I'm liking the power poles.

justallan1 · February 07, 2013, 08:34:19 PM

After the fires this last summer the power companies gave us all of the poles they replaced, and even brought them down and stacked them right next a two track going through one of my pastures.
I had the time this morning before things thawed out to go grab part of one and quit early and sawed it this afternoon. I'll be getting the rest of those. We use the smaller ones for gate braces and corner braces, but the boss said to use the bigger ones for firewood in the shop. Well I'm sawing a little off for kindling and if I find some boards in the middle, well great!
I'm pretty sure I'll be sawing these poles at least until things dry up around here. They don't have much metal in them, they are good and solid, they saw great, I don't have to dry them and they are easy to get to. It sure seems like I'm missing something that's going to make me smack myself in the forehead.

drobertson · February 07, 2013, 08:37:19 PM

;D yea, well I say no more bragging ;D I have had a chance to cut a few, and I agree, kinda sweet! lots better than the reclaimed ties for sure.

rooster 58 · February 07, 2013, 08:39:51 PM

Hey Allan, I'm glad you got to put the blade in some wood today ;)

justallan1 · February 07, 2013, 09:04:43 PM

Thanks Rooster.
Drobertson, sorry about being so happy 8). I'm just so new at this and chomping at the bit wanting to get to some trees to saw. Everything here is either drifted in with snow or thawed so bad that you can't get to it. I had forgotten all about these poles.
For once I trip and land in something good!
Allan

lineguy82 · February 07, 2013, 09:14:04 PM

Poles are part of the reason I want to buy a mill. I've got a stockpile of old transmission poles to cut. It's beautiful wood when it gets sawn up. Only the cedars and pines tho

drobertson · February 07, 2013, 09:14:34 PM

Heck yea! 8) dancing along with you man! I almost landed on the mother load this past summer, then one of the lineman got smart and horded all the goods for himself. Poles for the most part are killer, meaning a good thing, reclaimed ties, not so good imo. Keep it up, you will get the logs at some point, it is almost a lock for sure. We were talking today about building some fence, sure wish I had some of the stock you have. I am thinking on going to the white oak split posts. those straight pine timbers will make some good ones for sure, keep it up, happy for you!,, david lineguy, this post was written while you posted sorry man, no offense please, get a mill and go for it, david

NMFP · February 08, 2013, 06:57:09 AM

Creosote poles? If so... they work great for horse barns. Horses dont crib on them because of the creosote so if you have a horse that likes to crib, replace all of horizontal boards with creosote and he or she will stop cribbing! Most people out my way do this now and it breaks them from cribbing.

ND rancher · February 08, 2013, 07:38:09 AM

I've got a pile also. Was getting full main line poles delivered until someone complained. Most were cedar 22'x80'. Would like to build a small cabin with those.The pine are posts . When I got my mill I put a bottom 8' on the bed and took a plank out of the center, 1/4 the halves,ended with 4- 8x8 triangle posts and 1 2x18" plank for the barn. Will dip the angle posts before I plant them so they last longer.( saw cuts, no treat) Sweet! 8)

slider · February 08, 2013, 07:49:02 AM

If these poles are creosote treated you don't want that dust on your skin or in your lungs.In the summer this dust will blister your skin.Been there.Don't cut them much except for myself.

bandmiller2 · February 08, 2013, 07:50:11 AM

Poles can vary depending on their species and treatment.If there heavily treated best left in the round.The cross arms are usally a good bet many of the high line ones are douglas fir, some up here are white cedar.A few years back a subcontractor came through and replaced many high line poles.I could have had all I wanted but they were heavily treated,no way for me I took the cross arms though. Frank C.

JSwigga · February 08, 2013, 07:53:54 AM

We got a load of old western red cedar poles. A lot of guys that build boats out of it. I spent a day milling it and got enough lumber to build my back deck. That was kind of what got me hooked on milling. Taking the poles all the way to a finish deck. Very rewarding.
the lighting in the pic is bad but you get the idea

tyb525 · February 08, 2013, 08:07:12 AM

Man you wanna be really careful there's not creosote in those poles, it can cause a lot of long term damage to your skin, eyes, and lungs.

justallan1 · February 08, 2013, 08:17:54 AM

The big poles we have sure seem to be cedar, looking at the knots and sawdust, plus smelling like a good old No.2 pencil.
It looks like the bottoms were perforated and sprayed with something, but it's not creosote and the end is sealed. The ground wire runs down the things and takes about 10 wraps around the base with about 30 staples, so I'm planning on just lopping off the last foot or so.

