Finally getting 'er done... (with pictures)

[WDH]

Now I can see why you are so wore out, handling that one big slab and all  . 

Knowing Olen, I bet he can work up a frenzy sawing  .

[pigman]

DanG, is there something wrong with your camera? The board that PC Urban Sawyer has in hand looks all twisted like an airplane propeller. I just know that Woodbowl wouldn't make airplane propellers, so it must be your camera.

[DanG]

Specialty cut, Pigman, specialty cut.

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Specialty cut, Pigman, specialty cut.

And Pigman if you really like that specialty cut I've go a whole pile of them you can have for the taking....

Herb

[pineywoods]

To get propeller boards, you have to run the mill without bandwheel covers  If you have lost them, I could make you some more...

[woodbowl]

We all had a fun day and there was lots of different things going on. I lost count of how many lizards we sawed through, must have been a dozen or more. Herb and Dan hit it off pretty good talking about differet woods and building projects. Herb is a good planner and knows what he wants. The nicest of the wood by far to me is the spalted sycamore. We quarter sawed one log by first quartering it, then alternated the cuts on each piece. We got some good fleck to begin with untill it riffed out on the smaller boards, so for the rest of the logs we settled for the few wide quarter sawed boards, flat sawing through the heart.     

Tomorrow we plan to wind it up, leaving our PC-Urban-Sawyer to do some lumber stacking. Big plans are in the works for the 5/4 cypress. Some of it goes for a deck and the beams for an arbor I think. It looks like the backyard pool area is about to get a face lift. I'm sure we will get to see some more pictures in the future. 

[fishpharmer]

Woodbowl, looks you got er done!!   How thick did you cut the cypress flitches?  Are there any tricks to stacking and stickering big cypress flitches to minimize problems drying?
Glad to see DanG arrived keep a check on quality control    Impressive spalting.  Herb please post up some pics of the cypress flitch and sycamore in its final form.

You grow bigger lizards than we got in MS.

[woodbowl]

Hey fishpharmer, almost everything was 5/4 with the exception of some 6X6's, 5X5's, 3X5's and the 3" thick slabs for table tops. I think stacking in the shade with plenty of air circulation, out of the direct weather would cause minimal warping and checking.

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Sunday - No milling today.

I decided it would be a good idea to start stacking and stickering this afternoon. First I spent a little time cutting stickers from the trimmings. I had hoped to get enough from them to do it all but Olen has turned almost everything useable into a board. But I got enough to start things off...



The drying rack is ready.



Moving heavy filches the hard way.

These first three boards are 2" thick, average 20" wide and are 17' long. I could barely lift one end by myself. But I managed to get things going using my back to the pyramids method of using 4" steel pipe rollers...



First board on the rack.




Cyress color and grain is beautiful in these planks.



Another shot of the great grain.



More color and grain. White is reflection from the water I used to bring out the character in these boards.



These 2" thick cypress filches are going to make some beautiful tabletops.



One last picture showing the character of these boards.

Worked until dark-thirty loading large heavy boards on the rack. Looking forward to finishing up the milling tomorrow and getting most of the stacking and stickering finished.

Herb

[fishpharmer]

PC, shurnuff pretty lumber   Thanks for the pics.  How long you gonna let it dry?

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

... Are there any tricks to stacking and stickering big cypress flitches ...

The biggest trick is to get several strong young fellows to help move them!

I ran out of friends I could call on to do manual labor so I had to figure out how to move them myself.

Herb

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

PC, shurnuff pretty lumber   Thanks for the pics.  How long you gonna let it dry?

Fishpharmer,

I'm going to let it dry at least 6 months (the 5/4 cypress) before I even think about using it for decking or outdoor furniture. Even then I plan to get a decent moisture meter and check the moisture content before moving on.

The heavier filches are mostly 2" thick. I plan to make at least one large dining table using some of it. I'll air dry it at least a year and then probably put the pieces (cut to rough length for the project) into a small "kiln" probably solar, perhaps with a DH assist.

Not sure about the sycamore. My wifes say's I've got to many irons in the fire as it is...

Herb

[pineywoods]

... Are there any tricks to stacking and stickering big cypress flitches ...

The biggest trick is to get several strong young fellows to help move them!

I ran out of friends I could call on to do manual labor so I had to figure out how to move them myself.

Herb

It's called a tractor with forks, you only have one back, don't mess it up 

[DanG]

Herb couldn't use a tractor in that yard if he had one.   There simply isn't enough room.  Having been there and seen it, I'd say he's done a great job of organizing those logs, all by hand, and has a good plan for storing the lumber.  He has used the simple machines, all applied with a great deal of patience.  The pipe rollers, inclined planes, leverage, and parbuckling have gotten it done, all without hurting himself.  I wish we had pics of the process he used to get those logs stacked in the first place.  Herb, try to get a pic of that rack you had the Sycamore logs on.  That thing seemed to work out perfectly.

I know you portable sawyers run into little jobs like Herb's all the time, but I'll bet you don't see many where the customer has put so much thought and effort into making the job easier...or in this case, possible.  Good job, Herb!

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Work got interrupted by an accident. I managed to cut three fingers on left hand pretty badly with my table saw. Spent afternoon and overnight in hospital. Had surgery yesterday to repair as much damage as possible. Got out of hospital late yesterday afternoon.

Herb

[Don K]

Wow Herb !!!! Hope they were able to put everything back so you can retain full use. Sorry to hear it. Tablesaws can be nasty. Praying for your recovery.

Don

[tmroper]

Herb,
Those boards look beutiful.  I hope your hand turns out alright that can be a tough deal..
Prayers from here that you have a quick recovery.

[Magicman]

Ouch, Herb.  Sorry to hear about your hand.  Prayers from the Magicman for your complete recovery.

[DanG]

Jeeze Herb, I hate to hear about that!  Sure hope it recovers well.

How far did you get in re-stacking that lumber?

[woodbowl]

Oh no Herb, I hope there is not long term damage. I hope things mend back without problems.