# How much time do I have before milling a pine? An oak?



## gemniii (Sep 23, 2017)

I'm in northeast Mississippi.
I've got two trees to come down because they are in the way.
The first that needs to come down is a pine about 20" DBH w/bark.
The second is a white oak about 30" DBH w/ bark.

How soon would I need to mill them before they would start to deteriorate and not be worth milling?

I've a lot of other stuff going on and would prefer not to drop the tree and then have it rot, or become punky. But I'd like to drop them at my leisure then get back to them later.


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## earlthegoat2 (Sep 23, 2017)

I let a yellow pine sit for a month before milling and have since built things with it with no ill effects. I sprayed Termidor and Bora Care on it after milling so that dealt with any insects.

The white oak should be good for a little bit since it is pretty rot and insect resistant.


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## Sawyer Rob (Sep 23, 2017)

Mill them into a cant, and finish milling them at a later date.

They will keep as a cant for quite a long time, IF you keep the sun/weather off them.

SR


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## chipper1 (Sep 23, 2017)

Sawyer Rob said:


> Mill them into a cant, and finish milling them at a later date.
> 
> They will keep as a cant for quite a long time, IF you keep the sun/weather off them.
> 
> SR


Do you know something about this topic sir .
How are you Rob.
I have a couple logs sitting here for you, I better get them up there so you can mill them into cants .


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## Sawyer Rob (Sep 24, 2017)

chipper1 said:


> Do you know something about this topic sir .
> How are you Rob.
> I have a couple logs sitting here for you, I better get them up there so you can mill them into cants .


 HEY there






Every time I get in my PU, I see your sun glass' you left in there!

You better come get them!





SR


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## ChoppyChoppy (Sep 24, 2017)

Several years.

I have 60+ cords of poplar logs in the yard still left from several hundred cords that we cut in 2013. Cut some firewood and lumber a few days ago out of a several logs. Still fine.

People aka "3xperts" tell me poplar rots in a few months, year at most. Guess these logs didn't read the memo.


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## Sawyer Rob (Sep 24, 2017)

ValleyFirewood said:


> Several years.
> 
> I have 60+ cords of poplar logs in the yard still left from several hundred cords that we cut in 2013. Cut some firewood and lumber a few days ago out of a several logs. Still fine.
> 
> People aka "3xperts" tell me poplar rots in a few months, year at most. Guess these logs didn't read the memo.


 Several YEARS in ALASKA! NOT in most of the lower 48!!

When I lived in Alaska, I was amazed at how long wood could lie around and not rot! NO SO, in the lower 48 though!

SR


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## Boogedy_Man (Sep 24, 2017)

Pine off the ground will last a long time. It generally doesn't check.. Bugs will get into the bark, but this generally doesn't matter much if you're milling lumber. Once the bark falls off or becomes very loose the wood may tend to blue, starting at the ends. I've milled logs a few years old that were fine, and I've milled those that sat on the ground and were no good after a month or so. Old logs sometimes they look ok when cutting, but as they dry you find the wood to be the consistency of styrofoam. 

Oak...sealing ends quickly is paramount. You can lose an entire log to checking even if off the ground. It oes not take long to end up with 1/2 inch checks several feet into the ends of a log. If sealed well, you may not have the slightest check. This varies from species to species, too. The pin oak we have here is not very pleasant to work with. Checks easily, and is extremely difficult to dry without warp. Spalting occurs quickly also...whether or not that is god depends on who is buying.


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## Boogedy_Man (Sep 24, 2017)

Oh, and FWIW...I mill all my ugly logs when I need stuff for myself.


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## gemniii (Sep 25, 2017)

Boogedy_Man said:


> Pine off the ground will last a long time. It generally doesn't check.. Bugs will get into the bark, but this generally doesn't matter much if you're milling lumber. Once the bark falls off or becomes very loose the wood may tend to blue, starting at the ends. <snip>


So do you think it's better to leave the bark on until milling?
Thanks


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## Sawyer Rob (Sep 25, 2017)

Get the bark off ASAP, that's why you mill them into cants, to get the bark and early wood off.

SR


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## Sawyer Rob (Oct 17, 2017)

I've been "practicing what I preach" with some logs I have that have been sitting around too long!






SR


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## Ted Jenkins (Oct 17, 2017)

If you can dry the wood slowly without letting the ends crack then it would be reasonable to expect 50 years of storage. In a damp environment that will not be easy. Pine starts to rot in 24 months some times sooner. Thanks


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## Demonical (Oct 25, 2017)

I take it a 'cant' is just rough slabs off leaving basically a squared timber?

Never heard of 'cant' before (except when talking to the wife...)


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## Sawyer Rob (Oct 25, 2017)

Demonical said:


> I take it a 'cant' is just rough slabs off leaving basically a squared timber?
> Never heard of 'cant' before (except when talking to the wife...)


 Every sawmill I've ever been around, the word "cant" is the common name as you described...

Here's a pile of White Oak (much of it quarter sawn) and Beech cants,






SR


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## Demonical (Oct 25, 2017)

Gorgeous stack of wood and thanks for sharing that info and picture.


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