Swingblade in S.E. Missouri

[boardmaker]

Wondering if you guys could help me out?  Do any of you know anyone with a swingblade near Cape Girardeau MO?  I have access to some sycamore to be cut this winter, and I would like to quartersaw it.  I've been interested in a swingblade since I primarily want to qsaw.  It would allow me to finally see one/help saw.  I sent a message to Tome, hoping he might respond but he has been inactive for quite some time.

I know it can be done with a bandmill.  Just looks like a lot more work.

Thanks.

[drobertson]

It's not really that much more work with a band mill, but appreciate your attitude towards the swing blades.
These mills, with the right operator are pretty impressive.  Hope you find some support soon.   david

[mad murdock]

Might sound crazy, but quarter sawing with a Logosol M7 or M8 is pretty slick as well. Obviously would not be as fast as a circle mill, but set up properly, can do it effectively and fairly quick, and easier than on a bandmill.  You can check out a video of it being done.

[boardmaker]

I was hoping to get a lead from this post.  I feel it would be a great opportunity to see a swingblade in action.  Unfortunately, I haven't yet.

If all else fails, I can get a bandmill.  I really had my sights set on quartersawing with a swingblade though.

[Dave Shepard]

I thought quarter sawing on a swing mill is not the most efficient way? The way I quarter saw, I flip the quarters every couple of cuts to keep the angle close. Perhaps that isn't necessary with the swinger, but how do you get the quarters in the first place?

[Ianab]

With a swing blade you don't quarter the log first, you just change your cutting pattern as you go though the log. The first 1/3, you cut vertical boards. Some are rift sawn at the corners, but the best boards are true 90 deg sawn. Then you take horizontal boards for the middle 1/3, and then back to vertical for the last section. The log never moves, it's not really any more work, and there is little waste. You do get some rift sawn boards, but that's also the case with a band saw.

Main thing is you can do this easily, with oversize logs. No having to break a large log into quarters first, and re-handle the pieces.

Ian

[rph816]

Unless you're cutting wedges, you're going to get some rift-sawn either way.  I would say the only potential advantage to the bandsaw would be width of cut.  Sycamore is tricky in my opinion, you've got to be just-so with the pith, but when done right, it looks really exotic. - Ryan

[Grandedog]

     Howdy,
   I've attached a document that goes through the layout, and strategy for both backsawn, and quartersawn logs with a swingblade. Most of the information is common to the folks on this site but, there just might be something worth reading.
   As far as finding somebody in your area with a Lucas Mill, please give DJ (Darian) a call here at Left Coast Supplies @ 888-995-7307. We have a list of folks by state, and we'll try to find somebody close to you that's interested.
Regards
Gregg

Gregg Grande
Left Coast Supplies LLC
1615B South Main Street  Willits, CA 95490
888-995-7307  Ph 707-602-0141  Fax 707-602-0134  Cell 707-354-3212
E-Mail  gregg@leftcoastsupplies.com   www.leftcoastsupplies.com

[Okrafarmer]

To most efficiently quartersaw any large log, you will need to make it into eighths rather than quarters. Meaning, most efficient for yield. Customsawyer showed us how to do that on his LT70 at the first Sycamore Project last year. It is somewhat difficult to make eighths on a swingmill. By rehandling with a tractor, etc, however, you can do it, especially if you have a slabber bar to cut all the way through the log at strategic locations.
;)

[Ianab]

Well technically the more sections you break the log down into the better your % of true quarter sawn, down to radially sawing the log into wedge shaped boards, then re-sawing or planing those into rectangular boards later.  But doing that is a lot of work, and you have a high percentage of waste. But it can be done for special uses like musical instruments where the grain MUST be exactly 90 deg.

The advantage with a swing blade is that it's not any more work, your actual recovery of boards is about the same. Some are perfectly q-sawn. Some are technically q-sawn, but not exactly 90 deg, and some are rift sawn (the smaller boards) But your total bd/ft recovered, and time taken should be about the same.

[boardmaker]

I don't know how I missed both sycamore projects.  That was great reading.  Obviously sawing sycamore, I'm looking for the most ray fleck possible.  To me, it's worth going the extra mile to do your best to get vertical grain. 

I'm open minded about saws so a bandmill isn't out of the question.  It's just the couple I have available to me aren't completely hydraulic.  I have a loader tractor readily available but that still won't make it easy on a manual mill.

I think I'll be sawing wedges regardless of the type of mill.  So...I may rethink this a bit.  Wedges is the wrong term.  I should say triangles after I get the easy lumber out.  I'm not really looking for rift sawn either.  If this were white oak, I'd just quarter and then keep flipping like most do. 

[backwoods sawyer]

I had some big oak logs in the 5' diamator range that I called a swingblade in to bust down into 8x8 cants and set my mill up nearby. This allowed me to square to grain by tilting the 8x8 as needed, minimal waist, minimal effort with the maximum recovery of true quarter sawn wood, from either mill and since the other sawyer is pushing 80 minimal effort was important ;)