This publication provides guidance on harvesting timber for posts and poles. It includes suggestions to check with the farm forester for technical assistance, secure a market for the product before cutting, cut the post to the proper length with square-cut ends, and limb smoothly

Brown, James A.

Ferrell, E. K.

English

Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange

South Dakota State University Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange SDSU Extension Fact Sheets SDSU Extension 1963 Cutting Posts and Poles for Profit E. K. Ferrell James A. Brown Follow this and additional works at: https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/extension_fact Recommended Citation Ferrell, E. K. and Brown, James A., "Cutting Posts and Poles for Profit" (1963). SDSU Extension Fact Sheets. 1387. https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/extension_fact/1387 This Fact Sheet is brought to you for free and open access by the SDSU Extension at Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in SDSU Extension Fact Sheets by an authorized administrator of Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. For more information, please contact michael.biondo@sdstate.edu. Historic, archived doculllent Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. SDSU ® Extension For current policies and practices, contact SDSU Extension Website: extension.sdstate.edu Phone: Email: 605-688-4 792 sdsu.extension@sdstate.edu SDSU Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer in accordance with the nondiscrimination policies of South Dakota State University, the South Dakota Board of Regents and the United States Department of Agriculture. cutting posts and poles Many landowners fail to recognize the value in their timber-lands. A stand of timber large enough to be cut for sawlogs is readily recognized as a valuable asset. Too often post and pole sized stands are over-looked. In many cases these post and pole stands, when properly harvested, will give the most benefits in the long run. Figure I. Typical Black Hills post and pole stand after the owner has completed the first post and pole harvest. Note the large number of stumps. These show how thick the stand was before cutting. Low stumps and slash knocked down so it will decay rapidly are good cutting practices. If cut and marketed by the owner, post and pole stands will bring returns ranging from $20 to $190 per acre. By E. K. Ferrell, Extension Forester and James A. Brown, Farm Forester, Department of Game, Fish, and Parks In addition to cash returns, there are other bene-fits for the progressive timber owner. Thinning a stand of post and pole sized timber will: 1. Increase grass growth by opening up the stand. 2. Increase timber growth. 3. Increase moisture by allowing rain and snow to reach the forest floor. 4. Make it easier to locate livestock in the woods. 5. Reduce the danger of crown fires. 6. Improve wildlife habitat. Figure 2. Post and pole stand before cutting. After you look over your timber and decide to har-vest it contact your local farm forester, county agent, or post and pole yard operator before you start cutting. They can give you important information on markets, harvesting shortcuts, proper management practices, and other money saving ideas. They can also give you information on the best time of the year to cut in order to reduce damage by insects, disease, and wood stain-ing fungi. Contacting the local post yard operator be-fore cutting is a must. He can give you prices, type and size of product needed, volume needed, and the neces-sary order for the product he wants. Before you start cutting, look around your farm or ranch. You will likely find plenty of equipment that can be used to make the job easier, faster, and more profitable. A chain saw and truck are the most impor-tant tools. Your manure loader or hay sled will come in handy in a pole cutting operation. Poles (10 feet or longer) bring in more return and have a readier mar-ket than shorter lengths. Dimension Chart for Posts and Poles Post length (feet) Top diameter inside bark (minimum in inches) 6 .5 --------------------------------------------------------- 3 .5 7 -------------------------------------------------------------- 5 .5 8 -------------------------------------------------------------- 5.5 10 ------------------------------------------------ 5.5 12 -------------------------------------------------------------- 5 .5 14 -------------------------------------------------------------- 5.5 16 -------------------------------------------------------------- 5.5 Big 8 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 7 .5 The dimension chart gives all of the standard ranges for measurement of posts and poles. While the length is self explanatory, the top diameter is some-times misunderstood. Top diameter refers to the di-ameter of the post at the small end. This is measured inside the bark; in other words imagine the bark re-moved from the top and measure the diameter of the wooden portion only. Figure 3. A straight well-limbed post. HOW TO CUT AN ACCEPTABLE PRODUCT After studying the di-mensions, lining up the equipment, and check-ing the stand to deter-mine which trees should be removed, the job of cutting the product starts. The closer the product conforms to the buyer's requirements the easier it is to find a mar-ket and obtain a top price. With this in mind, check the requirements for an acceptable post or pole. A straight post is the first c o n s i d e r ation. When cutting, check the ends to make sure they are cut squarely and to the exact lengths. Limb the post by cut-ting the limbs off smoothly and flush with the bark. This prevents the possibility of the peeler operator being caught and pulled into the machinery by a limb stub. Proper limbing al-so makes a tighter load and allows more posts per load. When cutting the first post from a downed tree, check it for butt swell. This is the en-larged area from 3 inches to 2 feet above the stump. Remove the butt swell first; then measure the first post or pole from this second cut. Top removed and limbs lopped 1o promote rapid decay. -. .,. ' Third Fire Wood Figure 4. The necessary cuts made to remove posts. This tree was cut to allow a larger one growing room. Finally, check the post for foreign particles such as nails, staples or barbed wire. Figure 5. Close-up view of a properly limbed post. SUMMARY After the posts are cut, stacked, and ready for mar-ket, take care to prevent loss of value from fungus and insect damage. This is especially important be-tween the spring thaw and fall freeze-up. During the warm summer months fungus spores (seeds) are ac-tive and likely to attack the wood. This results in coloring any wood left longer than a couple of weeks in the timber. The resultant color may give either a blue, black or green hue to the wood. In post yards this is referred to as "blue stain." While blue stain doesn't affect the strength quality of a post, it does cause a difference in treatability. This difference makes it extremely difficult to treat a charge of posts with a few blue stained posts mixed in. 1. Check with the farm forester for technical assist-ance. 2. Secure a market for your product before cutting. 3. Cut a straight post to the proper length with square-cut ends. 4. Limb smoothly; prevent blue stain and insect damage. By following the above suggestions, you can find a ready market for your product and additional income from your land. In the future it will be possible to take a load of posts into the local post yard whenever it is necessary for you to make a trip in that direction. This will bring extra income to you and increase your land value by thinning. For additional information about timber harvest-ing and management contact: Published and distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the Cooperative Extension Service of the South Dakota State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, Brookings, John T. Stone, Director, U. S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. 3M-4-63-File: 5.31-11295 

Cutting Posts and Poles for Profit

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Cutting Posts and Poles for Profit

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