max2cam
ArboristSite Guru
Yesterday I milled an 8 foot white pine log into 2 inch planks, 1 inch boards, and a nice thick even slab for a bench or small bridge.
Until now I've only milled red pine (Pinus resinosa) because I have a lot more of it and big stuff too. But this white pine was in the way so down it came!
What I noticed was how easy white pine is to mill. My 90cc Solo chainsaw went thru it like a hot knife through butter. Seemed a lot easier milling than red pine, which is sometimes called "hard pine."
No wonder they preferred white pine in the days of the "Big Cut" (1850s-1900 era here). Maybe white pine floated better too, although plenty of red pine went downriver too I'm sure to mills at St. Croix Falls, Stillwater and as far downstream as St. Louis. Pine is coming back here nicely in places in the 100 years since.
Until now I've only milled red pine (Pinus resinosa) because I have a lot more of it and big stuff too. But this white pine was in the way so down it came!
What I noticed was how easy white pine is to mill. My 90cc Solo chainsaw went thru it like a hot knife through butter. Seemed a lot easier milling than red pine, which is sometimes called "hard pine."
No wonder they preferred white pine in the days of the "Big Cut" (1850s-1900 era here). Maybe white pine floated better too, although plenty of red pine went downriver too I'm sure to mills at St. Croix Falls, Stillwater and as far downstream as St. Louis. Pine is coming back here nicely in places in the 100 years since.