harry strasil
08-23-2006, 11:51 PM
Some maybe interesting facts about timber from the past.
Q. Why were late January and February usually preferred as the months to cut timber to be made into lumber for furniture and other critical uses?
A. 1. The Sap was down about as far as it was gonna go in the trees. 2. It was easier to skid the logs out on snow and ice with animal power than on bare earth.
Q. What were the terms given to different sizes of commercial sawn timber in the old days?
A. A Balk varied from 12 to 18 inches square;
Whole timbers from 9 to 15 inches square;
Half Timbers from 9 by by 4.5 to 18 by 9 inches;
Scantlings from 6 by 4 to 12 by 12 inches;
Quartering from 2 by 2 to 6 by 6 inches;
Planks from 11 to 18 inches wide and from 3 to 6 inches thick;
Deals from 9 inches wide and 2 to 4.5 inches thick;
Battens from 4.5 to 7 inches wide and 3/4 to 3 inches thick;
Strips and Laths 4 inches wide and 1/2 to 1.5 inches thick.
Fir Trees
Hand Masts were the longest, soundest, straightest trees when topped and barked with circumfrences from 24 inches to 72 inches;
Spars and Poles had a circumfrence less than 24 inches;
Inch Masts had circumfrences of more than 72 inches and were generally dressed to an octagonal shape;
Ends were less than 8 feet long;
Larch and Spruce-
Scaffold and Ladder poles were from young trees and averaged 33 feet long;
Rickers were about 22 feet long and under 2.5 inches in diameter at the top end.
Q. Why were trees often not cut at the very base of the tree?
A. The minerals from the soil leeched into the very bottom of the tree and often discolored the timber.
Q. Why were logs often left standing in water for long periods?
A. The moisture prevented the log from splitting on the ends like it would have if stacked in the open air, and it was less labor intensive than stacking them on dry land. One of the quickest ways to cure a log is to immerse it in water and the water has a tendency to flush out the sap, but makes the wood brittle. But it does make the bark come off easier.
Q. Why wouldn't old timers take logs from a north slope of a mountain?
A. The trees were usually twisted from exposure to a predominately north wind. When you drive down the road look at the power poles and you can tell quickly which ones came from a north slope.
Q. What were Railroad Ties made of during the building of the transcontinental railroad?
A. What ever timber was available closest to the tracks, the trees were usually felled and the limbs removed, then the logs were squared where they rested on two sides only, cut to length, hauled to the roadbed and used green.
Q. What were wooden wagon wheels made of?
A. The spokes and felloes were usually ash or hickory, the hubs were usually of elm because of its aversion to splitting, they were cut a little longer than needed, a hole drilled in the center and the bark was left on and the ends sealed and left to dry for 8 years before use. Spokes and felloes were dried for a minimum 3 years.
Q. Why were late January and February usually preferred as the months to cut timber to be made into lumber for furniture and other critical uses?
A. 1. The Sap was down about as far as it was gonna go in the trees. 2. It was easier to skid the logs out on snow and ice with animal power than on bare earth.
Q. What were the terms given to different sizes of commercial sawn timber in the old days?
A. A Balk varied from 12 to 18 inches square;
Whole timbers from 9 to 15 inches square;
Half Timbers from 9 by by 4.5 to 18 by 9 inches;
Scantlings from 6 by 4 to 12 by 12 inches;
Quartering from 2 by 2 to 6 by 6 inches;
Planks from 11 to 18 inches wide and from 3 to 6 inches thick;
Deals from 9 inches wide and 2 to 4.5 inches thick;
Battens from 4.5 to 7 inches wide and 3/4 to 3 inches thick;
Strips and Laths 4 inches wide and 1/2 to 1.5 inches thick.
Fir Trees
Hand Masts were the longest, soundest, straightest trees when topped and barked with circumfrences from 24 inches to 72 inches;
Spars and Poles had a circumfrence less than 24 inches;
Inch Masts had circumfrences of more than 72 inches and were generally dressed to an octagonal shape;
Ends were less than 8 feet long;
Larch and Spruce-
Scaffold and Ladder poles were from young trees and averaged 33 feet long;
Rickers were about 22 feet long and under 2.5 inches in diameter at the top end.
Q. Why were trees often not cut at the very base of the tree?
A. The minerals from the soil leeched into the very bottom of the tree and often discolored the timber.
Q. Why were logs often left standing in water for long periods?
A. The moisture prevented the log from splitting on the ends like it would have if stacked in the open air, and it was less labor intensive than stacking them on dry land. One of the quickest ways to cure a log is to immerse it in water and the water has a tendency to flush out the sap, but makes the wood brittle. But it does make the bark come off easier.
Q. Why wouldn't old timers take logs from a north slope of a mountain?
A. The trees were usually twisted from exposure to a predominately north wind. When you drive down the road look at the power poles and you can tell quickly which ones came from a north slope.
Q. What were Railroad Ties made of during the building of the transcontinental railroad?
A. What ever timber was available closest to the tracks, the trees were usually felled and the limbs removed, then the logs were squared where they rested on two sides only, cut to length, hauled to the roadbed and used green.
Q. What were wooden wagon wheels made of?
A. The spokes and felloes were usually ash or hickory, the hubs were usually of elm because of its aversion to splitting, they were cut a little longer than needed, a hole drilled in the center and the bark was left on and the ends sealed and left to dry for 8 years before use. Spokes and felloes were dried for a minimum 3 years.