Sawing walnut crotches

mischco · February 28, 2015, 04:14:17 PM

Hi guys,

I found this forum a few days ago, so first I would like to say hello and thank you for sharing valuable information! ;)

Also a few days ago I bought a beautiful walnut tree which is more than a hundred years old. Trunk circumference is about 3 meters and this tree had three main branches - I think that this is very unusual for this type of wood. I would like to get the most desirable figure (mainly for gun stock), but I don't now what is the best way to cut the slabs from such unusual shape :(

drobertson · February 28, 2015, 04:17:15 PM

Howdy! that's a dandy of a chunk, not sure what to tell you but guarantee several are drooling about now, let us know how it goes, with pics of course, looks to have some metal as well so take care when sawing,,

terrifictimbersllc · February 28, 2015, 05:27:03 PM

Welcome Mischco. Very interesting sawing challenges there. Especially the fourth picture, maybe just use that little tool with the yellow handle, start removing wood until you find the gunstock! :D :D

beenthere · February 28, 2015, 05:45:32 PM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum mischco

Would be great to be able to give you an answer, but no one can really tell you where to put the cuts for the best yield of "desirable figure".
You start slabbing (depending on the limitations of the equipment you have) and make your better judgement decisions as you progress. When you open this up, be it a cut right through the center or nibbling in from the sides, you will be able to see if you are faced with great figure, holes, to whatever in between. IMO, just go from there and enjoy the ride. I'm betting you will have a lot of ooo's and aahh's along the way.
Of course, your intended use of the wood be it gun stocks, turning blocks, table slabs, or whatever will enter into the decisions throughout the process. All just my opinion. Wish you good luck and fun.

drobertson · February 28, 2015, 06:04:44 PM

I will say at times I've struggled with where and when to make a cut on figured wood, as bt mentioned there is really only one way, that is to get after it, and see where it goes. I would most likely nibble away on the outside to see how large of a section I could get with limited wane, if gun stocks are the target, If you have a slabber do it, it may make some fine tops of one sort or other, this is a very interesting challenge to say the least. The target project I suppose should be focused on, but things change as it unfolds many times,

POSTON WIDEHEAD · February 28, 2015, 06:14:54 PM

Welcome Mischco. The last pic of that Octopus would make a great Chandelier.

Good pics!

Kcwoodbutcher · February 28, 2015, 07:39:36 PM

I have a triple branch crotch like in the first pick in the yard right now. I tried to talk the owner into selling it to another customer for a table base. In the end it's going to cost him more to saw than it's worth. With a crotch like that pick the two best "arms" as you would a regular crotch and ignore the third which should be up in the air when the crotch is placed on the saw bunks. What you will get is some decent crotch slabs with some nice feathering and some with a knot at the bottom of the piece. Sometimes this looks good but most of the time not. As to the other pieces just start opening them up and adjust accordingly.

kderby · February 28, 2015, 07:48:20 PM

That is a beauty Mischco. Good job on the pictures and welcome to the Forestry Forum!

logboy · February 28, 2015, 08:52:36 PM

Slabbing crotches is usually straightforward, but can be a bit challenging with multiple limbs when it comes down to deciding which two. Pick the best two limbs that will give you the widest/largest/most structurally sound crotch. These two, along with the pith on the opposite end of the log, all need to be in the exact same cutting plane. This means doing a lot of messing around, propping up one or two piths. But if you want it done right, thats what you need to do. Logs like this are why I charge by the hour for slabbing. I've had logs that took an hour to set up.

Do NOT just start hacking away with no methodology, or cut across the pith(s) or you'll end up with a bunch of slabs that look subpar, and warp and twist in all sorts of different directions. If you do that you might as well cut out the middle man and just toss it straight into the burn pile.

Magicman · February 28, 2015, 09:25:24 PM

No help but Welcome to the Forestry Forum, mischco.

