Poplar: worth selling or milling?

[Panhead_Jim]

I just had a large poplar cut down and am curious if it is worth selling or having cut into boards. I didn't measure it yet, but it's got a nice straight trunk with no knots for at least 16 to 20 feet. Would make some nice timber, but I have no idea how to proceed. I'm located in central NC.

Thanks for the advice.

-Jim

 

[pviser]

Probably not. Even single walnut trees become a calculation of how much your time is worth and how much trouble you're willing to invest.

 

[Sully]

Depends on your sawyer. With our sawyer's rates it's a good investment to mill it. For example, we just had over 2100 bf of pine sawed out from a single tree (big tree) that worked out to less than 15 cent a board foot.

J aka Sully

 

[Panhead_Jim]

I wouldn't mind having it milled. Anyone know a good portable sawmill operator near Hillsborough?

 

[MarvinWatkins]

Jim,

I don't know where you are in Hillsborough and I don't know anything about his guy, but I do know that there is a sawyer on Ten Road just south of I-40/85 at the Hwy 70 interchange like you are going to Gravley Middle School in Efland.

CATES SAWMILL

3102 W TEN RD
EFLAND, NC 27243-9705
(919) 732-8739

 

[CrealBilly]

Any "saw log" is worth being milled, especially a #1 (butt cut) log. One day you may need poplar for a project, it's after you visit your local lumber yard and pay for the poplar you need that you'll end up kicking yourself in the _ _ _.

If this is a yard tree then you may want to carefully check it for embedded foreign objects like (nails, yard sale signs, bird feeders, dog chain, alternator from shade tree mechanics, etc...) A wand type metal detector will help find tramp steel, but they only scan so deep. You can also look at the log ends, if there is any black showing it's got steel in it somewhere close by. If there is any sign of tramp metal, then don't bother having it milled, cut it up for firewood.

What ever you do don't waste the tree - It took a long time to grow. The top can be cut into firewood, the branches can be chipped for mulch or compost. The saw logs can be made into lumber. You could load it on a trailer and donate it all to a place like the Durham Rescue Mission.

Thanks

 

[bluedawg76]

you may try jack murdock (saw4you) in rolesville (he's on the nc sawyer list under the woodworking tab above).

Sam

 

[junquecol]

It would be cheaper and easier to transport logs to mill, rather than having mill come to you. You could transport them on a trailer, or a towable log arch. I built an arch years ago with a friend. He heated with wood. Along the Raleigh - Durham highway (now Glenwood Ave) they were installing a sewer line. Many old trees were cut down, but because they were "roadside" sawyers weren't interested. We built arch out of 14 ga square tubing to save on weight. My friend would load arch in back of his pick up (lack of parking space at work to tow it), leave work, unload arc, and just back up, and straddle a 12' log up to 24" in diameter. Winch it up, and bind it on and haul boggie home. Did this for several months. Contractor even spaced and aligned logs so he could back right up to straddle them.

 

[srhardwoods]

I recommend Jack Murdock as well. I don't want to speak for his rates, but usually a portable sawyer will have some form of delivery or setup fee and with one log you probably will pay more per board foot. If you have a way to get it to him it might work best....but again I can't speak for Jack.

Chris

 

[Semmons23]

I get most of my wood from jack. His rates are posted here - don't know if they are up to date.

Murdock Building Company

 

[red]

I would have it milled and dried for some future projects. It won't be "free wood" but very affordable wood. I have done this with many trees in the past. It's kind of cool to know where the wood grew that you are working with. I'm actually working on a small table to use as a feed dish holder for my dog. The wood came from a tree I cut while clearing my mountain lot. Milled it on my band saw and air dried it in the garage.

Red

 

[jdulaney]

Hey, Jim, if you get it quatersawn, I may be interested in some. QS poplar = decent traditional instrument wood.