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Barrel sawing - for fun or profit.

Started by Bibbyman, April 23, 2011, 04:20:52 PM

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Bibbyman

A custom sawing customer brought over a short dozen large red oak logs that he wanted sawn into 1" boards no wider than 8".   Just the opposite of the request I get from people that bring in 8" logs and want 2x12s.  It was clear he wanted them "flat sawn" to display the cathedral grain.    If I were to saw them as would be normal practice,  he'd have a lot of wide boards split down to 8" wide.  Much of the outside edges would have "bastard" grain pattern and most likely the boards would bow when dried because of the grain would not be equal on each side.

So... what to do??

I've barrel sawn large logs before – especially when preparing to quarter saw a log.  But I don't often barrel saw a log just to improve the grain pattern and stability of the lumber.

Anyway,  I took some pictures of the process.





Start by sawing 8 flats on the log.  Best to keep the second set of flats 45 deg from the first.  I use a speed square to start the first face of the second set of flats.

Note the big log is shifted to the left over the back supports to gain a little room.  Also note that the loading arms are up so if things go wrong, the log won't get away!





When turning the cant,  I always use the two-plane clamp to move the cant back off the back supports before trying to raise them.





After I've went around and around taking cuts and get the cant down to a size where it's manageable,  I just select one set of flats and saw it down just like I would a regular log.





The disadvantage to barrel sawing is that you have to edge every board.  The major advantage while sawing is that I didn't have to saw through 24" of log - about 10" was my maximum cut width.





Maybe you can see the cathedral grain in the lumber.  If we'd sawn it as we normally would have, the lumber would have had a good bit of bastard sawn grain pattern.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Brad_S.

Very creative Bibbyman! I don't think it would ever have dawned on me to use that method.
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

bandmiller2

I have a sawyer friend that makes good money gun-barreling pine logs for porch collums usally octigon. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

Magicman

Are you turning the octagon cant with your log turner?  If so, what about claw damage?
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Bibbyman

Quote from: Magicman on April 23, 2011, 10:00:48 PM
Are you turning the octagon cant with your log turner?  If so, what about claw damage?

I started using the turner on the first log for about one round.  But I noted that it was digging into the faces pretty bad.  So from then on I went to using the two-plane clamp.  I'd pull the cant back a bit and then tip it over onto the next face.   I'm always amazed at how much power the two-plane clamp has.  It'll often turn a log that the turner won't turn.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Magicman

I was hoping that would be your answer.

Yes, the two plane clamp is your friend.  Many times I'll raise the clamp and turner together.  Then drop the clamp and the weight of the log against the turner claw will turn it.

I would have never turned that 41" Red Oak last week without the two plane clamp and I ended up octagon sawing it.  The lumber will be used for wall paneling, so I wanted as much grade sawed (cathedral) as possible.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Larry

I would guess your customer is a high end cabinet maker or a skilled hobbyist

I use to saw for a logger/cabinet maker.  He insisted I only turn 180 degrees.  Sometimes he would paint the log ends with different color paints so he could book-match for his cabinet doors.

The sawyer always deserves special compensation for these advanced skills. :)
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Burlkraft

Nice Job Bibby.

I'll have to give that a try.
Why not just 1 pain free day?

ely

Quote from: Larry on April 23, 2011, 10:31:03 PM
I would guess your customer is a high end cabinet maker or a skilled hobbyist

I use to saw for a logger/cabinet maker.  He insisted I only turn 180 degrees.  Sometimes he would paint the log ends with different color paints so he could book-match for his cabinet doors.

The sawyer always deserves special compensation for these advanced skills. :)

i would say so larry, i thought quarter sawing was alot of extra work.

Magicman

Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Bibbyman

I was pleased to tell the customer I'd went to extra trouble to barrel saw his big logs.  He didn't exactly complain but he wasn't real happy I did it.  He really expected me to saw it mostly through and through so he'd get some quarter sawn without having to pay me extra to saw it quarter sawn.  The old skinflint.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Don_Papenburg

No good deed will go unpunished ;)
Frick saw mill  '58   820 John Deere power. Diamond T trucks

WH_Conley

Bill

terrifictimbersllc

I sawed 6 oak logs over 30" yesterday and finished this afternoon.   "barrel" sawed all of them and QS'd 3 of them.  Three other advantages beside symmetrical grain and easier QS'ing the corner sections are apparent.  First with those faces every 45 degrees the turning is a breeze, not like with those big square cants.  Second is that skooching the log over as far as you'd like to get those 27" wide cuts centered is easy, not like with a big square cant that you have to set up on boards to clear the stops.  Third you get rid of all the dirt after the first complete revolution and can put on a new blade to saw fast and true through the bulk of the log. 
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

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