Big Cypress Logs, Any suggestions?

fishpharmer · July 03, 2009, 04:02:25 AM

The big day, loading the big log. I only had my phone camera and for some reason it wanted to lock up and not work until the loading was almost done. Poor quality, my apologies.

I was fortunate that a large excavator was on site, I believe it was a Komatsu PC300 with a 2.2 yard bucket. It was big. But didn't have trouble lifting the log. I was more worried about the chain breaking.

That fella unhooking the chain was about 6'4" and the bucket was huge.

I put one chain and ratchet binder and two ratchet straps for hold down. The buttress kept it from rolling.

I made it home, with just one blowout on the way (about 200 mile trip). I was relieved.

The other cypress logs are on the ground.

Not sure what to do with it now, I don't have an excavator. I am thinking just pull it off the side with my big tractor and saw off the cookies down to the 48 inch diameter size and the pull it over to the mill and use tractor to lift it on there.

Any suggestions?

Ianab · July 03, 2009, 05:11:10 AM

Yeah.. thats the sort of cypress log we have here ;D

For the best recovery try taking off the stump swell/buttress with your chainsaw. Hard work, but you keep the log full length. If you take off cookies from the end you get firewood, but waste a lot of your best lumber.

On the swingmill I can set the small end up on a bunk, and trim the butt flare as I go. Firewood, stickers, short boards etc.

But yeah.. thats a nice log, worth the effort to break down.

Ian

Radar67 · July 03, 2009, 09:27:24 AM

James, I would unload that beast as close to the mill as possible.

Don K · July 03, 2009, 10:19:15 AM

That log is where a swingmill shines. Good haul James. Shame you aren't close. We wouls saw it on the LT 15. :D :D :D ;D ;)

Don

fishpharmer · July 04, 2009, 04:51:50 AM

Ian, thanks. I am sure some nice lumber can be cut from this log. I have decided to try and make slabs and cookies only from this log. I just have to try the cookie idea. I have for years wanted a big table top from a butressed cypress. I am gonna try FLD's idea of putting a ratchet strap around the piece i cut off. I am concerned its too dry and may fall apart. I think I could epoxy it together if that
happens.

Terry, I think I will follow that advice. Closer the better.
Don, yea if we were closer I would just take to the LT15. ;D
I will save a smaller cypress log if you want to try sometime?

Thanks all.

Fla._Deadheader · July 04, 2009, 06:54:12 AM

There is a guy in Florida that sells-sold Cypress Cookies, to Europe. He stacks them on a pallet, about 3' high and straps them down for shipment. Cuts them 3" thick with a 10FOOT chainsaw and bar.

I've seen his whole operation.

They don't seem to open up on him ??

Tom knows the guy I am talking about.

Down here, we don't get the split on Cookies that I have seen. ???

metalspinner · July 04, 2009, 09:33:27 AM

8) 8)

I've seen redwood cookies made into tables like you are mentioning and always thought cypress could be used like that, too.

Your mill will make quick work of that top log.

I wonder if a Peterson ATS could cut cookies out of the buttress end by standing it upright and taking cookies off the top. A different chain profile might be needed for cross cutting?

QuoteNot sure what to do with it now, I don't have an excavator. I am thinking just pull it off the side with my big tractor and saw off the cookies down to the 48 inch diameter size and the pull it over to the mill and use tractor to lift it on there.

Try rolling it as much as possible. You will get much less dirt on it. When you roll it off the trailer, make sure you have a chain on the ground for the log to fall onto. That would be one less hassle yo need to worry about later.

fishpharmer · July 04, 2009, 10:12:24 AM

Chris I like that idea of standing buttress upright and slabbing. Can your buddy do that? Anyone?

Fla._Deadheader · July 04, 2009, 11:20:54 AM

How wide is the log compared to the saw opening ??

We saw cookies on Homey, until the piece is wider than the saw opening.

fishpharmer · July 04, 2009, 12:41:43 PM

FLD, its 72 inches at widest, 60" narrowest at big end of log. I have 48" opening on my saw.

Banjo picker · July 04, 2009, 10:22:39 PM

Thats a whopper of a log James. I just cut a white oak for my cousin that was about 42 or so inches on the butt. I trimmed it down with the 084 till i got it where it would fit between the frame of the mill (38 in.) It was only 13 feet long and it still blew a fitting on the chain turner rolling the log . Maybe that cyp. was growing in the water so they couldn't get any nails in it. I found 4 with the metal dect. and got them out and still hit three others deep in the tree. I was expecting it so I had a blade that was about worn out on when I (found) them. No warning till I heard that god afful racket. I put on another old blade and just before I finished I hit another one. All in a tree that was supposed to be clean. I started to laugh when they told me that and ask who the person was that had live 130 years to know. But he got some nice boards out of it. I think he is gona use it for trailer decking. There are several quarter sawn board that are loaded with figure.. Should make a nice deck. Tim

Ianab · July 05, 2009, 04:23:45 AM

Actually those cypress logs are about the most likely of anything to be able to dry round cookie slices. The buttress roots give a star sort of shape to the grain direction, and the low shrinkage means less splitting anyway.

If it's going to work with anything it's a log like that.

