Advice on milling building locust retaining wall

lavarock64 · Oct 23, 2011

The wall will be built on a freash water lake.

Just one of the trees I've cut had ants. Some of the trees that have been down for years have started to rot from the inside out. Another thing I noticed is the trees that fell years ago and have been laying on the ground saw well (I'm guessing that they are still wet from the ground moisture). The trees that are dead and still standing are like sawing stone. Three more logs to pull that are on the ground, then onto some standing timber. Pictures to come.

Lavarock

jimdad07 · Oct 23, 2011

lavarock64 said:
The wall will be built on a freash water lake.

Just one of the trees I've cut had ants. Some of the trees that have been down for years have started to rot from the inside out. Another thing I noticed is the trees that fell years ago and have been laying on the ground saw well (I'm guessing that they are still wet from the ground moisture). The trees that are dead and still standing are like sawing stone. Three more logs to pull that are on the ground, then onto some standing timber. Pictures to come.

Lavarock

If you don't mind me asking, what part of NY are from. I live up on the St. Lawrence myself. That black locust is some amazing wood. I think it will last a long time for you.

lavarock64 · Oct 24, 2011

We are located on Cauyga Lake in the Finger Lakes. Raised here and always wanted a camp, but the city folk have been scooping up camps and driving the taxes through the roof. Said the hell with it (lifes short) and bought a major fixer upper. Difference is I have to do all the work myself vs. contracting out to make ends meet.

Just retrurned from an annual duck hunt near Black Lake. Beautiful country up on the St. Lawrence, but real tough living year round.........

lavarock64 · Nov 2, 2011

Locust Haul Update

Here are some pictures as requested. I've added another dozen or so logs to what you see. I'm having a hard time knowing what will be enough for the job........... With any luck we will have a bit left over. This Locust is amazing stuff! If the weather holds the mill will be here next sat. and/or sunday. I've nick named my lil' Kubota Herbie. I've really been pushing this tractor to the edge with some of these logs. In case you are curious, I use a 1/4 of a 275 gallon fuel oil tank to skid the logs. It works really slick. Working on rigging the pressure washer set-up to give the logs a bath before next week.

Cheers........

Talltom · Nov 3, 2011

Looks awfully flat for Cayuga lakefront, Lavarock. I was just up the two weeks ago visiting relatives and touring the wineries. Beautiful country, but the winters are too long for me.

Carpenter ants shouldn't be a problem once the logs are cut. They'll scurry out and won't come back. They don't eat wood, just nest in wood that has become soft. Not much you can use for insects that won't pollute the lake, but the locust should last a long time without treatment. Wish I had access to some for fence posts. They'd probably last longer than the pressure treated lumber available today.