How long till rotten

[waynorthmountie]

I recently bought 45 acres of land in PEI, where i plan to move and someday retire. My question is how long will cut trees last before they rot. I looked at the local tree services and they are cutting some large old trees up but i am pretty sure there is no large throat mills in PEI. As such i would like to build my mill to fill in this gap. If its a hobby job larges slabs maybe my best money return.

The issue is I'm still 4-5 years till i would have a mill built. Would an oak or maple log last that long if i got the tree service to drop it off or would it be rotten by then.

Thanks for any info you provide.

[Satamax]

I would say rotten by then, except if you can swamp it. 

[PA_Walnut]

It depends on what/how it is stored. Sink them in a pond and you'll be ok.

Otherwise, why not pay someone to come in with a wide-head portable mill, cut them into big honking slabs, give them the 4-5 years to dry out and be good to go. Wouldn't take much to stack, sticker and cover them. (well, it may if they are really large and thick).

[Don P]

For slabbing large trees on a small scale a Husky 3120 and Alaskan mill is one way to go and you can get set up quickly. The saw goes to the tree. Rather than trying to move a huge tree you only have to move the slabs, which can be daunting enough. We've also broken down trees with the chainsaw mill into sizes that will fit on a standard bandmill.

[Brad_bb]

With large slabs you also need support equipment to move/stack the slabs.  A super wide band mill like Matt Cremona built would be great, but you need the equipment to bring the log to the mill.  An alternative might be the Lucas super slabber.
Lucas Mill > Super Slabber - Slabbing Mills

Any chainsaw based mill is not going to cut as fast as a band mill, but it's chewing a wider kerf, so it is what it is.  Even with a band mill though, for really wide stuff you'd have to go slow to try to avoid waves.

If it were me, I'd buy a slabbing mill, and build a flattening mill/table.  I have thought about building and extra wide mill track  and head to run a move able planer like my Woodmizer MP100.  Because the planer slides you can make 16"  wide passes to quickly flatten a slab.  A byrd shelix cutter in the planer would be even better.

[waynorthmountie]

The real issue is i live in inuvik nwt right now and will not be there to slab it for 4 years lol. Just want to build a stock of wood to cut once i have a mill

[Novascotiamill]

Hmm didnt know there was big timber in PEI, thought it was all potato fields for the most part. If your getting the wood dropped off for free you dont have much to lose. Besides itll be frozen for about half the year if I remember my times spent there in the 80s . I think theres a member or two here from the island,hopefully they will see your post and reply. As a side not theres lots of retired law enforcement here too. Which I assume your gonna be one day by your user name.
 Welcome to the forum!

[mike_belben]

If its a foot or more off the ground and debarked after the first year.. Itll double the ground life.  Youll lose some sap but if theyre monsters a good amount of heartwood may still be in there.  Itll be low grade by then but still soundish for farm lumber. 

The fungus and bugs come up off the ground and spread under the bark.  Once they loosen the bark it peels right off then the sun will keep them out.  Leaving them in a sunny place will keep the mushrooms down but definitely help the logs to twist and crack more.  Shaded windy spot and up high with no bark is about the best you can do.  Orient the piles north south so that the rising and setting sun doesnt strike the end grain.  Itll pop the ends open bad.