From Curbside Tree to Boards: Urban Lumber Milling for Woodworkers

That log in your driveway is worth more than you think.Every day, walnut, cherry, oak, and maple that furniture makers pay a fortunefor get chipped into mulch or hauled to the dump. Tree services often pay tohaul it away. With the right skills, that wood can be yours for free, milledinto boards and slabs in your own backyard.From Curbside Tree to Boards is the complete, hands-on guide to turning rescuedurban trees into beautiful, usable lumber. Whether you start with an inexpensiveAlaskan chainsaw mill or step up to a portable bandsaw sawmill, this book walksyou through every step from raw log to finished, dry lumber.Inside, you'll learn how to:- Find free logs and build relationships with tree services and arborists- Detect hidden nails, screws, and fence wire before they wreck your blade- Move and handle heavy logs safely with the right tools- Mill flat, clean slabs and boards with a chainsaw or bandsaw mill- Choose the right cut: flat sawn, quarter sawn, and live edge- Sharpen ripping chains and bandsaw blades for clean cuts- Dry and sticker your lumber so it stays flat instead of cracking or warping- Build a simple solar kiln to dry wood faster- Identify common urban tree species and their best uses- Work with figure and character like spalting, curl, crotch, and burl- Turn your hobby into local income selling slabs and custom lumberWritten for hobbyist woodworkers, DIYers, and urban arborists, this is everythingyou need to go from raw log to finished lumber, and maybe a small side businessalong the way.Reclaim the wood. Mill it yourself. Build something that lasts. Read more