Newbie Stock Piling Question

[Riddler]

I would like to start milling some of the doug fir, redwood and hardwood species that my place in the country regularly generates. At the moment, the prime candidates consist of the few mature trees here and there that come down because of wind or erosion. For example, last winter, a 24" doug fir came down beside the creek that flows through the property. It is still there, laying across the creek and on up the opposite hillside. Soon, I will also have reason to clear an acre or two on the property, which will likely include a number of good size trees.

Assuming I can arrange to have the logs skidded to a future milling staging area, is it feasible to stock pile the logs for some period and then arrange to have a lot of milling done at once? Does it matter if the logs are stored in the sun or shade? How long can they remain unmilled and still be useful? Should I expect to treat the stockpiled logs differently depending on which type they are (e.g., doug fir v. redwood v. oak, etc.)? Would the maximum stockpile time be different for the logs that will be used to generate material for structural uses (i.e., the doug fir and redwood) as opposed to decorative purposes (i.e., the oak, myrtle and Pacific Madrone)? Finally, how long should I leave the logs for storage purposes?

My place is in west Sonoma County, so snow and freezing aren't issues in the winter. It is very wet, however, during the winter.

I would hate to take a the time and trouble to move long and heavy logs around, only to discover later that they aren't any good to mill when I'm ready to get started. In the past, I have simply turned everything into firewood on the spot, even the larger diameter stuff. Now, I am thinking about making better use of the larger stuff as it becomes available.

Thanks a bunch for whatever thoughts you might have.

 

[woodshop]

Would like to help, but I think the answers to your specific questions depend on the specifics of your area. Here in the northeast, some logs, if up off the ground, can last for a while, because they are naturally rot resistant. I have milled both black walnut, and black locust that was cut down 2 years ago, and both were still solid and bug free. I've pulled osage orange pieces right off the ground where they've been for years from power line clearing and the insides were solid as the day they were cut. Some wood though, soft maple and beech come to mind, get full of bugs and start spalting quickly, especially in moist conditions. Talk to some of the sawmills in your area, they would know.