Pine wood sap / Cooke Isle & Norfolk Pine

[kapuaa]

Hi everyone,

My neighbor has a few cooke island pine log for me to mill. The larger of the bunch was dropped about two months ago. The other slightly smally one were just cut this week. I noticed a lot of sap build up on the larger one that has been sitting there for the last few months. The freshly cut ones look clean.

Will milling the log with the sap build up be ok? Will it gum up my blade?

I am running and older Lumbermate 2000 with a 26hp motor that I just bought used. I do have new blades for it but unsure of that type.

Looking for any info on sap and this type of wood. Even info on cutting the freshly cut logs.



Thank you,

Kaleo Puaa

[Magicman]

Aloha, and Welcome to the Forestry Forum, kapuaa.  Of course I have never sawn Cook Island Pine but I would say that a good squirt (glug) of dish soap per gallon of water should take care of the sap problem.


 


 
I suppose that these are what you will be sawing?  Adding your location and sawmill to your profile always helps. 

[Kbeitz]

Hey.... My wife got of of those growing in our living room.
I never seen a big one before.

[JustinW_NZ]

We get them around here.
and they can be a bit sappy but as suggested, use something to keep things clean and its not a problem.

unless you get it on your hands.
it sticks and wont come off  :D

Cheers
Justin

[Chuck White]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, kapuaa!

If it really gets sappy and the lube mix doesn't keep it all off, maybe try a spray bottle with a little diesel, but don't overdo it with the diesel.

If you get sap on your hands and it just will not clean up, try "mayonnaise", it really does work.

[MikeBreaux]

When I get sap on me handsanitiser does the trick.

[Kbeitz]

I use WD-40

[Ianab]

Hey.... My wife got of of those growing in our living room.
I never seen a big one before.

Not much help on the sawing, although from what I've heard it cuts OK, just a bit sticky to handle when green.

To give you an idea of how big the tree can grow, this is a local one. My Great Gran used to live across the road, and said she was 2 years old when it was planted. It's a fair size now, at least 6 ft dbh.

https://www.google.co.nz/maps/@-39.1064385,173.9702647,3a,75y,311.58h,103.78t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGawjWFqYpJmPkgGneUuajA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

It was hit by lightning about 20 years ago that killed the top ~20ft. The then owner had an arborist trim out the dead section, and it's grown a new leader since then, so it's still vigorous and growing.

[Kbeitz]

Now thats a big tree.... Does it make good lumber ?