Replies

1. 
   jdgese | Nov 18, 2007 09:25am | #1

   Hi,
   Have You tried 'The forestry forum'. There are many experienced sawyers
   there.
   J.Gese

2. 
   JeffHeath | Nov 18, 2007 04:05pm | #2

   Joe

   For the most part, you want to have it flatsawn.  I like to saw walnut and cherry the same way, through and through.  This way, you'll have nice, wide boards to work with, and if you need Qsawn straight grain for, say, cabinet stiles and rails, you can use the outer edges, and still have the center section for table tops, etc......

   This will also leave you with the boards flitched, which, when left in sequence, will allow you to bookmatch for doors, tabletops, etc.....

   Jeff

1. 
   Joe Sullivan | Nov 18, 2007 05:44pm | #3

   Jeff:I was thinking of just that, but wondered if there was any disadvantage in terms of appearance, to having the wide boards be q-sawn. However, I am confused - thought the center section would be q-sawn if cut through and through.Would you cut the wide boards at 4/4, or go thicker to help avoid cupping? I was considering going up in thickness as the boards get narrower--the outer edges might be at 8/4 or even 10/4. I have looked on the timber forum, BTW, but thought to ask here as well, as Knotheads are avid users of lumber and have good insights into things like figure and stability.Joe

1. 
   mapleman | Nov 18, 2007 10:54pm | #5

   Joe,

   I bought a cherry log from Rick Hearne about 10 years ago and had it sawed, dried and shipped to me. The log was 280 bf total. Rick and I talked extensively about the cutting before hand since I couldn't be there while it was being cut. He cut it through and through like Jeff described in his post. Since some of the boards would be up to 26" in width, Rick recommended cutting the boards 5/4 to give a little flexibility when surfacing if there was some cupping during drying. So you may want to look at that if you have some really nice wide boards. He also cut the center section 12/4 for leg stock. Now the pith is dead center and it did crack quite a bit up the middle during drying- when I got the log I cut that 12/4 section in half length wise and it yielded 2- 14" wide quartersawn pieces with a little pith on the edge of each board (and a little sap on the opposite edge of each board). This was ideal for me for the purpose which I intend it (it will be a highboy some day.... hopefully soon).

   Just some things to think about. Good luck with the cutting and drying - I can say without shame I am envious.....

   Lee

2. 
   jimmy | Nov 19, 2007 01:13am | #6

   Qsawn walnut grain is generally straight, which is fine if thats what your looking for...Jimmy

3. 
   JeffHeath | Nov 19, 2007 01:57am | #7

   Joe

   When I mill through and through, I prefer most boards to be cut at 5/4 thickness.  With wide boards 20" and wider, that extra 1/4" helps tremendously with the flattening process, and still having ample thickness left over.  I prefer my finished thickness on table tops to be around 1 1/8", and I have no problem achieving that with a 5/4 board.

   When you get down to the center of the tree, where the pith is, that is when I usually take my 8/4 boards from.  I always remove the pith, as it will crack anyways, and usually meander off through what would have been very usable lumber.  That way, you've still got 2 pretty wide 8/4 boards that are straight grained.  These are great for chair and table legs, at least in my shop.

   Here's a pic of some cherry logs I milled through and through, just for reference.

   Jeff

   
3. 
   Ronaway | Nov 18, 2007 07:50pm | #4

   There are many advantages to being there with the sawyer while the lumber is being cut. If there is a knot on the log then you can have him turn the log so as to put it on the edge of the board in lieu of in the middle of the board. Once the log is square you get the chance once again to decide which direction to slab from and if you run into a bad place in the log a couple of boards down then you can have him rotate the log to avoid that area. That will mean that the rest of the boards will be not be as wide, but they will have less defects. On walnut there are strategies that will prevent having excessive sap wood on the boards. It may be better to pull a light slab off and discard it than to saw a board that is 80 per cent sap wood.

   If you have a crotch in the tree you will need to make sure the sawyer cuts thru it laterally in order to reveal the area where the limb branches off on the face of the board. Some sawyers will know to do this, an inexperienced one will not. You will get more of what you want out of the log if you are there, if you are not there then you get what the sawyer wants you to have.

   Now don't get me wrong many sawyers will know more about how to get he best stuff from a log then most people. But if you are dealing with a person that just bought their sawmill a month ago you will probably want to be there while the sawing is going on.

   Ron
   http://www.breseplane.com

   If you're too open minded your brains will fall out.

   Edited 11/18/2007 11:51 am ET by Ronaway

   
   

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   Edited 11/18/2007 11:52 am ET by Ronaway

4. 
   BobSmalser | Nov 19, 2007 05:50am | #8

   Don't overthink this.

   As has been suggested, saw it into 5/4 or 6/4 flitches as wide as the machine will produce and stack and sticker the logs in the bolle exactly as they came off the log.  Then you can select and resaw from there after the wood seasons.

   Rows of drawer fronts made from sequential boards showing continuous grain, and matching panels made from sequential flitches are the major advantage of milling your own.

    

5. 
   KeithNewton | Nov 19, 2007 08:34am | #9

   Joe, Some of the best figure in walnut can come under large limbs and in the root-buttress of large walnut. It is hard to utilize this wood when sawing it into lumber, because there will be too much grain-runout at the end of otherwise straight lumber.

   However if you are into turing on a lathe, don't leave this part out to rot. It should not be hard to find someone who will want it.

   Your profile doesn't give your location, but I sure wish you were near me, I am needing to get some more turning material, and I am only interested in large trees.

1. 
   Joe Sullivan | Nov 19, 2007 05:56pm | #10

   Keith:I am in north Texas, but the wood is in western Illinois on my parent's property.Joe