> On May 8, 2021, at 7:47 AM, John M. Johnston  wrote:
> 
> Am I out of my mind to consider such a project?
> Your collective wise counsel is appreciated.


John,

You are absolutely not out of your mind.   Just bear in mind that a 3' diameter
by 5 ft length log is going to be heavy when you are rolling, tipping, or
standing it on end — whatever you are attempting to do, do NOT be in the path it
might take if it falls from above or starts rolling downhill above you.  Don’t
let it have that path if you then go do something that lets it loose by mistake.

A cylinder of water that size would weigh 2,200 lbs (a metric ton).  Your log of
white oak, if solid through & through, would likely be heavier.  A log 18” in
diameter x 5 ft would more easily manageable by a single person, as it might
weigh in the range of 500-600 lbs, but the usefulness of 3 ft wide lumber is
considerably greater than 18” material if you can work it in that width.

Whatever size it winds up to be, treat it with respect.  Move it with seriously
sized levers, or better yet a few friends with peaveys and block & tackle.
Stabilize it in place with triangular blocks if laying on its side.  Realize
that you could split this thing down the middle into two equally sized half-logs
that might still weigh 4-5 times your own weight each.  Do you happen to have a
tractor with a forklift attachment and counterweights for the tractor?  Lifting
chains,  with 1/2” steel chain links? Might be very handy to have nearby.

I was involved with managing two softwood and one hardwood sawmills in Northern
California decades ago.  The first day I was at the hardwood mill, I was
impressed by the size of a solid walnut log on the saw.  It was 7 ft in diameter
and 8 ft long, and then I was stunned when told the weight of the log when they
loaded it on the carriage.  The sawyer said the setup had handled a few larger
logs, but was limited to 23,000 lbs and 7 ft diameter.  If the logging team had
brought in logs like that using the shorter trailers hooked up in twos that I
used to see on California roads, just two of those logs could put the rig over
its max hauling weight limit.

Awareness of the potential safety hazards is a good place to start when figuring
out how to go about working your log.  The good news is you will have it, and it
will be a great project to accomplish.  I suspect everyone else reading of your
challenge getting this tree taken down would also like to have that trunk!

Charlie Driggs