Debating what to do with some big trees

[golfandwoodnut]

I have cleared a level spot behind my house with my Bobcat to build a pole barn (man cave). The problem is that I have some big beautiful trees I should cut down, so branches do not fall on the barn. One is an enormous cherry (Probably close to 3 feet in diameter), it has to go because I need to make room for the others to fall. The rest are 6 nice straight White Oak trees that are various diameters. Also one Maple that would also make some nice firewood.

My debate is should I try to cut them into logs (8 to 12 foot long) and try to sell them to a sawmill? Would it be worth hiring a dump truck, or something to haul them(I can load a truck with the Bobcat)? Or should I just cut them up for firewood? Or should I risk just leaving them alone? I certainly do not need the firewood as I have about 18 cords and lots of dead stuff in the woods. I guess I could sell it as firewood but knowing me I would probably just keep it for many years out.

The township I live in makes it very difficult to have a lumber yard come in and clear alot of trees with all their regulations, and I do not think I am really ready for that. And I may never be. I will provide pictures as I move along.

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

Sounds like you said it, "big beautiful trees", Randy

 

[KB007]

I'd say cut 'em down then see what you got in terms of disease, bugs, rot etc inside then make your mind up. There are sometime rental places that'll rent a small sawmill, ever think about doing something like that and making your own lumber?

Worst case, you got lots more firewood. Best case, make some of it into Lumber and use it for your "barn" - somehow I see more of a palace than "barn"

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Check with a mill. When I sawed lumber we would not take any tree that came from somebody's yard nor one from a fence row. Simply put, a lot of those trees have things have some strange iron inside of them and that tends to do nasty things to saws.

 

[joshlaugh]

I looked into getting a portal saw mill out to a buddy's house to mill some boards. Didn't end of doing due to time constraints etc. but lumber prices are really low around me, so if I was in your place and had to cut them down, I would keep them to burn unless you are a woodworker yourself and can make something with them

 

[smokinj]

Pic's Please!

 

[golfandwoodnut]

Thanks for the responses. Dennis, I am sure there is nothing in the wood. My property was all woods before I built here and I already had lumber yards and forest rangers out here and they said the wood is prime. RNLA made a good point in a PM and said it is best to get rid of them now since it will be way more expensive to get rid of them later (after I build). Sad to see them go, I may call a sawmill and see if they can pick up the logs or if I can deliver them if it is worth it. Otherwise I am sure it will be sweet firewood.

By the way you will see my kids play houses. They are in their mid 20s now but my wife has not let me tear them down yet. Behind the white playhouse will be the barn, probably 24 X 40, the last shot is looking at the back of the house, where last year I put in a circular driveway that would connect with the barn. Unfortuneatly the more trees I cut down the more of the neighbors I see. On the other 3 sides of the house it is all woods and I have a 1000 foot driveway.

 

[Duetech]

My daughter in laws folks never tore down her play house and now my grand kids play in it. Your wife may be on to something???

 

[skyline]

I'm on the other side of the country so my experience may not apply, but if you were my neighbor I'd say, you don't have enough volume to warrant the trucking costs and mill hassle.
You should definitely take them down for your "man cave" as it is good practice They look like nice sticks so buck them at 16' 12' and 8' (longer the better + 10" trim) and paint the ends and get them off the ground to cure.

You'll only be out the cost of end paint and in the mean time you can look for a sawyer (few but some will work for a split) or pick up an Alaskan Mill so you can cut the 4" thick slab for the bar top that goes in the "Man Cave" to serve your friends a cold one when they drop by. That's what I would recommend if you were "my" neighbor ;-)

Besides you'll need some nice wood to work on after your man cave is finished.

If that doesn't work you can always buck and burn!

Cheers

 

[Hunderliggur]

"to serve your friends a cold one when they drop by" and help you split some wood ;-)

 

[PapaDave]

I like skyline's idea.
I had a guy with a Woodmizer 40 come and do up a bunch of softwood almost 3 years ago, and as payment, he took about 1/2.
He cut my stuff into 4/4, and his into 2x stock. Some of his is still sitting next to the road at his sled rental place.
I ended up getting close to 2000 bd/ft.
Quite a bit is now the siding on my new shed, some is trim in the stove room, and some is outside window trim for the pole barn.

 

[drozenski]

"to serve your friends a cold one when they drop by" and help you split some wood ;-)

Just make it into a game. I play it with my friends and they dont even know.

I have 2 logs on the ground and ill put out 6-12 pieces to be split. My friends will come over we'll crack open a beer. Ill look out and say. "Hey i bet i can split 2 logs faster than you" So we go out each split 2 as fast as we can. The more friends the more challengers the more that gets split. :D

 

[Hunderliggur]

Beer and Mauls - not a real great combination. When I was in England in the 80's they had hurricane force winds come through and blow down LOTS of trees. We helped one community to cut the tress off the road (Brits don't get much practice with chainsaws). We had one kindly fellow who kept offering us Spiced Rum while we worked! We declined, 100+ trees later we took him up on it.

 

[tcassavaugh]

i have quite a few trees around my house. I've thought about felling a few, however, they provide shade to the area and here in D.C./Southern Maryland where the summers can get brutal, i've opted to let them remain as long as they don't rain on me. I'll cut ones out back.



cass

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Golf, it sounds like for sure you should have someone from a mill come in to cut if at all possible. I also hear you about cutting makes the neighbor's more visible. I prefer to look at the trees!

 

[Kenster]

Golf, it sounds like for sure you should have someone from a mill come in to cut if at all possible. I also hear you about cutting makes the neighbor's more visible. I prefer to look at the trees!

