Possibly GREAT Christmas present! Some ???

[Cut_Fingers]

Hey All,

During my Christmas Holiday, I realized a cousin-in-law of mine ran a Saw-Mill, which is located only about 50 miles from my home. However, I do have a couple of questions for some of you that get wood from saw-mills.

Let me give you some of my logistics first.
1 - I live in a subdivision with no workshop or shed, just a house with a garage. (limited space) But I do have quite a large attic.
2 - I have never gotten wood from a saw-mill before & don't know the specifics of wood scraps from a saw-mill.
3 - I have never dried wood before, even though several of you have told me how to dry wood in my attic.
4 - I have a Ford Explorer, not a pickup for hauling wood scraps. limited carring space.
5 - I live in Mississippi, so the wood will be Southern wood.
6 - My cousin told me that he often cuts Tupelo, Sasafr**** Oak, Hickory, Walnut, Pecan, some Cherry, and Cotton Wood

By the way - all I get will be FREE!!!! but it will be Green.

Here are some of my questions:
1 - What type of scrap cuts can usually be gotten from a saw-mill? Board ends or blocks, thick or thin, long or short. These may be better questions for him.
2 - He knows nothing about Cotton Wood bark carving, but knows it has a pretty thick bark, maybe 3/4 of an inch he estimated. (maybe more or less)
3 - Of the wood mentioned above, which would I prefer. I have only carved with Basswood thus far. He said that he will have some Walnut next week. Do I want that.
4 - I told him as a business man, he wants no waste for his business & he may can sell some of his scrap wood to local carvers (except for me) hehehe - any advice there as to what carvers want?
5 - I really don't know what to look for or what questions to ask. Can any of you help my out?

Once again, I hope you all had a nice holliday!!!

I realize this is a lengthy group of questions, but any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Regards
Jim

this site is trying too hard to control language , think the settings need adjusting or whatever controls that?....anything with a-s-s in it is blocked...like gr**** sassafras etc??

What do you want to carve from the wood? I have had a little luck drying basswood, but mostly it cracks. The hardwoods, I see postings by Colin and others saying that the hardwoods work easier when there green. For my own choice, the slabs of wood from the outside of the tree offer the choice wood for carvers. It is the sap wood, not so fine grained, and has less tendancy to crack.
Seeing that your space is limited, choose only the prime pieces, watch for splits, knots, good grain, cut it to size,square it so your not wasting space, seal the ends, and store it in the attic. Short pieces should be stood on end, to dry them better.

[Smokey]

Well "Fingers"--I have a few suggestions for you.
You can put enough wood in the back seat of the average car to keep you carving for about a year.
Take a few things along with you--A bench brush--to remove as much of the mill dust and dirt as you can. Take a small chainsaw or a "Bow saw"--to keep your slabs to a sensible length. Try to take slabs that have the bark removed or very little bark--You will be storing this wood in your home, and the bark and dirt is where you can import some nasty bugs( termites,powder post beatles, carpenter ants,etc. While you are at the mill--pick out some thin pieces(about 1" x 1" x length) to use between the wood pieces while drying.

When you get your treasures home, make sure that you have brought plenty of the stackers to place between the drying wood so that plenty of air circulation takes place. Some species of wood dry and cure at a faster rate than others, so put the quicker dryers where you can get to them first.

Wood species, size, and thickness are entirely up to your intentions and carving disipline. It is always a pretty good rule of thumb to cut your pieces about 6 or 8 inches longer at both ends to allow for the inevitible checking.

Wood species--Tupelo is about the same(some say) as Basswood and dries a heck of alot better--easy to carve.
Cherry is often overlooked for carving, but is one of my favorites. Dries quickly-- (in your heated attic, in Mississippi, it should be ready in about 6 months.

Walnut will require the most drying time, and will check on the ends (about 3or4 inches). A highly favored carving wood.

Oak and Sasafrass will check the most (about 6or8 inches) and are considered by most avid carvers to be too course grained to be of value when detail carving is involved.

Input--Hope this helps

A suggestion is, you might want to stick that wood a bit at a time in the freezer to assure you don't transport bugs to your attic! That could be VERY expensive carving wood if the termites get to you!! Or you can put the wood in a big heavy garbage bag and put car exhaust in the bag and tie it off....and set it aside....I did that to a piece of ironwood that was very old but had some termites in it....after that, didn't see anymore termites....!

[big_Wayne_P]

If I put a piece of wood in the freezer, My other half would
probably decide that it was something I wanted to eat.
I can see her now taking out the frozen wood
thawing it out
thin sticking it in the oven and baking it like a roast

when I ask her for is for supper
she would reply wood roast

[Randy48]

Jim, it sounds like you're asking 2 questions - what should you get and what can he sell the mill waste for.

Get pieces that look interesting to you, species doesn't really matter, all wood carves, some easier then other, each species is unique with it's own color and grain. I do buy a little basswood and cypress knees to carve, but most of my carving wood comes from behind my house in the woods or from my own yard. Killing any bugs that may be hiding inside is a good idea and you already know how to dry it, start stocking up. Pieces of slab are great for relief carvings, A chunck of this or that is good for sculptures big or small.

As for what your cousin can sell, that depends on the local market. All sawmills have their scrap pile, most give the stuff away to get rid of it, some charge $5-10 a truck load, others charge $25-50 for a bundle of slabs. It depends how much extra work he wants to do to turn a few extra bucks.

Get all the walnut you can haul and then if there's any room left over fill it with something else. Having had recent experience with southern basswood, think I'd pass on that and buy what I needed from up north. The cost, when you consider your time, is pretty small.

[Kenny_S]

If the cottonwood bark is at least 3 inch thick and 3 to 5 ins, wide, get that also. Cottonwood is a dream to carve ounce the outside layers are eliminated.

not all bad Wayne, roasted bugs are protein!