I've added a "News" article on something that really isn't new, and I have added the discussion and pictures sent to me by Jeff France on his kiln in the "Your Kilns" page. Enjoy.

Randy,
Happy New Year to you...
That Red Oak you got was one serious tree! I would never have been able to get a log that size to my place with the equipment I have. Was good for the tree service to deliver it. They made out. I'm sure your friend paid to have it taken down and they you paid for delivery. Gotta check into that kind of business.
As nice as that looked, I probably would have taken my saw to his house if the tree service refused to deliver. Did you find any metal in it, being it was a yard tree?
Funny, I have the same problem you do. My kiln is loaded since September and I don't have anyplace to store it except outside (kind of defeats the purpose) So there it sits for now
Nice pic's you have of Jeff's work....
Harry

Happy New Year to you too! Yes, that tree service did make out just fine but they worked for it. Every bit of the tree had to be roped, cut, and lowered. It took them three guys over two days to get it down. I paid them $150 to bring it to my lot. They may have gotten more because the local services usually sell all their reasonable logs to a big mill. My saving grace was that my friend let them know he was giving me the log.

The first but log is milled and the second log is half milled and no metal! My Lucas and my wallet are both happy about that. I'm trying not to mill on site just because it is easier to bring the logs to me and let them set until I can get around to them. Right now I also have four or five mediocre cherry logs waiting to be milled and a really big true cedar that belongs to someone else but is being stored on my lot. I'll probably mill the cedar eventually and I hope to get some of the boards in exchange. I'll post some pictures of the cedar sometime soon.

Randy

Hey Randy,
Did you ever get around to milling those Cherry logs? If so, what did you think of them?

These are the best of times and the worst of times. Nah, not really, but the downside is that I haven't done anything with the mill for months due to a heavy workload (which is the good part considering the state of the economy). I haven't even put the gearbox back together yet. So the cherry still sits along with two and a half logs from the big red oak. Additionally, I bought a truck load of red oak that was taken down in my neighborhood. It amounts to about six or seven more big logs. I'll try to get some pictures of them up this week.

The weather will be breaking soon so I really need to get a load milled and ready to go, but it has been hard to find the time. I'm in the middle of a year long career switch so I've been pushing hard to get the new work moving forward. The mill, kiln, and logs are all a part of the new career, but the renovation and woodworking have been taking a front seat. Soon..... I'll mill again..... soon.