# Logs to Lumber



## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

A co-worker is building a new house on a country property and they had to cut down some black walnut trees so they asked if I wanted some wood. HELL YA! :sold: The wood was free and it cost me $100.00 to have a local fella cut it up with his portable sawmill. :yes4: I'm thinking I got a darn good deal! I will cover it with a tarp for the summer but I think it's going indoors in the shed for the winter.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Lucky, Deb, Lucky....


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## del schisler (Feb 2, 2006)

CanuckGal said:


> A co-worker is building a new house on a country property and they had to cut down some black walnut trees so they asked if I wanted some wood. HELL YA! :sold: The wood was free and it cost me $100.00 to have a local fella cut it up with his portable sawmill. :yes4: I'm thinking I got a darn good deal! I will cover it with a tarp for the summer but I think it's going indoors in the shed for the winter.


I wouldn't cover it up with a tarp. The new wood should be stickered so air can move thro it. Mold could develp and this wouldn't be good. Now on the top you could put some tin to keep rain from the hole pile or place wood under a roof if you have one?? But no tarp.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Deb

I will 2nd del suggesting but will add you need to pickup the tool below, just band it up with the sticks and stack it by the house/garage under the over hang of the roof to keep it dry, the banding will help it from turning into bow and arrow stock..yes I know more money out put, but in a year or two you have some nice wood..

You can find them cheaper and the clips that you will need but it's worth it to get a good one, it can be used on many more items not just wood..(sold on eBay )
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R...3&_nkw=band-it+tool&_sacat=See-All-Categories

Dig/Pull the banding strap out of the trash can to save money.

Amazon.com: BAND-IT C00169 Banding Tool: Industrial & Scientific

http://www.amazon.com/BAND-C15699-Stainless-Steel-Valuclip/dp/B003DZ0YDC/ref=pd_bxgy_indust_img_c

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## gav (Oct 12, 2009)

There's some good suggestions here, but maybe they presume too much.
Putting a tarp over your wood is ok, as long as you're just covering the top, it isn't that different from 'puttin some tin over it' . I'm pretty sure you didn't say you were going to wrap it up air tight like a christmas present with a tarp.

You could spend all the money that Bob suggests on that strapping device, but seeing as it's something you won't often have a need for, surely just a few $5 ratchet straps from Canadian tyre or some place similar would be the more economic choice.
I guess if you're planning to dry lots of lumber yourself, having that strapping device might work out better than just buying the 3 ratchet straps you need for this wood.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

Just a note I have used the ratchet straps and they just don't work, they are on for a very long time and you will need to cut them off at some point, once you do that they are junk so to speak,,,I would not strap more than 6 boards, and with 4 bands on the stock, once you cut them free they are free to move and they will.

Take a look at the 2 x 4 studs at the big box stores that have the bands removed.
No one said wood working is cheap..

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gav said:


> There's some good suggestions here, but maybe they presume too much.
> Putting a tarp over your wood is ok, as long as you're just covering the top, it isn't that different from 'puttin some tin over it' . I'm pretty sure you didn't say you were going to wrap it up air tight like a christmas present with a tarp.
> 
> You could spend all the money that Bob suggests on that strapping device, but seeing as it's something you won't often have a need for, surely just a few $5 ratchet straps from Canadian tyre or some place similar would be the more economic choice.
> I guess if you're planning to dry lots of lumber yourself, having that strapping device might work out better than just buying the 3 ratchet straps you need for this wood.


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## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

Great opportunity, Deb. I have an even better idea for you. Ship it all down here, and I'll dry it for you for free. The only catch is that the dreaded New Mexico Walnutacabra might eat a piece or two. 

If you buy the banding machine, don't forget the fork-lift accessory.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Hey Deb.. nice haul!! Especially since it has a bit of history already. I'd just stack it, sticker it, keep it nice and dry and wait it out.. no need for much of anything else. Del is right on about a tarp. I would not rec. using one. If you can manage to keep the ends open and allow for air movement "through' the stack, all the better.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

CanuckGal said:


> A co-worker is building a new house on a country property and they had to cut down some black walnut trees so they asked if I wanted some wood. HELL YA! :sold: The wood was free and it cost me $100.00 to have a local fella cut it up with his portable sawmill. :yes4: I'm thinking I got a darn good deal! I will cover it with a tarp for the summer but I think it's going indoors in the shed for the winter.


That's quite a deal for $100. Whether they will curl or not has more to do with the grain than strapping although the weight you put on the pile is good. If you do a little research on the Hewsaw system you will see that it is a sawing method that follows the curve of a tree, the idea being that if you follow the curve of the grain the boards will tend to flaten out. If the trees were crooked, it may not matter much what you do, but you still got a good deal even if you have to chop them into shorter lengths. Keep the ends of the pile open for airflow and if the stickers you used were green lumber, re-pile every month for a while and move the stickers to a different spot to avoid a stripe of mildew.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies. I only intended to use a tarp to keep the rain off. There will still be lots of air flow. I have the wood stickered and on a wooden skid so it is up off the ground. The banding sounds like an unneccesary expense. I will keep weight on it to try to keep the boards flat. As I said it may end up indoors in the rafters of the shed to dry. First time I hit my shin on one of those protruding stickers in the driveway.....Oh I KNOW it's going to happen sooner then later!


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## vikingcraftsman (Mar 31, 2006)

Boy you got a good one this time. Now we will all wonder what you are going to make with that nice pile of wood.


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