# Poll: What to mill ERC into



## jeffreythree (Jan 9, 2008)

I have half a dozen ERC that died from flooding from my pond. I am going to build a picnic pavilion and a picnic table. What should I mill out of them?


----------



## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

ok I don't get this one. What is* ERC*?


----------



## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Eastern Red Cedar.

I voted mill heartwood posts and get what lumber you can on the sawdown...even though ERC it too pretty for just post, but you have a woodlot, I don't. I mill ALL of mine 4/4-8/4 for furniture.






.


----------



## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I don't want to answer the poll until I know the diameter, length, straightness, taper, degree of inclusion, and any rot/punkiness that may be in the logs. 

ERC is especially inconsistent because an ERC tree can produce 1 shoddy saw log or it can give you 4 primo logs - so that 6 ERC trees can give you less than 100 BF or up to 1000 BF and more. 

Not trying to be a newt but it matters. 





.


----------



## jeffreythree (Jan 9, 2008)

TexasTimbers said:


> I don't want to answer the poll until I know the diameter, length, straightness, taper, degree of inclusion, and any rot/punkiness that may be in the logs.
> 
> ERC is especially inconsistent because an ERC tree can produce 1 shoddy saw log or it can give you 4 primo logs - so that 6 ERC trees can give you less than 100 BF or up to 1000 BF and more.
> 
> ...


12-14" diameter at 4.5', dead straight, clear to 8+', tops busted out at about 25', forest grown with tight rings, and I have seen no punk or rot yet in any I have milled so far(spring floods keep killing them near the pond). Trying to save a few bucks on these 2 projects now that I am unemployed from the day job to make my pond more usable by my other half and little one.

For reference, this is the picnic table I would be duplicating:










and a smaller version of this pavilion with 6x6 posts:


----------



## jeffreythree (Jan 9, 2008)

Daren said:


> Eastern Red Cedar.
> 
> I voted mill heartwood posts and get what lumber you can on the sawdown...even though ERC it too pretty for just post, but you have a woodlot, I don't. I mill ALL of mine 4/4-8/4 for furniture.
> .


That is what option 4 was for, but I already have a bunch of 4/4 and 5/4 in the shop.


----------



## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

I have more questions about the logs but I won't belabor it. Also don't like none of the choices in the poll, so I'll wing it. You aren't going to have enough lumber from these trees to do both projects obviously, especially if you intend to cover the pavilion with lumber from the trees. You aren't going to have enough lumber from the trees to even frame the pavilion most likely. You say a smaller version with 6x6 posts so that will help, depending on how small, "small" is. 

Since it's easier to find smaller trees for smaller projects I would mill the trees strictly for the pavilion project except for the wood that won't make purlin or rafter. IOW you need six 6x6 posts so there's all your butt logs - and if the jackets around the posts in the butt logs aren't going to be large enough to make other frame members for the pavilion, then of course make picnic parts. Make a cut list for each project. Then draw out various dimensions on the small end of the log (crosscut them straight) to see what you can get. Maximize it. Don't make any mistakes and you won't have much waste.  






.


----------



## jeffreythree (Jan 9, 2008)

TT, I was only going after 4 posts out of these trees, 12x12 foot print. The rest is going to be store bought lumber for the pavilion skinned in ERC to hide it if the posts are from these trees. I don't like the idea of a whole bunch of knots in my rafters and purlins :no:. Bouncing around ideas here really helps one solidify an idea.


----------



## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Gotchya. If it's a 12' x 12' design, your rafters only need to be roughly 6' depending on the pitch. And the more pitch you have the less tension (sag) you'll place on them. Technically there is compression at the top of the rafter and tension at the bottom but you know what I mean. And 6' is not much of a run even for ERC. I think you'd be fine using 2' x 6' rafters from your trees if you can get enough of them. You won't be able to get any plates sufficient in size to run 12' though. :no:


Hope to see some pics good luck. :thumbsup:







.


----------



## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

If you are going to build the pavilion like the one shown your posts are neither going to be in the ground or exposed to very much weather. For posts you could use most anything for them as they will turn grey in a few years anyway. I would save the cedar for projects that are going to be out in the weather, like a picnic table, adirondack chairs or posts that are going to be in the ground. I would much rather sit at a beautiful picnic table built out of ERC like the one pictured than look at pavilion post any day. Of course money considerations might change all that around. That is my two cents.:smile:


----------



## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Tell you what, mill it up 8/4 and send it to me and I'll deal with it properly. I have a few kayaks that need building


----------



## jeffreythree (Jan 9, 2008)

Mizer said:


> If you are going to build the pavilion like the one shown your posts are neither going to be in the ground or exposed to very much weather. For posts you could use most anything for them as they will turn grey in a few years anyway. I would save the cedar for projects that are going to be out in the weather, like a picnic table, adirondack chairs or posts that are going to be in the ground. I would much rather sit at a beautiful picnic table built out of ERC like the one pictured than look at pavilion post any day. Of course money considerations might change all that around. That is my two cents.:smile:


You may have sent me down a new path, cut them for the table and use 4 post oak cull trees for posts. They call them that for a reason I guess :laughing:. I have only been milling dead or dieing ERC and cedar elm cull trees in the little bit of spare time I had this past year taking care of my wife and kid and got stuck in that mindset I guess.


----------



## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

I was going to suggest that...if you had white oak/black locust/catalpa... on the property use that for posts and mill the cedar for something nicer. But it was not on your poll so I figured you were asking solely about the cedar.




.


----------

