What time of year to cut trees to be milled??

[Greenbay]

Hi guys, I was wondering if there is a better time of year to fell trees that will be milled into lumber. I have heard that the winter is better, and one person told me you can only get grade 3 lumber if it's cut in the summer months.

 

[deeker]

The trees are lighter in winter, and the lumber grade is affected by the knots and other defects. The latter does not change during the year.

Good luck

Kevin

Ruff Cutts

 

[woodshop]

Hi guys, I was wondering if there is a better time of year to fell trees that will be milled into lumber. I have heard that the winter is better, and one person told me you can only get grade 3 lumber if it's cut in the summer months.

This question has come up several times before on here... from what I've read in a study actually done on this a while back (forget where I saw it, maybe Woodweb) the species and other condition do affect drying to some degree, but not a whole lot for the most part. Certain trees would dry a little slower if cut in winter, and others would do the same if cut in spring. There was no one set rule of thumb for all species. As far as only getting grade 3 lumber (assuming he/she meant #3 common) if you cut in summer months, that's just B.S.

 

[Greenbay]

Thanks for the info guys. I run a tree service and ran into a guy who mills as a hobby. He has a regular mill with a band saw. I don't know much about milling. We have talked about him picking up logs from me, milling and drying the lumber and returning 50%-60% of it to me. This sounded pretty fair to me. What do you guys think. Any suggestions on how I should cut the logs for him.

 

[Tree Bones]

Greenbay, The pine's and cedar's we have out here will have the sap up during winter and if cut then the lumber tends to be harder and last longer than the same trees cut during summer. 8 foot 6, 10 foot 6, 12 foot 6 and so on are the lengths that I request when someone els is cutting logs for me. If you get 50% or more that is real good for you, I never give that much unless it is real valuable lumber.

 

[Backwoods]

I prefer to get all my hard woods when the sap is down during the winter, this means that there is less water to remove during the drying process, there for less movement in the wood, as in cracking ect. However if a cherry orchard needs harvested in the spring then I will harvest in the spring and deal with the extra moister the best that I can.

As far as soft woods goes when every they are available is a good time.

There are some folks who will not harvest a hardwood when the sap is up under any circumstance.

 

[slabmaster]

Winter is best for me unless it's been standing dead a year, then it doesn't matter as the sap won't be running anyway.

 

[oldsaw]

I prefer fall/winter/early spring, but I don't always get to choose. I take them as they come.

Mark

 

[04ultra]

I prefer fall/winter/early spring, but I don't always get to choose. I take them as they come.

Mark

I offered you a whole load and you didn't show up to get them.....