[HanzoGT]

Hiya,

ed this in the welcome forum cuz I am a new guy but got no response so I am trying here.

Having recently done some chainsaw/power carvings for my company (usually do foam/frp/plastic stuff) I am hooked. I am really looking forward to doing some large scale stuff but am un-sure where to get the wood.

Where in SoCal can I get large raw woods? Redwood would be awesome but I bet its expensive. Surfing the net I am having no luck.

Any tips/responses will be appreciated

Thanx, Gary

[Bman]

Hi Gary and welcome. I am a newbie myself and yes it is addicting. The only thing i know is that some people contact tree trimming companies to get wood sometimes. Might be a good place to start.

[windsong]

Gary
Welcome to the board.Maybe you can find a sawmill in you area and thay maybe able to help you find large chunks of wood.
windsong

[tcb16]

Hi Gary,

I'm from the east coast so it may be a different finding logs to carve here, but here is what I usually do.

When I first started I called every tree service listed in the phone book. Off the bat many will say no, or mention that they sell everything for firewood. Sooner or later I found a few that paid to get rid of the wood at a municipal waste facility, and were happy to get rid of it for free. Most of the time I'd offer them a carving in return.

Another idea, while calling tree services is to mention you can come out to their jobsite and pick up the tree or limbs when they cut it. This saves them a bit of work, and the cost of disposing and transporting it.

Also look to logging companies and larger timber suppliers that service mills, and look to purchase some of the logs that are not commercially viable. This works well here, I get quite a bit of tulip and white pine by the triaxle truckload because I'm closer to the logger than the mill.

One last note, be careful of the timber transportation laws in on the west coast. I've heard of a few people getting 5 figure fines for moving their own wood without a permit.

Best of Luck!

Tim

[brianh]

As suggested tree service is a good place to start.

You can usually work out a good deal with the tree service they need a place to get rid of it most sawmills will not bother with residential trees, too much risk of nails, clothline hooks ect.

I get a lot of my wood from contractors also, clearing a spot for a new house. (two dump truck loads a few months ago) with more to come.

Check out your local craigslist free section, I got 3 large white pines over the summer that had just been cut down I just had to haul it out.

Now that I have a spot carving in town I get offers for wood all the time.

[cccarver]

Hello-
I am real new-like today. Someone ageed to help me take down some pines on my property in exchange for my oak, which he is keeping. I was going to just leave some stumps for planters or seats, but then thought how wonderful a bunch of in-place carvings would be. I haven't a clue what I am doing, but for right now, just need to know how much tree to leave. From what I have read, I should leave about 5 feet. Does that sound about right?

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Tree trimming companies, try the county maint yard, they trim the trees along roads.....any construction site that has trees on it will most likely be cut.