What do you do with a dead Pine?

[SawBilly]

I got an offer to cut a "bunch" of standing Pine that is dying off. the owner will fell, buck and skid, I can cut on shares for "whatever is fair". My question is what can you do with standing dead pine? does it make ok structural wood for framing? I assume it will have some blue stain, but that makes no difference to me making dear stands  ;D Is it safe to build with?

[Tom]

I cut standing dead timber all of the time.  Here in North Florida, beetles and borers are bad. Rot will destroy the sap wood if the tree is left too long.  The heart is usually sound.

Once the bark starts to slip the tree begins to dry rather rapidly and will become progressivly harder to cut.  Remove the bark before it hits the saw if you can.  don't be afraid to slab deep to find good wood.  Bugs don't mean that the wood is not sound. Pick it with you knife and you can tell what condition it is in.  

Be prepared to deal with a lot of gumming of your blades.  Have a lot of water available and perhaps some dish soap.  You may even want to try some of the other gum remedies listed elsewhere on the Forum.

The framing wood is better cut from the center of the tree to get as far away from the bugs as possible.  The outside of the tree will make good 1x4's and 1x6's etc. The drier the sawed boards get the less bug problems you will have. Cut to one inch you will probably cut most of the sawyers in two. Treating the lumber will kill the remaining bugs or you could find a kiln and heat the wood to 140 degrees for 12 hours or better.  Lacking that, an insecticide will kill the adults and the hatches if it lasts long enough.

Most of what I cut  is either treated or used Air Dryed.

(Here is where your profile would help)  You're close to Arkansawyer, but where?

[RMay]

SawBilly I cut dead pine alot in Arkansas it is ok for framing it is more than likey black turpentine & Ips beetles . The tree will die off from the top with ips beetles and the top log will be to for gone . We have not had a SPB spot in the state in two years. What part of the state are you in I`m west of Arkadelphia .

[SawBilly]

I live in Conway, smack dab center of the State. My business takes me all over the state. I am constantly seeing downed, dead, cleared trees of all types. I wish I had a small loader of some sort to put on the back of a one ton to pick up these freebies...last week I brought home a 24" Cherry  8) It really is a beautiful tree...well it will be a beautiful cabinet or gun case or something!

Thanks for the responses, I am going this afternoon to find out how many a "bunch" is.

[woodman]

Up here in Mass. we have Easten White Pine when it is dead i only cut 1by with it 2by will not pass code.

[ARKANSAWYER]

SawBilly,
  I went to school at UCA and lived in Conway for years but had to come home to the hills.  If you ever come up to Mt Home or Harrison come by.  I saw alot of dead standing pine and most is good.  The blue stain will not hurt it and so long as the worms have not eaten it up to look like several loads of 00 buckshot have blasted it.  In large trees the center red heart will be good and make great post.  I often keep some 4x4s on the back of my 1 ton with straps and come-along and bring logs home all the time.  I want a loader boom for my goose neck for that would really help.
ARKANSAWYER

[Tom]

Arkansawyer,
Remember, in Indiana, I told you that my wife and I had gone to Harrison looking for property when the local Government was going to take our place for a landfill?  I couldn't remember the name of the pretty place that I fell in love with until just now.  I was Parthenon and Jasper.  That was some pretty country.

[SawBilly]

Thanks for the info. I found out a "bunch" is 30-40 trees, all 16-18 DBH, probably 30' of saw log in each one. some have been dead for about a year, others still have some green needles on them.

ARKANSAWYER, I am up north all the time, My dad has a small passel of land in Marshall that I hunt on, was up there bushhogging this past weekend. I would like to come visit sometime.

Tom, You're right, all of the north half of  Arkansas is pretty, not too much down south "ceptin you like Duck Huntin or farmin"

[ARKANSAWYER]

SawBilly,
  Marshall is not far and by all means come on up.  Give a call and I will try to make sure I am around.  Those pines sound like they would be worth sawing.
  Tom,
  It is pretty and rough over around Jasper.  I know of a lady that has 1200 acres over that way with a cave ( second largest in the state) and lots of great timber and the elk are always on it and she will take 2 million for it.  I would marry her.
ARKANSAWYER

[Tom]

Maybe I would marry her too and we could become Husbands-in-law   :D

Fat chance I would give her 2 million.

[ARKANSAWYER]

  If I could raise the cash or win the lottery I would.  I could set on there and saw nothing but high grade the rest of my life and never make a dent in it.  There is timber in there that has never heard the sound of a chainsaw.  The guesstament was $1.5 million in timber on the land and I have tried to tell her that the borers are going to ruin that if she does not move fast but some Evromental group have been promiseing to buy the place for 2 years so she will not cut because then they may not buy it.  but she has not seen any cash just talk.
  Tom I would sell you and your wife a jag of land up by the road cheap and you could  be my gate guard if I get the land. :D
ARKANSAWYER

[Tom]

I'm stopping by to get me a Lotto ticket today after work.  Gate Guard?  

Our Lotto turned over again.  $85 million.  If I win that I could buy me a forest in the middle of New York City.  ....Naw, I don't want to be in NYC.  Maybe I'll buy West Virginia.  Don't know what I'd spend the rest of it on though.  :D :D

[sawmill_john]

Sawbilly,
I know of several guys in Alaska that use dead standing beetle kill spruce for log cabins, both two and three sided logs.  It makes for a much more stabile log structure, very little change after cutting, since its dry.  I've got a few pictures at work I'll try to up load them next week.
sawmill_john