Plank Length and thickness

[Hunter]

I am new to milling and would like some advice please.

When milling using Alaskan mill what thickness and length of average boards.

I know it should depend on what it is going to be used for but at this stage I am not sure. Boards will be mainly wild cherry, Oak and may be ash. Trees Diameter 16-28 inch.

I have no access to lifting equipment but do have a trailer for transportation.

 

Also to dry board is it better to leave them where I cut them in the wood for a year or so or they need to be covered, do I have to seal the edges.

Sorry for the several questions and thanks for your help.

[billpierce]

Yup seal ends. What might you use them for? Hard to say what thickness to mill them if you have no idea what they for..I wouldn't bother leaving them in woods until lighter. You will need some stickers for storing yet boars though.

 

If I have enough idea what I will do With them I mill at 10ft long ish and between 1 3/4inch and 3inch.

 

Watch for shake in end grain and mill accordingly.

 

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[agg221]

Size is impossible to say since, as you have identified, it depends on what you are going to use them for.

 

However, the Alaskan is not a good tool for making thin boards - it will do it of course but the ratio of boards to sawdust becomes very unfavourable. 1.5" is a good minimum but generally 2" is a good thickness to aim for if you have no other ideas.

 

The cherry is most likely to be useful for something decorative, so 2" slabs, waney on both sides, with a 4" thickness as the first and last slab (less dimensionally stable out there and it's good for legs).

 

The oak could end up structural for something, so some 3" is a good idea as well as 2".

 

With both of them, cut as long as you can, except if that will leave a wasteful length as the last bit. Say for example the log is 16' long and the maximum cut you can make is 12' long - I would go for 2x8' lengths but if it's 18' long I would take a 12' from the base and a 6' from the top, unless there is significant taper in the base but parallel above, in which case I would reverse this.

 

Drying - stack in the shade but where the air will get through, well stickered with something on top to shed the rain. If stacking in the woods (which is fine and does make them a lot lighter to shift later) I would use some blocks to get them right up off the ground away from the weeds. Wherever you stack, I wouldn't bother with sealing the ends as the losses will be negligible - unless you are extremely tight on length for a project and need every last inch.

 

Alec

[Hunter]

Thanks both for top advice, really appreciated.

[Luckyeleven]

I just cut at a full 2 inch, as this is the maximum my circular saw can handle, making future projects easier.