Havin fun with Hemlock

petefrom bearswamp · September 16, 2013, 06:39:57 PM

Been sawing Hemlock few the past 2 weeks.
Got the logs from a logger friend at a reasonable price.
Some good sized stuff 20 to 24 ", 8' t6o 21' long.
Now the downside, quite a bit of shake in the logs but am able to recover at least Int 1/4 scale from most.
Had trouble with some .042 10 degree blades with a lot of wander but now have been using .055 7 degree blades with excellent results.
Did for me, a good day sawing 6 hrs `1250 bd ft today 12' stuff mostly 1x12x12 which wore my tail man out.
This stuff is heavy.
Will do another batch tomorrow and update.
Wish I was as good at marketing as I am sawing.
Cheers Pete

Nomad · September 16, 2013, 08:25:00 PM

Sounds like a great day, Pete. That's not bad by anybody's standards. I've become a believer in the 7 degree blades too.
Now and then I get a helper who tells me I can't bury him. I have to admit, I don't have a problem with proving them wrong. ;D (Got a little sadist in my genes I guess.)

mesquite buckeye · September 16, 2013, 08:27:57 PM

Wish I was as good at marketing as I am sawing.

Me too. ;D :(

thecfarm · September 16, 2013, 10:12:52 PM

I've sawed quite abit of hemlock off my land. Built a horse run in and had very little problem with shake. really none. Cut some more in the same area,50 feet away,and had nothing but problems with it. Shake and beyond shake,kinda of a rot. I finally gave up and went further up the hill and it was much better. The way it was the first time.

Chuck White · September 16, 2013, 10:24:48 PM

That's a pretty good day's work Pete!

That's about what I've been averaging when we do Hemlock.

Yesterday we did 2x8x16's, 50 of them and 40 2x4x16's, then we did a bunch of Basswood into 6 & 8 inch, by 12'.

Hemlock is heavy, very heavy!

Edit: I converted some of my .045 10° blades to 7°, and I have to agree, they do cut nice!

Peter Drouin · September 17, 2013, 07:31:55 AM

Hemlock is not bad to cut . I have cut a lot. you can see the shake in the end of the log , look for the 1/2 circle. It will show in a few days after the tree is cut when the end drys out a little. Sometimes it shows itself then you first cut the tree down.
When I buy it and see some I deduct 1/2 the bf from the log or junk it
most times the shake will go from end to end in the log
If the shake is near the pith you can cut around it but if it's 1/2 way from the pith to the outside, you won't save any lumber from it .

petefrom bearswamp · September 17, 2013, 07:57:50 AM

Peter, I agree that the shake doesn't always show up when the tree is cut.
I call this stealth shake.
I find that I can recover from 50 to 65 percent of the volume from logs with little to moderate shake.
I bought the logs on Doyle scale and am always satisfied if i get the equivalent of Int 1/4 scale or a little more in lumber.
So far this is working out with about 30 percent of the logs showing shake.
This was 3 tractor trailer loads gross scaling just under 15mbf Doyle, a lot of logs for my small operation.
The logger has agreed to a reduced scale so I will re-scale the remaining logs in about a week.
The driver was great unloading by length as much as possible with the small ends in one direction.
About 45 percent are 21' lengths which i can buck into 8,10 12' lengths as needed.
How about opinions as to how long I can keep these logs before they degrade into junk?
Pete

moosehunter · September 17, 2013, 03:29:30 PM

Pete,
I had a whack o Hemlock logs that the tail end of the pile sat for three years. The last six months I started seeing some degrade. So a year or two should be fine.
mh

petefrom bearswamp · September 17, 2013, 06:01:06 PM

Thanks Moosehunter.

thecfarm · September 17, 2013, 06:04:51 PM

I usually cut,saw,and build,all in one day. So my hemlock is not sitting around. But my hemlock slab pile is still looking good,this would be the second year. I would think nothing of sitting on it for a year.

Peter Drouin · September 18, 2013, 08:11:03 PM

Hemlock will last a long time before you cut it, and a long time after :D :D

I got some in today

10'-16'-22'-24'
some nice hemlock with no shake ;D

POSTON WIDEHEAD · September 18, 2013, 08:17:57 PM

Oh well.....with all those logs to saw, don't guess we'll be hearing from you for a while.

Nice load. What does Hemlock logs sell for?

mesquite buckeye · September 18, 2013, 08:23:49 PM

Also, what are they used for?

Keystone31 · September 18, 2013, 10:04:50 PM

I cut my teeth on a pile of hemlock, actually. All almost exactly 125" in length and 14-16" (with a few exceptions in diameters up and down) on the small end. Didn't come across any shake at all. Whoever dropped these knew what they were doing. About 2000bf scaled on the ground (amateur at best). Stack on the right came out to just about exactly half so I'm in good shape.

Peter Drouin · September 19, 2013, 06:44:52 AM

Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on September 18, 2013, 08:17:57 PM
Oh well.....with all those logs to saw, don't guess we'll be hearing from you for a while.

Nice load. What does Hemlock logs sell for?

.15 to .30 a bf

Quote from: mesquite buckeye

link=topic=69020.msg1036211#msg1036211 date=1379550229
Also, what are they used for?

build anything you want . hemlock is strong . :D

Chuck White · September 19, 2013, 08:26:49 AM

Hemlock makes excellent framing material and is superior for siding!

thecfarm · September 19, 2013, 08:30:35 AM

It's an Old Timer wood. Not many like it now. Selling logs,I get less for it than white pine. But I like it and both my buildings have all hemlock in it. It does have a tendency to have splinters and when it's dry it might split when nailed. It's kinda rot resistance too. It's a very strong wood. Even with knots in it.

Peter Drouin · September 20, 2013, 05:44:45 PM

I had more fun with hemlock to day

Same truck #2 load

when the trucker unloads I have him put all the top end one way so I can scale them

but when I pile them all the big end is all on the same side. so the pile will get cockeyed :D

I did get some 22 and 24' that are as straight as a gunbarrel :D :D

and some got away from me and went it the woods

so Pete do you get a lot of cutting with the 55-7s
and what are you doing with all the hemlock.

Peter Drouin · September 20, 2013, 05:52:56 PM

and no one saw the one w pine in the #1 load

and I thought you guys where good :D :D :D :D :D :D ;D

beenthere · September 20, 2013, 06:26:19 PM

Peter
We were just waiting to see when you noticed ;D

Peter Drouin · September 20, 2013, 10:51:17 PM

Quote from: beenthere on September 20, 2013, 06:26:19 PM
Peter
We were just waiting to see when you noticed ;D

Yeah right :D :D

petefrom bearswamp · September 24, 2013, 08:01:13 AM

Holy cow!!
Peter and Keystone, nice looking logs.
Straight big logs with no shake.
Wish I could find that here .
My stuff is showing more shake every day.
getting maybe 75 percent yield on the shaky logs.
Here I have to typically pay from a low of .30 Doyle to a high of .30 Int. 1/4.
Fortunately the logger agreed to make an adjustment for the shake so I only have to have paid for 3/4 of the logs so far.
off to the mill this AM to sort and stack the odd boards and saw some more.