logs gettin cut

[larry merlau]

i have got some logs to have sawn, last time the guy just flat sawed it all and didnt turn them much. the main lot is walnut i have at least 3 ten ftrs that are 18 to 24 of heart on the small end. any of you sawyers out there got some suggestions on what i request of him i am sure he is better now than when i used him last, but i can still use your knowledge. do i leave a 3x3 cant in the center or more? and should i get some 8gtr or just usew it at 4 gtr?

[Chris Padilla]

Larry,

I'm no sawyer but a lot of how the logs should be cut depends on what you really want. Do you want a lot of 1/4-sawn? Walnut tends to have the best figure flat-sawn, IMO.

[Ian Abraham]

Walnut would normally be flat sawn, it looks better and the wood is stable enough to not need quartersawing. Normally the sawyer will cut from one face untill the grade of the boards fall off, then roll the log to the next best face and do the same. Unless the log contains internal tension, then he may flip the log more often to balance the tension and keep things straighter. When he's playing around flipping logs and re-aligning the sawhead, the blade isn't cutting. If you are paying by the hour, you dont want that, if you are paying by the board/ft, HE doesn't want that

As to how much waste from the centre, basically keep sawing untill it the grade starts looking like 'firewood'. No set rule on that, depends what you find inside the log. Eventually you hit the pith, knots, heart check or rot and it's not worth cutting any more. Will vary from log to log.

1" or 2" boards?,, Umm.. what do you want to make? If you dont know, get a few 2" ones cut anyway, they are sure to come in usefull some time

Cheers

Ian

[Jim Becker]

Larry, I like having some 8/4 material available for things like table legs (I don't like glue-ups there) and other items that are best started with thicker material. It's also quite useful for book-matched panels if the figure is nice. (And you can always resaw it to 4/4 if you need more in a pinch. Do remember that the 8/4 stock will take longer to dry and consider that into your needs.

[lou sansone]

the 3" cant left in the center will probably be worthless from my experience. the pith/heart tends to blow the wood apart when it drys. try to minimize any lumber that contains that pith section for at least 3/4" on either side of the pith. If you saw through and through and end up with a wide plank with the pith, I would recommend sawing it in half and removing the pith

Lou

[Danny Buie]

Larry,
I agree with the grade sawing outlined above. I think the key is what are you going to make. Queen Anne legs need 12/4, bed posts need 16/4 and I would saw some of both if it were up to me. (in addition to the 4/4 and 8/4) I just went and fondled my special stash of 14" cherry and 15" walnut. I've had this for ten years and have not yet been able to bring myself to use it. I bought it for a dining room table that one day I will build. It is sawed a full 5/4 in thickness which I think is necessary when it comes time to flatten a board of this width. You have to make sure they are stickered and dried properly.
Danny Buie
Baton Rouge

[larry merlau]

thanks for the help folks, i dont have any 8/4 now and can see the need in the future for some so i will do as suggested and have some cut, is there a better time to get it out of the log say towards the end of the cuttin or on the first few passes. this guy usually cuts at almost 5/4 regulary so that is covered. lou are you suggesting leaving 4 inches in the center rather than 3? did i understand you correctly?

[lou sansone]

thanks for the help folks, i dont have any 8/4 now and can see the need in the future for some so i will do as suggested and have some cut, is there a better time to get it out of the log say towards the end of the cuttin or on the first few passes. this guy usually cuts at almost 5/4 regulary so that is covered. lou are you suggesting leaving 4 inches in the center rather than 3? did i understand you correctly?

hi larry ... not quite, it was a little confusing. basically try not to have any board that you saw have the pith left in it when you dry it. walnut is about the easiest wood to dry and will not give you any trouble, but it is a good habbit to get into ( removing the pith section ). with a real straight tree, the it will probably take 2 inches of material out in center.

best wishes
lou