.
 
First, Ray, the triple is 3. There's a little deformed fir on the right that's coming down too. It's stunted because of growing up against those maples. Otherwise those 3 coming out of the mound look like more, but it's only 3.




Larry, what does this mean in little words? What color would it be if I air dried it? What does sour mean? The one that's knotty might not be great for boards, but I could use it for something else, though, no? Is it important that I not cut them until Fall? Any of these may fall before Fall. Pun intended.
ask seperate questions cynthia as to where i mis-lead you or said something to deep.. sour, is a term used for spoilage and mold, maple is notorious for this when cut in the summer. i am not sure what type of maple it is your sawyer would be the guy to lead down the right road on that.. knots can be good if you like them, it usually will have more figure in it but you need to cut around the knots and have much more waste in a project.

this is for alanva we are tryun to get yu back yu need to re-register.. glich in software....
 
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ask seperate questions cynthia as to where i mis-lead you or said something to deep.. sour, is a term used for spoilage and mold, maple is notorious for this when cut in the summer. i am not sure what type of maple it is your sawyer would be the guy to lead down the right road on that..

Hi Larry: I just mean, if I cut it the wrong time of year, the whole thing could be ruined and unusable?
 
the lumber is very hard to air dry in the summer and even kiln drying can be difficult.. its a time factor of getting from fresh cut tot he kiln and that isnt as easy as one thinks sometimes.. again talk to your sawyer he will know the particulars on this tree species better than me..if it was over here i would seal the logs and wait till late fall to cut and it still may be not be as good as if it were cut in the right time of year its the sugar and sap content in maple that is going to cause you trouble.
 
ask seperate questions cynthia as to where i mis-lead you or said something to deep.. sour, is a term used for spoilage and mold, maple is notorious for this when cut in the summer. i am not sure what type of maple it is your sawyer would be the guy to lead down the right road on that.. knots can be good if you like them, it usually will have more figure in it but you need to cut around the knots and have much more waste in a project.

Moldy (spalted) crotch maple. You really know the buzz words to get all the turners excited, don't you Larry?
 
I would echo those that have said consult a local sawyer. But that said, as was somewhat mentioned, if you can put off taking those down until the leaves are down, do so. You will get better lumber out of them. The other thing is, if you have or can borrow a metal detector, run it over all aspects of the trees that you can reach. Yard trees are notorious for embedded metal that will quickly cost you money supplying your sawyer with new saw blades. Depending on the extent of any embedded metal, the sawyer may be able to work around it but beware if you get lots of hits.

As to the 'bases' I am kind of surprised no one has mentioned turning stock. Getting too deep into the root ball can be problematic for a lot of reasons but there looks to be enough 'burly' wood above the ground here that you might get some interesting turning stock out of it. But beware embedded rocks. YMMV.
 
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