Walnut - plain or quartersaw?

[Pan]

Hi guys

 

I have just got hold of a fairly decent walnut butt 3m length x 50cm diameter showing a good 80% heartwood. Just wondering the best way to mill it.

 

Quarter sawing - I guess would give me a radial linear figure (rather boring in this species) but with the advantage of greater stability.

 

Plain sawing - would give me the tangential more showy figure.

 

Having never milled walnut before I don't want to muck it up - what are your views?

 

Are the stability advantages sought when quarter sawing as significant in walnut as opposed to less stable species?

[agg221]

I've found walnut to be fairly stable. Even the very outermost boards haven't cupped much. At that size I would rather have the wider boards.

 

Out of interest, whereabouts are you, and what do you plan to do with it?

 

Alec

[se7enthdevil]

alec's right, for one that small it's bet to get the most out of it.

 

never knew it was so stable though... you learn something every day...

[Pan]

Hi Alec

 

Thanks for reply. Like you I think plain sawing and obtaining the wider boards will be better. I was just not that sure how stable walnut is.

 

I am based near Maidstone Kent. I am thinking of planking it up in 1. 1/4" & 2. 1/4" thicknesses and hope to use it for making furniture and possibly turning some platters with the thicker sizes.

 

I guess when I sticker and stack it all I should try and get one of those cordstrap machines to keep it all tight together. I believe you can also retighten these straps over time as the wood seasons and shrinks.

[agg221]

I wouldn't worry about strapping. I would just set everything up nice and level, and bung a few lumps on the top to weight it down.

 

I would agree with your sizing, but unless you have already decided on the style of furniture you are aiming at, I might be inclined to skim the tip to give 3" width (i.e. little more than the bark) and then take a 3" slice off. You don't lose much on your boards as it is curved in this bit anyway, but it gives you something to make 3" squares out of later if you want table legs etc.

 

What sort of mill do you have? I would try to avoid a chainsaw mill for that job, as you will waste a lot on the thin boards.

 

Alec

[Pan]

I wouldn't worry about strapping. I would just set everything up nice and level, and bung a few lumps on the top to weight it down.

 

I would agree with your sizing, but unless you have already decided on the style of furniture you are aiming at, I might be inclined to skim the tip to give 3" width (i.e. little more than the bark) and then take a 3" slice off. You don't lose much on your boards as it is curved in this bit anyway, but it gives you something to make 3" squares out of later if you want table legs etc.

 

What sort of mill do you have? I would try to avoid a chainsaw mill for that job, as you will waste a lot on the thin boards.

 

Alec

 

I have recently purchased an Alaskan 48" to use in conjunction with a 2nd hand Logosol wood workers mill that I picked up a few years ago. I am fairly new to milling but hope this combination will work well together. I have been saving up various decent butts of trees that I have taken down this year and am looking forward to processing them this winter.

 

I realise I will loose a lot in sawdust but I don't do enough yet to justify a bandsaw mill. I have sorted out a load of large Oak trees to take down this winter so I'm hoping the Alaskan will cut it nicely into quarters before mounting them on the wood workers mill.

[agg221]

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