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white cedar worth anything?

BrianC | Posted in General Discussion on March 23, 2005 05:31am

I have a row of about 40 trees that are white cedar.  They range in diameter from 10″ or so up to a couple feet.  I was thinking about getting someone to cut them down for me.  This person talked to someone to see if they were worth anything and they offered to pay me 100 dollars for all of them.

I was also thinking about maybe hiring a portable lumber mill to come out and mill some boards for me.  Has anyone had any experience with that?  Is it worth it in terms of money saved and hassle.  Is white cedar useful for building decks, a shed outdoor furniture etc.  How do the lumber mills charge for that is it by the hour, board foot,  log?   How much do you think it would cost when everything is said and done versus just buying from Home Depot.  Thanks in advance for any input.  Brian

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  1. gdavis62 | Mar 23, 2005 05:51am | #1

    Find a guy with some gear like this.

    View Image

    It is a chainsaw mill, and it can turn your boards into lumber right where the trees are felled.

    I just ordered some white cedar logs for use as columns in housebuilding, and am paying $5.50 per lineal foot for peeled logs 8 feet long and 12 to 14 inches diameter on the small (top) end.

    1. wane | Mar 23, 2005 03:51pm | #3

      spent the better part of my youth on the end of a chain saw mill .. although this was mostly hardwood I don't think I saved allot, gas, oil, wear & tear on the saw and chain (not to mention me!) // these mills are good for now and then when but don't think I'ld want to cut as many trees as this guy has .. opt for the portable mill .. cedar has excellent water resistance, around here every deck and dock is made from cedar ..

  2. CAGIV | Mar 23, 2005 06:00am | #2

    Where are you located?

    Their might be people here that know someone in your area that would help you mill your lumber.

    I know nothing about it, but 100 bucks for 40 trees seems a lot on the low side

     

    Team Logo

  3. Grott | Mar 23, 2005 04:25pm | #4

    Kellybrian,

    It would seem to me that your trees are worth more than $100.  Check in your area to see if anyone operates a Woodmizer portable bandsaw mill.

    You can call Woodmizer in Indianapolis for the names of local owners.

    In this area they will saw for a flat rate, by the board foot, or for a percentage of the lumber produced(shares).   Good luck.

     

    Garett

  4. PenobscotMan | Mar 23, 2005 04:43pm | #5

    Your trees are worth more than that!  Why do you want to cut them down?  BTW -- Atlantic white cedar is a highly prized wood for wooden boat building.  Top dollar.

    1. frenchy | Mar 23, 2005 09:20pm | #6

      Javier,

       Not so fast buddy. the value of trees is extremely selective.. I used to buy all the black walnut I wanted for 17cents a bd.ft. simply because my local sawmill had no market for the wood.. that was cut stacked, stickered and graded.

         They had a chance years ago to buy a whole field of aromatic cedar.  Hundreds of mature trees.  they spent over a year looking for a market for the resulting wood and finally when the developer waited long enough they were all bulldozed over and burnt..

          Wood that grows near a fence line is generally considered worthless.  it may have had fence on it and the tree overgrew the fence.. now when the  sawmill operates and hits those chunks of steel they are lucky if it only takes out the teeth in the sawblade, if they aren't lucky it can do much worse damage than that including hurt or kill people near the mill..

       No sawmill will want a wood it doesn't have a market for. especially softwoods.. Hardwoods at least can be sold for railroad timbers or pallets while softwoods with no market can sit in the mills fields and slowly rot..

         Sure boat builders like it and there are some who prize the wood for shingles but you need to find those people before you set a value!   Plus, wood that is green needs to be dried and that is quickly getting very expensive as well..

       

       

      1. PenobscotMan | Mar 23, 2005 09:42pm | #8

        What a pessimist you are!  But you are probably right.  Several years ago, at my BIL's in Kentucky, I salvaged several black walnut logs that had been left behind by the loggers.  Dragged them back home to WNY, took them to a sawmill where they turned them into about 100 BF of 4/4 planks.  They sat in my garage for years, then I moved them into my basement where they sit still.  When we leave the area I will try hard to find some poor sap to give them to.

    2. BrianC | Mar 23, 2005 11:38pm | #9

      Once again thanks for all the opinions and help.  The reason we are probably going to cut them down (after much debate) is they are planted between one and 5 feet apart.  They make this huge dark wall killing all plants below and preventing any sunlight from reaching our yard.  We have visions of using the wood to build a nice sunny deck off the back yard.  Its about ten degrees colder in our yard than everywhere else around us.  We also have plenty of other healthy mature trees in the yard.

       

      Called Woodmizer and got some phone numbers. was quoted around 20 cents a board foot for two by's.  Called the lumbar yard and western red cedar is 85 cents a board foot.  Its like making money!  The guy is going to come look at the trees before I have them cut down to see if he thinks it is worth it.  Thanks again for the help.

  5. Alphonse | Mar 23, 2005 09:33pm | #7

    I got some white cedar out of a circle mill in the Catskills.Was getting a truckload of white oak and the sawyer said he'd throw the cedar in for a good price.I don't really know whatfer cedar it was,if it even was true cedar.Smelled nice,but not distinctive.I didn't try to ID the wood,took him at his word.

    Some of it did get used for siding by a friend,turned black in a year.Can't tell you the longevity,the building got torn down in a commercial zoning upgrade.

    Lots of the knotty stuff I used for stickers.The clear wood was very nice to work,pretty hard,sorta like southern yellow pine.Pretty stable too.Light reds with creamy areas.

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