best time to cut log hardwoods

[wolf]

HI all I just bought a nice Woodmizer and intend to cut some of the bigger (20-30") trees on my farm in middle Tennessee. Now I've got some questions that perhaps more experiences loggers can answer.
Since the air-drying of boards is slow, most logging in my area is done in the winter, with the belief that the sap is always down in the roots. that's when I used to cut firewood for the next winter back when I was a young buck.
But is this true? Does the sap in walnut and ash go down as soon as soon as there's a frost? Does it travel back up on sunny, above freezing days? Can I cut a tree the day after a hard frost and have as little moisture in the lumber as if I had waited for the dead of winter? And how critical is any of this to the drying process? Is it a big deal or not?
Thanks for any facts or insights you can give me

 

[twochains]

HI all I just bought a nice Woodmizer and intend to cut some of the bigger (20-30") trees on my farm in middle Tennessee. Now I've got some questions that perhaps more experiences loggers can answer.
Since the air-drying of boards is slow, most logging in my area is done in the winter, with the belief that the sap is always down in the roots. that's when I used to cut firewood for the next winter back when I was a young buck.
But is this true? Does the sap in walnut and ash go down as soon as soon as there's a frost? Does it travel back up on sunny, above freezing days? Can I cut a tree the day after a hard frost and have as little moisture in the lumber as if I had waited for the dead of winter? And how critical is any of this to the drying process? Is it a big deal or not?
Thanks for any facts or insights you can give me

I honestly think lumber drys faster in the heat of Summer. Saw your lumber and strip stack it, ifn you want it to dry faster put fans blowing on the bundles. Here in Arkansas the Winter months don't always put the sap into the ground, it does just like you said and comes back up on warm days. I have cut ALOT of frozen standing timber...it isn't fun at all, our pine will fricken explode if in a bind...very dangerous. Even timber like Red Cedar, who's heart has an already low moisture percentage will pull the sap back up into the white wood and freeze.

My suggestion would be to just cut your timber and saw it...90 days w/o air blowing on lumber will dry it out good enough. There are moisture gauges you can use also if you get really concerned.

 

[bitzer]

In the winter the sap is going to be in the roots. Up here wood will freeze dry. In the summer species like maple will stain.