iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Life of a log

Started by tmac, October 09, 2009, 02:23:10 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

tmac

In May a large wind storm came through SE Missouri (Madison county) and blew down thousands of mostly Pine trees across the region. Most were not broken off but were pulled out by the roots because of the wet ground. I own 40 Acres (my mother lives there but I am a couple of hundred miles away) that is in the middle of the mess! Though I initially cut some trees into logs and stacked them with my equipment in order to clear the road into the property, I have not done any additional cutting. Any opinions on how long the trees will last before they must be cut into logs for timber, or is it past salvage (bugs, etc)? If they can still be cut into logs for milling, what is the expected life expectancy of the logs before they must be milled and what is the best approach to extending the time. Unfortunately with all the timber down and readily available, the value of the pine seems to be nearly zero. As an alternative and given the relatively small scale (15-20 acres of trees) with the apparent low commercial value, and coupled with and the fact I now have free time and some equipment (tractors and loaders), I am considering buying a small mill to cut lumber for my family and friends personal (barn/outbuildings primarily) use. Opinions would be much appreciated.

Magicman

First....Welcome to FF.

Keeping them off of the ground is essential.  The root ball and limbs help that situation with blow downs.  I'd say that they have no market value, but you already suspected that.  They can however, be sawed into usable lumber and timbers, but the clock is ticking.  You'll already have to probably slab off at least 2-3 inches to get below the sawyers (worms).

Your situation is a prime example for having a mill, especially if you didn't live a "couple of hundred" miles away.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

ely

pine will start going bad fairly quick here. maybe not up there if you have less moisture.

if it were my pine i would bust my tail to get it all skidded out and bucked into lentghs i was going to use. you will probably lose most if not all the bark by moving the logs. this is a good thing. if any bark is on the logs it needs to be removed. otherwise it will retain moisture and ultimatly bugs.

store the logs off the ground, like up on some old power poles. and ideally under a shed if possible.

by all means start sawing lumber asap. you will most likely at this point have blue stain pine... not a bad thing imo. but others ideas will differ.

tmac

Thanks again for the advice. I will be going down to look things over tomorrow and see what I think is salvageable. From that I will decide by the end of the month if I want to haul the tractor and stuff there and get busy cutting and skidding or treat things as a write-off and a pile of low grade of firewood. I will admit it is awful tempting to buy a saw and get the education even though the return may be pretty low. Particularly since I need some lumber for a couple of machinery sheds.

pasbuild

Sounds like your looking to clean up the mess regardless of the eventual use of the wood, that being the case your already going to be moving the wind falls bucked in log length or firewood length.
Even with a manual bandmill and a helper you can easily cut 1000-1500 bf. per day at $600 per thousand pays you $600-$900 per day, what would the value of low grade firewood be?
If it can't be nailed or glued then screw it

4genlgr

machinery sheds, boarding in boards, sub floors, roof decking are all good uses for lumber off of aged logs and depending on the size once your past the stain you should turn out some nice lumber

rickywashere

Quote from: tmac on October 09, 2009, 04:18:20 PM
Thanks again for the advice. I will be going down to look things over tomorrow and see what I think is salvageable. From that I will decide by the end of the month if I want to haul the tractor and stuff there and get busy cutting and skidding or treat things as a write-off and a pile of low grade of firewood. I will admit it is awful tempting to buy a saw and get the education even though the return may be pretty low. Particularly since I need some lumber for a couple of machinery sheds.


i would look into a chainsaw mil for that cost would be small and you could get some great lumber as well

ohsoloco

Those stained boards that are full of grub holes make some nice looking paneling  :)

Chuck White

The trees that blew over, but are still up (sort of) off the ground should still be good for quite a while, as long as the needles are still green!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

rickywashere

Quote from: Chuck White on October 11, 2009, 06:57:13 AM
The trees that blew over, but are still up (sort of) off the ground should still be good for quite a while, as long as the needles are still green!


