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Tearout when peeling cedar log - tips?

Started by Rougespear, November 17, 2015, 06:09:13 PM

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Rougespear

Hi all,

I'm building a cedar log bed for the wife (first time log builder).  I harvested all the logs early this spring and hand peeled them when they were green. However, I decided that I wanted the the "drawknife" look, not just the smooth wood.  So I purchased a good quality knife and started.  I am getting a lot of tearout when I peel away at the white part of the log.  I am working with the bevel down, generally from butt to top (alternating where necessary), with a very sharp knife.  Can anyone offer any tips, or is the tearout inevitable?  Is there a significant learning curve?

Thanks, Brent
Custom built Cook's-style hydraulic bandmill.

isawlogs

 Drawknifing cedar is not as easy as doing white Pine , it is much more brittle and it breaks much easier. Learning curve there is, steep it is not. What I do is take a curved blade knife and carve out the tearout.  ;) :P
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

Roger Nair

Working the wood green is the way to go but since the logs have been debarked a while ago surface should be fairly dry, I might consider spraying the logs the evening before working.  I would also concentrate on sharpness and a low bevel angle 20 to 25 degrees, as low as the steel could handle, with a micro-bevel to improve edge retention.  Skew the drawknife, it presents an effectively lower bevel than a knife held square to the log.  Ride the bevel, so the cut does not dive in aggressively, that is use the bevel surface as a planning regulator. A thin shaving will be less likely to tear at the log.

That's it for my general advice.  More specific info could help, ie, wood species, growth character, knife style, brand and sharpening.
An optimist believes this is the best of all possible worlds, the pessimist fears that the optimist is correct.--James Branch Cabell

Left Coast Chris

If you are making deeper cuts suggest cut in one direction only on the insert cut and stop at the bottom.   Turn around and cut another insert cut in the other direction to hit the first cut and avoid any cutting on an exit.

This would be time consuming and a last resort but for decorative cuts it would likely stop the tear out.
Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

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