Quarter Sawing Oak

[Big J]

Much clearer Alec, but certainly not something that I have time to consider!

 

I have a whole stack of photos on the phone of a woman that works for me from my exploits halving some big oak for the woodmizer in the last few weeks. I think the mill extentions (allows something like a 26 inch throat) are bloody brilliant for halving logs. For instance - I've got some big cedar coming next week but they are too big for the woodmizer and also too big for the JCB to move off site. Simple solution - halve them on site (I'd have to do it anyway) and then they don't get skidded out (keep the logs clean).

 

I actually think that given a good set up for holding a quarter stable, it would be easier to chainsawmill quartersawn boards than woodmizer them. Lot of sawdust though.

[agg221]

I did one once with a fully hydraulic bandmill. It took us the best part of a day to do a butt slightly over 2'dia x 14' length, with a very practiced operator (not me!). It hasn't put me off ever doing it again, but you would need to have a very good reason. We did a lot of slightly dodgy wedging and clamping to hold it, using offcuts.

 

I haven't come across the mill extensions - I'll have to have a look as they sound like a very good idea, particularly now I have a big enough saw (090 - bought but haven't got yet) to drive the thing through wide enough butts to make it worth it.

 

Alec

[Big J]

They are just longer uprights - with a 50 inch bar I can cut straight through the middle of a 41 inch log. I never chainsaw mill by myself anyway (better quality cut with someone on each end of the mill) but you definitely want two people with the chainsawmill halving.

[Rob D]

Ah - thanks for explaining as I thought a bandsaw would be ideal quarter sawing....

 

 

But I do think it's possible to do practically with combo of mini mill and Alaskan! But not really for anything less than 36" butts and boards no thinner than 2".

 

Ref the longer uprights they're good for halving the log....

 

I'd like to figure out a way of guaranteed halving it through the middle so if there is a taper to the log the mill follows the pith all the way down....

 

I sort of have a couple of ideas either - have the ladder independent of the log. Or a way of attaching ladder so that the supports come out from the log at each end exactly the same height from the center at each end....

 

 

.....hard to explain I'll put some pics up when I've had a crack at it!

[Big J]

What I do is just measure the distance from the centre of the pith to the top of the ladder.If one end needs to go up a bit, wedge it up or skim a bit off the other end to drop it down. Usually accurate at both ends to within half an inch or so.

[agg221]

I use the same method as Big J. I'm using the guide rail and end clamps from Ripsaw and they're excellent for this as they're very adjustable and rigid (also come apart in 5' sections which is handy for transporting). I reckon on being centred on the pith at both ends, with the bar running right through the middle within less than an eighth of an inch. Of course the pith wanders around more than that down the line, but it's a good true starting point.

 

I've been doing some true quartering of feather edge, straight from the half log, and the portable bandsaw has been excellent for this.

 

Alec

[nantmoel]

Again thanks for all the very informative replies. Well I been to see the landowner and he was please that it can be cut into boards and not go for firewood - offered him some of the sawn boards as payment!

 

I measured the tree tonight and its 2 ft- 2 1/2 ft in dia and there's not a branch for 40', plus loads of other useable wood after that. I have decided that I'm not going to quarter it, I'll just plank it perhaps up to 2 1/2" with some 1 1/2" boards. I'll also cut some of the more interesting bits for my bowl turning.

Its a shame no one locally is looking for a really long oak beam! I'll have to post some pictures of my progress over the next few weeks. I need to get a spare chain for the 44" bar, a call to Rob in the morning as I can't seem to find one on-line on his site.

Edited April 30, 2012 by nantmoel

[agg221]

That's going to make some long planks! More realistically, probably worth cutting it down to slightly more sensible lengths or you'll be doing a lot of refuelling in the cut. I would be inclined to do as you are proposing and through-and-through saw it. Take your thicker planks from nearer the outside, thinner ones nearer the middle, as they'll tend to warp less.

 

If you don't have any specific uses for it, I might think about going to 2.75" rather than 2.5". It isn't any more useful as it stands, but if you find yourself ultimately wanting 1" boards it's a lot easier to get them by re-sawing a 2.75" piece. If you're selling it rather than using it then I can't comment on what people might buy.

 

Looking forward to the pictures.

 

Alec

[Big J]

Sounds like a nice tree. At just over 2 ft in diameter, it's not worth quarter sawing, but it should make nice boards. I cut everything to 9ft, but that's due to my kiln being 18ft long. 10ft is perhaps a slightly more useful size, but who knows.

 

I don't mill any oak thicker than 2 1/4 inches, unless requested. Just takes too long to dry.

[nantmoel]

Alec

 

Was going to cut it into about 6' lengths, but I'll take on board the 2.75" thickness.

 

Brian