Sawing dimension lumber

[drobertson]

I reckon I got all side ways again,,, I thought the question was what and how to saw out dimension lumber,, for me at least dimension lumber means widths and thicknesses like one might find at the lumber yards, for building with.. I've sawed plenty of full size for folks,, I just felt like it was a waste, unless of course it was to match up to existing structures. In this case and one job in particular had this very requirement. It's why having a mill is so sweet, there are no limitations to what can be produced.  But for the standard dimensional numbers as I understand them, an 1/8 over will fit the  brackets, and hangers, and then shrink up nicely to lumber yard stock, from what I've seen, the widths is where it gets tricky, from what I've witnessed, the boards shrink more on width than they do on thickness, If plan sawn.
In any case, if the folks using or buying it are happy, well then nuff, said, and it needs not to be said again, but I will,
I miss my mill!!

[Lawg Dawg]

I built my barn out of full dimension rough sawn lumber...very strong



 



 

[longtime lurker]

Sizeways what we do here - and hey we do things the "right" way :D is a bit different

Country went to metric in 1972 and I think things like 4" x 2" x 4.5m instead of 100 x 50 x 4.5 but thats pretty common across the industry here still.
We can assign a grade at 20% MC for framing and most building timber is used green.

6 x 2 is a rough sawn GOS (Green off saw) size.
Mostly it gets used as "sized" so sizing is cutting/dressing the edges to straighten and so the width is consistent across a parcel at   +/- ¹/₁₆". Sized your 6x2 comes back to 5 ⁹/₁₆ x 2.
Exposed green framing is usually DAR so we're now at 5 ⁹/₁₆ x 1 ⁵/₈.

KD or seasoned framing would be later dressed out to 5½ x1½ to allow for shrinkage.

Dont really matter what size you cut if it's what the customer wants. The main thing is to have it straight and consistent for size because if you can do that then they keep coming back for more. There mostly isnt a whole lot of money in cutting dimension per piece but there can be a whole lot of volume if you can get it right and that little bit, little bit, little bit stuff adds up. For me its the backbone of my business because its the month on month cashflow that keeps the place ticking over and turns the specialty timbers and cabinet/joinery stuff that are high value/low volume into cream.

[Shutterman007]

I agree! Depends on the customer! Box store and lumberyard sizes are dominant around here. Has anyone tried installing wire brushes on their wheels to brush off dust and chips, especially when cutting mostly pine? Keeping my wheel belts clean is a huge problem for me on my Woodmizer!
Great barn! Did you nail up green from the saw or dry First, and if dry, how long? Is this pine or what, looks like poplar!

[Don P]

Welcome Shutterman 
I agree, give them what they want.
Sometimes they might need a little education to temper what they think they want  :D Just part of the job.
If you do need other simpson hangers, if the store is selling the regular ones they can have anything from the catalog in a few days. The same is true if they carry one of the other brands. They stock what moves but they can get any of it pretty quick. When you're building houses there is always a dozen of this oddball connector or that. I've got one house up the road with California seismic anchors... give em what they want.

[thecfarm]

I myself like to full size lumber. No way would I even think of using joist hanger for full size lumber.  :  Full size lumber has The Look. I built Brenda a Women Cave using full size lumber. It has The Look,and many have said the same.

[Kbeitz]

I agree! Depends on the customer! Box store and lumberyard sizes are dominant around here. Has anyone tried installing wire brushes on their wheels to brush off dust and chips, especially when cutting mostly pine? Keeping my wheel belts clean is a huge problem for me on my Woodmizer!
Great barn! Did you nail up green from the saw or dry First, and if dry, how long? Is this pine or what, looks like poplar!

I made a shield to bounce the sawdust off before it hit my drive wheel.
When I was cutting pine the dust would shoot between the wheel and
the blade packing it in. Now I don't have that problem. I used 1/4" thick
rubber for the shield.

[Lawg Dawg]

Great barn! Did you nail up green from the saw or dry First, and if dry, how long? Is this pine or what, looks like poplar!

Thanks! I did sticker the Southern Yellow Pine  lumber for a couple of weeks before I  put it together,  but I have built plenty straight off the saw! I'm not too picky about my own barns!

[drobertson]

I'm going to try this again, and not to sound to much like ole festus hagen, but it stands to reason he may have had a point in this conversation.. and I believe it would be something on this order,, Now if the feller was a asking,,how to get a bunch of differn' size boards from one log, and they was to be like the ones you might get from the yard in town,,then just how did uin's go bout get'n them thare boards out that thare log?  don't ya see, it's a straight up question on logs and differing boards sizes, not what outfit that has or don't have them thare hangers,,how uins gettn' them differn. boards from them thar logs,,? just asking don't cha see?

[Lawg Dawg]

I'm going to try this again, and not to sound to much like ole festus hagen, but it stands to reason he may have had a point in this conversation.. and I believe it would be something on this order,, Now if the feller was a asking,,how to get a bunch of differn' size boards from one log, and they was to be like the ones you might get from the yard in town,,then just how did uin's go bout get'n them thare boards out that thare log?  don't ya see, it's a straight up question on logs and differing boards sizes, not what outfit that has or don't have them thare hangers,,how uins gettn' them differn. boards from them thar logs,,? just asking don't cha see?

