Treating lumber to make fence posts

[dbpochardt]

Does anyone know of a place near SW Minnesota/SE South Dakota that will do chemical treatment of lumber to make fence posts? I have a lot of large highline poles that I would like to quarter and use for fence posts, but they need to be treated.

Thanks,

Dan

[beenthere]

Do you know what species of posts you have?

[scsmith42]

Dan, there was an article in Sawmill and Woodlot magazine about a year ago about a pretty good treatment that you can apply yourself.

It involves a two-step process of first applying a boric acid type solution (such as TimBor, Solubor, etc), followed by a treatment of Copper Napthanate (CuNap).  Supposedly it is extremely effective.

[dbpochardt]

thanks...I checked out the article.

[Bobus2003]

Old power poles should still have enough creosote in them to not have any issues.. I give away many semi loads a year to ranchers in western SD. I know of a place out here that does post and pole treating but its a bit far for you. Wheeler Lumber in Whitewood SD.

[Phorester]

As BOBUS2003 says, wouldn't the highline poles already be treated?

[CCC4]

Does anyone know of a place near SW Minnesota/SE South Dakota that will do chemical treatment of lumber to make fence posts? I have a lot of large highline poles that I would like to quarter and use for fence posts, but they need to be treated.

Thanks,

Dan

What do you plan on processing these old power poles with? A bandsaw or chainsaw mill? Either one...a tip that will help you out a bit is to have plenty of diesel pouring over your bandsaw blade and or chainsaw chain. Also be sure to wear long sleeves and cover your mouth with something.

Bandsaw- use a 2 liter bottle or something with a small tube mounted above your blade and set it to drip diesel onto you blade.

Chainsaw- maybe have your buddy standing there dripping diesel onto your chain as you cut, or if using a framed chainsaw mill you can rig up something like I described for the bandsaw.

[luvmexfood]

If you had enough I would just cut to length and use as is. Don't know about power poles but have cut and ripped some crossties and the cresote was alway through.

One thing I did read on a website from a treated fence post company was to never cut them. They said the treating did not penetrate 100 percent of the post but as long as you did not cut anything off them then enough chemicals were on the outside to prevent rot starting. Don't know.

I know dad railroaded for 43 years and we had ties a plenty. Some had been down less than a year when replaced due to another railroad that had tracks that ran adjuncant and they derailed a car and it scratched the ties. Course we had to carry them about 40 yards and load them on the back of a flat bed ton truck. Makes a 14 year old know what hemaroids are.