deadstands?

[andujar9464]

What do you guys think about deadstanding trees I'm about to drop an aprox. 30' black locust that has been dead for about 5 years (for my woodstove) its trunk is fairly straight for about 12' with no branches so I was thinking of splitting off a stave or two before Mr. Husquevarna turns it into 24" rounds. Just wondering if its worth messing with.

[Stalkingfox]

Well the problem with deadwood standing is woodpeckers and nasty bugs and wasps that burrow in the wood. But either way no way to really now til shes down

[George Tsoukalas]

BL and osage are woods that decompose very slowly but the bugs like them. If bug free should be ok. Jawge

[andujar9464]

So other than pests there isn't anything innately wrong dead standing trees? Cuz if not ill give it a shot unfortunately peckers haven't been seen in my county for some time(something about overpopulation of fishers and martens around here made them run off(since trapping got so much red tape here that is practically illegal). And bugs aren't a huge deal up here in the adirondacks other than that stupid elm beetle.(bastard killed them all off almost)

[Stalkingfox]

I say go for it, as long as theres still good wood in it.

[Badly Bent]

If the wood looks sound on the ends after taking the tree down it may be good. Split out some staves, remove sapwood with a drawknife and seal backs with shellac. (should be able to see if any bug damage after splitting) Let it season a few months, reduce a stave to rough bow dimensions and dry it further. Make a bow. ( if you find the wood is bad for any reason you can still make firewood)
All that being said, I have no clue about dead standing wood, never tried it.   Good Luck
Greg

[PEARL DRUMS]

My question would be why it died in the first place. Something killed it.

[blackhawk]

I've cut a dead standing osage before and made a couple killer bows out of it so far..still got a couple staves left of it....in my area the only dead standing wood id harvest is osage n black locust....I wouldn't mess with any other of the woods tho....although soy did make a bow or two from a dead standing walnut....and yew wood be the only other wood id do this with...small list. I have cut an almost dead standing locust and have made one bow from it(soon to be posted,n been done 5 days ago). Like everyone said,as long as it looks bug free,n the heartwood looks good when ya cut it

[Sidewinder]

I call it stump cured myself. If the bugs have'nt eatin it up it could be ok.   Danny

[Jim Davis]

So other than pests there isn't anything innately wrong dead standing trees? ... .

This is true of Osage, locust, and red cedar. Other's it's iffy. I have used dead ash successfully, but with all the white woods, it's a toss-up at best.

Jim Davis

[andujar9464]

It died from it hanging around powerlines and county tree trimmers being dumb. Yet again thank you for the responses the tree is down and in 10' sections at the moment waiting on my buddies truck I use for lumber transport I debarked a piece of a twisted section and it seems fine the cambium layer took a beating in the years it was up so it peels by hand easy.