cedar tree people - need help - and millers in general

[diesel&coffee]

hey

General question on cedar trees that have been cut down.. How long can u let a tree sit around in still be able to mill it without it being "cracked" / checked / etc... I know this may be a tuff question but.....

Stated another way is it really best to mill a tree asap after being cut.. I found some nice blue and red cedar 15 - 20 inchs across.. 7 - 10 feet long... would be nice to half and make a table top.. Some have been sitting a few months - 2 - 4 months to be exact.. Guess the only way to find out is cut one!

I do really having to cut the ends...

 

[Mike1974]

Seal the ends with latex as soon as you take it down, and then mill it as soon as you can.

I like to seal the ends with two coats and let them dry, and then mill - so I don't have to seal the individual slabs or lumber i mill down.

They make special was-based end-sealer (which is what commercial loggers / mills use). I've not used it, but from what everyone says, it doesn't perform any better than latex.

Go to Lowes or HD, and you can get a 5 gallon bucket of mistinted latex for 15 or 20 bucks.

Before you mill it, figure our where you are going to stack it to dry, and have stickers ready.

 

[BobL]

Stated another way is it really best to mill a tree asap after being cut.

I don't know much about your trees but here is Oz there are some trees one would be mad not to mill right away - if one waits till they are dry then it will take twice as long with twice as many chain sharpenings etc. OTOH there are some trees that it is worth waiting for a few months before milling since it reduces the tension in the log and decreases the chance of warping and checking once they are milled.

. . . . . Guess the only way to find out is cut one!

Yep - this branch has been down for 100 years and still yielded some good wood.

. . . .
They make special was-based end-sealer (which is what commercial loggers / mills use). I've not used it, but from what everyone says, it doesn't perform any better than latex. . . . . .

I think he means WAX based.

I've used the wax based endsealer and found it's no better than latex paint on solid logs. It's one advantage over latex is on checked logs, latex paint can run a little way into the cracks but you can always cut them off afterwards. A disadvantages is being waxy it takes some time to dry and can continue to pick up sand and small stone which means it may have to be cleaned off before resawing.

 

[Beefie]

You just had to bring up that snake pic again didn't you BobL:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:It just never gets old , but that wood sure is and the color and grain are unreal.

Beefie

 

[wvlogger]

I don't know much about your trees but here is Oz there are some trees one would be mad not to mill right away - if one waits till they are dry then it will take twice as long with twice as many chain sharpenings etc. OTOH there are some trees that it is worth waiting for a few months before milling since it reduces the tension in the log and decreases the chance of warping and checking once they are milled.


Yep - this branch has been down for 100 years and still yielded some good wood.

I think he means WAX based.

I've used the wax based endsealer and found it's no better than latex paint on solid logs. It's one advantage over latex is on checked logs, latex paint can run a little way into the cracks but you can always cut them off afterwards. A disadvantages is being waxy it takes some time to dry and can continue to pick up sand and small stone which means it may have to be cleaned off before resawing.

nice snake

 

[BobL]

nice snake

Yeah they're everywhere down here.

 

[wvlogger]

Yeah they're everywhere down here.

id say we got a few here but you know i kill all the venimous snakes

 

[Sawyer Rob]

They make special was-based end-sealer (which is what commercial loggers / mills use). I've not used it, but from what everyone says, it doesn't perform any better than latex.

Don't include ME in your "everyone", cause i've used many gallons of both, and there's NO doubt in my mind that Anchorseal out performs latex paint!

I feel IF it's worth end sealing, it's worth end sealing right, and Anchorseal in the right stuff, i gave up on latex paint long ago...

Rob

 

[huskyhank]

Don't include ME in your "everyone", cause i've used many gallons of both, and there's NO doubt in my mind that Anchorseal out performs latex paint!

I feel IF it's worth end sealing, it's worth end sealing right, and Anchorseal in the right stuff, i gave up on latex paint long ago...

Rob

+1 on Anchorseal.

Its flexible and really stays in place over the wood movement. I ordered another pail of it yesterday.

 

[Backwoods]

I agree whole-heartedly with Rob on this one. Why pay 15-20 dollars a gallon for paint when end seal is about $75.00 for five gallons delivered? If you want to color coordinate all your logs paint is fine.

About cedar, the warm sun will just kill it, I can store cedar here fore longer times because it is so damp and moist that peat moss grows on them so they are not drying out very fast as long as I keep the sun off them. However, where you are at a good warm day can cause a considerable amount of cracking if the logs are not covered. Keep the bark on if you can and mill them as soon as you can make time. All cedars seem to mill good fresh but can get a little fuzzy when dry.

