Would anybody want an old maple tree?

[stratford1]

Ok, I've searched and only found posts 10 yrs old or so on here, so figured I'd post my own and see if responses would change. I have an older maple tree in my back yard (a silver maple, I believe) that we need to get rid of. We had a bad drought last year and this year only part of the tree came back. So, I'm assuming most of the wood would still be decent but I really have no idea. Anyway, would this tree be of any value to anybody out there? Should I try to contact local mills? Should I post to craigslist or something? I'd love for someone to get something out of this tree...its pretty large, has a wide trunk, but understand if I'm probably stuck just hiring someone to chop it and dispose of it. Thoughts?

[mjmwallace]

Is there some local logger? We have one guy in our county who has a portable bandsaw that will do this kind of work, you might want to check around. He might be able to tell you the value in the tree itself.

Check with a local sawmill, if you have one.

Finally, check with the logging bandsaw folks. They have a list of people who buy their machines.

Here' s one:

another:

"portable sawmill"

If you keep the wood, you will need to dry it. Do you have enough room?

MJM

[Richard Evans]

A number of years ago I knew a fellow who lost a HUGE black walnut in a windstorm. I thought surely he would have no problem finding someone who wanted the wood, but no dice. Something about not knowing the history of an individual tree on private property and not knowing what nails or other metal objects might be embedded in it. Mills were'nt willing to risk expensive saw blades on it and no individual came forth. Cost him a fortune to have it removed.

Then too, when Hurricane Floyd came visiting in North Carolina, oak and maple trees were felled by the thousands. Cleanup crews spent weeks carting them to a big empty field and burning them. There was never any mention of anyone wanting the lumber.

[dpb]

...

The unfortunate thing is that if it is, indeed, silver maple, it's less interesting to the commercial folks for sure and almost certainly they're not going to be interested unless it is an extremely large and high-yield log.

Silver maple is one of the "soft" maples...it's wood is useful but not highly prized.

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[JohnB]

Sometimes we get it right here in Nova Scotia.

> Then too, when Hurricane Floyd came visiting in North Carolina, oak

[Phisherman]

At one time I had a difficult time finding free wood. Now it seems you can't give logs away and the local dumps want $30 a truckload and I'm too frugal for that. I have an 80-foot fallen pine from last spring. So far I have cut off all the limbs. Our city allowed a truckload of limbs per lot on a special pickup day, no greater than 3" was allowed. I got two (really nice) adjacent neighbors to allow me to use "their truckload" on their lot. I put the logs on craigslist and got one response. If it were not pine, I would give it to a neighbor who has a wood-burning fireplace. Some the brush went through a chipper shredder and used to mulch shrubbery. Now I'm still left with a 60', 2.5' thick trunk with uplifted roots and its beginning to look like an alien sculpture in the backyard. I'd like some slabs to make wooden seats and have been evaluating for the cheapest methods (I may end up using a chainsaw and handsaw). Also I have been thinking about firepits and portable fireplaces. This fallen tree has been a fun on-going project plus workout. Not sure how many non-woodworkers would call "processing a tree" fun.

If you have the cash use the Yellow Pages and be done with it. Get at least three quotes and check bonded papers/insurance proof. Most sawmills will not take trees from residential lots--one nail and goodbye blade. Another thought, call your local operative extension and get an arborist. I have a half dead tree and I'm just allowing it to go natural; this year a woodpecker has taken up residence.

[Upscale]

Try advertising it as good for a totem pole or something like that. Hell, carve a totem pole out of it for yourself.

[Gerald Ross]

I know you are not the original poster, but I missed the post. Did the OP state where he is located?

I cut down a dead silver maple for a nephew and kept some of the wood. It was spalted and made beautiful bowls. I went back for some more but it had gone to the happy dumping grounds.

[stephenmasturzo]

I had a black walnut come down about a month and a half ago in a bad storm. I put an ad on craigslist for free wood and had half a dozen responses within 2 days. I was very specific with measurements of the trunk diameter and length of useable trunk for lumber. I got the impression from talking to some of the respondents that they are very eager to take advantage of these kinds of situations. This was in suburban Philadelphia and the tree was already on the ground, so your situation my vary.

[SteveMaz000]

I had a black walnut come down about a month and a half ago in a bad storm. I put an ad on craigslist for free wood and had half a dozen responses within 2 days. I was very specific with measurements of the trunk diameter and length of useable trunk for lumber. I got the impression from talking to some of the respondents that they are very eager to take advantage of these kinds of situations. This was in suburban Philadelphia and the tree was already on the ground, so your situation my vary.

[dpb]

[e-mail] wrote: ....

A walnut and a silver maple are going to generate entirely different responses...I'm not at all surprised on the walnut and I'd guess if you tried an experiment w/ a silver maple you get much less response as well.

In a suburban area somebody might take it off your hands with enough people as an audience but it wouldn't have anything like the demand for walnut--it simply isn't as attractive or useful.

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[Upscale]

A few people want to know where you're located?

[Father Haskell]

Advertise to carvers and turners. Figure shows through the bark. Any curly or otherwise interesting areas?