The last log yesterday was a 38-40" x 11 foot red oak. I've quarter-sawn many smaller ones on the Wood-mizer, and quite a few of this size and larger with the Peterson. This job had smaller logs as well, and I decided to do it all with my LT-40. Initially, I thought I would quarter it with a chain saw first, but as I was getting the saw ready, it occurred to me to just halve it, and then try to load and saw the two halves. The customer had a tractor and the terrain & other things were right. I scored a vertical line through the pith on each end of the log using a 4' level, and also marked the center of the line on top of the log by driving in a screwdriver, to give me something to aim at.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21495/OakQS-1.jpg)
Here is a 59" loop of square chisel chain. I had three more as backup and also a quantity of 41" loops.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21495/OakQS-2.jpg)
Loaded up MS880 with 59" bar. Getting this ready takes a bit longer than mounting 41 or 30 inch bar&chains.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21495/OakQS-3.jpg)
I sawed down the center of the log pretty much on the horizontal. There were several bushels of noodles on each end. Then I severed the remaining 1 foot long column of wood in the center with a 41" bar. I took my time deciding just to be relaxed rather than nervous during this exercise. The actual cutting probably took 15 minutes but the overall process took about 2 hours with rests, chain checking, refueling/oiling, chain changing, pounding wedges in, etc etc. Maybe next time I can do it in an hour.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21495/OakQS-4.jpg)
The next step was to slide one of the halves down to the mill, get it onto the arms, onto the mill, and tip it up. Customer pulled at my direction , with my chain and hook. Got it onto 4x4's. At points, it helped to run the chain under the log, rather than over it, as it would easily tip up rather than slide. Once on the arms, the hook over the top. after raising the arms, chain under the log again, to pull it onto the mill. Then to tip it up, hook over the top again, with careful pulling by the tractor from the side, using the clamp and claw together with the tractor pull. Once up about 45 degrees, the clamp and claw took over. Not bad at all
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21495/OakQS-5.jpg)
Now to make the first cut, WM head at maximum height. No problems with that cut.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21495/OakQS-6.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21495/OakQS-7.jpg)
The rest was standard quarter sawing techniques. A 14" depth of cut enabled by removing the board return is a big help in QSing logs. I tilted the corner pieces 45 degrees to regain pure QS material on the 4 corners. I have to look again at the yield got it mixed up with some smaller logs when I reported this earlier.... There were a half dozen pure QS boards 14 inches wide, seven at 12 inches and at least 13 at 10 inches wide.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21495/OakQS-8.jpg)
I would do this again if it offers a benefit in completing a job or gives the best wood for the customer. I think the tractor pull from the side could be replaced by pulls from the clamp,and a push up from the loader arms if I could fabricated up an arm which would rest on the loader center tube. Note I do not take a 100HP John Deere with me. This is Connecticut. :D
Now that you've practiced on a red oak, you'll be in good shape when a white oak that size comes along. ;)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/29506/IMG_1189.JPG)
That is the client, not me. He used a Stihl 660 w/ 25" bar and standard chain. He never stopped or even let off the throttle for 20+ minutes cutting from end to end. Roger is what I'd call an old school get-r-done kind of guy.
I'm sure it would have taken me about 2 hours also...... ;D
Lotsa work....lotsa reward. 8)
Really nice, Love your saw.
I'm impressed with the quality of the ripping job. ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) :snowball:
Good job. It takes lots of work but I agree with you in that I feel it is worth the reward.
I had a similar job a week ago with a 44" red oak 10' long. The customer was not looking for quarter sawn just dimensional for a building. I wish I had a longer bar but was using a 461 with a 25" bar.
That's a very nice log and a great job slicing it up.
Great job T.T.! What a log but what a chainsaw. It would make short work of the biggest. Happy sawing, Brian
Quote from: Delawhere Jack on October 28, 2015, 07:28:17 PM
Now that you've practiced on a red oak, you'll be in good shape when a white oak that size comes along. ;)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/29506/IMG_1189.JPG)
That is the client, not me. He used a Stihl 660 w/ 25" bar and standard chain. He never stopped or even let off the throttle for 20+ minutes cutting from end to end. Roger is what I'd call an old school get-r-done kind of guy.
I'm sure it would have taken me about 2 hours also...... ;D
Gonna take more than that to get me into good shape. :D :D Not sure i understand how your log was done, it looks bigger than 25" to me??
Same question for Hookpilot.
15 minutes to cut it!!! That makes me jealous. I halved a 34 to 40" water oak years ago with my Husqvarna 20" saw in 2.5 hours! (Boy, was I beat). Now, don't you be jealous, but my chain saw will fit in my truck.
Bob
Thanks a bunch for the fine description and the splendid pictures of your operation. You help a lot of sawyers to do what they want to get done. Regards, Clark
Quote from: kelLOGg on October 29, 2015, 07:58:03 AM
15 minutes to cut it!!! That makes me jealous. I halved a 34 to 40" water oak years ago with my Husqvarna 20" saw in 2.5 hours! (Boy, was I beat). Now, don't you be jealous, but my chain saw will fit in my truck.
