# Metal in Log



## HomeBody (Apr 27, 2013)

I have a walnut log, 9' X 21" the whole length. A yard tree. I had a friend with a metal detector come over and shoot it. His Garrett was dinging the whole length of the log!:fool: He said there was a larger object about a foot from the bottom.

So now what? Could all those hits the length of the log be anything other than bullets? Would you even attempt to cut a slab off of it with the CSM?
Or do I have 9' of firewood? I'm bummed.:sad: Gary


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## Jdaschel (Apr 27, 2013)

It is probably nails and stuff from signs over the years.


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## gvwp (Apr 28, 2013)

If you don't want to cut the log into firewood you can install a junk blade on your sawmill and cut the log anyway. You know you are going to cut through metal so don't use a good blade. You still might be able to get some useable pieces by going around the metal but its always a gamble. Especially with yard trees. If the metal is bullets its not as bad as a horseshoe or bolts or nails which may cause more serious damage than lead.


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## Mike1950 (Apr 28, 2013)

Could it be a ground wire for a lighting rod? A lot of those in Maryland.
I have some 22"x 5/4 x 10' boards that would have lit up a metal detector- bullets/22, bunch of copper roofing nails and a few nails- I sure am glad the sawyer did not give up on it- wood is beautiful. I agree with GVWP- at least give it a shot with a crummy blade- PS- we need pictures.


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## HomeBody (Apr 28, 2013)

A grounding wire... That's at least one plausible explanation. You guys have convinced me...no pain no gain. I think I will go for it. What could go wrong? 

I don't really have any junk blades. I might have after this though. I'll post pics as soon as I can tackle this thing. We're too flooded and mudded to do anything right now. 

This is a pic of the thing when I brought it home last fall. The one on the right. 21" X 9'. Gary
[attachment=24027]


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## barry richardson (Apr 28, 2013)

You might consider it too much of a chore, but you could split it down the middle with wedges and a sledge hammer, and see if that exposes the offending metal. I saw on a segment of the woodwrights shop where he was discussing that walnut was one of the easiest woods to cleave... You got a mighty big log though Easier if you cut it in shorter pieces.


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## Kevin (Apr 28, 2013)

HomeBody said:


> I don't really have any junk blades. I might have after this though.



You're not a real sawyer until you have destroyed some blades. I am a real sawyer and I have hundreds of POUNDS of junk blades to prove it (yes I can show pics of them!). Plow into that metal to get to the wood. Earn your stripes.


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## HomeBody (Apr 29, 2013)

Okay, will earn my stripes! I'll document the destruction and post the pics here. Hundreds of pounds?? Gary


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## HomeBody (Apr 30, 2013)

Well, that didn't take long. I decided to cut off the butt end to square it up and see if I could see any blue color. Oh boy, I got blue...and part of a wire fence I cut through. Thin wire. I think I'll mill the side of the tree without the blue first. Gary


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## brown down (May 1, 2013)

:lo


HomeBody said:


> Well, that didn't take long. I decided to cut off the butt end to square it up and see if I could see any blue color. Oh boy, I got blue...and part of a wire fence I cut through. Thin wire. I think I'll mill the side of the tree without the blue first. Gary



:lolol: you earned your stripes hahaha i trashed a chain cutting up some apple last year, found a softball size rock in the middle of the tree! destroyed my chain, that one went in the trash!

does that wire go all the way up the side of the tree? looks like its only down at the base, but you said you were getting hits the whole length of the tree right?


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## HomeBody (May 2, 2013)

Yes, about the whole length. My heart sunk when that machine started pinging. I can't imagine a fence running up the side of the tree so I'm hoping they're bullets. With my luck it will be something harder than lead. Gary


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