Old growth white pine logs....

[richard poitras]

My cousin found 4 large old growth white pine logs with stamped ends from the logging days in the Saginaw River, here in Michigan (we were a logging mecca at the turn of the century) my question is does anyone know were these could be sold? He looking to get rid of them and he asked me if I knew where or how to sell them. So I am posting here for suggestions on how to sell them or getting them in the hands of the right people…

Thanks Richard

[harry strasil]

if they were submerged and he took them out and they are dry, they are gonna be a fright (hard/brittle) to cut, long submerged logs have to be sawn wet.

A fact that most people don't understand is one of the quickest way to dry a log is to submerge it, the water washes the sap out, Old Sawyers knew this and besides it was cheaper to float them to the Mill than to ship them.

[Julian Nicks]

As much as I would like to, I would buy them from you, but I can't right now. Your best bet is to get it milled, and kiln dried first, then try to sell it. You'll only get a small fraction of the true value of it if you just sell the logs. If you are sure you just want to sell them, I'd suggest talking to some local small mills, and even post in craigslist in more than just one city.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I agree with Julian on marketing them. For a small number a small mill would be more likely to handle them. Should you find a small mill to take them you might want to consider taking some lumber as partial payment for the logs unless you would like to have them milled and market the lumber. It might be a nuisance to dry and store but you will surely get a lot more for the wood as lumber.

[David G Baker]

Don't know if it is true but there may be some legal issues with pulling the old growth logs out of the water. I heard something in the news about it approximately a year ago but it may have been on the Canadian side of one of the Great Lakes.

[Andrew Joiner]

It seems like it should be finders keepers but this is from the news:


Wash state: 'Ax Men' crew salvaged logs illegally
The state Department of Natural Resources has seized more than two dozen logs it says a timber crew featured on the History Channel's reality show 'Ax Men' salvaged illegally.

SEATTLE —
The state Department of Natural Resources has seized more than two dozen logs it says a timber crew featured on the History Channel's reality show 'Ax Men' salvaged illegally.

DNR chief enforcement officer Larry Raedel says officers served a search warrant Friday on S&S Aqua Logging to retrieve timber the company had pulled from the Hoquiam River.

Raedel says the company didn't have a permit to salvage those logs, and DNR officer were tipped off after watching the show.

Calls to the company were not immediately returned. The company is one of several timber crews featured in the second season of "Ax Men."

Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times Company

[David Keller NC]

My cousin found 4 large old growth white pine logs with stamped ends from the logging days in the Saginaw River, here in Michigan (we were a logging mecca at the turn of the century) my question is does anyone know were these could be sold? He looking to get rid of them and he asked me if I knew where or how to sell them. So I am posting here for suggestions on how to sell them or getting them in the hands of the right people…

Thanks Richard

Richard - one issue that your cousin will need to determine is whether the logs are cracked/checked from being cut so long ago and left to dry for 100 years. Logs generally don't dry well - they usually split, check, etc..., and the wood in them may no longer be suitable for lumber.

If that's the case, he may be able to sell them to a log-home building company, particularly if they can incorporate the stamped ends - some homeowners like the history aspect of it.

[Frank Drew]

Weird that it would be illegal to salvage sunken logs.

As for these logs... old-growth yellow pine can be great stuff, particularly the long-leaf pine that once covered much of the Southeast, but I've never seen any white pine that was terribly interesting. Maybe I haven't seen enough, though.

[Andrew Joiner]

It might be legal in some states. Washington is where the Ax Men salvager was.

[Rick Fisher]

In British Columbia, you need a permit to move a log, but not sawn lumber..

So portable sawmills do well, moving to the logs..

[george wilson]

I suppose the state will take the seized logs and leave them to rot somewhere? Probably. I really can't see how that was illegal,unless it was a safety issue,and the water would be full of salvage loggers.

[Wes Grass]

Stirs up sediment, which drifts downstream and chokes baby salmon.

Or something similar.

[Quinn McCarthy]

Richard

There is a place in Asland WI that deals with salvaged logs. They might be able to give you some advise.

The name of the place is timeless timber.

http://www.timelesstimber.com/

Hope that helps.

Quinn
Forester by day woodworker by night.