with these spruce logs? All have small knots, two are straight and the third is curved and a rotted broken off large limb even though the pic doesn't show it. I know a lot has been said about the difficulty in sawing spruce (pitch buildup and wavy cuts around knots) but these are minimal in the knot department, so I am optimistic. Customer wants 3/4" boards - a lot of cutting. Max log diameter is 24"
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13036/IMG_0077.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1663582784)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13036/IMG_0078.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1663582784)
Another pic of the 3 rd log.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13036/IMG_0079~0.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1663585454)
That ought to turn out some interesting lumber Bob. Fair amount of boardfootage too! The third log should be interesting. Do you know what the lumber will be used for? Be safe and knock it out, Brian
I think your MP32 is up to the task. Keep the blades sharp and you will be fine. I don't have high hopes for the third log, but you might get some straight boards out of the opposite side of the knot. Knot side will be some short boards though. I have no doubt you will make some great boards out those old Christmas trees. Good Luck!
Thanks, Gere and Brian. I plan to cut the third log in two. Customer is using the boards for paneling in his barn/shop so he is OK with some shorter boards.
That should work well for a shop. Does he intend to air dry them first, then straighten or is he ok with uneven gaps if put up green?
Those don't look like spruce to me.
I charge 1" at a minimum. I'll cut ΒΌ" if that's what the customer wants, but it is charged at 1" volume.
Only way to know how they'll saw is to open them up👍
I saw spruce pretty regularly and have no real problems. Use a sharp 4* blade and take your time and those should turn out just fine.
Quote from: barbender on September 19, 2022, 09:32:13 AM
Those don't look like spruce to me.
barbender:
I'm not the best at tree identification, especially from log pictures, however those logs look like red pine to me.
GAB
I've never sawn spruce before and I didn't know it grew this far south. Here is a pic of foliage growing off a sprig. It was quite green last Wednesday (14 Oct) when the logs were dumped at the mill.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13036/IMG_0083.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1663603560)
What's the verdict?
Those needles look like hemlock to me...
Lower right, is that a shade of red where the bark has been chipped a bit? That would go with Hemlock
Hemlock is easy sawing,just very heavy. 1'' boards will not be a problem. Prone to splitting when being hand nailed after it dries.
That looks like hemlock. I don't have hemlock in my area, but I was in Michigan once and saw quite a bit of it. In my mind it looked like pine with balsam needles🤷♂️
Hemlock
I will tell my customer tomorrow it's hemlock. If he nails it up green will it split when dried?
Did that come out of the mountains or local? The local stuff I have sawn can be a bit shaky and likes to peel apart at the growth rings I have found.
I've been sawing for 2 years and almost only milled hemlock. It's heavy when it's wet. And I think the "shake" has been pretty noticeable on the butt of the logs. A dozen or so logs have had it in the last 2 years. Still makes nice paneling!
I'm rather sure it's local but I'll ask tomorrow.
Around here, hemlock that comes off the high ground of the hills has a lot of shake. The stuff from lower down is pretty good, which is why most folks around there think the problem is exacerbated by the higher winds.
I mill it off and on. Mills fine green and is indeed heavy stuff. Never thought of it for finish wood. It does hold up better than pine for outdoor exposure. I have an order to start on soon for 6x6's 14'+ long, not really looking forward to humping that stuff. ;D Gonna need somebody tailing on that job.
Bob, If nailed up green it will not split when it dries.
I have a 48 year old shed for proof.
If the wood is sound it will make very nice boards.
Hemlock logs are quite interesting. I sawed a fair sized whack of it this summer for BIL to use for rafters in a hay barn he is building. Most of the but logs had black rings in parts of them. Any where there is the black rings is an area that will fall apart when in lumber form. Fortunately we were only making 2x6"s that were actually 5 1/2" wide. I was able to saw around the rings on the bigger logs. I think that when cutting hemlock into logs, one should go up 5-6' from the base of the tree before cutting the first log. I seems to be where the shake is the worst around here anyway. I hate to waste lumber, but I suppose it is better to waste in log form than to saw it out and then not be able to use it. I have a small area in my woods that have some hemlock that doesn't seem to have that shake issue in the few logs I have cut out of there. I can't explain why that area produces the healthier logs, it just seems to. The logs I sawed this summer came from an area that is less than a quarter mile away from my woods and most every logs had some in it. ??? It is very heavy when first cut. My father (he was a builder years ago) always said, "you want to nail that stuff up when it is green and plan on getting splashed in the face while driving nails". He never had a chance to use a power nail gun.
The hemlock tree was cut locally.
Quote from: kelLOGg on September 19, 2022, 06:24:14 AM
with these spruce logs? All have small knots, two are straight and the third is curved and a rotted broken off large limb even though the pic doesn't show it. I know a lot has been said about the difficulty in sawing spruce (pitch buildup and wavy cuts around knots) but these are minimal in the knot department, so I am optimistic. Customer wants 3/4" boards - a lot of cutting. Max log diameter is 24"
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13036/IMG_0077.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1663582784)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13036/IMG_0078.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1663582784)
I cut up 2 fresh downed 18" spruce logs into 2x4's and some 1" thick planks last Saturday and blew thru it with a fresh blade, ran the water/soap drip and had no issues at all.
It does saw nicely and the wood looks great and certainly has no stress. Here's a stack of 3/4" x 9s.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13036/IMG_0092.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1663756871)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13036/IMG_0091.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1663756865)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13036/IMG_0090.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1663756865)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13036/IMG_0089.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1663756863)
Hemlock bark peels off rather easily. Very aromatic and slick. This took about 0.5 hours.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13036/IMG_0096.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1663779129)
KelLog, that sawn wood looks a lot like tamarack up my my. It's definitely hemlock you have, just making an observation.
I agree that is hemlock. There must be different variations of hemlock though. The hemlock I sawed out in June had bark that was secured tight. It had been cut during the winter and was as wet inside as could be but there was no peeling the bark of any of the logs I was working with. :( I'm envious. You and your mill did a great job milling this logs as I suspected you would.