Reprise; Milling Lumber in Philadelphia

[Brian Siano]

I gotta revicit this topic from a few months ago. I have these two big cedar tree trunks in my front yard that I'd love to mill into usable lumber. I'd be willing to hire someone with a portable sawmill, even tho I know it's probably not enough wood to be cost-effective. But I'd rather get the wood than chuck the trunks.

(I live in West Philadelphia, near the University of Pennsylvania, and I could arrange for an area of the street to be kept clear for the job.)

But someone else mentioned how Roy Underhill once explained how lumber was milled by hand, i.e., splitting the logs with wedges and hand-planing it down. I'd be interested in trying this (if only to slice the trunks into smaller pieces). Which of his books would have this information? Can anyone offer advice on this?

[Patriarch]

Brian Siano wrote in news:fbs7ko$53jo$1 @netnews.upenn.edu:

On a similar topic, a recent FWW had an article on small sawmills as wood sources, and had mini-articles on three mills in the general area of Eastern Penn. If you haven't seen that, it's worth it to drop by the library and look.

Patriarch, on the other coast...

[ron]

Another option. I recently cut an elm tree into very rough lumber with a chain saw attachment purchased from Harbor Freight. I saw the same attachment in a recent Woodcraft catalog. I believe there are pictures on ABPWW (logs to lumber 6/1/07)

[Chip Buchholtz]

Brian Siano wrote: : I gotta revicit this topic from a few months ago. I have these two big : cedar tree trunks in my front yard that I'd love to mill into usable : lumber.

: (I live in West Philadelphia, near the University of Pennsylvania, and I : could arrange for an area of the street to be kept clear for the job.)

You've got a front yard big enough to hold two big ceder tree trunks?!? My front yard can't hold an 8x4 sheet of plywood.

: But someone else mentioned how Roy Underhill once explained how lumber : was milled by hand, i.e., splitting the logs with wedges and : hand-planing it down. I'd be interested in trying this (if only to slice : the trunks into smaller pieces). Which of his books would have this : information? Can anyone offer advice on this?

My guess is that you could split the trunks into thinner pieces, but they'd be just as long. For cross-cut you'd want a saw. I've split firewood with an axe, wedge, and sledge, but I wasn't trying for neat boards.

I have a small chain saw that you can borrow, along with an axe, sledge and wedge. I might even help a little until got I bored or tired.

--- Chip