How to Turn a Tree Into Lumber

The plan was to chop down a dying birch tree int he front yard and get some lumber out of it. We started by sharpening a felling ax then chopped in a relief cut with the ax and cut the rest of the way with a cross-cut saw. most of the canopy of the birch tree was removed with a bucksaw and the cross-cut saw. to cut down the main trunk my wife and I used the two-man saw. The logs were then strapped to the stump to allow vertical milling.

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[tdkrei]

I feel for you James, I have suffered for many years from a back injury when I was young and invincible for twenty years. I appreciate your desires to do wood work by hand, but, in some cases power tools are much healthier. Good luck and keep on smiling.

[PeteMcDermott]

Love how Sarah stands there when the tree falls & you run away😂😂 she’s definitely the brave one & big 👏👏👏 for her working as a nurse through the covid virus

[RIBill]

Part 2 DEFINITELY needs to be you supervising the kids ripping the logs into boards.

[mattf]

Nothing take you out of the game like a back injury. Theyre so easy to aggravate and so hard to fix.

[ryanallthewiser]

Great video James and Sarah. So sorry to hear about your back (been there ... don’t rush “back” to aggravate it more).

[ashleymartinez]

I just wanna say that u made me laugh today I love ur sense of humor. I can sense that your wife and kid have been blessed with having you and thanks for the video

[crazyguy_]

We had a nice tree fall recently during a strong storm and I wanted to turn some of it into lumber for woodworking when I get the equipment to do so. This was very helpful in showing me what saws I need so I can save some of it for my future woodworking projects. I hope to save some of the Hickory tree and some of the red oak. Both are still alive but mostly fallen and need to be cut down so I should be fine until I get a frame saw.

[joshuahasson]

Ice & Tylenol. When it feels right lay on the floor & stretch just before the point of discomfort. You likely just pulled a muscle... doubt you slipped a disc. I’ve worked (& continue to work) in the medical device world specific to spine surgery. I work with the neurosurgeons at Johns Hopkins & Washington DC area surgeons. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns.

[RichardMerrillHawk]

Feel better soon! I'm a big fan and hate to think of how you feel not being able to do the work you love to do.

[evankooiman]

Sorry James. That’s a bummer. Hope your back gets back to full health.

[johnkelley]

Great video but I am very sorry to hear your back is injured. I have had back problems many years ago so I can understand the pain. Take care and heal up. Thanks for making this.

[thelevicole]

Ouch!!

Those big saws really do tear through some wood.

[speedrrracer]

Hope your back heals up well and quickly! I'll be interested to hear your updates on the pieces of the tree you cut into boards. That tree was leaning at a decent angle, and one might guess there's a fair bit of tension contained in the wood as a result, and that the boards will resist becoming flat and well-behaved, but maybe there are some tricks you've learned?

[fatbikeexpedition]

i feel for your wife as a nurse i know how she felt

[jbtallullah]

Hope the back mends. I have been there. Good thing you have a nurse at home.

[drawlele]

I hope your back gets better soon James.

[colestrickland]

I hope your back heals quickly. Until then, have a “wonderful” day!

[daviddorothy]

Sorry about your back. If you still are unable to do this by June, I’m moving to southern Wisconsin so maybe I could bring my 4ft roubo saw and you could help me figure out how to make it cut straight and I can do the labor to saw up your logs. Hopefully your back is better before then though.

[walterrider]

thank you James . its not wright for our backs to flake out on us . i had to sit down for work because of mine . oh 2 summers ago i harvested 3 small kind of pear trees logs from birch and oak and a plum tree. but i used my bandsaw made 3ft and 5 ft long boards out of what i got

[IlRockettaroPazzo]

Ahahah best video on YouTube, the finale is totally unexpected, your transparency made my day! Thumbs up for your popped back, hope you get better to end the process!