Every time I custom saw softwoods, I get a few sticks that are really too small to make good lumber, but the customer has no other market for the number he has except his firewood pile and they don't really make all that good of firewood, so I have to saw them the best I can. That's OK because I probably made my money on the bigger ones and do the little ones as a favor. If the customer is happy, he tells his neighbors and I keep busy sawing.
Every now and then, I get a job that seems to be nothing but those peckerpoles and I can refuse it and take the negative advertising, or I can make the best of it and get more positive advertising. Since it is hard to overcome even a little negative advertising, I usually take the job on and do what I can to make a few dollars on it. I'd seen this written about on another paper publication and decided to try it. Now I do it all the time. It really only works on softwoods because you need really straight poles and they have to have nearly the same size and taper to keep from putting all the wood in the slab pile, but when it works it seems to speed things up and keeps the frustration down.
First, I load 2 or 3 sticks on the mill and clamp them lightly. If you try to clamp them tight, one will squirt up and go right off the mill. The torque from the saw band will make them all try to turn the same direction and they will wedge each other so they don't roll.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10414/triplestart.jpg)
Make sure the log stops are down far enough and that the band will clear the clamp before you start. If you hit either, you'll find that the band is much harder to back out of the cut with 3 sticks than with just one. The sticks have to be clamped hard enough to make sure that the one nearest the log stops is touching them or they will all try to roll as the cut progresses.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10414/tripletwo.jpg)
After you have cleared the slabs, roll the sticks over onto the flat you have sawed. With this flat on the log supports, the cants are even more stable and take little clamp pressure to keep them from rolling. Set the saw for the size of boards you intend to make or whatever the sticks will make. For me, this is usually 4 inches. If you had used the toeboard for the first cut, make sure you lower it before you start this cut or you will have sawed 3 wedges, which usually doesn't impress the customer.
With 2 flats opposite, turn the sticks so that one has the flat against the log stops and is square to the blade. Roll the others agains this one and clamp. This is a manual operation, but the cants are small enough to move easily by hand. You may have to loosen the clamp and reposition the cants if they aren't square to the blade. Use the toeboard if necessary to adjust the taper jsut as you would with a larger log.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10414/triple3rdcut.jpg)
When you have completed this cut you should have a nice set of 3-sided cants, ready to turn for the final sizing.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10414/triple3rdside.jpg)
Roll them all over and clamp again, making sure the toebords are down as this is your last chance to make proper lumber. Set the saw to the size needed for the boards you intend, allowing for the saw kerf and take the next cut. The final cut for this set is 2 inches and I finish the cutting to end up with 6 2X4's to carry away and stack.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10414/triplesplit.jpg)
This whole process takes more time than doing one log, but less than doing 2 logs one at a time so it saves time and frustration.
hi Minnesota_boy,
I have a job that is coming up like that. What sizes are those logs?
Those sticks (can you really call it a log?) are 6 to 7 inches on the tops. I've had to deal with them down to about 5 inch tops for a guy who has me saw them 1 1/2 by 3 1/2. He's satisfied enough to have me back several times, not always for little sticks.
Are the first two pics the same, and the second intended to be with the first cut turned down? Appears so, and I think can easily be edited. :)
I use that method when cutting 4/4 locust fence posts and also like you making 2X4's and 2X6s. Most of the time it works well.
David
Quote from: beenthere on December 16, 2005, 12:05:22 PM
Are the first two pics the same, and the second intended to be with the first cut turned down? Appears so, and I think can easily be edited. :)
Yup, I made a mistake (now corrected) and posted with the same picture twice. I had intended to have one more picture but I either forgot to take the picture or didn't upload it. Boy, this tutorial stuff is harder than it looks. :)
I have sawn hardwood top logs same way. I can only load two logs at a time because they are little bigger and the crook.
Those guys talking about sawing pallet lumber out of low grade logs would find the method interesting...and productive.
I do that on my MD. It came with 2 special "seperator" dogs that go between the the logs and allows you to saw 2 small ones at once. It works really well if they are the same size and not so well if they are different by very much.
I've used that method as well MB. I can't say that I made money from it but I did get it off the mill which is a relief.
Quote from: Minnesota_boy on December 16, 2005, 10:03:03 AM
Every now and then, I get a job that seems to be nothing but those peckerpoles and I can refuse it and take the negative advertising, or I can make the best of it and get more positive advertising. Since it is hard to overcome even a little negative advertising, I usually take the job on and do what I can to make a few dollars on it.
That is the depressing truth. I wish I knew how to turn it into a profit instead of dead time. What's really tough is when you are told they have monster logs and priced the job based on that, but have those instead.
I recently cut some peckerpoles dat could not be sawed dat way. :(
Customer called and said he had some 8' Spruce dat was 16"-24". Turns out dat was da big end ::) they were lucky if they were 8"-10" on da udder end. :-\
Quote from: Chet on December 17, 2005, 10:10:41 PM
Customer called and said he had some 8' Spruce dat was 16"-24". Turns out dat was da big end ::) they were lucky if they were 8"-10" on da udder end. :-\
Chet, housewives are my favorite.
How big are they? Oh, their huge, I can't put my arms around them. Just look at the stump.
How big are they on the small end? Are they as big as a #2 wash tub? Oh, no, not that big.
Are they as big as a 5 gallon bucket? No, I wouldn't say they were quite that big.
Are they as big as a 1 gallon paint can? mmmmmmmm .......... yea, ...... some of them might be that big, but the big end is............ :)
MB,
Excellent tutorial!
I have about 40-80 acres of those pecker-poles. It's funny you call them that. My neighbor at camp calls them that and I get a smile everytime I here it. I am planning to buying a pole peeler to rid myself of them. I would like to open things up a bit.
Your technique is something I thought would work but had no proof....thanks for the tips.
Greg