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General Forestry => Sawmills and Milling => Topic started by: godzilla on April 08, 2012, 11:36:19 PM

Title: Effects on blade if milling pressure treated wood
Post by: godzilla on April 08, 2012, 11:36:19 PM
Hey guys,

The search function has failed me so I will gove this route a go. Long story short, I have a real old house, has sill beams instead of sill plates. To top it off there true 8x8 and one of them, the *almost worst possible spot one is bad. I understand I will need to put Pressure treated back under there to compliy with code so heres the problem. All the stuff I can find is the skinny (non dimensional) stuff and I will have to box something up to fit. I found 8x8 that if I can have 3/4" slabbed off 2 sides I can use the 2x stuff and get my true 8" back under there while retaining a beam. Will milling PT harm a blade? Will a bandmiller run away if I ask them?
Title: Re: Effects on blade if milling pressure treated wood
Post by: rmack on April 08, 2012, 11:48:44 PM
you might want to think about wearing a respirator while you are cutting it.
Title: Re: Effects on blade if milling pressure treated wood
Post by: Ianab on April 08, 2012, 11:51:03 PM
The PT timber wont have any effect on the blade / mill. The thing that puts most people off is the treatment chemicals in the sawdust.

As a one off job to trim up a beam they might be happy to overlook this, put on a dust mask, and saw it for you, especially if it was one of the more modern and less toxic treatments.

Other option, get a species of wood that's naturally rot resistant?  Some sort of cedar, cypress or douglas fir would probably last as long as treated pine anyway. (longer than you or me would need to worry about anyway).

Get local sawyer to cut you some true 2x8s out of something naturally durable, bolt those together and rebuild.

Ian
Title: Re: Effects on blade if milling pressure treated wood
Post by: DouginUtah on April 09, 2012, 01:42:05 AM

I believe redwood would meet code, and be a much simpler process.
Title: Re: Effects on blade if milling pressure treated wood
Post by: beenthere on April 09, 2012, 10:51:50 AM
Maybe just purchase the 2x treated material and rip it to size (table saw or hand power saw) before laying it up into the 8x8 final size.
Wear a mask when sawing and you should be good to go.

Title: Re: Effects on blade if milling pressure treated wood
Post by: Magicman on April 09, 2012, 02:28:44 PM
Quote from: godzilla on April 08, 2012, 11:36:19 PM
Hey guys,  Will milling PT harm a blade? Will a bandmiller run away if I ask them? 

No, and I do not know, but I would not.
Title: Re: Effects on blade if milling pressure treated wood
Post by: redbeard on April 09, 2012, 03:28:55 PM
Personal protection and housekeeping clean up are your main concerns blade life is not noticble, most of the treated beams n posts in my area are white fir and hemlock. I have milled several pkgs. for contrators that needed sill plates with a champhor or angle.

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22539/2903/2011-10-03_21-03-25_857.jpg) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22539/2906/0119091720%5B1%5D.jpg)
Title: Re: Effects on blade if milling pressure treated wood
Post by: MHineman on April 09, 2012, 10:59:00 PM
  If I were doing it for my building and a building inspector was not going to be looking it over, I'd use White Oak, Black Locust, Cedar, or other naturally rot and insect resistant wood.  Otherwise you'd probably need that grading stamp to get the inspector to accept it.
  So, use all the PPE (especially a respirator) and start sawing.  The respirator is actually a good idea with rot resistant wood too, but I have to admit that I usually don't use one, but I do try to have a good breeze at my back.
Title: Re: Effects on blade if milling pressure treated wood
Post by: Magicman on April 10, 2012, 09:19:48 AM
I wear a mask when sawing all wood and logs.