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Cutting Telephone Poles

Started by woodweasel, February 19, 2014, 02:16:51 PM

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woodweasel

 Got a phone call today from a fellow who wants me to cut up a bunch of used telephone poles.(Not sure how much is a bunch) He's 240 miles from my location.We discussed mileage,hr. rates. hotels etc.He wants to use them for horse& cattle fences.Maybe 3-4 slices per pole.As a green sawyer I'm concerned about the hard kreosote poles & metal in them.Not sure how many I can cut in/hr.-16' long? I have an LT35 manual with deck package.He's trying to buy the poles and I'm trying to do the research as this is out of my league? Help ???

scsmith42

There are quite a few posts in the archives about milling used utility poles.  The general consensus is stay away from the creosote treated poles, but it's ok to mill redwood and cedar poles as long as you have a good metal detector.

I've used a chainsaw to cut utility poles for farm buildings, but there is no way that I would mill one on one of my sawmills.
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thecfarm

I know only what I read on here about it,don't do it. The sawdust is nasty,it stinks,REAL bad to breath in the dust. It gets on your clothes and than if you jump in your truck,it's in your truck, The smell is not good.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

LittleJohn

I woudl recommend at a minimum to use a resporater of mask if you have to saw creosote; well actually I would first advise against and then mask up.  If the poles were in the country I would not be too concerned with metal other than the huge metal staples and grounding wire.  If the poles where in town, stay away with a 10' pole.

P.S. Old man used to climb poles (Electrical Lineman) for a local co-op and we always had the beck kindling wood  ;) very old air dried poles, split very nicely.

Solomon

Being 240 miles away , you're playing on his home field.
Common sense would dictate to me that he's already contacted sawyers near him and they didn't want to do it for one reason or another.   I'd say forget it, you're flirting with disaster.
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Dave Shepard

I personally won't saw anything treated. I don't know about creosote, but the newer treatments are really bad news. I've heard that besides the health issues, it can be really hard on the metal of the mill. A friend of mine has an 85' power pole that is something like 3' on the big end. We were going to saw it up into 6x6 for a pole barn, but after some research, we left it where it was.
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WellandportRob

 

   I mill them all the time.  I cut the butt end off, that is treated and mill the rest.  The best thing with them is you can see all the steel.  I have the customer remove the nails prior to my arrival.  They have all been past through a metal detector at the pole mill.  Make sure you set-up up wind.
2016 Wood-Mizer LT40HG 35 , Alaskan MKIII 60", Chev Duramax, Anderson logging trailer. Lucas DSM 23-19.

Magicman

I do not saw utility poles.  I once sawed some bridge timbers.  The creosote build up on the blade was really bad. 

The customer will not be getting the treated lumber that he thinks because it is difficult if not impossible to get any significant amount of preservative into the center of the pole.  When the pole is sliced open, this untreated wood is thus exposed to the elements.  But what do I know?  I only spent 32+ years in the telephone industry.

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clww

This has been on here before, as Mr. Smith posted. Three words come to mind: DO NOT MILL! go_away
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WellandportRob

Maybe your guys poles are different than the ones we use in Canada.  All of ours are Western Red cedar and the lumber is beautiful.  I have sided many homes with this wood.
2016 Wood-Mizer LT40HG 35 , Alaskan MKIII 60", Chev Duramax, Anderson logging trailer. Lucas DSM 23-19.

clww

Maybe. I know all the old, abandoned poles I see clearing are creosote toothpicks from stem to stern. Only thing I touch them with is an excavator.
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WellandportRob

On ours they only treat the end that goes in the ground.
2016 Wood-Mizer LT40HG 35 , Alaskan MKIII 60", Chev Duramax, Anderson logging trailer. Lucas DSM 23-19.

Magicman

You are exactly right WellandportRob.  There is a big difference.  Jumpbutt yours and saw them.

The OP mentioned "hard kreosote poles" which indicated that he had been contacted about sawing fully treated creosote poles.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Peter Drouin

Quote from: Solomon on February 19, 2014, 03:08:58 PM
Being 240 miles away , you're playing on his home field.
Common sense would dictate to me that he's already contacted sawyers near him and they didn't want to do it for one reason or another.   I'd say forget it, you're flirting with disaster.

smiley_thumbsup

      I have cut some for myself a long time ago and I will never do that again.  Mine were treated from end to end
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pineywoods

Add me to the "run away" crowd. I let a neighbor talk me into quartering some. Never again. He used them for fence posts, and sure enough they promptly rotted away, everything but the outer inch or so..There is a reason the power companies will give them to you..
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
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WellandportRob

Quote from: Magicman on February 19, 2014, 05:56:02 PM
You are exactly right WellandportRob.  There is a big difference.  Jumpbutt yours and saw them.

The OP mentioned "hard kreosote poles" which indicated that he had been contacted about sawing fully treated creosote poles.
My apologizes,  I do not cut anything that has been treated.
2016 Wood-Mizer LT40HG 35 , Alaskan MKIII 60", Chev Duramax, Anderson logging trailer. Lucas DSM 23-19.

Claybraker

Down here, we used creosote poles, and then later they shifted to the green poles. Creosote are easier to climb, it's hard to get a spike in one of the green poles.

Both of them, the bottom 10' or so will be full of nails, staples, and whatever else some enterprising individual could find to fasten a sign with.

AdamT

I turn down a few telephone pole jobs each year, it's just not worth the hassle.

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woodweasel

Thanks fellows I believe I'll stay away from those critters! :-\b Daniel

bandmiller2

The way to do it is to leave the poles whole for fence posts then cut oak or whatever for boarding. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

POSTON WIDEHEAD

We used telephone poles back in the 70's to build a pole barn. Not sure where my Dad got all those poles from but we couldn't call Georgia for 6 weeks.
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Arbor-Mill

I read some previous post about a year or so ago about sawing creasote poles and all the Do's and Dont's and decided that I would do it anyway to atleast form my own opinion.  Customer had 10-20' poles and wanted 6x6's to build a deer stand so I figured I could handle anything for 40 cuts and knock out 600 bf in an hour or so.  I set up up wind but my customer was down wind.  I figured him being a tough old farmer a little creasote wouldnt hurt him.  He actually had burn type rashes around the collar of his gloves and around the collar of his neck.  We finished the job and he actually made an ER visit due to the discomfort.  I felt bad since a little sawmill job cost him a trip to ER.  I guess my point is, you definitely have to keep others in mind as well as your well being.  Good Luck! 

Red Good

Power poles and telephone poles treated the same ? Been looking at some poles that the local power company is replacing , thought it may be a good source . Used to them being cedar .
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Too Big To Fail

I spent 2 days milling up some fully treated poles last fall.  I wore a tyvek suit, nitrile gloves and respirator.  It was raining, which helped keep the dust down, but after a while the exposed skin at my wrists developed a slight chemical burn.  I definitely felt like I had been poisoning myself a little bit.  Kept an eye out for trash, and only hit one nail.  I might do it again if the price was right.  Not worth it at the regular rate IMO.

NMFP

I have cut them but if I do it again, it will be for my own use and no one elses.  Its a real pain in the rear, especially with the dust, the chemical burns and the wear on the machine.

I would run and not even consider sawing them.  There are better jobs out there that have a lot less risk than what you are proposing to do. 

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