How do they make semi-round pickets

[mm]

How do they make semi-round pickets?

I mean fence pickets that are convex on one side and flat on the other.

They used to be made by cutting the center out of a tree in the form of flat boards and then the small pieces on the sides were already semi-round.

But my friend thinks they are milled. Wouldn't that be too expensive, to make the cutting wheels?

I have had a few pickets that seemed like the round side was really 3 narrow flat sides in row. But afaict they were in the same batch as a lot of other pickets that were clearly round.

[dpb]

... Never seen such a beastie, but as for milling, they make far more intricate mouldings than that. It wouldn't be particularly expensive.

--

[Bryce]

Some are still made this way. Veneer lathes cut a continuous strip of wood from 4-foot or 8-foot long logs as one step in making plywood. When the log has been reduced to a small diameter, it is kicked off to a conveyor that goes to a rip-sawing operation. The core is sawed square and then split into two 2X4's ... and four pieces that might end up in your fence. Wood is too expensive to waste and the mills manage to make something salable from every bit.

[mm]

Very interesting. Thanks all.

But I thought baby carrot was a euphemism and they were actually unused carrot embryos.

[The Daring Dufas]

WHEW! I thought they were aborted carrots.

TDD

[LouB]

I actually saw them being made on Discovery Channel "How Its Made" last night.

Lou

[mm]

I was going to list that as the second choice, but thought people might yell at me.

[Micky]

Very interesting. I wish I knew the answer.

Is it still possible to get semi-round pickets. I'm running out of spare pickets_ 42" long o

[Dean Hoffman]

You'll have better luck looking for half round pickets or half round posts.

[micky]

What are half round pickets? Oh, I think I get it. Do they still sell half-round pickets?

Mine are shaped in cross-section like a parenthesis sign.

About 4 years ago I was running out of rails. They used to sell them at Home Depot, but no more. I had to go to one farm store two counties away and buy as many 8 foot posts as would fit in the back of my car, a convertible at least. That was about 6. I could have squeezed in more but thought I'd wait until I used those. Then I had to go to a sawmill and have him cut them down the milddle, which he did very well, except for one a little bit (but still usable).

I also had to replace one post that for some reason I dont' know broken in half at ground level. Had to use a car jack to pull out the stub.

[micky]

Well, changing to "half-round" found me half-round posts, which unfortunately are a lot bigger than pickets, but I continue.

I may call a saw mill or wood wholesaler. ??.

[Dean Hoffman]

I don't have any really good ideas. It was just the word change from semi to half round got at least a few results.

[micky]

It did, but they were all in Australia. :-( A lot of results there, mostly posts, but maybe some pickets.

I wonder what they do with the part of the tree that used to make the half-round pickets. Also called peeled pickets, I guess because they take off the bark.

I have some, just a few, out back, and some in a storage locker, don't remember how many. When I called the fence company 10 or 15 years ago to order more and they told me they weren't going to make them anymore, I bought everyone they had. Then a friend found a fence being replaced and I removed his 6 foot pickets, cleaned his luimber, and paid him 10 cents a piece. I only took half of what surrounded his big yard. Maybe I shoudl have taken more. but it took time. .