:D
That's funny, I build my floor systems with a "bond timber" what the old carpenters used to call it, don't need no hangers that way, and strong. Joists and rafters are "toe nailed " in place and sit on top of the "bond timber ". I'll take a picture tomorrow

[drobertson]

I'm going to try this again, and not to sound to much like ole festus hagen, but it stands to reason he may have had a point in this conversation.. and I believe it would be something on this order,, Now if the feller was a asking,,how to get a bunch of differn' size boards from one log, and they was to be like the ones you might get from the yard in town,,then just how did uin's go bout get'n them thare boards out that thare log?  don't ya see, it's a straight up question on logs and differing boards sizes, not what outfit that has or don't have them thare hangers,,how uins gettn' them differn. boards from them thar logs,,? just asking don't cha see?

:D

That's funny, I build my floor systems with a "bond timber" what the old carpenters used to call it, don't need no hangers that way, and strong. Joists and rafters are "toe nailed " in place and sit on top of the "bond timber ". I'll take a picture tomorrow

That barn looks good, how did you get to the numbers while sawing out the boards,,?? that was the OP, question, not to kick a dead horse, just asking,? He just wanted Ideas on working a log up, unless I missed something, from the original posts question,

[Don P]

Unless I missed something the question was answered in the first post.

Well, lets all go have a big helping of grits.

You know, whether you consider that a present or a punishment sort of depends on how you look at it doesn't it.

From response #2 on down was a present to me, just sayin.

[Magicman]

If every topic was exact and not allowed to deviate into other related ideas/subjects, then every topic would contain only two replies.     Pass the Grits.   

[D6c]

All good info....most interesting to hear about what's done in different parts of the country.  In this area I haven't seen anyone build with rough sawed lumber in my lifetime and I'm pushing 60.
The older sheds around the farm were built with what was referred to as "native" lumber....meaning it was locally sawed hardwood rather than store-bought softwoods....hard as concrete and nearly impossible to drive a nail into.  My house is also partly built with rough lumber (1948), but that's because they tore down the old house and reused whatever they could.
The support posts in my basement are hand hewn oak timbers from the old house.

[Magicman]

There are many topics on different ways to setup/saw different lumber dimensions.  Here is one that I found:    LINK 

You must remember that each of us have different markets so all replies don't necessarily fit all sawing situations.  Also, some replies are "opinions" and don't necessarily address real world circumstances.  Glean the best and flush the rest. 

Pass me some more Grits.       

[D6c]

There are many topics on different ways to setup/saw different lumber dimensions.  Here is one that I found:    LINK 

You must remember that each of us have different markets so all replies don't necessarily fit all sawing situations.  Also, some replies are "opinions" and don't necessarily address real world circumstances.  Glean the best and flush the rest. 

Pass me some more Grits.       

Thanks for the link

[drobertson]

Go that route if you want and need a lot of crook boards, they make great short boards real fast, if you just saw'm and leave em' you may never ever see it,  I reckon I miss understood the first question, (dimensional) lumber, around here this means, full length usable, with the logs that are provided with a cut list, I reckon a good salesman could sell ice cubes to an Eskimo, not in these parts,

[Magicman]

David, you have managed to call me out several times concerning sawing framing lumber.

if you just saw'm and leave em' you may never ever see it

And the above quote is a cheap shot.  Yesterday I finished sawing 3857bf of framing lumber for a many times repeat customer, who built a home for his son with framing lumber that I sawed for him.  It just so happens that I know what I am doing when I take on sawing a framing lumber job.

[Peter Drouin]

Most times it's how you open a log up. If I don't do it right, I can get crooked lumber.
But, If I do open it right the lumber is as straight as an arrow.
Magicman is way past a million BF, I think he has [got it down]  :D :D ;)

[Magicman]

Exactly right Peter.  In Reply #23 in the above linked topic I said:

Yes David.  I was geared toward the OP, but the first face that is opened on a SYP log is absolutely the most critical cut that you will make.  If you are turning 90° for each face, that opening will determine the orientation of the cant for sawing through.  Especially if the log has sweep and you get it wrong, the entire log/cant will be junk.

I open too many logs, saw too much lumber, and have too many repeat customers to be accused of sawing unusable lumber.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Y'all can say what you want but I've learned a lot from Magicman about sawing.
In fact I save a lot of his post just to refer back to and show Kirk on the best way to open a log and produce good lumber.
I can saw until I'm 90 and still will learn something from somebody. 

[PA_Walnut]

MagicMan, have you sawed poplar into framing lumber? I have some projects at my own place and a lot of poplar on the to-saw pile, so any notes or opinions would be welcomed. I'm gonna start sawing next week.
Thanks!

[Magicman]

Yes I have but you can expect to see a few "noodles".  Be absolutely sure that you are "sawing through" from either the hump or horn side and try your best to center the pith on each end within the center cant.

[WV Sawmiller]

   So far I have not had a call for dimension lumber. We don't have the long straight SYP up here you get just a hundred miles or so south of us. All we get is white pine and sometimes Hemlock.

    IMO the greatest vote of confidence and compliment a customer can give us as sawyers is a repeat contract to saw for them again. The next best compliment is a referral to their family and friends.

   That is lifeblood of a small mobile sawyer. We can't and should never try to compete with the big box stores on price but we can beat their quality and provide a personal touch they can't provide.

[Magicman]

You can not compete with a box store or lumber yard sawing framing lumber.  You would be miles ahead to sell your logs and buy your lumber.  My niche is that landowners have dead/dying SYP trees that they can not sell.  It basically a "salvage" job so rather than take a complete loss it gets sawed.

If it is blue the sawmills will not take it because it will not meet grade.  Reason; blue is a sign of decay and there is no way for the grader to know how far along it is, so it's easier to reject it.