Carving pressure treated lumber?

[blackhawk]

I had someone ask me about making some simple pressure treated signs to be posted along a hiking/bike trail. The usual "Knotty Pine Trail 2.2 Miles" with an arrow, etc. I know that I would want to dry it out for at least a month to get all the juice evaporated out. I haven't really seen any posts about carving PT lumber. Are there any big concerns with toxicity, cutter life, etc?

[gerald_martin]

Hi Brad: I've done a good bit of v-carving in pressure treated yellow pine. It actually carves rather nicely if your cutter is sharp. You are on the right track to be sure the wood is reasonably dry first...Once I carved or I should say smeared some treated wood that was so wet it oozed water. Left little fuzzies along the edges of the cut. No very brilliant but under pressure of time deadlines people do dim things.
Have fun making those signs. PartWorks would be the perfect program for making your v-carving toolpaths...

Gerald

[ed_lang]

Gerald,

When you have to cut wet lumber and get the fuzzies, have to tried using a propane torch to burn the fuzzies away. I have been able to get them to burn but not char the sign. Might be worth trying.