[coffeetime]

I will be looking to cut a few trees down this winter for my own use. Mainly turning and maybe some boards. I normally don't wander threw the woods in the summer because I dislike snakes, ticks, chiggers, and lord knows what else. But I was thinking about all this and I got to wondering if it is better to harvest a tree, lets say oak, in the summer when the sap is up. Or is it better to harvest them in the winter when the sap is down? Also was wondering about the good/bad of harvesting dead trees. I know it can be harder on the saw but is there any other considerations?
TIA

Mike

 

[Daren]

I will try to answer your questions, feel free to ask more. Winter harvest is good, some species like hard maple in some peoples opinion should only be harvested in winter. They are too prone to stain if they are not immediately sawn in warm weather. As far as dead trees, get them out of there, give the live ones room to grow making for a better woodlot. It would be ideal if you could get enough lumber just from the dead ones, the live ones are growing money in the bank. Some standing dead trees are a habitat for bugs (powder post beetles and other borers) and if they have stood too long may be wormy/holey. Having said that I have sawn hardwoods (walnut/cherry/white oak) that have laid in the mud for years and milled gorgeous lumber. Even though they looked rotten on the outside. Red oak does not fair as well after it is dead.

 

[TexasTimbers]

Mike,

The best looking walnut I have ever seen barring burl and crotch etc was from some logs I cut that had lain around in the brush for 5 years. the sapwood was virtually gone. All that was left was some rotten-looking heartwood that was stunning once I knocked off the rotten slabs.

You know what Forest Gump's mom said:
Logs are like a box of chocolates . . . .

 

[Daren]

You know what Forest Gump's mom said:
Logs are like a box of chocolates . . . .

:laughing:, I am not sure that is exactly what she said, but it fits perfectly...you never know what you're gonna to get. Only one way to find out Mike . There are a couple guys on this forum that can see past the "wrapper" most times. Feel free to post pictures here or shoot me an email if you are unsure :thumbsup:.

 

[coffeetime]

Well now I guess I will have to take a long look around this winter. I know there is a bunch of dead stuff back there. Being new to all this my eyes are just now starting to see what I do have here. The really funny thing is that I bought this 40 acres 10 years ago. But I have never set foot on the back 20 acres. It's all woods, or so I'm guessing. I keep telling myself every winter that I am going to go have a look see but never seem to get around to it. Heck for all I know someone may be living back there.

Mike

 

[Daren]

Heck for all I know someone may be living back there.

Or something, maybe Big Foot

.

 

[Corndog]

I just found this thread and found it funny that I was talking to my wife about the old steam donkeys last night....There's a TON of 'em up in Squamish. My ol' neck of the woods.[No pun...]:laughing:

 

[Corndog]

 

[Daren]

Cool Cdog. I like that old logging equipment and old logging photos. For anyone not familiar that machine was used to pull logs out of the woods, once steam power made its entrance into logging. They replaced horses/mules, but mainly loggers used oxen. It was quite an interesting machine, it was held fast when it was used for pulling logs, but when they had to move it they put the cable on a standing tree and the donkey would drag itself through the woods on skids/logs.I am not a logger, but would like to run a steam donkey one time....just because the operator was called a "donkey puncher"

. Think that would be a cool title, Daren what do you do? "I'm a donkey puncher" :laughing:

 

[Corndog]

I'm from the west coast and my wife's from the east...I used to bug her about how the east coast could log with scissors!!!!:laughing: