A Sawyer Question

[rwe2156]

Saw it into 1 1/4" thick boards.  Sticker it for a year & see what you got!!

[Steve N]

Gene knows his stuff. Much of what I know comes from him.

To me, anything above the first main crotch is limb wood, don't know if that is correct use. Nakashima preferred slabs with big knots from branching, so by my thinking he used limb wood. I suppose others could call those second or third cuts trunk wood. Whatever, vertical growth good. Not always worth sawing though, especially when sawing for grade.

Thank for your explanation, as well as those from other cutters.

Probably just semantics then. You are saying above a crotch, and I'm not going to call that a limb, but the main beam, heading East or West, whichever. I don't know if I have a specific angle in mind, but the smaller guys coming off the main even if it splits would be a branch to me. So I think we are talking about the same parts of the tree. Yes.. vertical good, horizontal, not so much


the quote I listed comes from this page from WoodWeb.  Later in that same piece he says "I do not know how this wood develops or why hardwoods have tension wood and softwoods have compression wood (they are opposites). In addition to these woods, there are also growth stresses in the tree which can create problems for some species." He had been the first person I had heard saying that. Prior to first seeing this posting I had thought like AlnAndy that either tension, or compression could be in both Hard and Soft woods, and was more dependent on where on the limb it was, proximal to the trunk, or distal at the branch tip, and also figured by the angle of the branch. Now I'm not as sure.

Thoughts on that anyone?

Skypn, not sure if I already mentioned it, but a lot of turners don't care about a limb, to them it's all good. If you have access to a lathe you might either spin it, or as suggested, cut it into 1" or larger and sticker and dry it. You could also paint the ends to inhibit checking, but all I have seen on that is it's diminished return if you don't coat it really soon after it is cut. Worst case is you made some Boomerangs, Janab might be able to outlet those for you
If I had it I would play with it.

[mdhills]

When do you guys try ripping with a chain saw, vs. splitting with a wedge&maul?


My project wood effort was on a section of maple trunk.
I sealed the ends with either latex or anchor seal.
I ended up splitting it to try and get something manageable I could put through my bandsaw.
(the complete log with its natural moisture content was stinking heavy)
The splits weren't completely straight, but made the chunks manageable.
On the bandsaw, I used a sheet of plywood with a runner in the miterslot.
I cut these a bit thick -- 5/4 to 6/4, and then stickered and left to air dry for a year+
They do move, and require flattening, but the milled pieces have been pretty stable after that.

This was very interesting to do (I'd recommend trying to do something with your piece, even if just for learning).
I did not end up with a massive oak board that I had envisioned at the outset.
But the final boards are very attractive and will feel good to use.

After this exercise, I understand the attraction of a horizontal bandsaw mill.
But I must admit that I have watched this guy's video on youtube more than once:
Youtube: How-to Mill Large Logs on your Shop Bandsaw


Matt

[TomFromStLouis]

I am surprised that you envisioned a massive oak board when you began with a section of maple trunk. 


I think that splitting would only be preferred for those species that split readily. I am no firewood guy so I do not have that list, but white oak would certainly be on it. Careful chainsaw work can yield a decent starting point for this stuff.

As your video shows, even with heroic efforts like infeed and outfeed and sled the maximum log size one person can do on a shop bandsaw is not really going to give you much wood. If you work small or want to utilize non-commercial species like that pear that came down next door or holly or whatever then go for it. I built a sled and used it a couple of times and now it sits unused simply because there are better ways for me to get wood. 

I would suggest that anyone thinking of converting a small log into lumber:
- start with a really small log. Weight and roundness make for iffy bandsawing. That 12" diameter stick 2' long is a good beginner piece. All there is to learn from doing this can come from a small log without the danger and hassle of size and weight.
- joint a flat edge to start. Jointer (clean that bark off first), axe, chainsaw, scrub plane, any of these, or a combination. Make it a big enough flat to be stable.
- Bandsaw from here on in. I like to cut thicker than 4/4 for expected waste from drying defects. Experiment with different ways to cut boards: through and through, quartersawing, square a cant and saw for grade, live edge, etc.
- Drying is a whole 'nuther subject.