Wide yellow pine boards

[Patrick NC]

I got a bunch of nice clear yellow pine logs off a clearing job this week. I've got to get them cut up before the grubs and blue stain get them, but I'm not exactly sure what I want for sizes.  Most are 24"+ on the small end I was thinking about making some wide 1" boards since there are no knots or other visible defects in these logs. If I need to I can always resaw into narrower boards later. My question is will really wide boards dry without a lot of cupping or should I saw narrower to start with?

[Hackeldam Wood Products]

in my experience any width boards will cup. You have to sticker them well and keep the sun off them.
I would cut those logs into cants and then cut the lumber from them when you know what you need.

[scsmith42]

I've milled some 36" pine logs, netting a lot of boards in the 26"+ width range, and they stayed pretty flat.  I've had my best results by stickering on 12" centers and placing 250psf on top of the stacks.  I use old concrete sidewalk sections for the weight.

Most of the wood movement that I experienced was due to cellular direction changes near knots in the boards.

[moodnacreek]

If they where mine I would saw immediately and spray for blue stain. The boards would go on narrow dry sticks 2' o.c. and stickered to have no overhang on the ends. The pile must be on a flat surface and high weighted heavy on the ends. Pine is too much work in spring and summer, in winter there is nothing to it.

[WDH]

I would modify quartersaw those logs.  The clear vertical grain boards will bring a premium.  Cannot find those in any lumberyard or box store.  I would saw some 4/4, 6/4 (for tabletops), and some 9/4 (for tabletops/countertops).  But, I saw, air dry, kiln dry to 8% furniture grade, plane and retail sell to customers.  So, your use may be different, and that will determine what you saw out of them; it depends on what plan to do with the boards.  

Here is a table made from 9/4 vertical grain pine.  I personally do not like the stain that the customer decided to use, but, to me, the wood is very beautiful. 



 

[moodnacreek]

That is good suggestion and probably the best way to saw the wood. And there was a time when I would do that but the customers I get don't recognize or understand straight grained high quality lumber. It works out better for me to saw one thickness and have one stack of the same item for sale. That is the difference between doing it right and being in business or should I say doing it wrong to make money.

[Patrick NC]

I've got a little under 3000' of logs so I believe I'll quartersaw the nicest ones and saw wide boards from the others. Best of both worlds. Logs were free so it can't hurt to experiment a little. Thanks for the suggestions.