I've got 7 huge pine trees being felled this week on my property.
My questions are:
1) how bad will the sap screw up my chainsaw mill if I resaw these into planks?2) will they be any better if I let them dry a while first.
3) I'm planning on using at least 1 section of nice clear trunk to carve a cigar store indian. Should I let the wood dry first or whould I carve while the wood is still greenl.Is it even worth resawing them or should I just let the tree service remove the trunks too?
Till
There are many kinds of pine. Sugar pine is one of the better carving woodsit is soft with a very subdued grain. Southern Yellow Pine is one of the densest, strongest softwoods with a bold grain. It's often used for flooring and ladders.
White Pine tends to develope 'sap stains' (actually discoloration from fungal growth) if it is left in log form or left to air dry.
Some other pines may behave the same.
I think you'll get less trouble with the sap gumming up your saw while it is still wet. The resins aren't going anywhere and when they are drier they will melt onto the saw and harden as you cut.
If they are huge and straight you should be able to get plenty of good wood from them, no matter the species. Good for what, exactly, will vary with the species.
I never had any problem with sap on my chainsaw when I cut my pine trees up into lumber with my chainsaw mill. Stacked the boards, and air dried them for almost a year before building sheds with them.
They will actually cut better if you cut them green (my experience) than after they were dry. The water in the wood would lube the saw and it would cut faster, and keep the saw blade cooler. But the down side of that is when you are handeling the boards right after cutting them, then is when you will find plenty of sap on your gloves or hands.
The last trees I cut up were 18 - 20 inch in diameter with straight trunk for about 20 feet before showing much taper.
As for it being better to cut them into boards or have them hauled away and then buying already dry and milled lumber, is up to you. To put in the work, as opposed to paying for someone else to do the work.
For myself, it has always been well worth the effort to cut my own. Big trees like that gives many wonderful clear straight grain boards.
I can not speak for the carving value, for I never did that.
Zap
tillius wrote:
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