Recycling power poles

G'day all,
What a great website. Wish I'd found it ages ago.

I have access to a number of old power poles and I am considering a couple of projects that would go well using some larger pieces of recycled timber.
There are 2 questions really, are power poles suitable for recycling? and if so what is a good way to "break them down" into usable pieces of timber? Maybe someone knows a mill around Melbourne that will cut them up at a reasonable cost? I have been using a bench saw to cut and trim 100mm x 100mm cross arms but the poles are huge in comparison.
I don't have anything specific in mind yet. At the moment I just want to know if it is feasible and what are the practicalities.

Thanks for any advice.
Harrance.

Welcome aboard.
Some of the "later" poles may have been treated so you may need to check that.
Many years ago it was possible to buy them for firewood but you had to collect them from the street where they had been pulled out of the ground. They burnt well.

I'd also reckon most power poles have been treated with something you would not want to ingest.
So avoid making tooth picks, salad bowls/servers,cutting boards, goblets etc from them.
They do make excellent fence posts though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Harrance

G'day all,
What a great website. Wish I'd found it ages ago.

I have access to a number of old power poles and I am considering a couple of projects that would go well using some larger pieces of recycled timber.
There are 2 questions really, are power poles suitable for recycling? and if so what is a good way to "break them down" into usable pieces of timber? Maybe someone knows a mill around Melbourne that will cut them up at a reasonable cost? I have been using a bench saw to cut and trim 100mm x 100mm cross arms but the poles are huge in comparison.
I don't have anything specific in mind yet. At the moment I just want to know if it is feasible and what are the practicalities.

Thanks for any advice.
Harrance.

---

Yes Harrance it is a top forum and YES power poles can be recycled....
Have a look at Recycled Timbers at Warragamba who do exactly that...
http://www.recycledtimbers.com.au/
I've bought timber from them...beautiful stuff..
Sorry I can't help you with a Melbourne mill but you've got the Melbourne Wood Show in a week...
Make sure you have a look at the forum stand, make a few connections.....
Cheers, crowie

If the bottom of the pole is black/brown it's likely to be creosote. While there is not likely to be that much there I still would not mill or work that end but the rest should be OK.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Harrance

There are 2 questions really, are power poles suitable for recycling? and if so what is a good way to "break them down" into usable pieces of timber?

---

I knew a cow cocky many years ago that came across a good supply of old power poles.

He got an old piece of round steel tube, welded a cap over one end, honed the other end sharp, drilled a small hole through the cap.

He then filled the tube with gun powder (which he made himself), packed in a newspaper wad and inserted a fuse.

With hammer at hand drove the tube into one end of the power pole, lit the fuse, walked away and ... BANG ... His power pole was split in four right up the length clean as a whistle.

He then went back into the shed and made another, but this time with a chain attached to the end with a peg that he hammered into the ground.

See, the first one split the pole beautifully, but the tube itself blew off in the other direction clear across the paddock never to be seen again !

Need to be careful. The high tension power depletes the top of the pole of electrons and shorts out power tools sometimes. :;

Watch out for nails in the lower 10 foot or so of the pole. Local poles around here have multitudes of nails and screws from various garage sale signs etc. You may have trouble getting someone to slice them up for you unless you can guarantee no nails can damage his blades.

Alan...

Here's a good way to use them up.
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/coupla-posts-wip-131855