recovering side lumber

[Dave H.]

this has been brought up several times.this is how i do it.ihave a completely manual mill so i feel it it actually easier to recover boards from side slabs.i also am a hobby sawyer and wood worker so i am able to recoup "costs" thru selling projects made from recovered boards.
first cut up the logs,then i decide if any of the sides are potentially worth anything.if they are,this is how i get them.



  i lay down a spacer board(my mill cuts down to 1 1/4 in) i use a board at least as wide as the board im cutting,this gives stable platform to cut off of.



  i raise my stops up about 1/4 inch above board to catch edge.




  ithen set the mill to the thickness of the cut,in this case 1inch.



 




  next is to put weight on the slab until i get into the slab(this could end badly if the weight slips of so use caution!)



  picture of result.2 outside pieceswere cut off the log,middle piece was recovered from a thick side slbe.i recovered a 1x6x8 from a 10ft slab.




  recovered 1x4x8 from a 10foot



  1x5x7 froma 10ft



  pile of recovered side lumber

[ellmoe]

   Why not cut these boards while they are attached to the log, simpler and quicker?

[Brad_S.]

X2.
Much faster and easier. Easier and faster to discard a board you don't like than to go through the work involved in salvaging them from slabs IMO.

[jmouton]

x3

[Jeff]

Ditto.