Eastern Red Cedar

[SW_IOWA_SAWYER]

I had a logger drop off a 28" dia. walnut log off at my house Sat. It is a monster 22' log I asked what he wanted for it and he said if I cut this ERC log he  would call it even. 8) OK I guess that will work for me. ;) I have never cut ERC, is there anything I should do or maybe more important not do when cutting this log up. It is not real large approx 15" dia 8' long it does however smell great.

[Bro. Noble]

ERC bark can be stringy so you need to watch that it doesn't plug your sawdust spout.  The wood cuts as easy as anything you will ever cut------even with all the knots.

You are in for a pleasant experience cutting that log.

[Fla._Deadheader]

How long have ya been sawin, and how long have ya known yer logger???  Try cutting that cedar up, and take a REAL thin slice. Hide the rest and when he shows up, tell him you tried cuttin that thing every which way, and this thin piece is all ya got to show for it ???   :D :D :D :D :D
  DanG, 1 week and I'm already losin it  : :

[Lenny]

I cut A few ERC  A couple weeks ago. Cuts like butter,Really pretty lumber, mostly red with A little white in the pulp wood. The logs I sawed have been setting on top of A pile for A few years and was verry dry and dusty when cutting.
                                       Lenny

[Tom]

Even though the wood cuts easily, it dulls blades quickly. Why?  I don't know.  I've been told that it is because it has silicon in the wood.  Sounds feeble but I'd believe sand.  Anyway the blades dull fairly quickly but continue to cut and the more you push them the more heat you generate and eventually the blade will part.

It seems that, when I cut cedar, I cut a lot of it at once.  I have to discipline myself to change blades based on time to keep from ruining them.  When you stop make a habit of feeling the teeth to see if the edge is still there.

One thing to do is cut the slab thick enough that it can be used.  ERC is a great tree for rustic woodwork.  A slab cut 2 inches thick can be put on a tablesaw later and cut into trim that will have a natural edge.  This is especially pretty when used for mirror frames or picture frames.

You can also find stubs of limbs and things that make good drawer handles. The sawdust makes good satchets when put in a flowered "bean bag"..

Don't throw away the limbs either. Even if you can't saw them, they make good legs for tables and the really small ones are decorative for trim work. The larger ones make good lamps and can be turned on a lathe, between centers, to make lots of interesting items.

Don't allow a cedar log to sit for any extended period of time. The sap wood is brilliant white against the red heart wood when it is fresh but will yellow if alllowed to age in the log.   It will also rot if left to the weather leaving you with only the heartwood.

The wood is brittle and the edges chip fairly easily.  The boards will split if handled rough so be careful to protect it.  It is prettiest, in my opinion, if flat-sawed.

[Kevin]

Tom,
I've been told that cedar will pick up fine grains sand or silt as i takes up water.

[Tom]

It does something to get so abrasive :-/  I've read and read on it and there is nothing out there that explains what's going on. :P  Maybe I'll just make up a good story one day. :D :D

[Percy]

 Eastern Red Cedar must be like Western Red Cedar cause my blades dull fast too. The key to getting a decent amount of board footage before changing blades is the fastest feed rate possible(Duhhhh) :D :D....I heard the silicates thing as well..hmmmmmm.I know the bark holds alot of dust cause the debarker option really kiks it up. I find the green cedar cuts nicer and blades last a little longer than the dry old snags(duhhhh again) :D :D

[biziedizie]

  Hey Harold ain't it fun not being able to do things that you're used to??? :D :D :D

  You're lucky to just have a broken hoof, try a broken wing for 8 months ;D :-[ :'(

  I will never forget getting up in the mornings and not being able to do things. :-[ :'( :-/

  I feel for ya.

     Steve

[ARKANSAWYER]

  Some times people wait for a spell for me to get to them to saw their logs.  But I think that they found this log that had been left in the woods by mistake.  It still had some pretty wood and setting seems to improve the red even if the sap wood is gone.
ARKANSAWYER

[Fla._Deadheader]

I know a guy that has a pile that looks like what Arky posted. I'm gonna try to talk him out of it. He wants to  BURN :oit???  Hey Tom !!!!!!

   Diz, I druther rather have a broke wing ANYTIME, if I had my druthers. This hoppin around and nearly fallin (did once already) is the PITZ !!!!  Got too much to do