The first step was giving the tree trimmers instructions to leave the logs. I asked for 6' logs, knowing that 5-6' boards would be perfect for banjo work and wanting to make it easier in case I couldn't find a sawyer and had to do anything with them myself.
Check. The ones with painted ends are candidates for cutting. The rest will go to my in-laws' fireplace.
A local portable sawmill was willing to do such a small job. Today he showed up with his sweet machine and a helper.
Setting up the WoodMizer:
With proper supervision:
And yard inspection. We wouldn't want any wildflowers to get damaged--better pick them all.
Cutting the first log and spewing sawdust into a pile that would fill an entire wheelbarrow:
As the first boards came off the saw, I got busy building a foundation for the pile:
While they cut everything worth cutting, I stacked for air drying. Here's the final result:
I stacked most of that and took a break to make coffee for the guys and pull out my banjo for some show and tell. One worker is a musician and was excited to see the banjo and pick on it a little. Deliverance was requested, so I fumbled out an approximation.
With all the prep and stacking, the whole job was a lot of work and cost quite a bit. As the sawyer reminded me more than once, I would have saved a lot of money had I left the logs longer to make less work for him. To do it over, I'd be a little smarter about it, or just go to Randy's place and pick from the hundreds of logs he already has. Live and learn!
Overall it was a ton of fun and I'm very pleased with the haul. I figure 174 board feet wet, 120 after shrinkage and planing. If I did my job right and much of it dries straight and flat, there's a lot of banjos or other small projects in that pile at well under retail cost on the wood (52.5 banjos, to be exact, if it all dries perfectly).
