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Will a pond prevent blue stain in pine?

Started by WoodenHead, June 18, 2015, 09:37:08 PM

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WoodenHead

As others have mentioned in recent posts, I'm starting to see blue stain in my Eastern White Pine logs.  I'm too late for this year, but is there a way of preventing the blue stain?  Would a pond help?  I've seen some of the really large mills spray their log piles constantly.

It won't be long now and I'll be listening to the crunch and munchers chewing away at the pine.  Does a pond keep away the grubs that bore holes into pine?

Sadly it is taking a while to get over the concussion.  My output is still low these days, but getting better.  I figure I have about 10,000 bdft left from the February loads of logs and another 14,000 bdft leftover from last year.  I should have had everything sawn by now.   :-\ 

LaneC

I am not sure about up where you are at, but down here there are little worms that eat the wood while in a pond. Maybe not all ponds but in my father in laws, they will eat it up pretty quick.
Man makes plans and God smiles

Dad2FourWI

Here in Wisconsin, if the trees are healthy, they can keep the bugs out by pushing them out with their sap.

When you have a dry year or the trees are distressed by disease or prolonged insect attack... eventually they lose the battle.

The blue stain is actually a fungus. If we cut pine and leave it lay too long.... we have blue stain. Also, if you peel your pine with a draw knife (promptly) that will result in nice white wood too! (providing the tree was nice and healthy when it was cut!) Sometimes, we are not quite that quick!!!  :D

-Dad2FourWI
LT-40, LT-10, EG-50, Bobcat T750 CTL, Ford 1910 tractor, tree farmer

bkaimwood

I know for me a pond won't help. It's been rainy, extremely humid, and more like a tropical rain forest here the last month or so. I too have seen much blue fungus in boards very recently cut...even barn siding I just cut for my sawmill shed/barn...its under roof, open sides, leaning individually against the barn walls vertically, waiting to be installed... It couldn't be more open for airflow, but still, is starting to blue...50/50 bleach/water in a deck sprayer is your friend, or at least mine, until we get over this tropical hump. By rights I should be stickering, stacking, spraying...time, time, time...when its for yourself, its tough to take non profit time...seems if I did it all by the book now, I'd spend 2 hours tops sawing, the the rest of the day in special material handling due to weather conditions...feels like working backwards. Won't make $ that way, just trying to push through this low. Sorry for going off on a tangent...
bk

GeneWengert-WoodDoc

A pond, if the DNR approves, will control insects and fungi for the part of the log that is under water.  With white pine, a lot of the log will be above water.

Aggressive sprinkling (around 2" per day equivalent) does work, especially with cold water, but runoff can be a DNR issue.
Gene - Author of articles in Sawmill & Woodlot and books: Drying Hardwood Lumber; VA Tech Solar Kiln; Sawing Edging & Trimming Hardwood Lumber. And more

bandmiller2

Only sure way I know is to cut and mill pine in cold weather, Ontario has its share of that. White pine cut in warmer weather must be cut, milled and dried quickly. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

WoodenHead

Quote from: bandmiller2 on June 19, 2015, 07:31:36 AM
Only sure way I know is to cut and mill pine in cold weather, Ontario has its share of that. White pine cut in warmer weather must be cut, milled and dried quickly. Frank C.

Well said. 

For the last couple years I just couldn't finish the log pile on time.  The previous year, I bought a little too much pine (and worked a lot more away from home), and this year unexpected events put a damper on things.  Always seems to be something.  I thought maybe a pond might be a way to minimize problems in the future, but if the bugs still get at the tops of the logs sticking out of the water, then I don't see the benefit.  Thanks!


Chuck White

I don't know about preventing the blue stain except for milling the lumber as quickly as possible.

The bugs (pine beetles in particular) can be stopped by peeling the bark off of the logs.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

POSTON WIDEHEAD

I welcome Blue Stain. It makes for some very popular paneling in my area and the people who buy it for barn siding don't care one way or the other.  :)
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

WoodenHead

Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on June 19, 2015, 03:22:31 PM
I welcome Blue Stain. It makes for some very popular paneling in my area and the people who buy it for barn siding don't care one way or the other.  :)

Occasionally people who stop by say they want the blue stain.  Others insist that it is a form of rot and want nothing to do with it (even for their barn siding!  ::))  I presently have a customer who wants some 5/4 blue stain flooring.  I'll sell or use it one way or another.  :)   

Alligator

We had a dip tank for lumber, that used a Borate solution. The company that made it is gone now, but it looks like this company makes a similar product. http://www.americanborate.com/all-about-borates/borate-applications/borate-wood-preservation/ Read this page maybe it will help.
Esterer Sash Gang is a  Money Machine

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