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I'm liking the power poles.

Started by justallan1, February 07, 2013, 08:34:19 PM

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Solomon

Thanks for the info.  If it's all the same to you, I will continue practicing  all precautions.  I'm staying up wind of the arsnic.  Burning, Flying saw dust or otherwise.   Do what you want but     I 'm  telling you; breathing sawdust of any kind is NOT healthy for you.
Especially arsnic treated sawdust.
No offence Brother, but I strongly disagree with you with manly firmness on that subject.   You do have my upmost respect. I know that you are a knowledgable,. expierenced sawyer and I can learn from you.
And if I can ever come to your relief, it shall be accordingly so done.
Time and Money,  If you have the one, you rarely have the other.

The Path to Salvation is narrow, and the path to damnnation is wide.

Red Clay Hound

I agree with Solomon.  Pressure treated wood likely contains arsenic and/or chromium neither of which you would want to have in your lungs.  I would take extreme precautions not to breath the sawdust.  As previously mentioned, you should also avoid breathing the fumes from burning treated wood.
2007 Wood-Mizer LT40 Super Hydraulic with 51 hp. Cat; 2007 Wood-Mizer EG200 Twin Blade Edger; Woodmaster 718 Molder/Planer; Stihl MS460 and MS362 Chainsaws; 2011 John Deere 5065 with JD 553 Loader

pmatt

Sawed lots of poles over the years.  Most of the older poles were wrc, a few Port Arthur Cedar and once in while a few doug fir.  Tough on the blades - can saw about 3 times the pine I can with the cedar poles.  The old poles were usually placed along dirt roads for many years - lots of dust and dirt inside.  Timber Framed an entire building of old poles.  Turned out real nice.  Here are a few pics.  Most is wrc, a few beams are df and the knee braces are yellow or port arthur cedar.

  

 

ND rancher

 

   These are some plank from the treated poles I cut. You can see treat on board edge. Pretty sure it is fir. I the took the wide plank right in the center of the pole then cut the 2x6 off the 1/4's.
TimberKing B-20.  Have been bitten by the bug! Loving life !

terrifictimbersllc

A state DEP official told me he knew of a man who nearly died from arsenic poisoning resulting from breathing dust while sawing CCA treated wood (not with a sawmill). 
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

justallan1

Here's a picture of a tag on these poles in case anyone can figure them out.
At this point in the game I'm pretty sure they are WRC. They just seemed a bit lighter in color than what I've seen, but they have been sitting in the weather for years.

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Quote from: justallan1 on February 10, 2013, 01:41:42 PM
Here's a picture of a tag on these poles in case anyone can figure them out.


smiley_paparazzi
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

beenthere

Likely a tag put on by the utility company and used when re-visiting poles during reinspections. Prolly tied back to their database.
Some treaters might put a brand on the poles, which may have been at the time the poles were incised (knife-like depressions observed) for better treatment.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

tyb525

Several members have reported skin burns from contact with the sawdust from poles.
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

Magicman

A utility pole's "birthmark" is burned/engraved 10' from the butt end when it is manufactured.  Any external tags are user placed.  The 10' is important because during the pole's lifetime of service, workers can always tell how deep it is into the ground by that birthmark.

The birthmark includes the year of manufacture, length, and class (diameter) of the pole.
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

justallan1

OOPS! I guess that last picture was a bit small. :D

 

Magicman

Yup, that is user installed tags placed when the pole was inspected and/or ground treated.  That treatment could have been simply probing, digging completely around the pole and placing a treated ground shield, or boring holes and injecting chemicals.  If boring took place, then wooden pegs would have been driven into the holes.
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

justallan1

All of the poles are perforated from about 10 foot down to the bottom and I have run through some wooden pegs further up, but not many.
This weather is sure wrecking my day. It's barely snowing but it's going straight sideways at about 40 mph.

Magicman

I have never seen a "natural" utility pole (untreated), so I am not familiar with the perforations on yours, but I am confidant that the pegs are plugging/sealing treatment or testing holes.
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

Papa1stuff

I have been cutting some real old WRC poles and have run into a glass tube in a couple poles.

Anyone know what these are ?
1987 PB Grader with forks added to bucket
2--2008 455 Rancher Husky
WM CBN Sharpener & Setter

downsouth

MM is on the money about the markings and the pegs. They (we) also use plugs when the old steps are removed out of the poles, or other hardware removed , you place a peg in the hole

redbeard

One thing I have run into on milling the cedar poles is the wood dose not take stain or oil type sealers very well I tried mixing some pole wood with sawn WRC from logs and you can see the difference. At least that was what happened on a shed and a garden arbor.
Whidbey Woodworks and Custom Milling  2019 Cooks AC 3662T High production band mill and a Hud-son 60 Diesel wide cut bandmill  JD 2240 50hp Tractor with 145 loader IR 1044 all terrain fork lift  Cooks sharp

Magicman

Which may indicate that there was a preservative process that took place during manufacture.  Maybe a chemical/vacuum/pressure treatment.
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

lineguy82

The glass vials are just another form of treatment that was used to deter ants
95 chevy 4x4
Husky 562xp
Hardy H5
22T Countyline Splitter
...and hopefully a sawmill when the wife finishes college

justallan1

Welcome to the forum Lineguy82. Iv'e never heard of that one, very interesting.

Solomon

It seems we have sparked an interesting thread.  I have learned a  couple of things.  I did not know poles are subsequently treated after they are set.  I've also never run across wooden pegs in a pole.
But as I said in an earlier post,  I have mainly been milling the cut offs from pilons that were driven.
So they are free of metel and other forgin objects.  I have milled only a few telephone poles.  I suppose I am fortunate to have a source for pilon.
Time and Money,  If you have the one, you rarely have the other.

The Path to Salvation is narrow, and the path to damnnation is wide.

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