[OP]
Member
I just picked up some short (24") pieces of Purpleleaf Plum 4"-6" diam from my father-in-law and would like to make boards out of this for some small boxes/pens/etc. I don't have a bandsaw. Do you think I could use a crosscut hand saw to saw planks, or should I just drive the 30 min to a friend with a small bandsaw?
Is this wood even worth using or would it make better firewood?
Thanks, Travis
Member
At the very least you need a rip saw. I think using a crosscut for that purpose will be an exercise in futility. I would drive to the friend's and knock it out easily and get better results (and more useable wood probably).
Guest
You really want to use a rip saw. I would drive 30 minutes to use a bandsaw.
Member
I've done it with a rip saw. My first ever table was made with hand tools only. It's a good excercise but if you value your time at all go to your friends shop and use his band saw. You will be hours ahead. Hand tools are faster sometimes...this does not sound like one of those times.
Member
At the very least you would want to use a frame rip saw made for resawing.Originally Posted by Travis Teichmann
I suspect the wood is hard. Ideally the wood would still be partially green. I have no idea of the "quality" of the wood. Most fruit woods can check easily as they dry. These little boards would be no exception. Coat the ends with wax until you decide what to do with them to slow the drying/cracking.
And then drive the 30-minutes and take your friend his favorite beverage.
Take care, Mike
[OP]
Member
Thanks for the advice. I had a feeling you would answer that way, but since I have never done this type of work, I thought I would check. I think my friend will probably end up with some of the wood for letting me use his bandsaw. THanks again, and have a safe and happy New Year.
Contributor
Assuming your wood is still green, I would recommend ripping the logs in half, being careful to cut right through the pith, at minimum. If you can, remove the pith altogether. Ideally, you might take two ripping cuts, one on each side of the pith, leaving a slender full length waste of pith wood.
Ripping round stock on the band saw is hazardous, so if you don't know how to stabilize the log for cutting, you might ask around about that.
I would not recommend further slabbing off of the wood for lumber. The log ends should be sealed and the stock allowed to dry for at least a year. If you don't seal the ends, you will certainly get some horrible cracking. It will likely warp, crack and contort a bit, hopefully not a lot, no matter what you do. After a year of so, you can then take the halved pieces and make your final "board" cuts, removing cracks, checks, warp, etc. Some of that waste can be saved for pens. If you try to make boards now, you will have to further reduce the thickness to rid yourself of the twisting once the wood has dried...and you may not have much left after you do remove the defects. If you insist on making boards now, make them substantially thicker than your planned final dimensions, seal the ends and let them dry several months minimum before final dimensioning. Don't forget the seal the ends. You can melt some grocery store paraffin in old skillet on a coleman stove outside and then dunk the ends.
If you are certain that the wood is very dry, go ahead and slab them off.
Plum wood is a wonderful wood and very well worth the trouble. A very fine texture and it is very nice to work with hand tools, particularly chisels, and on the lathe. So it is ideal for small boxes. It is also one of the best smelling woods to cut on the lathe. I roughed out two small plum bowls just last weekend from 18 month old stock. They will need a few more months to dry, even now. I know good and well they will rim-warp if I finish turn them, even at their present 15% MC. You might get some nice small bowl stock out of 6" logs.
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