Milling flooring?

[mart]

I have the loan of my neighbors LT10 and have access to a goodly supply of birch logs which I'll be bringing home over the next couple of months. A lot of it I'll mill for furniture and cabinet use but am wanting to mill some for flooring in our house (approx. 1000 sq ft). I can carry up to twelve footers on my trailer. I plan to end up with about a 3-3.5" wide board. Should I mill it all 12 feet and then shorten them as needed to stagger the joints or should I do some 8, 10 and 12 footers to reduce the off cuts. I've never milled for flooring before so any advice would be much appreciated. The logs I mill for furniture and cabinets I keep at 8 foot (8.5 actually to allow for some checking). Thanks in advance. This is a great forum.

Mart

[terrifictimbersllc]

Probably doesn't matter if you're going to crosscut it and machine it yourself.  The longer the piece, the more you would lose in width for those that crook on drying, when you go to put a straight edge on it again.  But you don't have to lose this width in the most crooked pieces, if you can tolerate shorter lengths, in which case you would crosscut them into 2 or 3 pieces and put a straight edge on those, with less loss in width.  Save the length in the long ones that stay straightest. 

Also try to minimize crook by sawing appropriately.  For example where possible, get rid of any juvenile wood right on the mill.  If the logs aren't that big in diameter, you won't have an option do do this, you'll be cant sawing.  In those cases I try to guess which dimension has the most sweep in the pith, and put that in the width of the board.  In the other dimension, at right angles to this, as close as possible, saw parallel to the pith, trying to center it in the thickness of one board if you can.

[mart]

I should have asked how thick for flooring and allowing for shrinkage. Sorry for the dumb questions  but this is new territory for me. I usually cut my birch at 1 1/8" to 1 1/4" for furniture and cabinet lumber to make sure I've got enough to end up with 3/4" finished thickness. Thanks.

Mart

[JustinW_NZ]

Hi there
Its ideal to quatersaw flooring as the timber will be stronger and wear better.
As terrictimbersllc states, its best to get rid of all core and sap wood right off the mill so it causes less problems while drying.

Not sure on the shrinkage rate of birch, should be out there on google  :P
Always good to allow for a fraction more than wish you had six months down the track...  :'(

Cheers
Justin

[terrifictimbersllc]

I should have asked how thick for flooring and allowing for shrinkage. Sorry for the dumb questions  but this is new territory for me. I usually cut my birch at 1 1/8" to 1 1/4" for furniture and cabinet lumber to make sure I've got enough to end up with 3/4" finished thickness. Thanks.

Mart

I'd say the same and you'll be fine.   if you're only after about 4" or narrower widths 1-1/8 would be plenty i think. The flooring makers I've talked to (phoned them on behalf of a customer I'm sawing for) have asked me for 1-1/8" thick for flooring which is to end up as 3/4".  They didnt want 1-1/4 "or else the customer might have an added planing charge".   If it's QS then 1/16 thicker than what you'd cut flat sawn might be in order.

[mart]

Thanks. That's good information guys. I have an 8" jointer and  15" planer and a well equipped shop to turn out the finished product but am new to the process of turning logs into floors. I've sawed out about 1500 board feet of lumber for cabinets and furniture with the LT 10. I am hoping the neighbors will sell me the mill. They haven't used it in a couple years so it's a possibility.

Mart

[drobertson]

I would saw it 12' then cut as needed,    david

[red oaks lumber]

if you are making the floor with small hand equipment, make everything 8' trying to hold long wood flat on a jointer or shaper isnt worth the effort.
most floors are made up of all varing lenghts from 18"-8'

[drobertson]

never seen full length run through and finished, most are knotted out then finished,  just thinking about sawing the long stock then selecting the cuts desired.   david