Sawing treated poles.

[Bogue Chitto]

I have never sawed treated poles ( telephone poles, power poles).  What to look out for?  Need to where a mask?  Customer said no metal in them  :.?

[pineywoods]

one word - don't. Ain't worth the trouble. The chemical treatment only goes an inch or so deep. The untreated heart wood will rot in a heartbeat. The sawdust is probably rather toxic...

[opticsguy]

The most important thing in all your life is your health.

My answer, a BIG NO!

[cypresskayaksllc]

I had the same question last year. And I got the same answer as above. Well sometimes I can be a little curious so I went ahead and did it. I wish I hadnt. The poles I sawed were toxic. The dust burned my skin around my mask and eyes. I had to throw away my clothes. The mill carried the smell for months. The poles had weather cracks in them and were filled with sand.
Best use the poles for a pole barn or fence corners.
But like I said before, I was told all this and I still did it :D

[Bogue Chitto]

So far three reply's, and I called the customer to tell him NO.

[redbeard]

You did right canceling job. They are tough on you and the mill  the clean up is time consuming and the saw dust and tailings you kinda have to treat as hazardous material.

[Nomad]

     I've only had one guy want me to saw utility poles.  I told him I didn't like the idea, but I'd at least look at his site.  He said no; he wanted me to cut them at my location.  (That way I would be stuck cleaning up the hazmat.)  On top of all the other hassles with them?  No thanks.

[Dave VH]

next month I'm supposed to saw up some cedar telephone poles.  I don't believe that they are treated with anything.  I know to look for nails. 
  What's ya'lls opinion on that?

(I'm not trying to mislead the thread, I just thought that this was a good time for the question)

[thurlow]

I guess I'm the odd man out.  Have sawed untold thousands of bf out of used utility poles;  squared 'em up for pole barns and sawed into planks for trailer decking, bridge flooring, corral building, etc.  If they're properly treated with creosote, they will be treated ALL THE WAY through.  They WILL have hardware in 'em.........usually just (yard sale, etc) staples, but occasionally nails, spikes, etc.  If you choose to saw 'em, be aware that creosote is a known carcinogen and you need to take appropriate precautions.  COVER UP!!

[Banjo picker]

I did it once, and won't again...

    

The post in this fence is what I cut...from old power poles...I'll let you know how long they last.....If I last longer than they do....they look like they were treated through and through to me....Banjo

[Woodwalker]

I guess I'm the odd man out.  Have sawed untold thousands of bf out of used utility poles;  squared 'em up for pole barns and sawed into planks for trailer decking, bridge flooring, corral building, etc.  If they're properly treated with creosote, they will be treated ALL THE WAY through.  They WILL have hardware in 'em.........usually just (yard sale, etc) staples, but occasionally nails, spikes, etc.  If you choose to saw 'em, be aware that creosote is a known carcinogen and you need to take appropriate precautions.  COVER UP!!

Nah, your not odd, I saw 'em too. Yeah it's dirty, stinks and makes some very nice treated lumber.

[Kansas]

Back in the early days, when we were hungrier, we sawed a bunch. We won't anymore. That being said, cedar poles are often only treated for the portion in the ground.

[MHineman]

  I sawed a few last year.  The older utility poles around here appear tobe Western Red Cedar treated with creasote.  I never sawed all the way to the center, but the creasote seems to go in very deep in all the way to the center. 
  The part of the pole that was in the ground was darker did not have the creasote "thinned out" from being in the weather for 40 years.  That part was pretty much impossible to cut. 
  The weathered part cut alright, but I did use a lot of lube to keep the blade clean.  WM suggested doubling the soap and vegetable oil, and also add about twice that much PineSol to the lube water.
  Cover up, always wear gloves and mask, and only saw with the wind at your back.
  The bottom line is it's messy, slow, dirty work and you should limit your exposure.  I did it for a friend and will do some for myself, but I'm not going to make a habit of it.
  And you will go through twice as many blades even if you don't hit metal that's hiding.

[Magicman]

I worked 32+ years in the telophone industry.  Utility poles are treated as well as possible by first drawing a vacuum, and then pressurizing the treating chamber.  Some of the chemicals may penetrate deeply into the poles, and sometimes possibly to the pith, but logic will tell you that it is a minimal amount.  We never used a cut off pole, because the bottom had been comprimized and the less treated center had been exposed.

Utility pole users schedule a contractor to bore holes and inject a strong chemical into standing poles which prolong their life.  This injection hole is then plugged with a peg.

The above in no way compares our "Southern" treated poles to the untreated Cedar poles that are/have been used in other parts of the country.

I sawed treated poles once.  Never again.  Ever.

[Ron Wenrich]

I used to inspect poles.  What we injected into the center was for heartrot.  The first thing we did was to sound out the pole with a hammer.  Then we bored it to see how bad it was.  When we found a hollow one, we would see how much wood was on the outside.  If it was sufficient for the line, then we treated.  Otherwise we rejected the pole and it had to be replaced.

I always found the SYP poles were treated to the heartwood.  A lot would depend on the year that it was treated and where it was treated.  There's a stamp on the side of all the poles that give you that information, including the PSI used for the treat.  The more PSI, the deeper the treat.  Also told species and height.

[eastberkshirecustoms]

As far as health risks when sawing, is there a difference between the newer 'green' treated poles and the creosoted ones, or are they both just as bad?

[fstedy]

I've been sawing Western Red Cedar transmission poles for years without any problems. The butt ends are mildly creasote treated but it usually only penetrates about 1". Won't saw any treated pine poles or the green treated poles not worth the trouble. Any metal is usually visable on the pole surface where the pole tags were or moulding and staples for the down ground wire. Hardware and bolts are easily removed as are the tag nails and staples.

[Dave VH]

good to know, thanks guys