I just picked up an 8' Maple log with some figure in it. I do not have a saw mill, so I will have to take it to someone who does. My question is, what would be the best way to saw this to get the most figure to show? Maybe it doesn't make much difference. If it does, I want to be sure to convey this to the sawyer.
Ultimately, I plan to cut the boards down to 3/4 or 7/8" square pieces to build some Ice Fishing traps.
The last curly maple butt log I acquired I quarter sawed it for guitar necks for a customer.
Gerald
Was that because of the dimension they needed of was that to bring out more figure? As you can already tell, I know nothing about sawing!! I can get them down, out to the landing, bucked up and trucked to the mill, with no problem, but after that...well, I don't know.
The guy buying the lumber wanted quartersawn 5/4 x 3-1/4" x length of the log.
I did not ask too many questions just did the best I could to give him what he wanted.
Gerald
Fish traps from curly maple say_what
X2.
I think you'll get the most... chatoyance ;D and figure plainsawing it.
Chatoyance - I don't hear that used very often, but it probably should be. I don't really see chatoyance in lumber off the mill until it's planed.
We have to pull that one out every now and again ;D
Planed and oiled is when it really pops that "cat's eye" flash when you move the board around in the light.
One of my customers that is a logger, had a nice curly maple log. One day a guy came into the yard, saw the roughly 28x16ft log and offered him $1700 for it. Needless to say the logger delivered the log to him.
Okay, I will ask....why not ice traps?? lol
What is plainsawing?
Same reason you don't make fish chowda with salmon.
Basically take boards from the best face first set up parallel to the bark. When the grade drops move to the next best face and take boards parallel to the bark from that until the grade drops. Go face by face this way then square up the tapered cant and take low grade boards or a square timber from the core.
In my mind the best figure is going to be tangent to the growth rings. The guy opening up the log might see something different.
Quote from: Southside logger on December 16, 2017, 06:03:49 PM
Same reason you don't make fish chowda with salmon.
HAHA, thats a good one! I get it now. I guess the big difference is The chowda is gone the next day, traps last a lifetime. :D
Fortunately, I do not have a nickle in it. One of the log yards I haul into, at times, may have some odd ends they trimmed off a log. I asked the wood buyer if sometime he had one with some figure in it, I would like a piece. I didn't need a whole log. That's why I would like to make the best of what I have.
Thanks Don P. I will try to find someone who knows what you are saying. I certainly do not know the right questions to ask the sawyer. Most of the guys with the portable mills around here, mostly saw dimensional lumber or boarding boards from softwood, so I am not sure who I may find that has much hardwood sawing experience.
Where about are you located Firewood Dealer?
Mid coast of Maine.
FD,
First you asked how to get the most figure and best look out of the lumber then you said you were going to make fish traps. Sounds like a pretty high value log to me and unless you are displaying it in an art show somewhere do you really think the fish care what it looks like? ;D
If it were me I think I would be looking for a much cheaper wood for fish traps. I could understand White Oak if you are looking for strength and durability but appearance of the wood in a fish trap would not be a driving concern for me. To each his own. If you like I have some cherry and walnut I'll sell you that will really make some pretty fish traps too. :D
Good luck on the sawing and the fishing.
Who knows, maybe they will turn out good and be able to sell some to the "L.L.Bean" type of fisherman!! :D They like to pay big bucks for something "custom".
Quote from: Southside logger on December 16, 2017, 06:03:49 PM
Same reason you don't make fish chowda with salmon.
Depends on how much salmon you have. ;D :)
Quote from: Firewood dealer on December 16, 2017, 08:05:26 PM
Mid coast of Maine.
Farming Sawyer is over your way and is a FF member. Also could try Melvin Yoder in Corinna, he's been sawing a long time.
Firewood dealer, I know just about as much about fish traps as you do about sawing. So in hops that I'll learn something, I'm going to stay tuned to this thread. Heck, I don't even know what an ice fishing trap looks like, so pictures would be appreciated.
Thanks
Well he is after a better class of fish.
Now I have a question, using that 1700 dollar log for example, how does one look at the log and know how much figure will be there before opening it up?
Figuring out what a curly log will give you is a series of best-guesses and calculations, coupled with risk.
Can generally see from the bark or right under it, if a maple log is curly.
I sawed this one late summer (which I don't really prefer, but the log was available and I didn't want to let it sit and risk stain).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/46676/IMG_6736_2.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1503828437)
I seek and saw figured material consistently. (as possible). There are caveats and gotchas that can really hurt, particularly when paying $1700 for a log. :-\ Often times, the figure fades quickly and most of the time the best figure is on the outside.
