Sawmill and Timber

Sawmills and Sawing => Bandsaw Mills => Topic started by: Kirk Allen on July 28, 2015, 10:46:40 PM

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Title: I actually still cut wood!
Post by: Kirk Allen on July 28, 2015, 10:46:40 PM
Spent most of last Saturday cutting Western Red Cedar power poles.  Cut over 30 of them and not a single piece of hardware!  

(http://sawmillandtimberforum.com/gallery/1/2_28_07_15_10_44_51_0.jpg)

(http://sawmillandtimberforum.com/gallery/1/2_28_07_15_10_48_29_0.jpg)
Title: Re: I actually still cut wood!
Post by: Tom the Sawyer on July 29, 2015, 07:25:42 AM
Kirk,
WRC poles cut pretty easily didn't they?  I have milled them a couple of times if the creosote-soaked bottoms have been removed. 

I am curious as to whether you cut through any holes lined with aluminum foil.  I have found quite a few where a hole was bored and a insecticide capsule had been inserted.  The foil was paper thin and sometimes there was a hole but no capsule.
Title: Re: I actually still cut wood!
Post by: Kirk Allen on July 29, 2015, 08:21:03 AM
Went through 4 blades on the 30 poles, about 1500 BF of finished lumber.  The knotty ones cut slower as the knots are hard as any hard wood I have ever cut.  Go to fast the the blade will climb over them unless its a brand new blade.

I have cut many of poles that had the insect tube in them.  Have not had any that were just holes with no insect capsule.   
Title: Re: I actually still cut wood!
Post by: mountainlake on July 29, 2015, 05:13:17 PM
 

 I've cuts hundreds of them and yes they cut easy and make beautiful boards , We missed a nail or 2 on the outside but ran into some that were in the tree well before it was cut down. Good to hear from you again Kirk.    Steve
Title: Re: I actually still cut wood!
Post by: backwoods sawyer on July 29, 2015, 08:27:54 PM
That is a good batch there.

Were they a bit dusty when milling?

I turned down milling up a batch of power poles last week, hardware hanging out in all directions ::)
Title: Re: I actually still cut wood!
Post by: bandmiller2 on February 01, 2016, 08:30:06 PM
The power company replaced the cross arms on the high voltage lines near my home. I scampered off with them, remilled them on a band mill. Used them to set up my circular mill. I think they were dougie fir but they were the best wood I ever had on the mill no knots and real stable. They were originally 40 feet long. Frank C.
Title: Re: I actually still cut wood!
Post by: Stevem on February 02, 2016, 08:52:11 PM
Special grading rules in the grading book for cross arms.  They are not just different sized boards.
Title: Re: I actually still cut wood!
Post by: backwoods sawyer on February 03, 2016, 08:02:03 PM
the production mill that i worked at made a few test runs using #1 saw logs but the percentage that would make grade was to low to justify running them. Part of the reason is the mill was tooled as a high production stud mill, which was not conducive to custom milling.
Title: Re: I actually still cut wood!
Post by: bandmiller2 on February 05, 2016, 05:59:08 AM
Kirk, I can't imagine red cedar so large they can be power poles. Back here in the northeast our reds are small and scarce. My old partner made rustic cedar furnature  so I cut a lot of it. Its hard to hold a 4" dia. log on a band mill lots of sacrificial boards. Glad your still milling some "talk the talk but walk optional". Frank C.
Title: Re: I actually still cut wood!
Post by: Kirk Allen on February 05, 2016, 08:44:23 AM
Don't confuse eastern red cedar with western red cedar. 

Western Red Cedar is what they make poles out of and the eastern is the aromatic hope chest type cedar. 
Title: Re: I actually still cut wood!
Post by: 4x4American on January 22, 2017, 09:26:48 PM
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Title: Re: I actually still cut wood!
Post by: Stevem on January 24, 2017, 09:47:51 PM
Western Red cedar can easily be 8' on the stump and well over 200' tall