Micro Kerf sawing at last Updated 10-23-05

[Part_Timer]

Well after weeks of promising I finally had a chance to make a little dust with a MICRO KERF blade from Petersons. 8) 8) 8)
       I spent about a half hour yesterday setting the new blade on the mill and aligning the riving knife.  I know that this will get faster with time and was not hard to do at all.  Then I was called in to work.
        This morning I was going to start cutting but got called in to work again and was there till 5:30 this evening.  Well I was going to cut if it meant that I was going to use the headlights on the truck.
   I have a couple of reasons for wanting to use the micro kerf.  First narrower kerf =   less waste no big shock there.  My second reason is that I'm hoping to be able to have a better time getting the last board out of the log without throwing it out the end of the mill.  I have had this happen a couple of times already.  It seems to me that the harder you have to push the more likely it is to send the log flying.  This has been most common on Osage and Oak for me anyway.   
   I only had time to cut 2 small walnut logs before dark.  They were 10" across and 5 feet long.  I figured that this would make a good first try.  Being so short and light at the end they should be harder to get the last board out of them and keep it on the blocks (no log dogs here).

   Well I opened the top of the first one with no problems and shut down to check the cut pattern and make sure everything is inline.  No problems.  I go on and make the second cut across and still everything is ok.  I switch and start making 4 ½ in deep cuts shifting 1 1/16 across each time.  I shut down and check the cut pattern on the horizontal side and there is no problem there either.  I went on and cut all the way across leaving the sap wood attached to the side to help with weight on the last cut.
I cut the last board out with no problems at all.
   The second log went as smooth as the first.  Needless to say so far I am very impressed. 
   I did have a couple of scary moments.  When I was making a horizontal cut in the first log BANG the log jumped and I hit the E-stop.  I pulled the blade out and checked the tips and found nothing wrong.  So I checked the blade bolts for tight and went on.  On the second log I had the same thing happen but this time I saw what happened.  I cut under a large Burr Oak tree and a nut fell through the mill and spun around on the blade and got caught between the saw tooth and the log.  I'm not sure of the odds on that happening twice but it scarred the snot out of me.
   I talked to Rex at Petersons tonight and we came up with some tests that I can try for some real world numbers.  The first test is that I'm going to get my deer scales out and pull the mill through on a 5" horizontal cut and see how many pounds it takes to pull it.  Then I'm going to put the hard wood blade back on and repeat the cut at the same depth and see what the difference is.  Then I can see if the numbers on the web site match the real world.  The second test is going to be to see what kind of recovery I can get compared to the log scales.  This would probably work better if I had more experience but I guess the best real world test for equipment is inexperienced operators.
   I did not get any kind of wavy cut.  It is much easier to pull and push the blade through the cuts.  The RPM of the mill is easier to keep high.  There is less overall vibration on the mill.  There is little to no vibration on the log on the last cut.  It seems to make less noise.  Over all I am very impressed with this set up.  Later this week I'm going to really punish it and start on the hickory pile I've been putting off. 
   I did have one small problem.  Everything is set up for the regular blades and when you switch the kerf setups are wrong.  The boards are thicker than I wanted but it is not a problem this isn't Sawlex and I can plane them down with out penalty.  : : : Sorry Captain I couldn't resist  ;)
   Well this is long enough for tonight.  I'll keep you posted on the numbers later this week.  I hope anyway.

Tom

   

[DonE911]

Sounds great.... now how about some pic's ?? ;D

[Captain]

We'll have some more microkerf trials from Ga_Boy soon...keep us posted, Part Timer!!

Captain

[BW_Williams]

How thin is the microkerf?

[Captain]

It's 1/8 inch.  Pretty small for a circle blade.... smiley_safety_glasses

[BW_Williams]

Cool, I would like to see that in operation someday, any blade heating troubles?.

[Part_Timer]

No troubles yet.  I've been cutting cherry and walnut.  Hickory this weekend  maybe.   blasted day job is getting in the way of sawing.  It aint fair.

[lawyer_sawyer]

the microkerf sounds great
Are ther any problems with them cutting full size with them.  an 8" cut with an 8" saw.  or does too much blade in the log cause it to heat up.

I also don't understand what you mean by the kerf setup.  is there an actual marking system to help you understand how much of a kerf you have taken.  Since this is newer technology (the microkerf blade that is) and the objective is to optimize recovery is there a simple may to make sure you can cut accurately sized lumber.  Otherwise it sounds to me there is still the potential for waste if you make to large of boards that will need to be planed down to be usable.

I am really looking forward to hear how the hickory goes.

[Captain]

The standard 8" mill is setup for kerf compensation of 3/16".  The 10" mills is setup for 1/4" (almost).  If the microkerf is used with standard kerf compensation, the boards will be thick.  It is a simple matter of resetting your kerf compensation, either on your mill or in your mind, while sawing with the Microkerf.

The microkerf is limited to a 6" depth of cut on either an 8" or 10" mill due to a blade stability loss at larger depths.  You physically can't cut deeper than 6" the way it is designed.

Captain

[Part_Timer]

I just didn't think about it.  It is easy to compensate for on the mill.  The problem was in my head.  No shock there.  I cut the other night and figured the new kerf and no problems

[Part_Timer]

I've had a chance to cut a few logs in the past 2 weeks.

I tried to saw a realy small one.  10" across and 33" long and I had no problems keeping it on the bunks.  I don't have any log dogs but the log didn't move a bit.

I have sawn a few ash that were 13" across and 5'8" long and got 103% to 106% of scale out of them. (international)

It is easy to get that last board out of the bottom if you leave a bit on the side to help keep some weight on it.

Just thought I'd send an update for those with interest.
More later if the weather will cooperate.

Tom