WOOD MIZER

[Global Worldwide]

Hi

Looking to Cut Logs into Lumber and would like to know the finish that a Wood Mizer would provide as compared to a Surfaced all 4 Sides Lumber.

A reply from any one having any experience in this would be welcome.

[DR Buck]

Your question would be better asked to a Wood-Mizer rep but as an owner,  I will tell you that you will not get S4S finish from any sawmill.  Although you will not get the "swirl" marks a circular blade makes it can be fairly smooth if all conditions are right.  Things like blade tension, feed speed, tooth set, log quality all affect the final rough finish.   A tooth slightly out of set can leave marks in an otherwise perfectly good board.   This is not a defect.  It is simply a characteristic affect of band mills.

[Ianab]

As well as the surface marks from the teeth you have other issues.

There will always be some random variations due to saws wandering, tension releasing in the wood, etc. So you realistically have to expect at least 1/16th inch variation in dimension.

Then the wood is going to shrink as it dries, and the amount of shrinkage depends on the species and grain orientation, but could be 5 or 10% between green and kiln dried. A piece cut flat sawn is going to move different to rift or quarter sawn board,

So even if you could get perfect finish off the mill the random variations in the dried boards would mean they still needed to planed to a uniform size once they were dry and stable.

Ian

[hackberry jake]

I have cut some lumber that looked like it could have been planed already, but after you dry it, it should be planed again.

[Bibbyman]

With time and expense you can improve the smoothness and accuracy of the lumber coming off any bandmill.  The Wood-Mizer RazorTip blades are expensive but make smoother and, all else being equal, more accurate cuts. Slowing your saw feed rates will improve accuracy.  Changing blades before they get dull is important as is keeping the mill well adjusted.

But making perfect lumber off the mill in no way assures it will stay that way.  As it dries, it will move and shrink.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

A buddy of mine just lightly sanded 4/4 white oak and used it for trim in his cabin.  It looks very nice.

[Woodey]

Hello and welcome to the Forestry Forum Global Worldwide.

I would suggest locating someone in your area with a woodmizer and compare the rough cut lumber to planed lumber.

Also the use would determine if you need to plane the lumber.

[slider]

I covered the walls in our home that we built with pine that was sawed on a woodmizer.All of it was belt sanded lightly .My planer is only a 12 in so i had to belt sand them.Some of the boards were over 15in wide so sanding was an option.It came out great.