I had a 12 ft, 16" white oak log that I have had since last October. For kicks I thought I would try some of the quarter sawing techniques that I saw at the Sycamore Project. And I was successful as for the perpendicular rings and rays. I was unsuccessful for having straight lumber. (I cut most of the boards in half and edged them cutting out the crook and sap wood.
Since QS lumber includes contains inside and outside wood, I figured that the outside part of the log is slightly dryer than the interior (the log has been in the hot sun) and the difference in moisture causes them to bend. I wondered if I had milled it green would I have had better results.
What blades are you running? White oak logs don't dry out very fast and even old ones saw straight with a good blade. Steve
Let me say that I have never Qtrsawn anything. I was under the impression that one of the downsides to Qtrsawn was side bend in the lumber. Maybe somebody can chime in on that.
Quote from: ladylake on July 16, 2015, 09:03:02 AM
What blades are you running? White oak logs don't dry out very fast and even old ones saw straight with a good blade. Steve
WM Turbo 7 d
I don't understand. So after you sawed them, you put them out in the sun? If so, you shouldn't do that. Should go in the shade always. Or did they bend right off the mill from internal stress?
Quote from: Sixacresand on July 16, 2015, 08:28:40 AM
I had a 12 ft, 16" white oak log that I have had since last October. For kicks I thought I would try some of the quarter sawing techniques that I saw at the Sycamore Project. And I was successful as for the perpendicular rings and rays. I was unsuccessful for having straight lumber. (I cut most of the boards in half and edged them cutting out the crook and sap wood.
Since QS lumber includes contains inside and outside wood, I figured that the outside part of the log is slightly dryer than the interior (the log has been in the hot sun) and the difference in moisture causes them to bend. I wondered if I had milled it green would I have had better results.
The "outside" wood will have growth stress in tension (more tension as the tree grows more layers) and that tension is relieved when sawing out the board. You will see it as you describe, and would happen if milling the logs fresh too. It is referred to as crook in the board.
Once the lumber is dried, the crook can be edged out with the expectations that the straight board then will remain straight.
You sure have to get the juvenile wood around the pith out or there will be considerable side bend if the juvenile wood is on one edge of the board. White oak juvenile wood is very delinquent.
Stay away from the Pith and you will be ok
Yeth, stay away from the pith.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12837/WlntSplit_02.jpg)
Thanks for all the replies.
I work for a local mill buying timber, a few months ago our logger landed a loblolly pine that had a DBH of 50". The butt log is to large to fit through the metal detector, so the logger cut 8' off the log and intended on leaving it. I brought it home and quartered the log with a chain chaw first. Then quarter sawed the log, kilned and dressed the lumber. The tree grew very fast during the first 25 years. After drying the lumber with the heart wood pulled and the outer cuts remained straight. This was my first quarter sawn log so, as is often said "Live and learn".