Palisade Tree ServiceListing #270 Listed on: 12/19/2009WOODWEB Content Editor, Brett Hagstrom, Interviewed Chuck Leibbrand in 2011. Chuck Leibbrand was introduced to woodworking and sawmilling at a young age. His grandfather was a cabinetmaker and wood carver and his father owned a sawmill. The family ties to woodworking intrigued Chuck and eventually spurred him to work for a tree service after high school. While working for the tree service he noticed that healthy and millable trees were going to waste and he wanted to do something about it. Using skills he acquired during his tree service time he bought a chipper and stump grinder and worked for local customers before eventually setting up his Wood-Mizer LT10 in Berthoud, Colorado. Local cottonwood and black walnut are the predominant species milled at Palisade Tree Service. He locates, removes, and hauls logs to his mill in a solo effort. He mentions that cottonwood “is a popular waste wood and can produce really nice lumber if acquired at optimum age.” He mills black walnut due to its quality heartwood. Other species milled are elm, honey locust, blue stained pine, and willow. Beetle kill events have decimated a significant portion of the timber supply in the Berthoud area and some of the logs he obtains are from the beetle kill, as long as they are still in millable condition. Black walnut is the most affected species due to the emerald ash borer. |
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