milling large oak need advice.

[kinderscout]

I am just stepping up to the big log,a bit out my depth. This log was fire wood last week I have two more days to cut it up.before winter wheat is sown.need to get to see someone do quarter sawn.

[agg221]

Really nice stick that!

 

Do you have the standard 13" uprights on the mill or the extended (26") ones? Also, what is the biggest/heaviest bit you can lift out of there?

 

If the farmer is amenable and has a set of forks, I would get the log shunted round out of the way to buy you a little more time for milling it. I presume you have some moving gear as you have already rolled it? If you have the extended uprights I would be inclined to split the log dead up the middle as it loses you very little material and halves the weight to move around. Otherwise I would just skim the top and then take it out in slabs as big as you can. If you have the mini-mill you could then square these up if you are planning on beams.

 

Beams are often made box-heart for strength, so it's really oversize for this. It's also tricky as without the appropriate calculation tables you can't get the dimensions correct for the span, so you could for example make a 30' x 1' square, only to find it needs to be 18" square, so unless you have a buyer or want them for yourself it's a risk.

 

If you split it in half you could then quarter it with a mini-mill (if you have one) - I have run a 3' bar on mine on the 066 and it worked fine - or roll the half up on edge and use the Alaskan again the other way - going much quicker as it is then only just over 2' wide. The quarters may then be moveable to somewhere out of the way for either quartersawing yourself or taking off to a bandsaw mill?

 

Alec

[se7enthdevil]

why do you need to see some one doing quartersawn before you tackle it yourself?

 

look at this thread, alun cut his tree ready to be milled in to quartered planks.

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/alaskan-mill/71065-my-first-qs-oak.html

 

i helped him mill me about a dozen planks just from one section and they are all 12' long, 12-16" wide and 1" thick for me to make some furniture from.

[kinderscout]

Yes have the standard uprights Alec.the plan is to cut it into 10 inch boards then mill into 10 inch beams.we have the use of a machine that will lift 3 tons but not all day.so crow bar and wedges.and the vertical mill.

[kinderscout]

Their is a large cast spike in the near end and a large union at the far end these are going to be cut of reducing in to around 16ft and making in more manageable for us.all of cuts to be reviewed later if we have time.

Unfortunately Sunday it will have to be done.as it stands in the middle of a large field.

[agg221]

If you have the mini-mill, have you considered sticking it on the 088 on a long bar and running it down first one way and then the other on the halves to create quarters? The faces won't be perfect on the first boards so you'll need the rail again but it would give you a few very nice quartersawn boards (say a couple off each face). The quarters will give you a far easier cutting width so your productivity would go right up.

 

If you're making 10" square beams I wouldn't think you will get away with much over a 15' span anyway so cutting it in half lengthways won't cost you much either and you should then be able to lift the pieces easily and get them chocked up for milling. If you have two people and two powerheads you could probably get milling the first length with the Alaskan underway while you broke down the second one. I'm not quite sure where you are as to whether there is anyone else near you?

 

Alec

 

Edit: I see you're reducing it to 16' anyway which will make life easier.