justallan1 · February 08, 2013, 09:03:39 AM

Here's a little better picture of the pole I sawed up yesterday. Looking at the piece biside the mill you can see what I called perforated. I worked at a place in Wyoming in the early 90's that did that before being pressure treated. Whatever they pressure treated this pole with, it sure doesn't look like it took to deep.
Looking at the knots and how they were all tight and it seems they were more a part of the center of the tree and then it grew around them makes me think cedar. Plus how it cuts and leave the board "hairy" for lack of better words.
Please feel free to give your opinions.
Allan

downsouth · February 08, 2013, 09:43:58 AM

Cypress ?

drobertson · February 08, 2013, 11:02:09 AM

Not sure on the western timber, looks like a tight grain pine, maybe DF? Looks good whatever it is,

justallan1 · February 08, 2013, 11:55:31 AM

Is there any other trees that smell like cedar? Other than the smell of it I could be talked into thinking anything.

downsouth · February 08, 2013, 01:28:19 PM

I know it's probably not cypress. It just looks real similar to some old blow down cypress I have been cutting (especially that 2nd pic) they also get kinda furry after cutting. But they don't smell like cedar of course.

Ianab · February 08, 2013, 01:52:56 PM

Port Orford Cedar? Or one of the related species (Nootka Cypress etc)

White Colour? Smells? Durable?

It tends not to need, or take treatments very well, but lasts for years untreated.

It's good stuff, especially clear old growth wood like that.

Ian

JSwigga · February 08, 2013, 02:02:54 PM

That looks like Western Red Cedar to me. They used it a lot in old telephone poles.

tyb525 · February 08, 2013, 03:00:25 PM

I vote for WRC, that's the kind they use for pencils too.

redbeard · February 08, 2013, 05:10:14 PM

It dose look like WRC its native to my area. I too will mill the cedar tele poles. Keep your eye out for Alaskan yellow cedar they made a lot of poles out of that also.

Solomon · February 08, 2013, 05:17:15 PM

The poles I have been getting come from various pile driving companys in my area. They are the sections they cut off when ther are done driving the pilon. So the're clean and new with no metel in them what so ever. I know a lot of folks being here nearly 40 years. Every no and then someone gets educated and my supply dries up for six months or a year but they always seem to grow tired of it and sooner or later they are will to deliver them to me again to get rid of them. Which give me a nice window the finish milling the pile of poles that are still taking up space. My gallery has pictures of the fence I built around my property from some of the poles.
I use all the creosote ones for posts just mill on flat side.
And the green ones are more dangerous than creosote because they are treated with arsnic. I will turn the mill around facing the controll valves into the wind so I am standing up wind form the dust. And I still wear a partical mask to boot. So please everybody , take extra precautions when sawing chemicaly treated timber of ANY kind. It can save your life and will prevent you from poisening your self. Seriously , it's nothing to be careless about and it only take a few extra minutes to do it safely.
Ok, I am done lecturing now .
In closing , I might need you later, if you laid up in the hospital with arsnic poisening, you're no good to me. Now get out there and make some saw dust.

millwright · February 08, 2013, 06:23:10 PM

I saw a lot of poles, and most are white cedar, but every once in a while I'll get some wrc which I consider a bonus.

beenthere · February 08, 2013, 06:26:39 PM

As I understand it, the arsenic is chemically bound up and one can only get arsenic poisoning from burning the wood and being 'involved' with the ashes over a long period of time.

I don't disagree one bit with being cautious around chemicals, no matter which ones. But CCA treated wood is not a life-threatening deal. Nor is creosote. That is my understanding. Others may vary.

Penta was a great wood treatment, and went the way of CCA because of the hype surrounding some chemical found in milk (I believe in Michigan). The dairy herd producing the milk was found to be in a loafing shed with Penta treated wood posts and other framing materials. Someone figured this dairy herd was apparently eating the wood, tho no evidence existed that wood was consumed. And other dairy herds housed in sheds with Penta treated wood didn't seem to get Penta in their milk.
Nevertheless, that put the fear in for Penta with the big media splash and started the ball rolling to remove Penta from the treatment of wood.
But it was later learned that the Penta chemical was mistakenly mixed in with the feed rations and delivered to the dairy farm thus consumed by the cows and found in their milk. Those findings didn't stop the snowballing effect or the push to remove Penta from wood treatment. Then came CCA. Similar fate.