How I quartersaw an oak log

[Lewisman]

After loading a log onto the mill, I open opposite faces to an overall dimension less than 23".  Relatively careful alignment allows for splitting through the heart.  Then some intense grunting and groaning leaves one half on the mill and the other half on the tractor forks.


 

The next step is to split into quarters.  As stated above, careful alignment allows for splitting through the heart.  Next, remove a board from each of the faces that are now 90 degrees separated.  These two boards will be the widest resultant pieces after edging.  Also, these two boards should have excellent ray fleck because, if alignment is performed properly, growth rings should be very close to 90 degrees to the exposed face.


 

I will now spin the chunk 45 degrees such that the heart or pith is up and the growth rings are visually oriented horizontally.  I cut off the top triangle to leave a flat clamping surface for the next step.  This triangle would be ultimately edger waste because it includes the heart which is typically cracked and/or knotty.  At this point I then cut a flat surface on the bark or sapwood side of the chunk.  I then spin the chunk and clamp so the growth rings are vertical.  After removing about half the remaining boards, I'll rotate the chunk 180 degrees, reclamp and complete sawing the chunk.


 

After all that wrestling, the result is this!


 

[WDH]

It looks like your alignment was spot-on perfect. 

[rasman57]

That is  beautiful and interesting too!

[mad murdock]

Very well done! Some very nice oak there 8)

[Chuck White]

Nice Job.

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

Awesome job.

[sealark37]

It's no surprise that Q-sawn brings a premium for all that work.  Thanks for the pics.    Regards, Clark

[woodjunky]

I will be trying this, as soon as i find a oak to whack! The neighbor has a HUGE oak he said he wants down. in his yard... I assume there will be some metal. But im considering it. I need some of those fancy oak boards!!!

[Tom the Sawyer]

Lewisman,

Does this illustrate what you are doing?


 


 

[grweldon]

Thank you for the diagram Tom.  I was unclear about what to do after cutting the flat opposite the pith flat.  This makes it crystal clear...

[gfadvm]

Tom, Thanks for the informative diagram.  Now if I can just put it where I can find it on my puter (No printer :(

[hackberry jake]

Great method. I like how you cut the pith off of the lumber before drying. This should make more stable material.

[customsawyer]

Nicely done.

[FarmingSawyer]

I just stumbled across this youtube video on quartersawing.....pretty clear explanation although I'm not sure about end for ending the log.....

http://youtu.be/VvUPJPFg4wM

[kelLOGg]

Lewisman, your ray pattern is very dramatic across the whole board. Why is it better than that achieved by flipping the quarters and edging off the pith of the boards? It seems to me that both methods saw the same number of boards perpendicular to the rings but the quarter-flipping method avoids having a beveled edge which must be sawn off.
Bob

[Lewisman]

Bob, flipping back and forth b/t faces always gave me several riftsawn boards that were beautiful and straight grained but had poor or non-existent ray fleck.  The method described above yields much better figure as evidenced by the last photo.  Lots of narrow waste pieces result but it's all useful for meat grillin'!