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quartersawing

Started by postville, August 16, 2011, 07:59:58 AM

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postville

I have been working on some nice big red oak and trying to maximize quartersawn material.
A few comments- This take a lot of time! Don't use colored end coating wax, it makes it hard to see the rings. It is surprising that you see the flecks at times you do not expect it and other times they don't show when you think they would.
I have been doing this like Woodmiser shows in the manual, cut off cants from side 1 and 3, split the remainder , turn those cants with bark up and finish. Cut first 2 cants 90 degrees from their original orientation.
Any other suggestions?
How is this approached on a swing mill?
Thanks, Bob
LT40 25hp Kohler, Gehl 6635, Valby grapple, Ford 4600, Farmi winch, Stihl saws

Magicman

Regarding flecks, each log/tree is an individual.  They make them where they make them.

Since it is impossible to get all QS flat lumber out of a round log, decisions have to be made regarding waste, various width lumber, and rift sawn lumber.

For example, with an 18" cant, I will QS the center 6".  Flip the two remaining 6X18 cants 90°, and QS the center 6".  The four remaining 6X6 cants will yield rift lumber.

All sawing is dependent upon your market or your customer's wishes.  Since I don't sell lumber, I abide by my customer's wishes.  They always choose rift and uniform widths over waste.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

logboy

I'm sure others have their own methods, but my approach with my Lucas Mill swing blade is pretty straight forward. It wont yield me all quarter sawn wood, but quite a bit of it.  After opening up the log I take vertical boards off the top until I'm about a third of the way through the log. I then switch to horizontal boards through the pith. When I'm at the bottom third I switch back to vertical boards. And that's it.  I found a graphic that basically shows it.  
OFFSITE IMAGES NOT ALLOWED
I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

Ianab

Logboy is right about quarter sawing on a swingblade.

Just like the band saw you will get some perfect boards that show rays if they are present, and other boards that although technically q-sawn, the grain is starting to drift off towards rift sawn. As you move the saw across log, eventually it's going to meet up closely with the rays, so that's 2 boards from each quarter that should be perfect. The stray boards from corners of the log will of course be rift sawn.

You are limited as to the max board width you can cut, but the advantage is that it's no more work than flat sawing. It takes the same time to cut a 1 x 8 or an 8 x 1, and you are not moving the log, or repositioning sections of it. You can even change patterns mid log if it makes sense, like finding more knots than you expected.

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

logboy

One more benefit of quarter sawing with the swing blade mill is that there is no edging required. There are no pie shaped wedge pieces to clean up afterward.  Everything you saw is ready for the jointer.  If I remember I'll take some photos when I'm sawing today.
I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

woodmills1

on a band much edging on cutting by quarters
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

postville

Finished cutting and stacking and I would estimate the yield of quatersawn with good marking to be less than 20%.
Lessons learned-
1-This adds a lot of time to do.
2- Use a clear log end coating, I used red and it made it hard to see the rings.
3- Need larger diameters to make it worth the time.
I'll see when I go to sell if I get a premium for this material. It is beautiful!
LT40 25hp Kohler, Gehl 6635, Valby grapple, Ford 4600, Farmi winch, Stihl saws

WDH

I have found it not worth doing except for exceptional logs.
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

250quality

I just did a 28" oak yesterday. First in half the quartered. I put the cut side of one of the quarters down on top of an existing 5/4 board and cut the bottom slab off the quartered section.
Moved the section and the sawn piece. My helper edged it in the jig as I turned the quarter over and continued the process. Nut sure if this is the proper way to quarter saw but it was super fast and lots of yield from my oak.
Trick is to have someone edging as you go to speed up the process. I made a jig on a bench with a straight egde hinged above and edge with a 7-1/4 worm drive saw.
Very fast and I love the set-up.

sealark37

One of our members specializes in quartersawing oak on his circle mill.  At the present time he is fully occupied with the construction of a new saw shed and the installation of his mill.  When he starts making sawdust again, maybe he will elucidate us on the finer points of quartersawing "pith-up" on a circle mill.  Regards, Clark

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