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Sawing dry Oak

Started by sunriseseamless, March 03, 2008, 01:27:20 PM

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sunriseseamless

I have an Oak log that I am hoping to saw with an alaskan mill.  First timer, so wish me luck. 
The log has been air drying for almost two years.  Will  still have to allow drying time when it's
sawed or will I be able to use it right away?  If dried in the round might it still warp after sawing?

Steve

beenthere

The oak will likely not dry enough in log form...but will saw harder than when fresh.

You can use the lumber right away, depending on what use you have in mind. The sawn wood will shrink and possibly warp after sawing, as it loses moisture.

What uses do you have in mind?

Are you trying to dry the wood on purpose in log form?  ... or just because you haven't been able to saw it earlier than this? (edit...okay, maybe related to waiting for the Alaska mill...)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

mike_van

Steve - That log been outside or in?
I was the smartest 16 year old I ever knew.

sunriseseamless

The log has been outside, under (sort of) cover, but exposed to the air.
I'm hoping to quarter saw it and use it for some stair treads, 40" long, 5/4 thick.
I just received my alaskan mill and my saw I purchased hasn't arrived yet.

woodworker9

If the wood will be used inside, you need to get the moisture content down below 10% (maximum).  Most air dried wood, depending on your location, gets down to around 12%, and that's it.  You'll want to put the wood inside your home, and allow it to acclimate, before using it for stairs.  Otherwise, your stairs will be moving quite a bit.
03' LT40HD25 Kohler hydraulic w/ accuset
MS 441, MS 290, New Holland L185

ljmathias

I have a dozen or so red oak logs that I still (after more than 2 years since Katrina) gotten around to yet.  Did one 30" that was about 14' long- had to "whittle" it down so I could actually get to the good stuff- lots' of dry rot on the outside even though I had it up on treated posts.  Finally got into the good wood and it was still wet; not as wet as fresh wood but still surprising- almost no air drying on the inside (I did seal the ends way back when I cut them from their leaning stumps).  Anyway, some good wood still to be found inside these aged logs.  All in all, though, fresher is better- easier to cut and air dry more uniformly than the 2 year old logs.

Just as an aside- had to cut down a tree I had hoped to save.  Again a Katrina casulty: all branches had been stripped including the tree top so all that was left was a 24" diameter living pole.  It sprouted a few small shoots first year and I thought they might actually grow into branches and revitalize the tree, but no such luck- it was dying a slow painful death (painful for me to watch anyway).  Finally couldn't take it any more so I used my Stihl to lay it down (after getting the chain and saw stuck so I had to use another chain saw to get it to fall- still an amateur after all these years!).  Turns out this tree must have been a gum, probably a black gum.  Sawdust smell is different from anything else I cut and the wood comes out a combination of cream and dark brown- sometimes downright beautiful.  Anyway, cut out some nice 3X6, 4X6 and 6X6 timbers along with a free of heart 8X8 that may find use in the timber framing workshop this weekend- never tried chiseling black gum (if that is what this is) but it should be interesting to try.  Most of the red oak I have ready to use has been drying a while- should be hard as a brick by now which will make the workshop all that more "educational," if you get my drift.

Anyway- don't give up on that old oak; might find some great lumber hiding inside.

Lj
LT40, Long tractor with FEL and backhoe, lots of TF tools, beautiful wife of 50 years plus 4 kids, 5 grandsons AND TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS all healthy plus too many ideas and plans and not enough time and energy

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