In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Apple Wood Mega Tree - FREE!

Discussion in 'The Sawyer Room' started by Buzz Benton, Jun 10, 2020.

  1. Buzz Benton

    Buzz Benton

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2019
    Messages:
    233
    Likes Received:
    2,469
    Location:
    Cottage Grove Lake, Oregon
    My buddy, that's him there, has a new mill, a nice 36" wide one, and when I saw a Craigslist Ad for a "Free Apple Tree" I sent it to him. The limbs (in the ad photo) looked about 8 or 10" thick - so no problem, right?

    Here's what we found: a century old apple tree some 32" at the base, with three humongous limbs each at (perhaps) 18" in Diameter and about 12' tall. Now, maybe this happens to you all the time, but it was, by far, the biggest Apple tree I'd ever seen, much less harvested. Here in Oregon, on a river bank.
    [​IMG]

    It took everything we had, and I do mean everything, to get this all loaded.
    [​IMG]
    And yes, while I am ashamed of my back cut - a bit under-gunned with a 25" bar and some obstacles to avoid, the picture does nicely show there was some cool spalting (and some plain rot), still - I think he's going to be thrilled with some of the slabs he gets - hope so anyway! The rest - all burns. Right? Take care Friends!
     
    SimonHS, jrider, T.Jeff Veal and 18 others like this.
  2. The Wood Wolverine

    The Wood Wolverine

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2015
    Messages:
    15,673
    Likes Received:
    96,540
    Location:
    Gettysburg, PA
    I have processed hundreds of apple trees, milled a bunch too. The stuff really twists like a pretzel when it dries. Tell him to ratchet strap and top weight (heavily).

    Shame about the rot. I don't think you'll see a tree from about 40/45 years and older without some.

    DSC01164.JPG DSC00975.JPG DSC00954.JPG DSC00951.JPG DSC00949.JPG

    Some of the oldest in my area are only know to be about 50. The orchard owners typically doze and replant by then. DSC00906.JPG
     
  3. The Wood Wolverine

    The Wood Wolverine

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2015
    Messages:
    15,673
    Likes Received:
    96,540
    Location:
    Gettysburg, PA
    Sure can produce some pretty color.
    DSC01024.JPG DSC01019.JPG DSC01010.JPG DSC00884.JPG DSC00883.JPG
     
  4. Buzz Benton

    Buzz Benton

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2019
    Messages:
    233
    Likes Received:
    2,469
    Location:
    Cottage Grove Lake, Oregon
    Thank you, Wood Wolverine! That was very nice to offer advice, and some really cool photos! Atta Boy!
     
    Timberdog, Screwloose, Chaz and 5 others like this.
  5. Mag Craft

    Mag Craft

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2014
    Messages:
    4,802
    Likes Received:
    27,711
    Location:
    South East Wyoming
    That is a one big apple tree. Never seen one that old or that big. Show some pics when you get it milled.
     
    Timberdog, Screwloose, Chaz and 6 others like this.
  6. Eckie

    Eckie

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2019
    Messages:
    3,059
    Likes Received:
    15,007
    Location:
    Virginia
    Those slabs almost look like red cedar. I had no idea apple was/can be that color.
     
    Timberdog, Screwloose, Chaz and 4 others like this.
  7. Stephiedoll

    Stephiedoll

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2013
    Messages:
    3,528
    Likes Received:
    24,541
    Location:
    Omaha, NE.
    Beautiful wood, great job saving it from fire/smoking wood.
     
  8. Buzz Benton

    Buzz Benton

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2019
    Messages:
    233
    Likes Received:
    2,469
    Location:
    Cottage Grove Lake, Oregon
    Here are some photos of the first milled wood from the above Apple tree. These came from some of the "firewood" pieces, the main logs have not been milled yet.
    Honestly we are both stunned by the depth of colors and spalting pattern.
    This wood is very solid, and currently at over 30% moisture content.
    The ends of the big logs have been sealed.
    This tree was still alive when felled.
    So what do you think?
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Steve

    Steve

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    355
    Likes Received:
    1,013
    Location:
    Stouffville, ON
    Beautiful. What plans do you have for it after it dries?
     
