Submerged Logs

[f350ca]

Hi All,
I'm new to your site. Been checking it out off and on for some time though. Must say you have a great bunch of people here with a huge knowledge base.
I'm moving back to the land of trees and plan on building a mill of some sort, probably band. Will have lots of questions when I get going on it.
For today,
I have access to hardwood logs that sank at an old sawmill site. They sawed a lot of white pine and floated them to keep pine beatles at bay. The mill floated everything and some of the hardwood sank in 3 to 20 feet of water. Not sure what's down there yet.  A couple of years ago I slabbed a red oak that had been pulled out the summer before. The wood was beautifull, might have been 1/8 inch of gray on the sides and 1/4 at the butt.
The mill hasn't operated in probably 35 years and was there since the turn of the century so we've got some nice old growth trees.
I'd like to get some opinions on is wether to saw these as they come out of the water or dry pile them for a while. That oak that was on the bank for a year had no checks so I don't think letting them dry a bit would damage them but would appreciate some opinions.
If it matters I'd like to use some of them to timber frame a house.
Thanks for letting me into your circle and in advance for any opinions.
Greg

[Jeff]

You need to saw them right away. THis website may lend some helpful information

http://www.timelesstimber.com/default.asp

Oh! and welcome to the the Forestry Forum.

[Buzz-sawyer]

Nice to see a fellow machinebuilder here!
This forum has pretty much the same friendliness and tone Matt keeps..............A lot of great folks ;) :D
I would SERIOUSLY consider marketing the old growth stuff as such. Worth many thousands more to those who desire that than common timbers for building a frame.

[Part_Timer]

welcome to the forum

I don't know much about submerged logs but I know one thing for sure.  You should be glad you don't have to dodge gaters like FDH.

Good luck

[mometal77]

Welcome to the forum Greg.   ;D
bob

[beenthere]

f350ca
Welcome to the forum.
No gators in those ponds, but I recall what they smelled like in the early 60's when I spent some time walkin logs in some ponds, and it is not something I'd want to 'dive' into.  Less there has been some real good settlin of muck and bacteria since then.   
Kinda fun to watch the new guy walk out on a log in a pond and stand still just a bit too long, then too late to step off onto the next log. Once the logs start going down, they get unstable and move pretty quick. Gotta keep movin steadily from one log to the next to stay above water line, as best I can remember 40+ years ago.

[Arthur]

Id mill them as soon as you pull them out.

arthur

[Fla._Deadheader]

  FIND A MARKET, before you pull the first one. You COULD have Curly, Bird's eye, etc. Mucho Dinero.  8) 8)

  Wanna learn how to gather 'em ??? C'mon down. We'll train ya.  ;) ;D :D :D

  Welcome to the Forum. We LIKES Pics.  ;) ;) ;D ;D

[crtreedude]

Beware FDH - he just might use to to distract the gators....

I am going to use FDH to distract the boa - don't tell FDH.  ;D

[f350ca]

Thanks for the responces, I've heard you should mill them right away.  Will probably go that way but curious what effect drying would have on them. There is a little more water in them now but not that much more than when they're green standing. The bark is gone but would they dry that fast. Do you thnk checking would be the problem. That water has to come out, in board form its going to have a lot more surface area and happen a lot faster.
These aren't in a mill pond thank god. Spent enough time playing in those as a kid. Funny the smell didn't bother me as much then. This mill was on a lake and the logs are in a bay. The saw dust that went into the bay has never rotted either. Some days it will clear up and you have a sandy beach, next storm it comes back in and the beach is covered in sawdust. Nice clear water. Can see down 10 feet or so, have counted 50-60 logs in that depth along the on shore.
Greg

[Fla._Deadheader]

  We air dry with 1" sticks, in the shade, if possible. WE are in fast dry country. You should have better luck. Kiln dry, after air . It is a slow go.

  Den Socling has a kiln customer that does old growth, or, they did. Try the Drying forum. There's a thread there, somewhere.