On Sun, 13 Apr 2008 06:37:11 -0700 (PDT), jtpr
wrote:

I have this tree on my property that needs to come down as it doesn't
appear to be too healthy and it is very big, so if branches start to
fall a lot of damage will be done. Anyway, in having a tree guy look
at it he told me it was a black cherry tree. I had no idea they got
this big, at least 60'. He wanted $700 to take it down and remove
it.

In thinking about it I'm wondering what my best option would be:

Take it down and have him remove the wood.
Take it down, keep the wood, or at least the best part of it, try and
find somebody to mill it, and use it.
Does it have value? Could I find somebody to take it down for free in
exchange for the wood?

I do need to make a bar/counter top for the kitchen and it would be
cool if the wood came from an old tree on the property.

I have a 13" planer but only a small band saw with a 3.5" cut, so I
would need to get the wood milled. I don't have a truck, so probably
they would have to come on site, not sure how to find somebody like
that. I'm in the Portsmouth, NH region.

Whatcha think?

-Jim

Hi Jim,

I live in Lee.

When we were preparing to build our home, we had to fell on
the order of 50 trees. Many were oaks, some shagbark
hickory, and some pines.

I wanted the wood, and once the trees were on the ground and
moved to one area, hired a fellow with a portable mill.

Though I am certainly no expert on any of this, I would
suggest that it is not likely that you could find someone to
take it down in exchange for the wood, unless you happen to
have a buddy who is into that sort of thing. If you had
fifty of 'em it might be a different matter, but there are
costs of time and money to getting to your property, and
setting up to mill.

All that said, it is a real pleasure to make something from
wood that grew on your property, and I would not dismiss
that.

If you care to, email me, and I will respond with the name
and number of the sawyer who worked for me. Though I doubt
that he would be interested in doing one tree, he may well
know folks who would do it for you.

All the best,
--
Kenneth

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