Cutting utility poles for landscape timbers??

[Saki]

Hey all. Had a request from a customer wanting me to make some landscape timbers ( approx 6X6 ) from some old used utility poles. Went to look his stack of poles over, and they really look pretty clean, came from a rural area and don't look to have any staples from advertisment signs, or much metal. Looks like if we cleaned and pulled the line and sign numbers, and the galvanized nails from them or an occasional pole that has a ground wire running the length of it I would be good to go. Figured I would run a mechanics soap degreaser to help with the creosote, although these poles are old enough, they aren't too wet, at least on the outside. Anybody done this before and have some helpful hints?? Anything I am not thinking of that I should be? For this or a future project like it, anybody got advice on a satisfactory metal detector?? Thanks all, and have a great day, saki.

[submarinesailor]

When you go to cut these poles, make sure you have on long sleeve shirts, GOOD eye and VERY GOOD respiratory protection.  Creosote is nasty stuff.  You may consider order some Tyvek coveralls from Gemplers or someone like them.  This link should take you right to their disposable coveralls. http://www.gemplers.com/a/shop/list.asp?SKW=2S4DICOV&c=catsafe&UID=200508240532233594295750

Bruce/subsailor

[stumpy]

If they are Cedar, plan on using alot of blades. The dry cedar dulls the blades fast. I cut alot of them and found that if you use water, don't use too much. It kinda clogs up the blade. I keep a can of WD40 and spray the blade before each cut. The blades seem to last a little longer. If you plan on cutting alot of poles, try using Lennox Woodmaster "B" blades. They're Bi-metal and stay sharper longer.

[Murf]

A feller near here saws them regularly, he works for the power company an gets all the old ones.

He has a angle grinder jigged up each side of the saw to grind a slit through to clean wood before the blade gets to it.

He says the same as Stumpy mentioned, it's awfully tough on blades.

[mike_van]

I wouldn't saw any butts [part below ground] the preservative really concentrates here.   Most all hardware will be visible, once & a while a staple broken off inside.  Wheather creosote, CCA  or Penta,  the  sawdust is bad for you,  probably the fine almost invisible is the worst.  I've worked these poles for 33 years, I would have to be really hard up for work to take on a sawing job like this, mainly because of the chemicals involved.