I have never cut down a healthy, living tree. I have enough standing dead, or storm topped or downed oak and hickory to keep me busy. My buddy has 30 large, standing dead oaks that are mine for the taking. He also manages a 550 acre ranch and I can have all the dead and downed trees I want out there - and there is plenty.
I have more wood available than I can ever use and might consider doing a little retail. But I can't foresee ever wanting, or needing, to cut down a good, healthy tree.

I'm not saying it's not necessary some time for some people. Just speaking for myself.

 

[Wood Duck]

I'd leave the trees. You mention how beautiful they are, and how they block your view of the neighbors' houses. The only reason to cut them seems to be prevention of some future possible damage from falling limbs. I bet you have insurance. Does leaving the trees change the premium? I don't think trees are enough of a danger to justify cutting them, especially big, healthy trees.

 

[firefighterjake]

I love burning wood . . . but there are some trees that I leave in place . . . and big, beautiful, healthy trees around my home qualify for leaving them be . . . plus I like some trees around for blocking the view of the road, shade, etc.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

This has become an interesting thread, and I think it is food for thought. Trees are a love/hate relationship, with the emphasis on the love side. I live where I do, to be back in the woods. My goal was to have my own little mountain, and this is as close as I will ever have. I built my house saving as many trees as possible. However to get to the house, and clear a spot for the house involved probably a 100 trees. I wish I was more into word burning then (just a fireplace, that we enjoyed). So I had more wood than I could handle and much of it wasted.

I liked the trees so much that I kept four major Oaks close to the house and one Hickory. It may have been a mistake, but so far not. One big Oak did die within 2 years, and I had to remove it. It took some balls but I was sure I could make it fall the right way. I was a little lucky, I had learned to drop alot of trees clearing much of the lot myself, and it fell right where I wanted after much delay. Did you ever have a tree that just wanted to keep standing? This was it.

Another was by the back deck, and it was not huge when we moved in. It now had prime land and grew rapidly dropping branches, leaves, acorns and whatever else is that stuff oaks drop. It got huge. Well over time trees can take over the sky with their canopy. I like it, but hate it, because it takes my sun and find it is difficult to even have a vegetable garden. Well anyway I told my wife I would try to drop the Oak and just miss my daughters playhouse (above). I tied a rope and a come along to the tree and put tension where I wanted it to fall, and I am sure that one could have landed on a can. Playhouse it still up.

I will always keep as many trees as I can, but you also have to allow for some space between you and your trees. During thunderstorms I still have a fear a tree will fall on the house someday. I love them and hate them, but mostly love them.

By the way the cherry is down.
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/67319/

 

[tfdchief]

This is indeed an interesting thread. I love trees and hate cutting healthy live trees. I worry about the few trees on my small place....I planted every one of them. If one died I would hate it. I always cut dead or downed by a storm if I can, but, where I live, I have to take what I can get. I have said it before....those of you who regularly post pictures of your wood cutting are mostly on your own beautiful land with all the dead and downed trees you could ever want. Many of us do not have that luxury. I am not criticising any of the posts here, just saying its not that simple. By the way, you guys posting pictures of your beautiful woods and country....keep it up, I love looking at them and it really makes me appreciate it when I rarely get to cut in places like yours! GolfandWoodNut, If I were you and lived in that spot, I would have to say, it would really be hard for me to cut any of those trees down! It takes a lifetime to grow a tree.

 

[Cowboy Billy]

Its a tough call G&WN; When I built my barn I planed on leaving the trees for shade and keep the wind down. One of my friends in his late 70's said to keep it all 100' from in case of a forest fire (I know I am a lot deeper in the woods than you) I ended up knocking them back and it looks good and I don't have to worry about them falling on it. If its going to be close enough that they would impact the roots of the tree they would definitely come down. And if you had it sawed up it would make some great shelves and benches in the man cave! Look at some of the shelves I made in the picture perfect form. The building itself is going to block the neighbors from seeing in your yard or you could plant some smaller evergreens. Some people think a tree is forever. But it is a growing thing with its own life span. The idea is to manage it not let it go wild or cut it all down. And managing it may mean taking a tree down that you don't want to for safety or other reasons.

Billy

 

[billb3]

Another problem with opening a clearing that no one may have touched upon is often when land is cleared here for house lots many of the trees have depended on each other for support in wind and when the support was cut down it made some of the remaining trees vulnerable.

As much as everyone likes to keep them standing whenever possible sometimes it's wise to remove those that won't make it because thier support system is now gone. Same idea as cutting roots in a way, some trees can't take losing too many of them nor grade changes. Some can.

Sometimes a row of fir trees as a wind break and view makes more sense .
I've done a row at a property line of hemlocks and norwegian firs and the firs kept the branches on the bottom well keeping the underbrush down and less lawn to cut.
Privacy and something green to look at in the Winter.

You can always plant replacements and either cut them down before they get too big and start over again.
Or grow fruit trees if you have the time to maintain them.

 

[KarlP]

Your mancave can have a cherry workbench and oak flooring. If I had a lot of trees I'd get a 20% off one item coupon and order ...

http://www.harborfreight.com/saw-mill-with-7-hp-gas-engine-67138.html

 

[roddy]

as a guy who makes his living in the lumber business i have one word of advise for you....burn the stuff...never mind these crazy hire a mill or sell it to a mill ideas,nobody is going to mess with a piddly amount like you have...burn the wood and enjoy it for what it is,if you want some lumber,buy it

rod