Bob
I think it's the (brand new) square chisel skip chain, clean wood (until the bottom ::) ::) ::)), and MS880 power. First time I sawed anything with this bar. On the first end, the saw pretty much dropped down until I got to the pith area, with little effort other than to stay on the line, clear the noodles, and to keep the cut from being to aggressive. Near the center, it started to chatter some which continued the rest of the way down. Despite my effort to avoid the dirt I must have got some because the chain wouldn't cut a bit after the first side. None of the teeth appeared damaged. I believe the chatter was the chain/bar heating and chain becoming a bit loose. I didn't think of this until cutting the other side with a second chain, same thing happening, and stopped and tightened the chain up, cutting smoothly until finished.
so i have a question,,, i have a few oaks that are big and wont fit on mill,,, i see that everybody has sawn these logs from the top with the chainsaw going down ,,, just wondering why not sideways , i am guessing that it is too hard to hold the saw sideways , easier to stand on log and let gravity do the work, i do have a chainsaw big enough to do what i need an 075 with a 49 in bar ,,, works good cutting cookies ,,
thanks jim
Customsawyer here on the forum has threads showing sawing sideways. He uses a 660 with 41-42" bar. He sights the far end by eye and pushes the saw horizontally with fantastic results.
I started to try this earlier with the 59" bar (my first use of that bar) and found I couldn't keep the chain on when holding it horizontally. The chain was either too tight or too loose and bar sag combined to make a situation I decided not to try to deal with then, about a month ago. I didn't try horizontal with my 41" bar. In the current post, I wanted to make sure I didn't mess up the customer's log, I decided I'd be more comfortable "noodling" , as it is called by some, both because i'd done it before with shorter bars and for the more comfortable posture. Still learning. :P
Note: one must be able to keep the chain on, in sawing horizontally with a 59" bar, since I think that is what it is primarily used for, felling very large trees. However i just haven't figured that out yet. Amazing how "armchair" planning by newbies gets revised in real life. :o :o :o
Terrific job :)
That was a fantastic log and one heck of a job. You sure know how to treat your customers :D
Quote from: Dodgy Loner on October 29, 2015, 03:34:56 PM
Terrific job :)
That was a fantastic log and one heck of a job. You sure know how to treat your customers :D
Thanks. As most of mine seem to be, this was a great customer who seemed to very much appreciate what he was getting. Sawed 4 days total for him on this very large tree, one Peterson three Woodmizer.
Stunning, exceptional width qs red oak, and, of coarse, beautiful!!!
Quote from: Delawhere Jack on October 28, 2015, 07:28:17 PM
Now that you've practiced on a red oak, you'll be in good shape when a white oak that size comes along. ;)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/29506/IMG_1189.JPG)
That is the client, not me. He used a Stihl 660 w/ 25" bar and standard chain. He never stopped or even let off the throttle for 20+ minutes cutting from end to end. Roger is what I'd call an old school get-r-done kind of guy.
I'm sure it would have taken me about 2 hours also...... ;D
this is how i make my cuts too normally takes about 15-20 minutes and a tank of gas
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/38145/CAM00563_28129.jpg)
and finish up with one of these ;D :D :D :D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/38145/sawmill_and_loaders.jpg)
just push a fork in and lift up and the weight of the log does the rest :)
Quote from: jmouton on October 29, 2015, 02:51:44 PM
so i have a question,,, i have a few oaks that are big and wont fit on mill,,, i see that everybody has sawn these logs from the top with the chainsaw going down ,,, just wondering why not sideways , i am guessing that it is too hard to hold the saw sideways , easier to stand on log and let gravity do the work, i do have a chainsaw big enough to do what i need an 075 with a 49 in bar ,,, works good cutting cookies ,,
thanks jim
I cut from the side as I don't like to bend over. ;D I have a MS660 with a 48" bar. I got lucky when I bought the saw as it wasn't a problem to get a 48" bar for the 660. They don't make them anymore for the 660. :( Here is a pic of me sawing from the side.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11861/DSCF4391a.jpg)
Here is the end results.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11861/DSCF4413a.jpg)
Might have been a little metal in there. ;D
Quote from: terrifictimbersllc on October 29, 2015, 07:38:31 AM
Gonna take more than that to get me into good shape. :D :D Not sure i understand how your log was done, it looks bigger than 25" to me??
Same question for Hookpilot.
He cut from one side, then rolled the log and finished from the other side. Not perfect, but he did a fairly good job of getting the two cuts lined up.
Great post. Thanks!
I cut from the side too, Good job. 8) 8) 8)
I cut from the side too, because I don't like standing on a log, bending over a running chainsaw.
But I ain't got a cool hat like Custom!
Quote from: YellowHammer on October 30, 2015, 11:20:47 PM
I cut from the side too, because I don't like standing on a log, bending over a running chainsaw.
But I ain't got a cool hat like Custom!
If you had bigger ears that liked to get sunburned you would get the hat. :D
I like that saw on the tailgate!!