When to harvest dead Redwood

[James Baker SD]

I have (had) a coastal redwood tree in our garden. Years of drought where too much for it and it died last Autumn. The trunk at the bottom near the soil is about 8" in diameter and the tree is 25' to 30' tall. Given its height I will almost certainly have to pay to have it removed.

I would like to save the bottom few feet of it for woodworking, either resawing on bandsaw or bowl turning on lathe; I have both. I have neither sawmill nor kiln and probably not worth it financially for me to take lumber to either, so it will be air dried and be rough sized to movable lengths with chain saw.

So the question is, should I have it cut down soon before it fully dries, or leave it in place to dry a while before hiring somebody to take it down. Dry wood would certainly lighter weight to move from garden to woodshop (it is hilly terrain) and I would think it would be better to let it dry slowly through the bark than quickly through numerous endgrain surfaces. But then I am no expert on wood drying, almost always a lumber yard shopper.

Thanks

James

P.S. I see I just became a jumbo jet poster :-)

[Bill Dufour]

I do not think it really matters much. There are no bugs that will eat the wood alive or dead. In such a baby tree it will all be sap wood but if the bark is intact it should stand the weather fine.
Personally I would wait until fall when you get another chance of rain. Unless you are worried about fire this summer then cut now.
Bil lD

[Bill Dufour]

PS a Gigantia would be more suited to your dry climate. No idea about Dawn Climate needs.
Bil lD