turning maple coppice into shingles and fence

[arvin4wood]

We're about to coppice some maple trees but before that I'd like to get some advice since I want to turn some of them into shingles and fencing. What's the best diameter of tree trunk to start with so I know which ones I can already cut down and use? If anyone has also done something similar, I hope you can drop me a tip or just any story from your experience.

 

[ketsu0nyo]

For shingles and fencing, I believe you can aim for trunks around 6–10 inches in diameter which is big enough for decent slabs but still easy to work with. curious, are you planning to split them by hand or mill them down? Goodluck!

 

[woodworker]

You need trunks that are at least 8 to 12 inches in diameter, if its smaller than that, and you might struggle to get good, usable boards without too much waste. I've done a bit of maple coppicing myself, and picking trees with a solid, straight section makes all the difference once you start milling

 

[Shamoun]

If you're aiming for shingles or fencing, coppicing too early wastes good wood. Wait until trunks are at least 6–8 inches diameter, anything smaller just leads to weak, short-lived material.

 

[NSYNC]

You need trunks that are at least 8 to 12 inches in diameter, if its smaller than that, and you might struggle to get good, usable boards without too much waste. I've done a bit of maple coppicing myself, and picking trees with a solid, straight section makes all the difference once you start milling

@woodworker Ayayay, that's exactly what I ran into as well. I cut too early and ended up with a pile of twisted pieces that weren't good for much. Straight grain makes life so much easier.

Anyway OP I'd probably split them by hand, just feels right for this kind of project.