# WRC utility poles



## justallan (Oct 15, 2014)

Between the ranch and the coal mine I have bunches (1,000s) of these poles left to saw. I've basically paid for my mill sawing these things and haven't made a mark in the piles of them. The smaller ones we just use for posts and the bigger ones I saw lumber off until I have a nice cant, but if it's nice enough I just saw the entire thing into lumber.
I lop the usable posts off for free for the ranch, charge for the square cants and sell the lumber through the local lumber yard.
Other than sheds and siding I haven't done much with this stuff, but am planning on it.
What's some woodcraft ideas on using up a bunch of it?
I laugh at myself because you can point at a random piece of scrap iron and I can tell you exactly what I could make with it, when it comes to woodcraft I draw a blank. LOL
Allan

Reactions: Like 5


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## SENC (Oct 15, 2014)

Based on the first picture, I'd suggest a dog house.

Reactions: Funny 7


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## ripjack13 (Oct 15, 2014)

A deck. With a huge trellis on it.
Cedar chests.
Picnic table
Swinging chair.
Adirondack chairs.
Shed to dry more wood!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## justallan (Oct 15, 2014)

Henry, THAT dog (Buddy) has a two story house, lol, although I may consider an office so I can eat without feeling guilty.
Marc, thanks for the ideas. You just reminded me that I'm supposed to build some kids picnic tables for a store a couple towns away.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## Nature Man (Oct 16, 2014)

Cedar is a natural for fences. Also, since it does not rot, it is good for darn near any outdoor project. Chuck


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## Kevin (Oct 16, 2014)

As long as they aren't creosote. I did that. Once. Never again for any amount of money.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Mike1950 (Oct 16, 2014)

Creosote would be only on the bottom and depending on age maybe none in Allan's neck of the woods. Gramps worked with cedar- he got it free or almost free at mill. Cedar chests have lasted but it is so soft they are quite beat up. Fence, siding, and yard stuff. things to sit on  Allan knows what the slivers are like- you just look at WRC and you have slivers. Especially as it weathers. Sure brings back memories looking at your pile- I can smell it 1000 miles away!!!


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## Kevin (Oct 16, 2014)

I don't like working with WRC cannot stand the smell. I sided a sauna with it and built a 1000'+ long fence in '98 and thought that was bad until that next job - building a deck with cypress. It was even worse. I don't care to work with either species especially cypress. I had a mild allergic reaction to that.


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## Mike1950 (Oct 16, 2014)

Kevin said:


> I don't like working with WRC cannot stand the smell. I sided a sauna with it and built a 1000'+ long fence in '98 and thought that was bad until that next job - building a deck with cypress. It was even worse. I don't care to work with either species especially cypress. I had a mild allergic reaction to that.



Lots of people are allergic to WRC- I worked with a guy in the sawmill that broke out in hives the minute cedar got near him.


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## Kevin (Oct 16, 2014)

I'm not allergic to the WRC just don't like the smell. I am mildly allergic to cypress though. And shark bites. Shark bites make me bleed profusely.

Reactions: Funny 3


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## justallan (Oct 16, 2014)

The poles I get here are only coated on the part in the ground. I do make sure to wear gloves with it because of the splinters, But they aren't anywhere near as bad as when it's green.
I would bet I've pulled several million BF of WRC off a green chain in different mills and it never bothered me to terribly bad, although some guys would fester up and bleed from the stuff, so it wasn't about being tough it just hits folks differently.
I will say this about it though, you will keep the wind hitting you in the back while sawing it, even if you have to turn the mill around. Even wearing a mask it's unbearable.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Mike1950 (Oct 16, 2014)

I liked cedar on the green chain- Helluva lot lighter then Ponderosa pine. Running the planer you had to be careful- it was so coarse, you had to give machine breaks otherwise you could get a fire going.


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## justallan (Oct 16, 2014)

I do remember that with cedar and redwood you made darn sure to wear an apron and mittens if you could find a pair.
I also remember quite well waiting for the new guys to wear out their lead hand gloves, leaving just their off hand glove in perfect shape. When I needed gloves I'd go find to lefts, turn one inside out and have a brand new pair.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 2


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## Mike1950 (Oct 17, 2014)

justallan said:


> I do remember that with cedar and redwood you made darn sure to wear an apron and mittens if you could find a pair.
> I also remember quite well waiting for the new guys to wear out their lead hand gloves, leaving just their off hand glove in perfect shape. When I needed gloves I'd go find to lefts, turn one inside out and have a brand new pair.



What I remember about the mittens is how much harder you had to grip and after about a month of wearing them the finger cramps went away. 
As far as coarse we did not have redwood but white fir was horrible.

Reactions: Like 1


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## justallan (Oct 17, 2014)

I think the one things I laughed about the most was big huge guys with arms bigger than my legs just kill themselves because they refused to listen to a guy my size trying to teach them some tricks and technique. Okay, try it your way then. That might sound kind of harsh, but that's life.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Mike1950 (Oct 17, 2014)

justallan said:


> I think the one things I laughed about the most was big huge guys with arms bigger than my legs just kill themselves because they refused to listen to a guy my size trying to teach them some tricks and technique. Okay, try it your way then. That might sound kind of harsh, but that's life.



The green chain was definitely technique- being light and slender- the first day I was there was a little intimidating. The next smallest guy was a short indian that probably had 50 lbs on me. He and another guy offered to take my rotation on the 16' 10" & 12". I thanked them but said I have to do it some time and now was as good as ever. About 5 degrees and by the time that 2 hrs was up I was down to a t-shirt. 
You are right though- if you did not listen- size would not help. Same with dry chain-where I started. It was not about weight but speed and technique. 
I loved the bennies at the sawmill. My boss would point out a mixed pile once a week and say if that is not gone in the morning- it would be chips. My queue for working late loading it into my PU.

Reactions: Like 2


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## tocws2002 (Oct 20, 2014)

justallan said:


> What's some woodcraft ideas on using up a bunch of it?



Send a bunch to me so I can make a cedar strip canoe and cross it off my bucket list. 

Wish you were closer because I would definitely be interested in some of it. 

Can you stuff 40-50 board feet in a large flat rate box and ship it to me?

Yep, cedar strip canoes, that is what I would do with it.

-jason

Reactions: Funny 1


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## justallan (Oct 21, 2014)

Jason, that might be a pretty tight squeeze.


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Oct 21, 2014)

It not about size but technique




might even be able to add a little the FBE to top off the box.

Reactions: Funny 1


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