Jack Pine longevity

[foggy]

Was talking with Riggs the other day about Jack Pines. Wonder about using some 4 - 6" diameter logs for some fence rails. Would cut them and let the "logs" dry naturally. How long would these Jack Pines last in the MN climate?

Dead Jack Pines seem to last many years. I know wood rails out west will last a looong time. But not real sure about the longevity of these Jacks in our MN climate. Ideas on this?

 

[dipper]

I would stay away for that purpose. Pines in general rot fast. Out west nothing rots

 

[bueller]

I'm with dipper on this one. We have lots of jack pine and I think you'd be disappointed in a couple short years. It doesn't even make good firewood because by the time it dries out it's half rotted.

 

[sandbur]

I would not use jack pine. You will just have to clean up the broken down fence in a few years.

Tamarack might be a good choice.

 

[foggy]

The advice here may have saved allot of work Riggs. ;)

......of course sometimes these guys have been known to be wrong. ;) :rolleyes:o_O

 

[Riggsgwp->]

Thanks guys. I would like to possibly plant a row of trees to be used later for the fence. What species would hold up the best? I would like to build a western style jackleg fence but I am in no hurry to do it.

 

[wklman]

I would not use jack pine. You will just have to clean up the broken down fence in a few years.

Tamarack might be a good choice.

Tamarack is good. I used tamarack posts for my deer stand 7 years ago and it's still solid as a rock with the legs being buried in the ground.

 

[Riggsgwp->]

How long would it take to grow tamarack to 3-4 inch diameter? Here's the style I want to use

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[Riggsgwp->]

If your soil isn't right for tamarack, I do know what you could grow....black locust ;) Black locust poles last pretty much forever. Just be prepared to control the damn things once you get them started.

I don't want to open up a can of worms with more locust. I'm still debating cutting down the few I planted out there.


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[Riggsgwp->]

Crap I'd be in the grave at that point. I suppose white cedar would take even longer to grow?


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[foggy]

You may find a stand of Tammarac that was recently killed by disease. I see that sometimes when driving. I suppose you could go after some of those.....and who would care. I think you could do that on public land.....but don't quote me. :D

Log 'em in the winter when you can get access to the swampy ground they grow on.

 

[Riggsgwp->]

I think I will give the tamarack a try for planting along the road. It shouldnt take that long to get a 3 inch 10 foot pole should it? I would think I could have something worth cutting in 10-12yrs or so.


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[wklman]

Forgot to add that my Orchard fence is made up of Tamarac posts. I put it up in 2010 and picked the posts up off of Craigslist. They were diseased like foggy says and the guys were cutting them down. I forget what I paid for them but it was cheap and they have lasted well.

 

[Riggsgwp->]

I appreciate the offers guys I'm just not sure I want to do all the work of cutting and hauling and it would take a lot of wood for my length of road. I could maybe cut some dead standing stuff to try out a small section of fence and see how much work it's going to be.


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[bwoods11]

My neighbor uses ironwood for posts?

I've got a bunch if you want it

 

[Riggsgwp->]

I've got ironwood too and I used it for some posts for bluebird houses. Only thing is it sucks to cut a lot of it(hard on saw)


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[foggy]

I've got ironwood too and I used it for some posts for bluebird houses. Only thing is it sucks to cut a lot of it(hard on saw)


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Got any relatives with a saw? My BIL would borrow my saw for such a project. Grin. ;)

 

[West Branch]

Tamarack would be good if you can find it. My dad said our area first got hit by the larch beetle in the late 30s and into the 40s. A lot of tamarack was cut down to use as firewood and fence posts and the fence posts lasted many years.

Have you talked to any places about buying it? I know people that have bought fence posts from here, not sure on varieties:
Pliny Post and Pole - Terry & Tammy Robinson 20110 220th St. McGrath, MN 56350 (320) 592-3700

Also found this place online, don't know anything about them, located in Becker: http://discountpole.com/

 

[foggy]

Pine River has a couple of small saw mills. Might be worth a trip on your lunch break to talk with those guys about some Tammy's.

......or, an add on CL may get someone to harvest some small Tammy's for you?? Lotsa Jackpine savages need a little extra money in the wintertime. o_O

Seems Craigs List can provide lots of results for me. :)

 

[Riggsgwp->]

Thanks again guys. So much for me being done with my projects:confused: This colder weather has got my shoulder so frozen up I can't even think about doing work anytime soon. I bet I couldn't even draw my bow if I tried right now.