30" pine 17' long off center pyth how would you cut? pic included

GAmillworker · December 20, 2011, 05:11:04 PM

kelLOGg · December 20, 2011, 05:33:36 PM

Can you show pics of the whole log? Are there knots? That would help in deciding.
Bob

Coon · December 20, 2011, 05:34:49 PM

I would load it onto the mill and start sawing it up. ;) :D I guess it would probably depend on what dimensions you were going to saw it to. Once you open up a log like that sometimes you will find all kinds of tensions and stresses in the log. It will be interesting to hear what the pro's would do though. ;D

POSTON WIDEHEAD · December 20, 2011, 05:37:29 PM

Quarter sawn Pine? Just a thought!

GAmillworker · December 20, 2011, 05:45:27 PM

This log is free of knots along with the next cut from the same tree that is 14' 6" long. Yes, I was thinking quarter sawing. didnt know what kind of tension with pyth that far off center.

Dan_Shade · December 20, 2011, 05:58:37 PM

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,686.0.html#

check out this post by Tom. Tension and compression wood makes for good rocking chair parts...

beenthere · December 20, 2011, 06:50:24 PM

Can see some serious compression wood in the end of that log. That has longitudinal shrinkage that will be tricky to balance in whatever you plan to saw out.

What are you planning to saw from it?

GAmillworker · December 20, 2011, 06:56:15 PM

Planning on cutting framing lumber for new home. Some exposed beams and ceiling boards.

customsawyer · December 20, 2011, 07:35:03 PM

As you cut it the board will most likely move on you one way or the other. Keep a eye on this and relieve the stress as you go.

DanG · December 20, 2011, 07:38:30 PM

I would load that sucker up and take it to Jake. ;D

zopi · December 20, 2011, 08:51:08 PM

Take up boat building, unless you have some big honkin' clamps to dry that stuff in...

WDH · December 20, 2011, 11:04:20 PM

That is a pretty extreme example. I bet you get some nice curved lumber.

isawlogs · December 20, 2011, 11:50:58 PM

I can tell you righ now that you going to get much if any usefull lumber out of that log. As you saw it the boards or timbers will react, twisting curving or both. As said many rocking chair parts. Too bad it sure looks to be a good size log. :-\

5quarter · December 21, 2011, 12:22:35 AM

Somewhere Tom talked in detail about how to saw that. I'll try to relay what I can remember. draw a line between the tension and compression wood on the end of the log. take lumber from one side or the other, but do not cross that line, as the resulting board will twist like a pretzel. further, try to keep the ring pattern uniform throughout each board...as it will shrink more uniformly with less chance of defect.
I would add that if it were my log, I would not saw it for anything but siding, and I would wait until I needed it. Screwing down green 1x boards will overcome any reaction tendancies the wood would otherwise exhibit during drying. I'm guessing the tree was straight but had very heavy lean?
I would consider using the compression wood for bunks when you are putting together your next base frame for air drying. If they are screwed down to the stretchers and the stretchers are screwed down to ties or pilings and you build a lumber stack on it right quick, They will dry true.

Brucer · December 21, 2011, 01:12:28 AM

If it were mine, I'd be cutting a couple of big FOHC timbers out of it. Saw them oversize, let them air dry, and resaw them straight.

Just saying ....

lynches lumber · December 21, 2011, 07:44:04 AM

Im gonna have to keep up with this also and do a little studying too. Drug home some hefty pines from the neighbors yesterday. One was about 30" or better and the pith probably wasnt 4 or 5" from the edge. Like 5quarter said it was good and straight but probably had a 60 degree lean to it. Didnt have no problem deciding which direction to drop it.

beenthere · December 21, 2011, 09:54:32 AM

My thought reading some reply's is some don't know southern pine, and this I believe is a southern pine.

LeeB · December 21, 2011, 04:25:30 PM

I have to agree that 1x sisding would be your best bet. Put the pith at the top or bottom and centered vertically. Take a couple of boards, flip 180 degrees and continue this till it's sawn. Also as mentioned try your best to keep the growth rings even. It will want to bow end to end this way, but that can be delt with if you are using it for siding.

jim king · December 21, 2011, 04:53:50 PM

Never having sawn a log like that it just looks like a quarter sawn dream to me. It certainly would not be less stable than flat sawn ???

LeeB · December 21, 2011, 05:34:41 PM

Not good for qs. Qs tends to bow toward the pith any way and this log will have an even greater tendancy to do so.

isawlogs · December 21, 2011, 06:22:03 PM

Beenthere,

Are you saying that badly off centered southern pine will not react or twist or cup ???

I've sawn a lot of wood, and this type of off centering has never gave much usefull lumber, but then I don't know much about Southern Pine, school me.

beenthere · December 21, 2011, 07:03:19 PM

I expect the southern pine with that offset pith will behave badly (warp, twist, and/or cup).
More so than a 'western' pine with similar offset. ;)

WDH · December 21, 2011, 07:47:07 PM

I hope that somebody needs a whack of rocking chair rockers :D.

bandmiller2 · December 22, 2011, 07:07:07 AM

I'am no expert but I would slab it four sides and forget about it for a few months then true it up and cut to dimentions,there will be loss whatever you do. Frank C.

isawlogs · December 22, 2011, 09:40:21 PM

Cut it up how ever you want , it will be a learnin' experience for you ;) :P Then you may do like me and saw those up to put on the ground to put logs on while they wait to be sawn.