  10. Buzz Benton

    Buzz Benton

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2019
    Messages:
    233
    Likes Received:
    2,469
    Location:
    Cottage Grove Lake, Oregon
    This tree is entirely my friends - I didn't ask for any wood, and while he gave me a pretty piece I have no plans for it.
    Most isn't even sliced yet. I'm guessing he will use it for many projects though. I found the ad, ended up falling it and helping load it up, and that was my extent of it. Sorry, I know that's not much of an answer.
     
  11. Steve

    Steve

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2013
    Messages:
    355
    Likes Received:
    1,013
    Location:
    Stouffville, ON
    Thanks for answering. Would love to see what eventually becomes of it.
     
  12. Canadian border VT

    Canadian border VT

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2015
    Messages:
    16,819
    Likes Received:
    108,914
    Location:
    Vermont
    I wood also.. gorgeous grain and color!
     
  13. Eric Wanderweg

    Eric Wanderweg

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2020
    Messages:
    6,154
    Likes Received:
    46,494
    Location:
    Bristol, Connecticut
    Back in the spring I took down a large apple tree. Before I mangled the whole thing up for firewood I called a former coworker to see if he wanted to bring his wood mizer down to slab out some boards from a large straight trunk section. He passed on the opportunity, saying apple wood contains too much stress that's released from cutting and it cracks, that it's better to save some crotch sections for wood turning. Fair enough. I took the tree down, got curious and ended up running a couple smaller pieces through a band saw myself just to see what would happen. Within a week, the wood had done just that. I had a roughly 1 x 3 x 12 inch board warp over a half inch, plus twist another half inch lengthwise and develop huge stress cracks in it. Is there a trick to curing apple wood slowly to render decent lumber??? (I have no experience milling lumber, just a budding curiosity about it.)
     
  14. The Wood Wolverine

    The Wood Wolverine

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2015
    Messages:
    15,673
    Likes Received:
    96,540
    Location:
    Gettysburg, PA
    That's why I mentioned it above. Heavy top weighting, ratchet strapping.. both what I wish I did to mine. I did place them in a very shaded area, where they get very little to no sun and it's between my stack and my garage so the airflow is blocked from wind. With a bunch of cinder block on top, they still twisted like a pretzel.
     
  15. Eric Wanderweg

    Eric Wanderweg

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2020
    Messages:
    6,154
    Likes Received:
    46,494
    Location:
    Bristol, Connecticut
    Sounds like a major headache. Beautiful wood, no doubt. Probably have to start with slabs triple the thickness of what you want your finished boards to be. Cure them slowly and plane them down to size after they've dried and stopped warping. At least that's what my metal worker mentality tells me :)
     
  16. Buzz Benton

    Buzz Benton

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2019
    Messages:
    233
    Likes Received:
    2,469
    Location:
    Cottage Grove Lake, Oregon
    Here is a match of nine quarter apple which are 12" wide, still just a limb - not the main trunk.
    [​IMG]
     
  17. Screwloose

    Screwloose

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2017
    Messages:
    4,751
    Likes Received:
    27,172
    Location:
    SE Wisconsin
    That looks amazing, I never knew apple looked so good.
     
  18. jo191145

    jo191145

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2015
    Messages:
    6,074
    Likes Received:
    40,414
    Location:
    Ct
    Once, long ago when I was into wood working we cut down a good size apple tree. Most went into the fireplace. There were a few big splits in the basement with that wild ripple figuring I just couldn’t bring myself to burn. They kicked around for years.
    Decided to make a solid one piece box out of one. Squared it all up. Roughly 5” x9” Cut off a lid and used a 1/2” x3” router bit to hollow out the body and lid. Some hinges and a clasp, put it all together and a box with no seams except for the lid.
    Sat for years on one of the end tables. Never warped a bit. I was a little surprised by that.
     
  19. yooperdave

    yooperdave

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2014
    Messages:
    32,035
    Likes Received:
    194,006
    Location:
    Michigan's U.P.
    Any updated pics?

    Looks great so far!
     
    The Wood Wolverine likes this.