Scott Sawdust · October 26, 2016, 12:59:40 PM

Quote from: logboy on February 28, 2015, 08:52:36 PM
Slabbing crotches is usually straightforward, but can be a bit challenging with multiple limbs when it comes down to deciding which two. Pick the best two limbs that will give you the widest/largest/most structurally sound crotch. These two, along with the pith on the opposite end of the log, all need to be in the exact same cutting plane. This means doing a lot of messing around, propping up one or two piths. But if you want it done right, thats what you need to do. Logs like this are why I charge by the hour for slabbing. I've had logs that took an hour to set up.

Do NOT just start hacking away with no methodology, or cut across the pith(s) or you'll end up with a bunch of slabs that look subpar, and warp and twist in all sorts of different directions. If you do that you might as well cut out the middle man and just toss it straight into the burn pile.

I have been running a Wood-Mizer LT40 for about 8 months now, so I am still pretty new milling. I will use a chainsaw mill for slabbing. I am preparing to cut a similar walnut tree with three large branches, it is nearly 5 feet wide, and about 44" at the base small end. I plan on keeping the two branches that look the closest together for the longest length. Could you please discuss cutting through the pith, or multiple pith as you mentioned? Would your goal be to split the pith in the middle, or cut it out completely? Of course this also means that I will be cutting off the third branch in this process, which is a pretty sizeable log in itself. Also when slabbing something of this size, is there any point in making it 2 1/2" or thicker? What is your favorite thickness for making slabs? Thanks all.

Scott Sawdust · October 26, 2016, 01:01:35 PM

Quote from: logboy on February 28, 2015, 08:52:36 PM
Slabbing crotches is usually straightforward, but can be a bit challenging with multiple limbs when it comes down to deciding which two. Pick the best two limbs that will give you the widest/largest/most structurally sound crotch. These two, along with the pith on the opposite end of the log, all need to be in the exact same cutting plane. This means doing a lot of messing around, propping up one or two piths. But if you want it done right, thats what you need to do. Logs like this are why I charge by the hour for slabbing. I've had logs that took an hour to set up.

Do NOT just start hacking away with no methodology, or cut across the pith(s) or you'll end up with a bunch of slabs that look subpar, and warp and twist in all sorts of different directions. If you do that you might as well cut out the middle man and just toss it straight into the burn pile.

I have been running a Wood-Mizer LT40 for about 8 months now, so I am still pretty new milling. I will use a chainsaw mill for slabbing. I am preparing to cut a similar walnut tree with three large branches, it is nearly 5 feet wide, and about 44" at the base small end. I plan on keeping the two branches that look the closest together for the longest length. Could you please discuss cutting through the pith, or multiple pith as you mentioned? Would your goal be to split the pith in the middle, or cut it out completely? Of course this also means that I will be cutting off the third branch in this process, which is a pretty sizeable log in itself. Also when slabbing something of this size, is there any point in making it 2 1/2" or thicker? What is your favorite thickness for making slabs? Thanks all.

Czech_Made · October 26, 2016, 01:20:35 PM

Welcome!

Idiocrates · October 26, 2016, 02:10:36 PM

I'm guessing the fourth pic is of the root burl...you know folks around here avoided a lot of depression era hungryness by grubbing out walnut root burls and selling them to vernier manufacturers? I don't know about today but back then they were very highly prized. The only one I ever tried to cut up was so full of small bits of rock wound up into the spiralling roots that I finally gave up and gave it to a guy to carve on with hand tools. And as for the three-way crotch.....you are going to be amazed at the grain you're going to see. Two-ways are super nice.....three-ways are indescribable! Best of luck with the sawing and congratulations on the great find.

OffGrid973 · October 26, 2016, 06:59:46 PM

This came down this afternoon, crane truck dropped in my driveway at 4pm and these are the first few slabs. Look where branches are going to meet the heart wood in the main tree trunk, that gives me the best waves and burl like patterns.

That's it lying down in the wide pic zoom in to see the branch location.