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Dead standing SYP what to do ?

Started by jldoss1, August 12, 2014, 07:56:44 PM

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jldoss1

       I have quite a few standing dead syp on my property. Just wondering, they still seem very solid, but most bark is missing, if I could still cut these and saw lumber out of them. If the lumber would still be strong enough for building purposes. Do any of you have experience with cutting such trees, or should I just write these trees up as a lose, as this is a natural way a forest does its own thinning, which I know happens in all forests. Unless it is the dreaded pine borer, and I don't think this is the case in this instance as they are scattered over 60 acres Any opinions you guys have would be greatly appreciated.

Ribsy

Probably not even good enough for firewood. You might cut one down and see if it is punky inside, which is what I suspect. Be careful though, it may go the wrong way.

If they are no good for your use, they would make a good habitat for woodpeckers and other critters.
Engaged in tree work, tree removal, milling and and processing said product into high quality and well seasoned lumber slabs and firewood.

WDH

If all the bark is gone, there is not much hope for full strength lumber. 
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POSTON WIDEHEAD

Just curious as to the diameter of these trees or age.
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

tmarch

You may be surprised at what the heartwood lumber is like.  I'm not familiar with SYP but my Ponderosa beetle kill will yield some good lumber when I get to the middle portion of the log.  Personally I use the outside for non structural things and the middle is fine for anything.
Retired to the ranch, saw, and sell solar pumps.

POSTON WIDEHEAD

You may get some pretty nice 6x6 or 8x8s from these trees as long as they are center cuts. I have sold a good bit of punky grained Pine as paneling for hunting cabins.
This stuff is gonna stink when you say it but the smell will go away.......one day.  :D
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

kczbest

As long as the bark has not started slipping I saw them into 2x lumber for my own building projects or sell some of the 2x lumber to local hunters to use for building shooting houses. If as you describe the bark has fallen off its not worth my time unless it is a big tree with some good heartwood to it. Just my 2 cents.
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pineywoods

I saw a lot of standing dead syp. Two rules I go by. If the straw is still on the tops, it's probably still good. If there are dead limbs on the ground underneath and around the base, pass on it. In between those 2 is a large gray area where the only reliable way to determine worth is to put a saw blade to it. Some will be perfectly good and others punky junk. I think why the tree died may have something to do with it's condition. Lightening kills in particular will vary all over the place. Be extra careful felling standing dead trees. They can be very unpredictable and normal felling techniques may not work as advertised. I prefer a looonnng cable as high up the trunk as possible and the other end tied to a big tractor with a winch.
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Magicman

Others have mentioned safety and I will also emphasize the fact that the tree or tree top may not go as planned,

Fell the trees.  If they break when they hit the ground then let them lay.  Buck the tree into logs.  If the wood has shrunk away from the hard growth rings, then forget them.  If the wood has a lighter orange color and is soft, then again, forget them.  Do not try to make something out of something that is not.


 
This log is no good.  Notice that only a small portion in the lower left is solid. 
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POSTON WIDEHEAD

The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Gumneck

I'll add some more to this subject on SYP. I took some trees in my yard down late winter to spring this year (so really just about 6 months) and as I'm sure all understand that things get in the way. My intentions were to use my CSM and make some more lumber for a barn or maybe a future cabin. I'd love to learn and build a small timber frame but time is hard to come by.

Anyway, I've just stripped all the bark off and of course the logs have the beetle grubs and termites on them. Last night I sprayed the logs with a malathion and termite spray mix in hopes of reducing the infestation. I'll keep checking to see if I keep seeing sawdust. Anyway, I knew better than to let them sit (off the ground) this long but with work, vineyard chores, and son's baseball..... just ran out of time.

I've got a 12 footer smaller diameter log I'm going to go after with the CSM and see what looks like inside. I'll post pics when done...hopefully this week. In all so far, I have about 10 large trunks to get after for now and many more to take down.

Hopefully, someone reads this and learns from me to get the tree down, remove the bark asap or just get after it immediately with the mill.

tks
Tom

Magicman

Hello Gumneck.  Very good advice and Welcome to the Forestry Forum.   :)
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Gumneck

Testing pic post process. Here's a trunk that may show some saw dust from termites. Apologize for poor cell phone pics....its a dumb phone like me.




 



 

jldoss1

     Most are 16 to 24 in at base prob. about 40 to 60 years old would be my guess.

jldoss1

    Thanks guys for your information, these trees have been standing dead for less than two years I don't know if that will make any difference in there quality.

jldoss1

     Thanks everyone for your info. I guess basically if I cut it down and its solid through then it would be ok for lumber is this the basic idea. Sorry to sound so inexperienced but I am, I'm just trying to learn as much as I can from you guys that have the experience to lead me down the right road. Thank You to everyone for your opinions.

captain_crunch

lPlease be careful with a dead snag No wedging don't brush another tree and last but least have seem many tops fold back as tree falls and landing right at stump
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customsawyer

Make sure you have more than one escape route when felling these trees and wear a hard hat.
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Magicman

Those little sawdust trails are ambrosia beetles and should be of no concern.  If the bucked log ends look good, then saw them.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Deese

Quote from: WDH on August 12, 2014, 08:20:23 PM
If all the bark is gone, there is not much hope for full strength lumber.

I agree with WDH. However, you can still cut these type trees into 1" boards. Many folks like the look of lumber from weathered pine trees. They look great as wall paneling.
Here's an example of some of the pine I've cut that was used for wall paneling  8) 8)


 
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ljmathias

I've had mixed results with standing dead SYP also.  Key to remember is this: never use any of it for anything structural, cause it ain't.  You'll never get the strength of freshly felled, cut and dried lumber from a living SYP... just saying...

Lj
LT40, Long tractor with FEL and backhoe, lots of TF tools, beautiful wife of 50 years plus 4 kids, 5 grandsons AND TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS all healthy plus too many ideas and plans and not enough time and energy

ely

My rule of thumb is easy... after bucking the log I stab the end with my pocketknife ...if it goes in easily it's not good. If it only sinks in a half inch or so you are good to go.

Magicman

And slabs will always be taken deeper when sawing "dead" Pine.  You have to get down to the solid portion of the log.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

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