My Big Water Maple

[DrDan]

Since we are into big trees, I thought I'd post a pix of the 4'10" Water Maple we just had to take down to facilitate the site prep for my building. It was a true beauty and it hurt deeply to end it's life. Was solid all the way through...

To move the lower trunk we had to saw it in 4-5' lengths. I have it all coated with parafin now so it will not check. Being a lathe turner I can see all kinds of nice big bowls in it. Even though I HATE killing big trees, I feel better if I make something that will be around forever out of it. LOL That is another of my stupid "collections" - Stumps! I have several - walnut, chestnut, cedar, apple and now maple. Can you see why it was important for me to get a tractor with a FEL? A guy ain't got many friends when it comes to moving 1000# stumps around.

Here's the tree.........

DrDan

 

[Wheeldog]

Pretty impressive sized tree. I know what you mean about having mixed feelings. I hate to have to take down a big tree like that too. We have a big maple in back that isn't too healthy, and should probably come down for the good of some other plantings, but I really hate to have to do it.

I'm curious about the term 'Water Maple'. Around here we have what we call 'Rock Maple' and 'Sugar Maple'. Is a water maple the same as a sugar maple?

Rob

 

[Thomas]

Indeed its a shame when one of those big beauties have to be remove...only if they could talk about the history they have seen.
Looks like you got enough lumber to start on your barn shelves plus./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[DrDan]

Hmmm I don't really know... Water Maple is also referred to as soft maple. Not as good as hard Maple like that which comes from Sugar Maple. I'll look in my wood book.

No I have a friend with a band saw type of sawmill. I'll have him cut it into dimensional lumber and stash it in the concrete block building for 4 or 5 years before I can use it. I consider my woodpile as my bank account. Just feels good to have 100's of board feet of hardwood stacked and waiting for inspiration. Dang I need some maple right now to build a lathe out of - always have to buy more... For years I was buying cherry because the 600 board feet I had was on the bottom of 1500 foot of red oak. Now I have the building organized enough so I can get to the cherry. Gheesh won't make that mistake again. Restacking is a lot of work.

Looking for some hickory lumber now. Man is that some pretty stuff...

DrDan

 

[Boondox]

Dan -- Soft maple is still nice wood. The only reason I didn't keep any of it was I ran out of space in the garage after all the rock maple and cherry was stickered. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif That tree will live on in the creations you make.

And you're right about the hickory! Boy is that stuff ever hard! Considering all the dog claw damage to my spruce plank flooring, I'm seriously looking at hickory for the next upgrade.

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[frank_f15]

hate taking them old timers down, but sometimes u have to/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif u metioned red oak, it sure is a nice woood. i have a couple of hickory trees and 7 black walnut on my property. don't work with wood much any more, but dang if it ain't a nice way to spend your time.

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

DrDan,
<font color=blue>Even though I HATE killing big trees, </font color=blue> Same here, this summer I had to take down four big cedars right near the house, three were over a 100 years old/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif When the wind gets bad it takes the tops right out of them. An 8" to 12" top coming down from 60 to 80 feet is a force to be reckoned with. I left two, limbed and standing to 30 ft. I have a plan that says they become Totem Poles, kinda fits with the history in the Northwest. I'll trade you some fence posts for some water Maple/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Al

 

[DrDan]

I once spent some time in the Yukon... One morning (I had camped on a lake after dark and couldn't see where I was) I woke up and found a raft that had been left behind. It was made of 16 to 18" diameter cedar logs about 15 feet long. Always ahve wanted to go back up there with a flatbed and load up with cedar.

Yes working wood for me is like taking a tranquilizer. Just makes me slow, satisfied and happy.

My carpeting in the house has gone to the dogs (literally) and I don't know if I'll go looking for hickory or just do it in cherry. Hate to waste cherry, but I already have that.

DrDan