Just starting out

[MTS]

I just joined the Forum, but have been reading it for quite a while.  I saw a portable sawmill run and I caught the bug, (my wife and kids are already tired of hearing about it).  We are part of a family tree service in east central Nebraska that has been around for over 50 years, mainly doing removal and trimming.  About 80% of our work is taking down silver maple trees.  I am wondering what the marketable uses of this wood are?  Could I sell it for fencing?  Barn wood?  What are good uses?

Any drying techniques, or ideas?

Also advise on saws, this would only be a part time business at best (to start with).  I would like to cut at my lot and eventually at customer properties.

I have been reading all the info I can for a couple of years, but I still don't have any practical knowledge, that's where i'm hoping you guys can help me out.

Thanks
Ben

[Chuck White]

Welcome to the forum MTS.

You'll find lots of good info and people on this site.
I have a Wood-Mizer hydraulic portable band saw mill.  I really love it. Sawed over 71,000 board feet last sawing season while going mobile.

I'm sure there are WM owners in your area.  Contact WM and they could put you in touch with them.  WM has videos of their mills in operation on-line!

Now, there are many different kinds of mills out there and most, if not all can be checked out on-line!
There are many mill companies that are sponsors for this web site, just start clicking on them.

Again, welcome to the forum; Chuck

[ARKANSAWYER]

  Wellcome and come on down next Saturday as WoodMizer is having an Open House here at the mill.  You can see some fine mills and meet other FF members.
  Soft maple (silver maple) is not good outside.  It does well for paneling and stuff like that.  Not so good for flooring.  I have some guys around here that carve it.  It spalts good and saws easy.  Prone to stain but not tricky to dry.  Big chuncks dry well and make a light for size bar tops.

[thecfarm]

MTS,welcome to the forum.Sawing will take time to learn,but you will enjoy.Can you make money on it? Some do and some did not and some don't. You can saw all day and make the best lumber,but you still need to sell to someone who will pay for it  so you can make some money. That can be the problem sometimes.

[9shooter]

Soft maple often has some curl figure in it. I know it is often used in drawer box construction in the cabinetry trade.

[Left Coast Chris]

Hi MTS, and welcome.

I am a hobby woodworker and built my own cantilever head saw mill.  I milled up a Silver Maple yard tree and it is one of my favorite woods for woodworking.

I have turned bowls out of crotches. I have made cabinets and used the Silver Maple as a contrasting color with Walnut (VERY beautiful).  A friend has made jewlery boxes with some midly quilted Silver Mable from the tree.    On this tree, there was some quilting under large limbs (compression wood) and at the very base of the tree (compression wood).   I gave some to my uncle for a chest project.  He LOVED it and wants more.  It is a very good wood for wood working.

It sawed up very well, had minimal warpage, air dried well, planed well, glues up well.  As for the market........ that I do not know.

 

[MTS]

Thanks for the advice,

I have been looking at the woodmizer, and i think that is what I will go with.
(perhaps the 1600)

Still looking for more ideas on uses for silver maple (I really appreciate the ones you guys have given, and am looking into all of them.)
I have a ton of these logs and with the current economic situation the pallet company isn't buying, and I hate to just sell it as firewood.  I figure there must be some use for the lumber?

[Haytrader]

Diversifacation is the key in these changing times. That is what I am doing.
Added value is where I see an opportunity. Only you know your investment potential, but I would suggest a good manual mill if you have some support equipment and see how it goes before investing in a higher priced mill.

1600 suggests to me Timberking

[VanWild]

We mill plenty of urban maple using a Brand X swing saw.   I highly recommend this mill.  Its fast and versatile. 

[footer]

Hi MTS....Im a long time member, but I havent been on here much lately. Too many irons in the fire. I live just outside of omaha and work in omaha. I have been sawing for over 10 years. If you need any real, in person, advice or assistance, i would be glad to help out.