Milling oak

[davidb]

I have use my 660 with a 36" bar a lot on oak. Not really had a problem but found l needed to keep a check on the depth gauges and make sure they were spot on if not the cut struggled.

[Crazy Cutter]

I'm getting a lot more interest from clients as soon as i mention quarter sawing it seems that what woodworkers really want. What is the smallest size of log you would quarter saw for the extra effort?

[agg221]

I'm getting a lot more interest from clients as soon as i mention quarter sawing it seems that what woodworkers really want. What is the smallest size of log you would quarter saw for the extra effort?

 

Most boards will come out with a width somewhere between a third to a quarter of the diameter of the log. So, a 2' log will yield mostly 6" to 8" boards.

 

That's about as small as I would go with a bandsaw mill, and only if it was very straight and round, as otherwise a lot of the boards would be too narrow to be very useful by the time they're trued up. With a chainsaw mill, I wouldn't consider it with anything less than 2'6", probably more like 3', as the amount you're losing in kerf just wouldn't make it worth it for me.

 

Note, the above measurements apply to the part of the log I'm interested in, so for me, never over the bark, and usually dimensions of the heartwood only, as I don't use the sapwood (too prone to insect attack).

 

Alec