# Telephone Poles?



## ValentineHill (Dec 27, 2011)

I was walking through the college campus today, and I noticed that the Grounds crew had taken down a telephone pole and bucked it into 16"-20" pieces. I carried a piece home and thought I'd have a tentative burn tonight, but I also thought I would ask if anyone had any experience burning (or not burning) telephone poles.

It's some sort of softwood, but beyond that I don't know much. Is it pumped full of chemicals? Is it dry wood? Is this a good idea?


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## Pat53 (Dec 27, 2011)

Not sure on the chemicals, but most telephone poles are usually pine of some sort. Should be pretty much bone dry I would think?


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## artmos (Dec 27, 2011)

don't even think of burning it! undoubtedly full of creosote or a similar preservative that will certainly burn nicely,but will probably axphyxiate you! at the very least,you will stink the hell out of the house. not worth the potential problems. might try a few chunks on the ol weber though. just kiddin.


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## billb3 (Dec 27, 2011)

most telephone poles are pressure-treated

the chemical(s) used are coded into the branding at what would have been eye level when the pole was standing



I wouldn't want my neighbor burning it.


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## firefighterjake (Dec 27, 2011)

Typically telephone poles are not a good idea to burn . . . many of the older ones were coated with preservatives and the newer ones are pressure treated. It's too bad they cut up the pole . . . it could have been a half decent stringer for a foot bridge, ATV bridge or snowmobile bridge.


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## Hass (Dec 27, 2011)

I took one down in my backyard. the previous homeowners (25yrs) said they don't know what it's for and use it as part of a clothesline. Looked to be cedar, as dryer than anything. was all split apart, and big big ants were living inside... hundreds. I bucked a piece and they covered the whole round, I had to change my underwear after that. Seeing them all swarm out of the round like that... Anyway, never made it to my stove. Will probably burn it outside.


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## NH_Wood (Dec 27, 2011)

Don't burn them AT ALL - definitely treated and treatment chemistry varies - you don't want , and you don't want your neighbors (assuming you have some!), to breathe those fumes - just no good need to do so. Cheers!


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## steviep (Dec 28, 2011)

A friend of mine cut one up and threw one in his stove within minutes the stove was glowing red and the house was like 125 degrees. He didn't burn anymore in his stove after that.


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## peakbagger (Dec 28, 2011)

Unless they are ancient poles, they are pressure treated and will give up dangerous fumes and will kill a catalyst. In most areas they have to be treated as hazardous waste when disposed.


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## raybonz (Dec 28, 2011)

Bad idea to burn utility poles as the other forum members stated due to chemicals used to treat them.. Same thing goes for landscape timbers and even worse railroad timbers.. 

Ray


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## EatenByLimestone (Dec 28, 2011)

I thought phone polls were about the only thing that they still use creosote on.   

Matt


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## lukem (Dec 28, 2011)

When I was a kid I remember dad accidentally throwing a 2" thick by 12" diameter cut-off from a telephone pole in the shop stove.  It was downright scary.  The chimney was rolling black smoke and the stove went nuclear.

Telephone poles are railroad ties are no-no's for stoves.


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## babzog (Dec 28, 2011)

EatenByLimestone said:
			
		

> I thought phone polls were about the only thing that they still use creosote on.
> 
> Matt



Can you still buy creosote anywhere? It's about the best wood preservative I've ever used. I have a 1gal can about 3/4 full that I'm using sparingly until I can replace it.


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## seeyal8r (Dec 28, 2011)

Burned a pile of telephone poles that had been heavily treated in creosote on a construction project. They too gave off black smoke, smelled funny, and had as much energy as a nuke blast. I didn't think about the chemicals in the air. Usually we give the old ones to farmers and they make fence posts with them. These were crooked and old that we burned.


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## lukem (Dec 28, 2011)

babzog said:
			
		

> EatenByLimestone said:
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I'm not 100% sure, but I think it is now considered a restricted use chemical, meaning you typically have to be a licensed professional to purchase it.


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## Thistle (Dec 28, 2011)

Back in May 2009 Qwest (now Century Link) replaced an 80+ yr old Western Red Cedar phone pole in my back yard.Asked them to leave it here as I had plans for it later. They had to cut off the top 10ft before they could pull it because it a huge 100+ yr Mulberry was overhanging it.I split part of that small end for stakes & small split rail rustic fence +kindling.The remaining piece I got 2 10 ft logs which were split into 10 ft fence rails & 6 ft posts.The butt end was in the ground 7 ft & 14â€ diameter & heavily creosoted.I milled a 4 1/2â€ thick beam from the center heart,that & the 2 outer slabs will be used in outdoor landscaping or something else eventually.


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## NH_Wood (Dec 29, 2011)

Thistle said:
			
		

> Back in May 2009 Qwest (now Century Link) replaced an 80+ yr old Western Red Cedar phone pole in my back yard.Asked them to leave it here as I had plans for it later. They had to cut off the top 10ft before they could pull it because it a huge 100+ yr Mulberry was overhanging it.I split part of that small end for stakes & small split rail rustic fence +kindling.The remaining piece I got 2 10 ft logs which were split into 10 ft fence rails & 6 ft posts.The butt end was in the ground 7 ft & 14â€ diameter & heavily creosoted.I milled a 4 1/2â€ thick beam from the center heart,that & the 2 outer slabs will be used in outdoor landscaping or something else eventually.



Sweet use of the old pole Thistle! Cheers!


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## egclassic (Dec 29, 2011)

lukem said:
			
		

> babzog said:
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Yet we can produce it ourselves in our chimneys :cheese:


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## peakbagger (Dec 30, 2011)

Creosoted railraod ties and phone poles can be burn with the right equipment in an industrial boiler. A facility I was involved in was permitted to burn 50% RR ties. When they were burning them the nick name was "rocket fuel".


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## blacktail (Dec 30, 2011)

I'm surprised the meth heads around here aren't cutting them down and selling them as firewood. Maybe that's next after the steal all the catalytic converters and copper wiring. 
I wouldn't burn them. The ones I see are all treated in some way.


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## backpack09 (Dec 30, 2011)

Creosote timbers can still be had.  The MBTA had issues with new concrete railroad ties that began to crack, so they went through most of the south shore area and replaced them with brand new creosote timbers.

They can also still be had for waterfront structures, but are typically frowned upon by regulatory agencies.


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## BobUrban (Dec 31, 2011)

Much better use for them as mentioned above.  Built this little bridge out of two poles the power company replaced on my road a couple years ago after a big storm.  They layed in a ditch for over a year and I watched them thinking the power company would come back to recover them sometime.  I finally decided they were free game and built the bridge to get my Griz and trailer over to the other side for easier firewood removal.


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