a cornucopia of dead juniper wood

[ylekyote]

So on my 40 acres I just move onto (western central CO) there is a massive amount of downed, or dying Juniper trees/branches. The downed Juniper looks to be very old and dry because all the bark is off alot of it. I bet I have 50 cords of downed trees, and another 20 in trees that are old and dying.

I was told that Juniper is very hard on chainsaws, does that mean it is a harder wood? Or is it still considered a soft, less-desirable wood to burn?

Are there any tricks to the wood-cutting/sawing trade to make it not so bad on my chainsaw?

I hate to look a gift horse in the mouth, and not burn all this free wood, regardless.

 

[gzecc]

Juniper that I know is a versatile wood used for many things in the past. There are many kinds. I would try it out if it couldn't be used for something more profitable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniper

 

[ylekyote]

My family and I make fence posts and fence veneer out of it. It is super tough. And if the bark is left on it, it lasts forever as fence posts. It breaks 1/4" and 1/2" lag screws when being driven into it. I have to pre-drill the holes it so hard.

More profitable? Like what? There is so much of the stuff around here I find it unlikely it can be sold. Ideas?

 

[Jags]

I wouldn't sweat the saws. It won't hurt anything and it really isn't a big deal to sharpen the chain a bit more frequently. Get at it.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

So on my 40 acres I just move onto (western central CO) there is a massive amount of downed, or dying Juniper trees/branches. The downed Juniper looks to be very old and dry because all the bark is off alot of it. I bet I have 50 cords of downed trees, and another 20 in trees that are old and dying.

I was told that Juniper is very hard on chainsaws, does that mean it is a harder wood? Or is it still considered a soft, less-desirable wood to burn?

Are there any tricks to the wood-cutting/sawing trade to make it not so bad on my chainsaw?

I hate to look a gift horse in the mouth, and not burn all this free wood, regardless.

By all means. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. You have some very nice firewood there. Make good use of it.

 

[gzecc]

My family and I make fence posts and fence veneer out of it. It is super tough. And if the bark is left on it, it lasts forever as fence posts. It breaks 1/4" and 1/2" lag screws when being driven into it. I have to pre-drill the holes it so hard.

More profitable? Like what? There is so much of the stuff around here I find it unlikely it can be sold. Ideas?

(broken link removed)