Which wood to choose?

[OHBucknut]

I am looking to mill some lumber to make a playset for my kids. I live in Eastern OH and don't have any access to cedar or anything "naturally rot resistant" other than Osage Orange.  I have plenty or Osage but have heard horror stories about milling it. Does anyone have any suggestions as to another species to use or any treatment (maybe Thomspons water seal or something) to use Oak, Poplar, Ash, Cherry or anything?

I did have a thought of using pressure treated on everything that will be in contact with the ground and something else for everything above the ground level.

Any suggestions are appreciated

[moodnacreek]

Cut the orange and cut more than you need.

[Southside]

Saw the Osage - your great grand children will be able to use the same playset.  

[OHBucknut]

I don't have a lot of experience but what kind of bands would you use for that? Also why do you say cut more than you need? Just for waste? 

[Pepe_Silvia]

I cut the beams that I set my mill on out of osage using 7 degree doublehards.  I'd recommended cutting it as green as possible.

[WV Sawmiller]

   You're not that far up the road from us there should be much difference in local timber. Any black locust available around you? It is very durable. White oak is probably next on the durability scale in our area. I'd use 4 degree blades for either especially the oak. Green locust would be softer and you might get by with a 7 or even a 10 degree blade. Good luck. 

[Cutting Edge]

It's getting hard to find decent locust up here in northern WV.   Locust Borer and blight and have hit it pretty hard.  When green, it saws like butter.  Off the stump, harder than hickory.

White Oak will last (if treated at ground level and maintained) for many decades to come.

Like Southside said, Osage will be there for your Grandchildren.  I wish we had more of it locally. 

Regardless of which tree you choose, a 4 deg. blade would be best, and may be the best all around blade choice (regardless of species) for your mill.

[Brad_bb]

What a bummer.  I want Osage.  I'd trade cedar for it.   There's lots of Osage in my area, but connecting with someone wanting it gone is not easy.  Farmers will take out a hedge row, and burn it before you can talk to them.  I've tried ads but they have not been fruitful.    If I could buy logs in the 8-14" dia range, minimum 6 feet long, I'd buy a trailer load.  They don't even have to be straight.

[OHBucknut]

not sure why but you always seem to find it in fence rows around here.  Its not the easiest stuff to get to with my tractor (on the top of the hill) but I think I'm going to try to cut it and see how far I get.  I'll order some 4 degree bands and see what happens.  It can look like a grinding wheel on metal when I laid the ole' Husky 562 XP into them logs, the sparks can fly and it will wreck a chain in a hurry. Although I was only ever cutting the old downed stuff laying across my quad paths.  Maybe it will be a little easier cutting when its green.

I have heard of people smoking multiple bands on one log.  When cutting something extremely hard do you add anything to the water?  (I also heard the dust from them Osage Orange is nasty)

I hope to get to it here within a month or so.

Thanks for the help

[Cutting Edge]

I have heard of people smoking multiple bands on one log.  

When cutting something extremely hard do you add anything to the water?  (I also heard the dust from them Osage Orange is nasty)

Yes, common to use multiple blades.  Especially as the diameter goes up. 

A little dish liquid in the water helps break the surface tension of the water.  You may have to "flood" the blade to keep it cool and clean.

Keep the wind in your favor and blowing the dust away from you.  The dust can be like flour.  If need be, wear a mask.

[moodnacreek]

I presume you will be cutting squares. [or rectangles]. Hard woods like locust, o. orange or any small dia. or curved hardwood don't saw or dry straight and you say you have the wood and a sawmill and this is the  USA and the trees are growing faster than they can be used so I would start sawing.

[Brad_bb]

If it's dry, it will be much harder on bands.  Green not so bad.  Milling board is more work than I do making brace stock.  So I'm milling off two faces, sometimes a couple boards too.  I mill inside so the dust is not blowing in my face from wind.  I've also heard that if  you get a blast of it, it can irritate you, make your nose run, etc.  So yes, wear a dust mask at least to be safe.  I now have a respirator that I wear when milling, especially walnut.