time to rip?

[Tippin Alaybye]

whats the optimum time in summer to let sections of softwood trunks dry before milling? i recently noticed a great difference milling fresh v 6 months left on the ground, but i don't want to wait any longer than necessary.

[Squaredy]

Why wait?  Timber dries mainly after milling so mill it and put it to dry.

[openspaceman]

3 hours ago, Tippin Alaybye said:

whats the optimum time in summer to let sections of softwood trunks dry before milling? i recently noticed a great difference milling fresh v 6 months left on the ground, but i don't want to wait any longer than necessary.

The reason wood wasn't milled in the summer was that  the outer layers of the cut surfaces dried too fast for the inner to catch up, causing slitting and surface cracks. I'm not sure if that is an issue with softwood unless it is for high class joinery.

[Tippin Alaybye]

Sorry guys, what I meant was for ease of cutting. I was told that ripping was easier once the wood had dried slightly, with partial separation of fibres. 
The sections I had left for 6 months on the woodland ground had woodwasp larva tubes penetrating a few inches but it was a lot easier to cut.