sawing hard maple

[loggjamm]

Someone is bringing some hard(sugar)maple to saw for furniture. I believe he wants a lot of the same size boards; 1x8 1x10. I know it's better to keep turning the log, but I don't want to waste too much. How close to the pith can I saw, and still make good lumber? I was thinking 2" each side. If the pith is centered in a 4x4, can he use it for turning? Thanks.

[beenthere]

lj
I'd suggest sawing the log around, and moving to the good faces. Corner the log defects for getting the better furniture boards. Don't worry about the board widths other than them being a minimum (i.e. 8" ). Get the good boards off and end up with an 8" wide cant to saw through and through. Don't fret the pith location as those boards will not be good for either lumber or for turning. Keep track of your runs so your 8" wide cant is a multiple of the remaining boards, including the dog board.

You will have some control of the good lumber produced by turning to get the good faces off, but the quality in the log that he brings can't be changed. Make the best of what is there, and get paid for what you saw. For furniture, he will determine how to take out the cuttings needed after he gets the lumber dried.

[qbilder]

I agree with the above. And I also agree with a 4x4 boxed heart. Hopefully your log will be large enough to work with and as defect free as possible.   

[red oaks lumber]

the wider the board the  greater chance of cupping during drying. fyi

[mesquite buckeye]

And you end up ripping them in half before they can be planed without losing half the thickness. Argh. :(

[WDH]

And, you only have a 6" jointer  :D.

[mesquite buckeye]

Or an 8. Either way it gets tough to get them flat after that. Wish I had a 12".