Sawing a big red oak

[twoodward15]

If someone offered to go halves on a log they had that was about 10 feet long and 33 inches at the small end, and the only stipulation was that you HAD to quarter it and he would mill it, would you do it for half the lumber?  No money involved, just a lot of labor.  How long do you suppose it would take to quarter it?

[Dan_Shade]

what sort of equipment are you using to quarter it?

I have an alaskan setup that I could use to quarter a log of that size in about an hour maybe, including the setup time after I got to the site.

if you are using wedges and such, or have to free hand it, that's a lot of work.  Scott Banbury has some pictures in his gallery of how his outfit uses a minimill (I think) to quarter large logs.

I'd definately jump on it.

[Part_Timer]

I'd go for it.  that's a lot of lumber for a couple of hours work. 

I guess it depends of you need the oak or not.   

[Rockn H]

If they brought it to me I'd saw it on halves.  I know several sawyers around here that would do it , as far as that goes. 

[DonE911]

Yep... not without my setup fee to cover the fuel cost and a blade fee if any metal contact damage.

[twoodward15]

The log belongs to the sawmill operator.  he doesn't need any more wood (because he can't sell it) but he wants some q-sawn.  He also doesn't want to expend much energy on this log.  I think I'm going to try to talk him into flat sawing it and get a couple of the wide boards for myself!

[Gilman]

I'd do it from either perspective.  I'd saw someone's quarted log, or I'd quarter and they'd saw.  Sounds like a square deal to me.

How big of a chainsaw do you have?

[Dan_Shade]

why not slice it in half? and then quarter one of the halves?  basically ending up with three peices.

quarter saw half of it, and flat saw the other half.

[twoodward15]

I'd personally like to have a couple of wide slabs, even if they will warp when that big.  A little something different to work with.  The biggest saw and bar I have access to is 30 inches.  SO that really isn't much of a problem.  I'm still trying to get a hold of him to see if he'll flat saw it though.  We'll see.

[Gilman]

If you quartered it, and he saws the 1/4's through and through, you'd end up with about 1/2 flat sawn and about 1/2 quarter sawn.  Alough he'd end up with the widest boards. 

[t_andersen]

Scott Banbury has some pictures in his gallery of how his outfit uses a minimill (I think) to quarter large logs.

Hi Dan,

I'm interested in this but couldn't find Scott Banbury's images. Are they there or is the name misspelled somehow?

Thanks
Tom

[Dan_Shade]

here are some pictures all pulled from the photo archives:







http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=11788.0

[twoodward15]

Boy did I run in to a winner.  This guy has 5 logs all 15 feet long red oak.  2 of them 20 inches 1 30 incher and 2 36 inchers.  The "owner" of these logs wants the sawyer and I to remove them from his property (already felled and bucked), quarter the big ones and flat saw the small ones somewhere else, bring half the lumber back for him and not do any of the work himself.  I guess he'll get warm twice from that wood.  Once when he cuts it and one when he heats his house with it.

[ohsoloco]

At least they were lying on the ground    About a month ago while picking up logs I had two different property owners ask me if I'd be interested in buying their logs.  The trees were still standing right next to the house...all I had to do was pay 'em, drop 'em, and take 'em 

[rebocardo]

> all I had to do was pay 'em, drop 'em, and take 'em 

Yea, and reseed the lawn and rake it afterwards 

[leweee]

Scott Banbury has some pictures in his gallery of how his outfit uses a minimill (I think) to quarter large logs.

Hi Dan,

I'm interested in this but couldn't find Scott Banbury's images. Are they there or is the name misspelled somehow?

Thanks
Tom

Tom.... Try this link http://www.scottbanbury.com/
            Scott's user name is "Urbanlogger"

[ohsoloco]

Rebo, ya gotta watch out for homeowners like that even when picking up free logs.  One guy gave me the phone number of a man that had a white oak log in his yard.  When I spoke to him on the phone he didn't seem to be the friendly type  and was rather agitated about the current condition of his lawn.  I decided to let the tree service guys go back and pick that one up 

[Dan_Shade]

yep, some homeowners are appreciative, others are just "donkeys"  gotta try to weed them out when first talking to them, I suppose

[ohsoloco]

The best option (which is what I always try to do) is to pick up the logs while the tree guys are still working there.  That way any mess will be cleaned up, and I get help loading the logs    They'd rather see me load 'em on the trailer than chunk 'em up and load 'em by hand into the truck.