big logs

sjfarkas · April 14, 2011, 09:04:43 AM

I'm somewhat new to the art of milling. I have a bunch of 3' diameter logs and I would like to quarter saw them. I've ran it through my mind and the only thing I could figure out is to rip them in quarters with a chainsaw then throw each quarter up on the mill to start the actual milling. Am I way off here? I've normally been around flat sawing techniques and it seems a lot easier, but I always hear that quarter sawn is more stable so I would like to try it. If I took the easy way in life I wouldn't have the need to be on this forum.

rph816 · April 14, 2011, 10:12:35 AM

If your mill can handle them, I'd consider trimming them down on the mill. You can get some good flitches and grade stuff off the sides before quartering the cant and quartersawing from there. There's usually a lot of good lumber in logs that size and while you won't get quite as much quarter sawn stuff, your back will thank you. I've found that chainsaw quartering/trimming is no fun (and wasteful). I don't know what size your mill is, but our old TK1220 would cut through 29 inches, with a throat like that, you'd barely need to trim sapwood before hogging through the center.

Ryan

terrifictimbersllc · April 14, 2011, 10:29:26 AM

If it's quarter-sawn you want, that's how you get the most of it from logs you can't saw through deeply with a bandmill.
And it's how you get the widest QS material. Unless you rig a chainsaw mill to cut deep and wide.
If you have a swing mill, then you can QS out vertically and horizontally to your mill capacity, and horizontally to twice that at one such board per layer.

customsawyer · April 14, 2011, 09:21:42 PM

There is several post on this if you get a chance run through the search button and see what you find.
If you cut it into a octagon first than it is easier.

Than you can take the half of logs and stand them up to get the quarter sawn lumber.

Magicman · April 16, 2011, 10:31:59 PM

I had a 41" Cherrybark Oak on the mill today. No fun. I just had to keep turning it and whittling it down.

No pictures after I started sawing. Late was catching me and I wanted to finish.

Bibbyman · April 16, 2011, 10:42:58 PM

Mary and I worked this beauty down into 2x6s the other day. We didn't quarter saw it but did a bit of trimming here and there and got it down to where we could bust it down into 6" wide cants and then sawed them into 12x6s.

I and others have posted pictures and described ways of making quarter sawn lumber on a band mill. Like customsawyer says, I always start by making an octagon out of the log.

P.S. Always be real careful with those big logs. I always keep the loading arms up when doing any turning or clamping. If one of these monsters get lose, it could really hurt equipment and people.