# bug kill pine



## jimmyjames (Apr 2, 2013)

The neighbors are cutting down some bag worm killed pine trees, they have heavy blue and other color streaks in it, I chunked a piece off of the log too see the face grain, its gorgeous.... but there's metal in the log... is this stuff even worth cutting? I was thinking about having it milled but I don't think its worth it


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## Mike1950 (Apr 2, 2013)

Jim, I do not think so- at least for sale here but that is just one opinion..........


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## Mike Jones (Apr 2, 2013)

One of the big lumber companies out here started buying "salvage" logs some many years ago following forest fires. The Red Tape associated with logging Forest Service lands caused some of the stands of timber to get "buggy" before it could be salvaged, but they learned that blue stain pine could be sold...and at a premium! The company coined the marketing term "Denim Pine", and with Sunset magazine's help, created a demand for it.

It mills up like any other pine, and makes pretty paneling in T&G. Small quantities, however, won't bring much and the blue will eventually turn grey and even black. Lodgepole pine gets hit pretty hard with the beetles out here, and if it gets used at all, the wood lot guys get the best price when selling it by the cord.


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## Mandolin (May 5, 2013)

Mike, I have a lot of trouble with the Southern Pine Beetle on my place. I watch my trees very closely and if I see one with the tell-tale knots of sap on the bark, I cut it down. The wood is always beautiful but, Southern Yellow Pine is cheap. I would cut one down and leave it to rot if I thought there was any metal in it. I am lucky though. My Granddaddy bought this place in 1932 and fenced the whole 150 acres in. He had no fences in the woods except on the property lines, so I don' worry much about fence metal.


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## sprucegum (May 6, 2013)

I would never waste my time on a log like that there is just not enough value in the lumber to risk hitting metal. I routinely saw Maple that has been tapped for maple syrup production the risk of hitting a old cast iron sap spout is great but so is the reward.


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## Kevin (May 6, 2013)

Mike Jones said:


> .... but they learned that blue stain pine could be sold...and at a premium! The company coined the marketing term "Denim Pine", and with Sunset magazine's help, created a demand for it.
> .....



I had read the story and shared it over at WWT years ago, but the idea was one Canadian lady's inspiration (Lynn Pont) over a glass of white wine:

_While sitting on my deck discussing the day over a glass of white wine, we talked about this wood and other species, saying that consumers readily purchase stained woods for many applications; why wouldn't they purchase something that was naturally stained? Then I looked down at my jeans, and there it was!_


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