Sawing white oak

millwright · November 27, 2011, 07:24:23 PM

I will soon be getting some white oak logs to saw. These have been cut for about 1 year, most are about 16 to 22 inches dia. and about 20 ft. long. The customer wants mainly full length 4x6 and 4x8s for hay wagon beds, I will be cutting these frozen most likely, any advice and suggestions would be appreciated, I will be sawing these on a WM lt 35. thanks.

ladylake · November 27, 2011, 07:41:48 PM

Get yourself some 4 or 7* blades, they should cut fine, normal set works good. With 20' long you will run across stress when slabbing off 4 to 8 " , if you want them to be staight and accurate you'ld have to saw oversize the true them up but for hayrack stringers it doesn't matter. Steve

POSTON WIDEHEAD · November 27, 2011, 07:45:52 PM

Frozen logs? Where you from Millwright?

millwright · November 27, 2011, 07:49:13 PM

All I have for blades is 10 degree, but figured I would need to order some 4 degree for fozen hardwood.

millwright · November 27, 2011, 07:52:47 PM

Im from northern WI where everthing is frozen for about 2/3rds of the year.

POSTON WIDEHEAD · November 27, 2011, 07:55:15 PM

WOW!

red oaks lumber · November 27, 2011, 08:25:48 PM

wow, i live in northern wis. nothin froze yet. 1 yr old white oak wont freeze solid for awhile. i saw all winter using 9 deg. blades.

bandmiller2 · November 27, 2011, 08:57:38 PM

Millwright,not to worry I find I can cut oak more accurate than pine.Outher than the weight of oak I'd rather cut it than pine.As ladylake Steve said try some 4 or7 degree bands.Those logs should be reasonably stable but a little more abrasive to teeth than when green. Frank C.

ladylake · November 28, 2011, 06:18:55 AM

Same here, I'd rather cut oak than pine. Pine cuts like butter but then hits those hard knots when I'm sawing too fast and makes little ripples, it takes a sharp blade, quite a bit of set and dont get carried away with the feed speed to saw perfectly straight.
Sure 9 or 10* blades will saw WO but 7 or 4* will saw it faster and straighter. Steve

terrifictimbersllc · November 28, 2011, 08:13:29 AM

IMO if you want your wide cuts to be as flat as possible I'd get some 4s to add to your 10s. If you're breaking the logs down to your oversize 4x6 and 4x8's, and then trimming these to actual sizes you could probably do fine with just 10s. But very much doubt you'll be happy with cuts over 12" wide in frozen white oak with 10s. I've sawed for many years with just 10's and 9's and no doubt I would put on a 9 for frozen 18-22" white oak. But I haven't had 4s until recently and just based on using two of them am thinking they'd be superior to 9's for flat wide cuts in frozen white oak.