Replies

1. 
   DavidxDoud | Mar 10, 2004 03:23am | #1

   well,  congrats - - nothin' like a stump to upgrade the neighborhood - - I think I'd cut it up into a couple of blocks - square off the outside and then cut the block in two - of course,  what you have in mind for the wood will have an effect how small to make the blocks -

   >24" - does this mean you have 12" chainsaw? - otherwise you can go at it from different directions to double your chainsaw capacity - if you slab off the sides,  then do what you can with the chainsaw,  you could then finish the cut with a hand tool -

   whatever you use,  the dirt/grit will be hard on your cutting edges - hose it off as well as you can,  and have a sharp chain for the important cut...

   "there's enough for everyone"
1. 
   mudman | Mar 12, 2004 08:11pm | #3

   Thanks for the advice,

     I have a 18" saw. I didnt think about the wear on my machines. That is importaint. My planer is 12" so I guess I will need a hand plane! I don't know what I will use this wood for. How much is a decient bow saw, or "stump saw" that could cut this thing? I don't really want to spend more than $50 on it.

   Thanks,

   Mike

1. 
   DavidxDoud | Mar 13, 2004 03:34am | #4

   $50 will buy you 3-4 saw chains or will buy you 10+ sharpenings - - I bought a servicable crosscut saw at an antique store for $30 - not sure how well a crosscut saw would 'rip' a stump - - I would wash the stump well,  preferably with a pressure washer and plan an attack with the chainsaw - - good luck"there's enough for everyone"

1. 
   mudman | Mar 13, 2004 07:25am | #5

   Thank you.

   MIke

2. 
   MaxdOut | Mar 10, 2004 06:09pm | #2

   I recently encounterd the same problem with a beautiful mesquite burl around the same size (24"). I checked around my area and couldn't find a mill to slice this thing so I bought a large crosscut timber saw a went to it. It took forever! But I got a nice clean cut which is what you won't get with a 12" chain saw.

   Good luck!

3. 
   Miami | Mar 14, 2004 04:14am | #6

   Mike,

   The saw suggestions sound right to me ... but to address your other question, yes you should definitely cut it, and not let it dry as a stump.  Left as is, it will almost surely radially check pretty badly.  Do give some thought to what you want to use it for - if you're not certain to need anything thicker, maybe 5/4 slabs would be good.  ('Course, if you're having to come at it from both sides with a  chainsaw to get through it, you will have a struggle keeping any consistent dimension, I think!)

   Then, you will want to sticker it, with some serious weight on top to keep it as straight as you can, and treat the ends to slow checking.  At 5/4 thickness, in someplace with a reasonably dry climate (i.e., not Miami!) it should dry in 15 months or so ...

   Before tackling a huge burl with a chain saw, I think it's worth calling around to find a real sawyer if you can - almost always there are part-timers who're glad for the work, and you may be able to swap some of the cutting for some of the wood, depending on what you've got.  If you find no sawyers in the yellow pages, try the local county extension office, or your friendly local lumberyard foreman (bring good hot coffee and warm doughnuts, and he may draw you a map and give you a note of introduction!  Sawyers are required by law, it seems, to live past the pavement, off the side of a side road, where the houses have no numbers and streets have no [posted] names).  Or, if these fail, call WoodMizer's national office at 800.553.0182 and ask for a referral/contact info for their customers near you.

   Or, try these for someone local ( don't know what state you're in ...)

   http://www.timberking.com/html/sawyers-directory.html

   and/or

   http://www.xmission.com/~sherwin/statesawyer1.htm

   Good luck!  So, what kind of burl have you got?

   Clay

1. 
   mudman | Mar 14, 2004 07:00am | #7

   Thanks,

   That was a lot of good info. I'll cut it up next week with the chain saw. I know that is not ideal, but I've nothing to loose as I was paid $300 to remove and haul it (and the rest of the tree) to the dump. I am horrible about tree identifying and will tackle that later.

   Mike

1. 
   trialnut | Mar 14, 2004 03:48pm | #8

   Mike

   I doubt you will find a sawyer that will cut it for you. Stumps most always contain a rock or two that the roots have grown around and completely hid. Unless you have a rock detector be prepared to find them with whatever saw you use. A chainsaw is probably the easiest and cheapest to resharpen. Plan on stopping to resharpen often. It should provide some beautiful wood to make it worth the effort.

   RichThe Professional Termite

2. 
   eling98 | Mar 14, 2004 06:07pm | #9

   Hi Mike,

   Check out the latest popular wood working cover story. A Froe maybe able to save you some more of that burl. -Eric