Milling Red Oak wind falls

[widetrackman]

Wandering around the farm over the week end looking for something to cut and have ready to mill when it arrives in mid Dec. .It can be difficult to get small or large logs out if we have a regular wet winter. I found (2) 24"/ 25" wind falls, 1 is 14 mo. old iirc and the other went down this  June in a storm. Both trees logs are about 25' long and clear, suspended off the ground hanging on the stump and tops. Will these logs be any good ? if so when should I cut. Also is it to early to cut pine for Dec?

[Woodpecker52]

I would not wait over 2 weeks on any southern yellow pine logs between felling and lumber. Hardwoods can still be good after months, but pines will get beetles and the blue stain (mold) if not cut soon.

[Ianab]

For the Oaks, chip at them with an axe. If the sapwood is still solid, they should be fine to saw. If you disturb a whole new civilisation of bugs and fungus, not so good. 

Pine probably depends on the temperature. Like Woodpecker says, if you are in a warm humid climate, pine logs only have weeks before the bugs and fungus get a start on them. Once the weather gets cold all that action stops, and you are basically safe until the weather warms up again.  

[widetrackman]

For the Oaks, chip at them with an axe. If the sapwood is still solid, they should be fine to saw. If you disturb a whole new civilisation of bugs and fungus, not so good.

Pine probably depends on the temperature. Like Woodpecker says, if you are in a warm humid climate, pine logs only have weeks before the bugs and fungus get a start on them. Once the weather gets cold all that action stops, and you are basically safe until the weather warms up again.  

If I cut pines in mid winter would I get 4-6 weeks in north Ms.? The oldest wind falls; some of the bark is loose and bugs starting in on sap wood which was not soft,  did not see any fungus?. I am wondering if heart wood would be ok as log is not on ground. I was thinking about spraying them with Malathion or some old Surrender termite stuff laying in the shop till I can get my mill

[Magicman]

Don't overthink it.  You are OK on all of the questions that you asked.  This was my sawing yesterday.



These Red Oak logs were several years old but the heartwood was solid.


 
The SYP logs in the foreground had slipped bark, etc. but no internal damage and no blue.  The SYP logs seen in the background were fresh felled, but they were not sawn yesterday.  I'll go back in a few months and saw them.  No problem.  

[widetrackman]

Don't overthink it.  You are OK on all of the questions that you asked.  This was my sawing yesterday.



These Red Oak logs were several years old but the heartwood was solid.


 
The SYP logs in the foreground had slipped bark, etc. but no internal damage and no blue.  The SYP logs seen in the background were fresh felled, but they were not sawn yesterday.  I'll go back in a few months and saw them.  No problem.  

Don't overthink it.  You are OK on all of the questions that you asked.  This was my sawing yesterday.



These Red Oak logs were several years old but the heartwood was solid.


 
The SYP logs in the foreground had slipped bark, etc. but no internal damage and no blue.  The SYP logs seen in the background were fresh felled, but they were not sawn yesterday.  I'll go back in a few months and saw them.  No problem.  

Thanks for the help. What I am trying to get my head around is that my pines are so large and in mixed hard woods that I may have to hire someone to get some of them felled and moved to the mill. It would not be cost effective to pay for just a few trees (most 28"DBH x 70') so what I am trying figure is how long I have to mill oak and pine once in the yard before degrading starts.I do tend to overthink things. :

[Magicman]

You already have Ambrosia Beetles in the Oak so the only thing further that will happen to them will be additional sapwood spalting.  Saw the SYP first.

[High_Water]

Where I'm at in SE TX all the windfall red oaks from these hurricanes have a good bit of rot through the pith at the base, anywhere from 6" dia up to 12" of rot in a 30" tree. I'm not sure if the rot is a factor that weakened the roots and made the trees more susceptible to wind or if its just normal for red oaks that size. Not sure how far up the tree the rot goes, I've been collecting hurricane trees but haven't had any on the mill yet.
I say all that to say this, I've cut red oak after laying on the ground for a couple years. The sapwood was pretty soft with some spalting and staining, so no structural value but it looks cool, and the heartwood was still solid. Depending on what you plan to do with it, I tend to be in the group that thinks almost any log is worth milling.


 

 

[Magicman]

Much depends upon which Red Oak it is.  You generally don't find heart rot in Cherrybark RedOak but Water Oak almost always has some bad heart.

It's said that Water Oak grows for 20 years and rots for 60 years. 

[WV Sawmiller]

   I have one last RO log to saw that has been cut over 2 years. The sap wood is punky but the heart wood is still beautiful  I am confident you will find them in good shape. Good luck.