Sawing Question

Tree Feller · October 07, 2012, 06:51:57 PM

A buddy dropped off a 10' Southern Red Oak log that is 19" on the small end and 20" on the large end. It's a very nice, limb-free log. I have never attempted quartersawing and thought I would try it with this log using the technique in the following link... http://alterra-wv.com/wood/quartersaw.htm

My mill is totally manual and I thought the log was small enough to handle but still large enough to QS without wasting half of it. The wood will be shared between two woodworkers.

Is that a viable plan or do y'all think I should flat-saw it instead?

qbilder · October 07, 2012, 06:58:08 PM

That's the way I do it. I learned it from a local Amish miller. I know it's not the correct way to quarter saw & as such, doesn't produce all quarter sawn boards. Some are more rift than quarter. But it does ok & sure saves a lot of labor.

drobertson · October 07, 2012, 08:47:01 PM

Hey tree feller, that link looks pretty close to how to do it, You might check some other links, just for additional ideas. On a bandsaw there are many options, there will be trimming no matter which technique you use, so just remember the 90 degree rule on the growth rings for true quarter sawn, and then acccept the allowable tolerance for remainder. Every log will produce differing results so try to remember, not every log will give the perfect rays and flecks that one thinks when considering q-sawn lumber. david

JustinW_NZ · October 07, 2012, 08:52:28 PM

Thats a good article/guide that one.

Any other links worth looking at you know of David?
And whats different between that and how you do it?

Cheers
Justin

Magicman · October 07, 2012, 09:28:26 PM

There is a lengthy discussion about QS in this thread: LINK Look at Reply #36, second picture. That is also my way.

Also do a forum search for quartersaw.

WDH · October 07, 2012, 09:39:26 PM

Just be sure and take pictures!

drobertson · October 07, 2012, 09:40:04 PM

can't remember off hand of where to go, but a google will give you something to look at, I get four faces, 4" or so, then whack the plank, giving 3" or better off the center, flip 180 and take another whack the same, this leaves you two large whacks to cut down, and the center. flip the two first cuts large face against the back stops and cut down to a reasonable safe distance to the back stops, flip these 180, ensuring a square corner on the bottom. then cut the rest. the center cut will provide a true q-swn. board when the first flats are against the back stops. If the center is real pithy take it out then cut these down as far as you can, flip and finish.. You just need to remember to watch the growth rings and keep them perpendicular to the blade. this technique will give some rift sawn lumber, but as far as I can figure, true q-swn is a rare item, only so much in a log. the bigger the better. I am not an expert, but I have seen some amazing boards, and some that just were boards, every log is different. the widest q-sawn board you can really get is the radius of the log minus the pith, and the allowable sap wood, I hope this helps, david

WDH · October 07, 2012, 09:52:43 PM

I like to saw it the way shown in the blue diagram on Dodgy Loner's reply #36 in the link that Magicman posted. If you make the log into an octagon, that creates more flat clamping surfaces for the final cuts of the quarters. You get some beveled edged boards that may need edging, but you maximize quartersawn.

You basically octagon the log, cut the boards in the dead center of the log, maybe two boards above the pith and two below. Then take the upper and lower cants and stand then on edge and saw out the middle of those. Now you have four quarters. The octagon face allows you to clamp these pieces such that you can get the growth rings at 90 degrees to the face.