Milling lumber

[Don in LA]

I am bringing some pine and red oak logs to a sawyer for milling. The logs were cut about 5 weeks ago. Some people have told me that band sawing logs into lumber should be done when the logs are green, within a couple of weeks of felling the trees. Some have said that it is better to cut the logs into lumber after it has had time to dry a couple of months. Some have said that it doesn't matter.

In my experience, I have found that when chain-sawing wood, the wood is much easier to cut when the wood is green---the same for cutting green or seasoned wood on my table saw. I have never milled logs into lumber with a band-saw mill. I would think that cutting seasoned logs, even just a couple of months drying time, would be harder on the band saw blade and the mill motor. Any opinions?

Thanks,

Don

 

[TnAndy]

Doesn't make any difference in milling. Moisture content of logs doesn't change much from the time you cut a tree down to letting it lay in a whole log ( ends will loose a little, but that's about all ) unless you peel the bark off, and even then, it take a LONG time to dry wood in log form.

Depending on the time of year, and species, you might want to mill as soon as possible to avoid getting worms in the wood. (Adults lay their eggs under the bark, which then hatch and bore into the wood) But this time of year, it shouldn't be a problem.

Depending on what you want to use the wood for ( like high grade wood ), and the species ( red oak, for example ), you might want to paint the ends of the logs with some scrap paint of any kind to help seal the ends to stop some of the checking where end grain looses water faster than face grain. I find it's easier to paint while in log form rather than painting the lumber. Just slap on a thick coat of any paint.

Woodmizer owner, over million bdft sawn.

 

[s219]

I've milled fresh cut and year old logs, as well as standing dead cypress, and haven't seen a lot of difference. The cypress was interesting -- we lost count of rings when we passed 150, so it was an old tree!

 

[BHD]

IMO the greener the better for quality lumber,
but after the sawing the drying is very important, so look up drying lumber and the Rule of thumb is a year for inch of thickness, For air dry,

 

[Egon]

Some commercial mills will only accept logs felled within a month.:thumbsup:

 

[powerpace]

Some commercial mills will only accept logs felled within a month.:thumbsup:

Same in this county. The main reason is the insect infestation and "Blue Stain". The logs on the deck may sit there for up to a year but they are kept wet and sometimes may be treated for insects.

Blue-Stained Pine Pros and Cons

 

[easygo]

Green logs are easier to mill, but I have sawed some white pine that was cut three years ago. A lot of logs/boards had blue stain and some bugs and the surface of the lumber is rougher then nice green logs. However. Because the logs were stored properly - about a foot off the ground - there was very little rot. About 95% of the boards were perfectly sound and usable farm lumber.

 

[SPIKER]

Most all the answers have ya covered, other than Sealing the Ends of the logs. The checking will cause some cracking that once started can continue to crack even after the board is milled. There are many log end sealers on the market but some kink of latex paint left over stuff is fine for slowing moisture leaving the logs down.

Green is a bit easier to mill but will not get you lumber that is any better than dry end sealed logs. Some cases letting higher stress logs dry some in log form will let the stress release in the log then lumber lays a bit better.

Advice on the Red Oak is that stuff will be hard no matter what and pre-drilling holes or nail guns are only way to get a nail in it...

Mark

 

[escavader]

Same in this county. The main reason is the insect infestation and "Blue Stain". The logs on the deck may sit there for up to a year but they are kept wet and sometimes may be treated for insects. Blue-Stained Pine Pros and Cons

Yes I work in a pine mill once blue stain starts only drying will stop it logs in pine mills are watered to keep fresh chemicals are used by mills with drying yards to prevent staining large mills go from sawmill direct to kiln Once it starts in the log it will continue to spread even after sawing until the boards dry

 

[sparc]

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