 

[gr8scott72]

I agree whole-heartedly with Rob on this one. Why pay 15-20 dollars a gallon for paint when end seal is about $75.00 for five gallons delivered? If you want to color coordinate all your logs paint is fine.

Last 5 gallons I bought from Bailey's was $85 shipped.

Forestry Suppliers is local to me here in Jackson MS and they show 5 gallons for $46. If they stock it locally, that will be a great buy.

http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=2067

 

[huskyhank]

Last 5 gallons I bought from Bailey's was $85 shipped.

Forestry Suppliers is local to me here in Jackson MS and they show 5 gallons for $46. If they stock it locally, that will be a great buy.

http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/View_Catalog_Page.asp?mi=2067

U C Coatings (the manufacturer) has Anchorseal 5 gallon buckets in their store for $72.00 including shipping to eastern states.

http://www.uccoatings.com/

 

[BobL]

I agree whole-heartedly with Rob on this one. Why pay 15-20 dollars a gallon for paint when end seal is about $75.00 for five gallons delivered? If you want to color coordinate all your logs paint is fine.

Here in Oz, both paint and end sealer is between double and triple what you guys are paying in gallon amounts, not including delivery. But old latex paint I get for free from my umpteen relatives or I can buy paint returns from hardware stores for about what you guys pay for new paint. I buy a quart amounts of end sealer for use on wood turning projects because I don't want paint running into cracks, but otherwise paint seems to work fine for me.

I guess it depends if you are making a living in the timber business. A few years back I was quoted $300 for a 50 gallon drum of endsealer direct from an oil company but I doubt I could get it at that price again. The other problem I have is where the heck was I going to put a 50 gallon drum? I guess I could go into the end sealer selling business

 

[Ted J]

U C Coatings (the manufacturer) has Anchorseal 5 gallon buckets in their store for $72.00 including shipping to eastern states.

http://www.uccoatings.com/

I tried the "oops" paint for the BORG for about $2-$5 a gallon and it didn't last too long in the Texas heat to prevent checking.

Then I tried SOLARFLEX® 287SF WHITE ELASTOME RIC COATING, which is in roofing section at the BORG. It works better than the oops paint because it is more elastic. It's around $12 a gallon if I remember correctly. It still will dry out and let the logs check though.

By Far the best has been the Anchorseal I ordered from U.C Coatings, 5 gallon. I seems to have worked really well, better than the latex paint does with the heat, I roll it on with a roller in two coats.

Later,
Ted

 

[scsmith42]

Put me down as voting for the Anchorseal over latex.

Other benefits of Anchor seal are that it does not gum up your saws, jointers, planers, etc when maching your dried lumber.

Re the OP's question, the best quality lumber is logged (and end sealed) on day 1, milled on day 2, and placed in the kiln on day 3. Any increases in this timeframe will result in more degrade (but still usable lumber).

I've milled older cedar; it stores "ok" in the log, but milling sooner will yield more and better quality lumber than waiting.

Applying end sealier immediately after felling will prevent many of the checks from starting. I have sees a difference from applying within 15 minutes of felling versus waiting 3 hours.

 

[Backwoods]

Re the OP's question, the best quality lumber is logged (and end sealed) on day 1, milled on day 2, and placed in the kiln on day 3. Any increases in this timeframe will result in more degrade (but still usable lumber).
QUOTE]

I agree with this statement as well.
When I bring in a batch of logs, the approach that I take is to mill the best logs first. Then the degrade is in the lower quality logs. I got that from a bowl turner.

Have I milled heavily check logs with success? Sure have. The recovery rate is lower in order to cut below the depth of the cracks.

 

[TraditionalTool]

If you want to color coordinate all your logs paint is fine.

I see Bailey's has their own product for end seal now, has anyone tried this stuff? If so, any comments in regard to how it compares to Anchorseal?

 

[scsmith42]

I see Bailey's has their own product for end seal now, has anyone tried this stuff? If so, any comments in regard to how it compares to Anchorseal?

I've used both, and can't tell a difference between the Bailey's and the Anchorseal. IMO it is the same product and US Coatings is rebranding their product for Baileys.

 

[Backwoods]

I have not tried Bailey’s brand yet. However, I have used some off brands that I have gotten from a couple of the larger mills in the area and it seems to be the same formula. There is a difference between the winter and summer mixes. The winter mix is thicker. Be sure to agitate it before using each time.

 

[gr8scott72]

I see Bailey's has their own product for end seal now, has anyone tried this stuff? If so, any comments in regard to how it compares to Anchorseal?

That's what I'm using right now but I haven't used anything else to compare it to.

Works great for me.