The Forestry Forum

Its been a while--hope everyone is doing good.

A few questions for you sawyers that have cut and air dryed cypress!

I finally got a few cypress logs pulled out the swamp and would like to get a little info on sawing them. Are they fairly stable-----------meaning for instance, I have a 12ft section that has a slight S shape, thats over doing it----A slight bow to the left, then above center a slight bow to the right-----------OK. Its not bad enough to discard that section, but I was wondering if I square that log and cut 1" boards will they try to bow or will they stay pretty straight?

Will I need to put alot of weight on the pile after stickering or about the same as cutting pine?

Will cypress shrink more than pine or about the same, if different, I want full 1" boards, what should I finish cut them now while green to get that when dry?

Should I air stack this out in the open with a top or would it be better to stack it under a big open shed where it want get any direct sunlight on it?

 Treat it as you would pine.

I've cut a lot of snaky cypress and most of the boards from crooked trees came out acceptably straight.

You can air dry in the open if you cover the stack, but it is always best, in my opinion, to put the stack under an open shelter.  I dry most of my good stuff under a pole barn.

One thing of note.  If you have logs big enough to contain a lot of heart, your "all heartwood" boards will have more rot resistance and there-by more value than the boards that contain a great amount of sapwood.

Also, according to how much "Snake", saw the log through and through, to get "Snakey" table slabs, about 2" thick, with natural edges. Go try to buy one and see why I mention this.  ;) ;) :)

Randy,

   I'll second what Tom said. Cypress is the most stable of the species we cut in Central Fla. and it shrinks less than SYP. A 1/16 over might net you a full inch, 1/8 should be plenty (to 12% mc).

Mark