What is a "slab?"

[Magicman]

And one more thing, some of us can't figure out when a log becomes a cant.  :D

When a log has had all of the slabs and flitches removed and is ready to be sawn into lumber, it becomes a cant.

Now it you want to know what a cant hook is,  just forget everything else and remember Logrite.

[red]

Can't   You can't handle the truth !

[Percy]

  If it is thick, it is a slab.  I have heard the term used to describe a slice of cake.   

Cake....Now yer talking....I need me some cake... :D

[woodmills1]

I slabbed a flitch once but no one bought it ???

[longtime lurker]

In 'straya... and subject to regional variences:

If the first breakdown cut goes through the pith of the log the two pieces produced are then called "splits".

If the first breakdown cuts go either side the pith to split the log into three pieces you get two "wings" and a "center cant". Both wings and center cant are further processed to recover timber.

Squaring up a "center cant" produces a "cant". A cant is any large four sided piece to be further resawn. A cant can have waney edges but does not have rounded sides.

A "flitch" is a large squared up piece of timber used for the production of sawn or sliced veneer. A log or section thereof intended for the production of sawn or sliced veneer is a "veneer log/billet".

A log or piece thereof intended for the production of rotary veneer is a "peeler/ peeler log"

A "slab" has two sawn faces and two live edges and is sold as is suit bartops etc.
Which makes sense in a convoluted way because a slab is also a carton of beer.

I get jealous of the idea of a "slab pile"...  :D

[DMcCoy]

Dang-it!  I went to urban dictionary hoping to find something humorous to post about the term slab, now I have to wash my eyes out with soap.

Slab - slow low and bangin ->southern term- a pimped out car.

Slabs to me are always firewood, the rest is called lumber.  :/

[Darrel]

A "slab" has two sawn faces and two live edges and is sold as is suit bartops etc.
Which makes sense in a convoluted way because a slab is also a carton of beer.

I get jealous of the idea of a "slab pile"...  :D

That would most definitely make them easier to dispose of.

Dang-it!  I went to urban dictionary hoping to find something humorous to post about the term slab, now I have to wash my eyes out with soap. :/

My curiosity is about to get the best of me but DanG-it, soap in the eyes is not a pleasant thought!  :D :D

[Brucer]

I, too, learned the term "flitch" from Krenov's books (back in the mid-70's). I'd never thought about sawing logs before that, but Krenov mentioned "flitch-sawing" and showed a picture of an Alaskan mill. That got me hooked. First a chainsaw, then a mini-mill, then a bigger chainsaw, then an Alaskan mill, then a manual band-mill, then a hydraulic mill.

As for terminology in general, I get all sorts of calls.

Someone wants a slab. That can be the round-faced piece off the side of a log, or a thick piece of wood, with or without the live edges.

Someone wants offcuts. That can mean the trimmed ends off my lumber, it can mean slabs off the side of a log, it can even mean a piece cut off the end of a log.

I've had people ask for boards when they want timbers, and timbers when they want boards.

I've had people ask for logs when they want timbers, and timbers when they want a short piece of log.

And I once had a logger ask me to look at some really good Larch logs he was selling. I went and he showed me a small Larch forest. "Tell me which one's you want and I'll cut them down for you." I told him I wouldn't know which ones I wanted until they were on the ground. He said Dang well wasn't going to cut down a bunch of trees if I wasn't going to buy them. I told him I only bought logs, not trees. He just didn't get it :.

[LeeB]

Thanks Bruce. I've been racking my brain trying to remember the authors name. The name of the book I read was 'The Cabinet Makers Notebook'.

[pineywoods]

A very frequent episode at my mill, person gets out of the truck and announces "I need some boards" . I have learned that when that happens, I show them a stack of 2X4 and 1x12..Yup, that's what I need...If I'm feeling a bit mischievous, I'll ask, You want real 2X4's or store bought size...Huh?

[Sixacresand]

Among the many meanings of "slab", before Forestry Forum, I always thought a slab was the rounded outside cuts of a log which was generally discarded.  I now know it can be a valuable, wide, thick cut from a log, with or without live edges.  So based on this thread, when someone ask if they can have some slabs, I need to get an understanding on what they are calling a slab. 

[Ugly Tree]

Grew up in a 50 bundle-a-week tie mill. Fourth generation sawmiller. Never heard the term flitch.  A log could only ever make four slabs--face opening cuts.  Just our neck of the woods...  no disrespect to anyone else or region. 

[Al_Smith]

I first heard the term flitch describing a rustic type wood siding with what appears to be the uncut portion of the tree at the bottom .Meant to be rustic, quite popular during the mid 70's for gable ends of houses .

About 4-5 years ago  I put an addition on my house .In order to match the rest of the house I had to buy some. Cedar from Burnby B.C. and they were certainly proud of it I might add .

[4x4American]

I agree that technically, a slab is the first cut from any of the 4 faces.


But, if a term is so broadly used for something that it becomes commonplace, it can change.  Remember, people invented words, and they can be changed with the times.  Try to read literature from the 1700's. 


Lucas has a dedicated slabber mill.  Does that mean it can only cut proper slabs?  I think not!

[LeeB]

I've been know to slabber a little when I see something I really really want.

[plowboyswr]

I've been know to slabber a little when I see something I really really want.

:D :D :D

[terrifictimbersllc]

It's a good point that at least two sawmill manufacturers call their machines "slabbers".

[Brucer]

As Cedarman says, the important thing is to be sure you're on the same wavelength as the person you're talking to. I never assume that my customer wants what he/she said . Why should we expect our customers know the terminology of the sawmill when we can't even agree on it among ourselves ;D.

[beenthere]

   

We develop slang terms over the years... 50 years ago, in the wood industry, the "slab for table top" would be "flitch".  But time has its way of changing things... ;)

[redprospector]

This thread makes me think of Babylon.
In the Bible, when the Babylonians got too big for their britches, God confused their language so they didn't know what each other was talking about.
Hmm. Just a little food for thought.  ;)

[4x4American]

Today on FB, WM posted a video of their 1000 mill and wrote this: "Built for milling massive logs up to 67" in diameter, the WM1000 is ideal for sawing large, high-value slabs." 


I saw that and thought of this thread. smiley_flipping

[Solomon]

Different have different uses of the word, to me, A "slab" is the first outside piece cut off the log.

[Darrel]

When I was a kid growing up around sawmills, slabs were always the first cuts off the outside of the log.  Then came Lucas Mill with their slabbing attachment and their dedicated slabber.  This added new meaning to the word "slab" and we also started hearing the word used as a verb.  E.g. "I'm going to slab that log into 12/4 slabs."  Anyway, that's what I think happened.