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sawing sassafrass logs

Started by DWM II, December 24, 2006, 07:01:59 AM

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DWM II

Gonna pick up some sass logs next week and was wondering what to expect when I cut into them. Havent cut any yet and was needing some advice on how. They arent to big, in the 12-15 in range. Planning on some custom picture frames for my wifes photography studio so the boards dont need to be very wide. I want to saw for the best figure and was planning to rift saw so I could rip out the quartered sections and see what was nice in the heart wood. What yall think, I did a search and didnt see what I was looking for, also some direction to some pics would cool.

Thanks and Merry Christmas, I hope you are all blessed this new year!
Donnie
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BBTom

I have always flat sawn sassy, so I cannot tell you if there is any reason to quarter.  Around here sassy tends to get heart rot before getting very big.  It has open grain like oak, but is much softer.  It machines very easily, and smells fantastic when you do machine it. 

Here is an endtable made of sassy and walnut that one of my customers made.


2001 LT40HDD42RA with lubemizer, debarker, laser, accuset. Retired, but building a new shop and home in Missouri.

derhntr

2006 Woodmizer LT40HDG28 with command control (I hate walking in sawdust)
US Army National Guard (RET) SFC

Bibbyman

You shouldn't expect any problems.  I've sawn a bit from time to time and it's always sawed easy.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Part_Timer

It is like sawing cherry or so it seems to me.  The one thing to expect is for the whole neighborhood to smell like it for a half mile. :)
Peterson 8" ATS.
The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.

logman

Sassafras is one of my favorite woods.  I was going to try and post the pictures of the stairs I
made from it but don't have the patience to learn how to post them.  They are on Jim Rogers
album under logman's gallery if you'd like to see them.  The loft railings I made from
sassafras are the part of my house that I like to sit and stare at the most.  I cut down 3 nice
24"+ sassafras trees on a friend's farm to make them.  Only 1 had some heart rot.
LT40HD, 12' ext, 5105 JD tractor, Genie GTH5519 telehandler
M&K Timber Works

DWM II

Wow! thats a fine place you got there logman. Thats what I wanted to see as far as the character in the wood. Those bannister rails are beautiful.
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oakiemac

I just sawed, dried and shipped two thousand feet of Sassy to a customer in Washington state. They wanted it rift and quartered which I thought was a shame because you loose all the pretty grain when you quarter saw it.
It saws easy and smells good. It does tend to warp some when kiln drying but I didn't have too much trouble. The hearts of the logs will some times have darker coloring and be rotten.
Mobile Demension sawmill, Bobcat 873 loader, 3 dry kilns and a long "to do" list.

dad2nine

Is it me or do you too get a sudden urge for a tall forsty glass of root beer, when milling sassy logs  ;D

DWM II

Well, I aint sawed any yet, but I just about always have a urge for a tall frosty rootbeer! Like my nephew says, I'm firsty. ;D
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esteadle

Sassafrass is beautiful wood. Prepare well when you saw this wood, be ready to sticker and stack and kiln dry if possible. I wouldn't quarter or rift saw it, it's grain pattern and contrasting medium and dark brown grains are beautiful flat-sawn. Many say it looks like chestnut.

It's a very easy to saw wood. Someone else mentioned that it saws like cherry, and I agree with that. Center the heart, and turn the cant often. The best looking boards are those with parallel grain so use tapers if you have them to saw parallel to the bark. The best boards are out at the outer edges of the log. Defects (mostly knots) will appear rapidly as you near the center. The bark is a little deceiving. Take a shallow slab at first and see if you agree. I always find a number of very clear pieces in every decent sized log.

A friend of mine was sawing with me and he gathered up the sawdust to bring to his house and use as an air freshener. It's pleasantly aromatic, and somewhat spicy smelling. There might be a secondary business opportunity as an all-natural air freshener or something.

I'd try to sell the wood to a craft wood worker. It's just so beautiful, and should be made into something special and put on display. It just begs to be furniture, or cabinetry, or as a special feature of some kind. I would try to sell the log run if possible.

You are in for a real treat when you saw this wood. Enjoy every moment of it.

Eric

esteadle

One more thing I forgot to mention about Sassafrass. It has pretty good resistance to rot in log form. I have sawed some pretty ugly looking lumps that my customer said was sassafrass, but which looked like dirt to me. Sure enough, there were some real nice boards to be found inside, without much insect damage, nor active fungal activity or even rot. I was somewhat surprised, but there was some decent figure in them, especially near the butt end of the log. I think some of the logs we sawed were on the ground over a year.


farmerdoug

You could also throw some sawdust in some boiling water for some tea. 8)  8) ::)
Doug
Truck Farmer/Greenhouse grower
2001 LT40HDD42 Super with Command Control and AccuSet, 42 hp Kubota diesel
Fargo, MI

customsawyer

I sawed some a few years ago that was as big as I've seen in this area and it sawed real nice and had alot of nice wood in it. Take all you can get .
Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

ARKANSAWYER


  They are junk and trash wood and I would not even waste a blade in them.   Besides that they stink when you saw them.   Best thing to do is call me and tell me where they are so I can haul them off for you and throw them in the bottom of my deep holler.  You will not ever be bothered by them again.  ;D
ARKANSAWYER

DWM II

I think they might be a little too far south for ya Arky ;). I think I'll dispose of it my self.

Eric, thanks for the advice, sounds like I wll be flat sawing them. Sooner or later I'll figure out the pic posting and I'll make sure i get some shots of them here.

I thought you used the root for the tea? I didnt know you could use the dust.
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WDH

DWM II,

Stick to the roots!!!!
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

ARKANSAWYER


  It is not that far to Lower Arkansas from where I live in the Ozarks.
  The roots is for tea and the leaves are for File' powder for the Gumbo.  I would do this thing for you since you is a FF member.   Just trying to help where I can.
ARKANSAWYER

DWM II

Arky, I truly appreciate your willingness to accomodate :D. And yeah, I'll stick to the roots for the tea.

Yall got me pumped up over this tree!
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