A convenient clamp for bowed cants

[kelLOGg]

Here they are posing in front of a cherry log. They are made from spare screw clamps and re-bar with a flattened end to pierce lumber


 

I wanted to saw off the bottom inch of this slab under which you can see a crack of light.


 

I drive the flat into the slab and crank the screw. It is not much of a piece of wood to demonstrate it on but it is the first bowed piece I have since I made them. Works pretty nice. I'll see how it does on a larger piece when it is available.
Bob


 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

KelLOGg, always screwing around with something.  :D

Pretty good idea.....if it works for ya.......run with it. 

[Peter Drouin]

I like that, that's a new one on me 

[LeeB]

Be sure and let us know when you saw into it.  :D

[scsmith42]

Pretty slick Bob!

[drobertson]

Heck yea! better than the waste that might otherwise be chunked,    david

[kelLOGg]

Be sure and let us know when you saw into it.  :D

It is another band magnet to be on the alert for.
Bob

[WDH]

Pretty cool.  We need something to handle those pecan logs  :D.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Pretty cool.  We need something to handle those pecan logs  :D.

[WDH]

I remember the last time that you stacked pecan  .

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I remember the last time that you stacked pecan  .

[fat olde elf]

No matter what Poston says, Bob K. is a real innovator. Good work Bob !

[xlogger]

nice Bob

[kelLOGg]

Those I saw for like it too, because they don't have to sit on the board to keep it flat while I'm sawing. ;D

It should be able to close a 2" gap in a bowed cant - if I'm lucky and the cant isn't too big. They were easy and quick to make. With a welder, oxy-acetylene and spare screw clamps they were done in 1 hour.

[redbeard]

I can see several other options for those clamps. Holding irregular crotches and natural curved short logs good thinking Kellogg.

[schmism]

so the idea is that if you saw a cant with parallel faces that has spring/bow in it.   that you can then sticker it with some weight and get it to dry straight?

I was always under the impression that stress in trees (leaners etc) only made crooked cants more crooked when they dried.

[kelLOGg]

It may or may not dry straight but it at least has constant thickness, so it may still be useful for siding or roofing or any application where nailing in place will keep it straight. IMO.

[5quarter]

Great Job Bob!

[Deese]

Pretty neat

[kelLOGg]

Well, I just removed a 1/4" bow from each end of a 6 x ~7 x 16 pine cant with the clamps. Worked very nicely. Sorry, no pics. I was in a rush to finish before the "polar vortex" ushered in colder air.

Keep warm,
Bob

[Brucer]

I was always under the impression that stress in trees (leaners etc) only made crooked cants more crooked when they dried.

Green wood is not as stiff as dry wood. If you can get a green piece to lay flat using weights or clamps, then there is a good chance it will remain straight after it has dried (no guarantees, though). I've found that if the wood gets wet again after it's dry, it will try to revert to where it "wanted" to be in the first place.

[WDH]

If you can get a green piece to lay flat using weights or clamps, then there is a good chance it will remain straight after it has dried (no guarantees, though).

Yes, that is why curve sawing in softwoods works.

[backwoods sawyer]

A high speed curve saw is an impressive machine to see in action, basically several thin kerf edger saws moving to the curves of the log, logs are fed thru end to end, machine dose the rest. The boards coming out the other end look like wet spaghetti. The 16' curved boards were a challenge to get thru the unscrambler's at the sorter and stackers. After kiln drying and trimming the lumber in the yard was nice and straight.
These little clamps are a simple handy way to hold the cant solid. I like to leave the stack in place for the added weight on the last cut as well, but would put those clamps to good use as needed.
There will always be a percentage of trim loss, the less the better.