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What to do with Sound Dead Balsam Fir ??

Started by g_man, August 26, 2014, 06:42:21 PM

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g_man

I'm working in a fir stand. There are a couple good sized trees that have just resently died. They are standing and seem sound above the stump rot that is in the stand. The bark is tight and there is no sap running down them. What is the prudent or advisable thing to do:

1)  Cut them and put the logs on the load with the rest and let the scaler at the mill either accept them or cull them on his own.

2) Mark them and tell the scaler the logs are from dead trees.

3) Leave them in the woods.

4)Other.

A couple times in the past I have just put them in the load but they were small logs. They weren't culled but I always wondered if that was the right thing to do. These will be some of the biggest logs on the load. I am talking a 500 bf load on a one ton truck.  Thanks

thecfarm

I myself would not for logs. I would send them to the pulp mill.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Clark

Since it is dead balsam fir I'm guessing you have about one week before they are rotten!

Is this timber you are cutting on your own land or part of a sale that you have purchased? If it is your own land you might cut them and into dimensional lumber. I wouldn't expect them to be very sound even next spring so time if of the essence.

Clark
SAF Certified Forester

g_man

It is my own land. My plan was to start cutting that section after Labor Day. So I can cut them right away. I was out there yesterday checking the trail conditions and found them. Late last winter when I was in there they looked fine.

You suggest I cut them for dimensional lumber. Why can't the mill do the same thing?  That is my real question.

Thanks

chester_tree _farmah

Have u cut into any of them? Typically the "dead" ones are full of heart rot or ants. That is their purpose in life. Grow fast and die young.
254xp
C4B Can-Car Tree Farmer
Ford 1720 4wd loader hoe

SwampDonkey

I have seen balsam die quite suddenly from one year to the next. They actually do die quickly. And I have not seen any worth trying to market once they are dead. Cut up a couple and see what ya got.

Most commercial mills won't buy dead dry logs. I think you'll find they are quite red.

I find if the bark has no big pitch bubbles and they are marketable, it's time to mow'm down. Many times it's too late especially stands that don't get thinned in years past. I mow down a whack of junk fir with a brush saw on poor soils (dry sand). Luckily there is all kinds of red spruce to leave on most of these sandy soils here. One mill we thin for wants all the fir mowed down. Don't worry, they grow like weeds up here. ;)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

g_man

Thanks for the replies.
This is what I typically have in this stand. I can cut the stump rot off the butt until I get clean wood. Some I cut 6" some I have to cut 6'.



 

I have been selling saw logs from these trees for a long time. There is no end to them. All the rot is in the bottom. Not up the log like red rot.
I guess I will just cut them and see what I have.

SwampDonkey

I think, when looking at the surrounding tree species, a fir of that size may have been a remnant left in the previous cut. May very well have begun it's life suppressed and growing slow. Of course fir grows a lot faster than hardwood to when given a chance. Some areas, fir grows about 50 years and dies and in other areas they grow 90 years. Oddly enough, here in NB fir grows bigger,  lives longer, and looks healthier in western NB, north of Nackawic. In the potato belt. So some places I would manage for spruce, but where I'm at I can grow nice fir.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

g_man

You are right. That one was a lone tree left from a previous cut. It looked like the picture of health on the outside. The butt wasn't even deformed. It was about 65 years old at the start of the good wood. I had this picture and just showed it as an example of what I see where I am cutting now.

edit: The reason I asked this question was because I have read about  guys salvaging dead and dying trees and I wanted  to know more about it.

chester_tree _farmah

I think there are some specialty dead wood logs. I don't think fir is included. Yeah looks like typical older fir. If the bark is tight and they have recently died there isn't a problem throwing some in a load. Mixed in with the good green ones.   I think most folks who cut fir do the same. U cut the crap off the butt until u get it close to spec else u would waste a lot of good wood - whether it is live or almost dead. :-)
254xp
C4B Can-Car Tree Farmer
Ford 1720 4wd loader hoe

chester_tree _farmah

Best part about cutting balsam fir is your gloves get a nice waterproofing from the sap and u tend to drop fewer things with those gloves on. :-p
254xp
C4B Can-Car Tree Farmer
Ford 1720 4wd loader hoe

SwampDonkey

I seen a guy haul a load of old 'remnent' fir to the pulp mill in Edmundston, 100 miles away, they sent him back home with his fir.  I warned him before hand. It was nasty stuff. ;)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

chester_tree _farmah

U think they would thank him for bringing it in pre-pulped!  ;D
254xp
C4B Can-Car Tree Farmer
Ford 1720 4wd loader hoe

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