Good luck

Ian

fishpharmer · July 05, 2009, 07:13:50 AM

Tim, I hadn't thought about nails in the log. Thanks. You think I can borrow your 084? :D Actually, I am very fortunate to have a friend that let me borrow an 066 with a 36" bar.

Ianab, I am glad to hear they hold together well. As a precaution I used the FLD strap technique at least while cutting. Should I leave the strap on to dry?

Thanks for everyone's patience. I realize folks do this kind of stuff with big logs everyday or at least real regular. I know its just one big log but it is sorta a big deal to me. Thanks for all the good advice and input. I am still in awe of huge trees. It is very humbling to think that my lifetime equates to a few inches in diameter(according to growth rings). Heck I can probably add more inches to my diameter in a month than this tree grew in my lifetime. Okay, my apologies for getting sentimental. :-[

I parbuckled the log off the trailer. Worked like a charm. ;D 8) 8)

Well actually, at first I didn't have the truck hooked to the trailer. Then decided it best to hook it up before unloading. Glad I did, trailer tilted real bad.

the big end is on top of a big old RR timber.

Next, is a picture of my friend Joe and my first cypress cookie. He was there for moral support and to call 911 if the saw got me. I need to ask him how tall he is (for perspective). I gotta say, sawing the cookie, worked better than I would have imagined. Maybe beginners luck. Alot of help from my FF friends for sure.
Thanks.

The outside of the cookie was dry and splitting, so I cut a little thick, probably six to ten inches. On the inside it was beautiful with alot of moisture still in the wood (will get some closeups later). I now have my cypress cookie table (or, yet to be, will seek advice on that later ;D).

My friend MeadowsMiller will appreciate this-

;D ;D ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) ;D ;D ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) ;D ;D ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

Ianab · July 05, 2009, 07:55:44 AM

QuoteIanab, I am glad to hear they hold together well. As a precaution I used the FLD strap technique at least while cutting. Should I leave the strap on to dry?

Yup.. keep the strap on and keep cranking it tight as the wood shrinks. Not sure if it will work, but it should help, and it certainly wont make things any worse.

You can see on the end of the log how the buttress roots give a crazy pattern of small cracks instead of a couple of big huge cracks that splits the whole thing in 1/2. You may still need some epoxy later, but hopefully you still have one piece of wood to work with.

Ian

Fla._Deadheader · July 05, 2009, 12:57:07 PM

8) 8) 8) 8) 8)ATTA BOY 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Banjo picker · July 05, 2009, 10:00:57 PM

James that looks great. 8) 8) ....You may wish you would have cut a couple more if that turns out good. ;) You don't get a shot at something like that too often....Tim

fishpharmer · July 05, 2009, 10:37:11 PM

Thanks Ianab, Harold and Tim. I didn't want to press my luck cutting more cookies that day as it was hot and I was tired.

Tim, I intend to cut as many cookies as I can down to the 48" max diameter size at least. Then try slabbing the rest of the log.

Meadows Miller · July 06, 2009, 08:09:38 AM

Gday

James good to see you got em home easy enough Mate ;) they are gonna make some nice tables and the strap will work fine i reckon ive only done a couple in the past but what i did was tension it up with the strap overlaping eachover then whack a nail through both of em it sure beats having to cut n clip it every time you retension it mate ;) ;D

Your rite the pc-300s aint no Tonka Toy mate ;) we had one at a mill i worked at once with a crab grab on it only took about 10/15 min to unload a semi ;)

Reguards Chris

fishpharmer · October 20, 2009, 09:36:37 AM

I was going to start a new post to show this picture, but thought it was part of this story. Since the cookie came off the small end of the large butt log. (The 066 has 36 inch bar).

Since the 066 wasn't mine, the owner wanted it back. So I gave him a cookie for letting me use it. So far only two cookies cut off the log. I am still trying come up with some equipment that will reduce the waste of rough cutting the cookies with a chainsaw. Hasn't been priority ;)

Fla._Deadheader · October 20, 2009, 10:36:10 AM

Cut off a section, and, clamp it upright in the band mill. Cut whatever thickness you desire, down to the bunks. Doesn't get any easier. ;D

Tom · October 20, 2009, 12:33:14 PM

You could go manual too. Get a 5' one man bucksaw or even one bigger. Learn to sharpen it and hang it on the wall. Get a two man buck and recruit some help.

Then you will ~~never~~ almost never be looking for a saw big enough. They are pretty transportable too.

'Course they can be a lot of work, but who's carrying the whip?

fishpharmer · October 20, 2009, 09:54:45 PM

Mr. Tom, you know I like that idea. I happen to have an old bucksaw I picked up.

That maybe my low cost solution for this one log. Do you or anyone know how straight and accurate the bucksaws can cut? Bucksaws seem "thin kerf" compared to chainsaw. Seems like the cypress is relatively soft.

Harold, I like your idea too. I just don't want to take a lot of cookies off the small end, the big end won't fit on my band mill.

My goal is to get as many cookies from the big end down to the 47-48" diameter mark. Then slab lengthwise the rest of the log on my bandmill. I may take a couple more cookies off the small end. Incredible how tight but distinct the growth rings are on the small end.

I am going to practice slabbing some big pines before I try the cypress. I would hate to mess it up. ;)