i agree as long as part of the roots are in the ground they will live for a while seen lots that lived for years like that

critter


    I've logged hundreds of acers of blown down white pine that took
    six months or so for the mills to survay and contract if it is in tree
    lenght and like chuck said it will last a long time the tops will go first
    the but logs should be in good shape

roscoe234

All this interests me!!   I have just had 2 large pines cut (results of last winters ice storm).  Now it's what to do with them.  Seems a major waste to cut it up for firewood.
Any thoughts on how to deal with this?  One is 24" by 21'   the other 15" by 10'
RR

Tom

If they were mine, I would saw them up into 1x(whatever the log will stand)x10-12,   There is almost always a use for boards somewhere.  If you skim the log when making the slab cut and open up a 2 1/2 or 3 inch face, you can make a few 2x's that can be used for rough framing.  About all you will have left is some bark and few edgings.

Forget widths, just put a decent straight edge on the boards.  That's what is great about cutting your own wood, you don't have to destroy a good 1x9 to make a 1x8 or 1x6.

kderby

Good call Tom.

Milled at one inch the pine will have a lot of utility.  From sub floor to board and batt siding.

Push for quality as there is little sense to handling drying and storing junk.  Pine like that sells for $0.75 to $1 a square foot around here (properly air dried).  Once it is dry make DanG sure it stays dry or all your work will turn to slimy junk.  Don't ask how I know.

Be nice to your wallet, your back and your help.  Most pine is not worth debt, injury or anger.  It sure is nice to mill and the utility is superb...Enjoy!

roscoe234

Appreciate the responses and it all concurs with my thinking.

Here are plans for a homemade mill.....gimme your thoughts about it...if ya have time to look at the site.....and instead of steel;aluminum tubes and angles???

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/tresl39.html
RR

Hilltop366

I'll start with I have never used a "Alaskan" type mill before, but I have used a chainsaw and a homemade mill with a bar & chain powered by a 16hp Briggs.

The muffler clamps to change cutting depth look like a pain for this type of setup  I would think holes with pins or locking set bolts would be much eaiser to use unless you rarely change the cutting depth.

For me being bent over with my face close to a saw engine and muffler would not be so great if you have many logs to mill.

Look at the Norwood site (at the left of the page) at their chainsaw mill setup called the porta mill or some other setup that uses a track.

Take it for what it's worth I hope this helps.

also you might want to move this over to the sawmill area for more info.

Cheers

kderby

No home made abominations.  If you are just milling up some trees for projects around the farm great.  You sounded like there is a lot of work to accomplish.  If it is not done right it is not worth the investment.  Unique sawmills are interesting.  Do you want interesting work or assured quality and production?  Your time and effort have value.  The lumber produced will have value.  Much of that value is diminshed when production falters or is of poor quality.

The right tool for the job means use your cash in this this horrid economy to buy a good used mill.

Hire the work done by trading with a competent sawyer.  Right now your trees are a actually a cost because it will cost you to get them out of the way.  Any income or product you can capture?  You will be money ahead.  Milling for half is a classic trade and perhaps that lumber you get to utilize or sell can help cover clean-up costs.  These trees are already declining in value.  The more you mess around with getting up to speed, the less lumber value you will capture. 

Sorry if I sound hard on home-built curiosites.  Everything has a place where it can shine but not here and not now. ;D

kderby

I hope some one busts me for calling home made mills abominations.  I am really troubled by my own attitude.  Does good food have to come from a discount mega-store?  Does the fact that you made a mill make lumber mean the lumber is less worthy?  If I followed my attiude to its logical conclusion I would say that all lumber has to come from Weyerhauser or Georgia Pacific.

My head hurts.  Go mill some logs and enjoy the process.  I'll be quiet now. 

Lud

Live and let saw, man.........  I respect there's guys who need to make a living with their mills and who have to stay focused on production,  volume , bigger the better,  ::) etc............but the joy of opening up a log and seeing what's  inside comes to all of us who saw.  maybe those of us who saw a little slower get to enjoy it a little more..... ;) ;)
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

roscoe234

Here Here Lud!!!!   That's me exactly!!!!  I do appreciate all the resposes...
RR

Thank You Sponsors!