Sawing dry Tamarack

[welderskelter]

I was given a bunch of tamarack logs. The guy says they are dry. Are they going to be hard to build with cause they are so hard. Will they also be hard to saw on the mill?

[barbender]

It is a hard softwood. The main battle when sawing it is keeping pitch off of your blade, and learning to read tamarack logs for which ones are worth sawing and which ones are better used as firewood. Butt logs with large bells, and ones with spiral grain get passed over unless I'm just sawing blocking or something. Tamarack is unique in how much the sawn lumber will follow the shape of the log. If the log has a big stump flare, the lumber will look like a hockey stick. If the log has a 4" sweep, the lumber will too. Tamarack says, "I grew that way and you're not going to change me"😁

[moodnacreek]

For rough cut 1" exterior siding, fence or wagon boards, tamarack is what you want. Sawn thick you better bolt it down today and keep tightening.

[welderskelter]

Dont sound good. I was wanting to build a wood shed and use them as the posts

[ladylake]

 I'd think  Tamarack would work fine for shed post ,put it up soon as possible.  Steve

[welderskelter]

Ladylake I like your idea best . I figured they wouldnt warp so bad as they are airdried in the log.

[moodnacreek]

Ladylake I like your idea best . I figured they wouldnt warp so bad as they are airdried in the log.

Air dried in the log means rot and cracks and still wet in the center. Saw logs should not be allowed to dry and get warm.

[ladylake]

 
 If the bark falls off tamarack it will last a long time in the log form, if the bark stay on it will rot around the outside fast. Lots of buildings , fences ,hayracks , silos etc were built out of Tamarack in the past.  Steve

[Mooseherder]

I used Tamarack probably similar to what you're describing to re-deck my trailer.  There was just enough to cover but I had to use a couple of pieces that had twisted some but still okay for this purpose.  You can saw all of the lumber for your project if you got enough logs.  

It makes purty trailer boards.

[KWood255]

I was given a bunch of tamarack logs. The guy says they are dry. Are they going to be hard to build with cause they are so hard. Will they also be hard to saw on the mill?

I cut around 500bf of dry tamarack today. It seems to have a lot more memory/stress in the log compared to red/Jack pine or white spruce. Not as bad as poplar or birch though! It's beautiful looking lumber in my opinion. 

[KWood255]

I was given a bunch of tamarack logs. The guy says they are dry. Are they going to be hard to build with cause they are so hard. Will they also be hard to saw on the mill?

I cut around 500bf of dry tamarack today. It seems to have a lot more memory/stress in the log compared to red/Jack pine or white spruce. Not as bad as poplar or birch though! It's beautiful looking lumber in my opinion.

 

[barbender]

It is pretty stuff. Like I said, learning to recognize the logs that are likely to give you problems and setting them to the side is half the battle with tamarack.