Ok, rookie question here. I have a lot of windfall Douglas Fir from this winter that I am harvesting for milling and I noticed I have some that look like they've been down for years. How do you determine if a DF is too dead to mill? BTW... I hauled up a DF that has obviously been down for a long time, cut off about a foot from each end and then ripped about a 10' section and it seems pretty good. It is now my new bench out in front of the shop lol...
Determining if a tree is usable or not?
- Thread starter Reilly
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BB Sig
ArboristSite Operative
In my non-milling opinion, if you find that in cutting a foot off the end that the saw goes faster in the middle of the cut, it is probably rotten in the middle. Keep cutting until you find a steady cut then you can call that left overs good. The trees that were windfallen could have been dead standing. Sometimes the tops, bottoms or both will be rotten but the middles will be good. I've seen whole trees that were dead for a couple of years and cured perfectly all the way through. Those usually end up pretty hard but really good wood.
Of course this is just an opinion from cutting lots of live trees and downed trees that I have come across that were dead.
Of course this is just an opinion from cutting lots of live trees and downed trees that I have come across that were dead.
Johnnybar
ArboristSite Guru
Depends on the product you are expecting to get out of the log/s. If there is core rot and you are needing full slabs, as BB Sig said, you have to investigate how much core is left. If two 1/3 width strips from each side of the core are ok for your needs, the entire length may be usable. Guess it also depends if you are estimating the log's purchase value or they are freebies. Your scenario sounds like owned or free logs???
They're logs on my property for hobby use. The good stuff that I started milling I am setting aside to dry out for a season before I turn them into a new back deck lol..
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