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02-17-2008, 05:04 PM
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#1 |
Name: Susan City: Cassatt State: SC County: Kershaw Join Date: Feb 2008 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 1.40 over 30 days |
A tornado came through our place about four years ago and downed several hundred trees. Most of it was small oaks (know as scrub oak around here), pines and an occassional birch, hickory or gum and I think some persimmon.
I have been doing a little bit of harvesting some small logs and slicing them up on my bandsaw for boxes and other small projects. Does anyone know for approximately how many years the trunks can lay there before becoming unusable? What if the tree is knocked over but still alive? Some of the oak I cut up recently had nice spalting so that was a bonus. I'm not interested in harvesting the pine, just the other stuff and most of it is around 6-10 inches in diameter. I can't go out and get a bunch of it at one time because of storage problems...especially room for drying.
Also, I make bird houses for the animal shelter out of the logs and the oak is practically impossible to debark. It took 7 hours to debark a single 18" long log. I use a hammer, chisel and drawknife. Any ideas? Thanks.
---Susan |  
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02-17-2008, 05:49 PM
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#2 | | Moderator
Name: Ray City: Raleigh State: NC County: Wake Join Date: Mar 2006 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 0.00 over 30 days |
Susan,
I'll have to defer to the sawyers on the forum ( we have a bunch of really good ones) with regard to the question about how long a tree can be down and still be usable... you also mentioned wood with spalting. Do you do any turning? If you have more spalted wood than you can use, we do have a number of turners on the forum that might want to talk to you.
Ray
__________________
I cut that board twice and it's STILL too short.
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02-17-2008, 06:43 PM
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#3 |
Name: Wildwood City: Jacksonville State: NC County: Onslow Join Date: Mar 2007 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 0.00 over 30 days |
Not sure there is an easy answer on how long a tree knocked over can live. Guess it depends upon roots still living. Also trees like that can be rotting in some spots and thriving in others for several years.
I would use a bandsaw sleigh and cut your logs with the bark on. Yes, that may dull your blades faster. Seven hours to remove the bark from just one log too much work. | |
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02-17-2008, 10:32 PM
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#4 |
Name: jeff... City: Stovall State: NC County: Granville Join Date: Mar 2006 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.77 over 30 days |
Be careful cutting those tree down - The way you described them it sounds like a bunch of widowmakers. WidowMaker is a tree that when cut get hung up on other trees that prevents it from falling to the ground.
(Lost in Space voice on) Danger Will Robertson Danger (Lost in Space voice off) | |
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02-18-2008, 01:27 AM
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#5 |
Name: Scott Smith City: New Hill State: NC County: Chatham Join Date: Mar 2007 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 6.53 over 30 days |
Susan, regarding how long a tree can be down and still yield usable wood, it depends upon the species, humidity, whether or not it's in direct contact with the ground, etc.
Some species, such as walnut and white oak, can last for several years in the log before milling. Others, such as pine and sweet gum, are usually to buggy to use in less than a year.
If the wood is solid, go ahead and use it. Watch out for the "widowmakers" as Jeff advised.
Scott | |
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02-18-2008, 10:50 AM
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#6 |
Name: Susan City: Cassatt State: SC County: Kershaw Join Date: Feb 2008 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 1.40 over 30 days |
Ray,
I've been a flatboard woodworker for years. However, I did buy a large lathe from a friend of mine. It's been sitting up on a high shelf since I bought it. I know nothing about turning except it seems like you waste a lot of wood and you have to sharpen tools a lot. LOL Since I hoard every piece of scrap that I "might" use in the future, and I'm not crazy about sharpening, turning just didn't seem to be my thing. However, turners sure make beautiful objects and seem to really enjoy doing it. | |
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02-18-2008, 10:55 AM
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#7 |
Name: Susan City: Cassatt State: SC County: Kershaw Join Date: Feb 2008 Avg Visit Freq/Week
= 1.40 over 30 days |
Ray,
I've been a flatboard woodworker for years. However, I did buy a large lathe from a friend of mine. It's been sitting up on a high shelf since I bought it. I know nothing about turning except it seems like you waste a lot of wood and you have to sharpen tools a lot. LOL
Since I hoard every piece of scrap that I "might" use in the future, and I'm not crazy about sharpening, turning just didn't seem to be my thing. However, turners sure make beautiful objects and seem to really enjoy doing it.
I had read somewhere that you could go out into the woods, pick up a large branch, and turn it. Of course, we can't use branches in flatboard woodworking because it's too reactionary. So one day I might try it. I'd have to buy some turning tools first.
The trees are all over our property and some are hard to get to because of thick foliage, especially green briars. If someone lived nearby, it might be worth stopping by to cut out a few logs. There is nothing big here, however, except pines which have been down too long to harvest.
---Susan | |
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