The above log, produced full-figured material with nice color and consistent curl...a win. I sawed six more curly logs that day and the results varied from a lot of curly to just a hint of it. Cowboying-up big cash on a figured log can cause a LOT of pain on the second cut. :o
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/46676/IMG_6782.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1513509465)
If you have curly logs and would like paid fairly and/or some guidance, I'm happy to assist. I'm always on the lookout for curly/figured logs from PA northward. If you have some that you're interested in moving, please contact me.
Quote from: Darrel on December 16, 2017, 10:19:37 PM
Firewood dealer, I know just about as much about fish traps as you do about sawing. So in hops that I'll learn something, I'm going to stay tuned to this thread. Heck, I don't even know what an ice fishing trap looks like, so pictures would be appreciated.
Thanks
Darrel -
Having been over your way I can see how you have never used a "Tip-up". First time I went across the pass through Oakridge in the middle of winter there was feet of snow, and wide open lakes. I mentioned something about not ice fishing there and my father in law (they are from Lakeview) looked at me like I was speaking in Greek. :D
Thanks S.L., I will look these guys up. This has been helpful.
As things progress, I will try to post pics along the way. My next hurdle will be drying it. I am thinking I could stick the boards in my basement. My wood stove is down there and I know the back tier of my firewood piles are quite dry come the end of the heating season. I am sure there will be differing opinions on that topic, but I am open to suggestions! :D
Darrel, I will get you some pics!
Can you put it in the garage or under a shed roof first? I would be concerned with stump green maple going into that dry of a space, it might end up really, really, curly. Darrel probably has no idea what a door yard is either.
Goose Lake (Laveview) has an outlet that flows right into the north fork of the Pit River. Only problem is that it's been something like 110 years since water levels have been high enough to achieve any significant out flow. So no fishing.
Quote from: Southside logger on December 17, 2017, 10:42:06 AM
Darrel probably has no idea what a door yard is either.
Hmmm. . . . . Could it be a 3 foot door? :D ;D :D
My suggestion would be to saw some thick blocks too, you can probably find someone making gun stocks, knife handles, bowl turning, etc. You could also sell "Fiddle-Back Maple" boards for, well, fiddle-backs. (Although instrument makers can be fussy about wood, because musicians can be fussy...) :)
S.L.
Yes I can put it outside under cover. Do you think if I left it out to air dry it would be dry enough in about a year?
Resoator
Actually, I was thinking about having some thicker blocks sawn out of it, I have a good friend that does a little guitar building and he would love to have some raw stock like that.
QuoteDo you think if I left it out to air dry it would be dry enough in about a year?
Depending on the season and your local climate, 1" boards will only take a couple of months to "air" dry. Once the moisture is under ~20%, then it should be safe to bring inside and complete the drying. Below that MC it wont grow mold or fungus, and it's hard to mess it up by drying too slow or too fast.
Drying is slower in winter, and thicker boards will take longer of course.
Get a cheap moisture meter. Doesn't have to be super accurate for this sort of thing. If the wood reads around 17% +/- 2, then you can assume it's under 20%, and you can call it "air dried". Bring it inside, restack the boards, aim a couple of fans at them, and complete the drying in an "inside" environment.
Thanks. I have a moisture meter from drying firewood so I should be able to keep an eye on it.
If these are going into the water as fish traps , why are yall all concerned about moisture content?
Good Question. All I can think of is if it is not reasonably dry initially, the hardware that is attached to it may become quite loose as it does dry. I guess I do not really know. This is my first attempt to build some. In the past, I have only had store bought ones and those are typically made out of cheap ugly wood. One good thing about all of this is, if the fish are not biting, at least I can stand there admire some good looking traps!! ;D
If it was me I'd sell the pretty lumber and buy some ugly traps - but that's just me.
With my luck pretty tip ups would be the same as expensive sunglasses - get run over the first time I used them. The cheap / ugly ones however seem to last for years.
If you made tourist traps out of them and sold them down in Freeport they would look good under a glass coffee table top and would never get wet.
Yea - but then you have to get a rainbow mounted to go with them, plus how do you tie a Mickey Finn onto a steel leader?
Quote from: Darrel on December 17, 2017, 10:55:21 AM
Quote from: Southside logger on December 17, 2017, 10:42:06 AM
Darrel probably has no idea what a door yard is either.
Hmmm. . . . . Could it be a 3 foot door? :D ;D :D
Im going to guess it's how they buy doors..... By the yard?
Before you mill the log, may I suggest that you cut a cookie from the end of the log and break it in half. It only has to be a couple inches. It'll be immediately revealed to you how the grain is formed and how best to saw it for showing the figure. What you'll see is that the curly figure shows perpendicular to the bark, meaning that quarter sawing will reveal it best. The better quarter sawed it is, the more figure it'll show. Plain sawing will serve you no justice, as it'll show the curl strongest on the edge of the board, not across the face of it. But don't take my word for it. Cut a cookie so that you and the sawyer know without a doubt how to expose the figure.