Big Pecan

whittle1 · April 03, 2016, 07:57:24 AM

I have a big pecan to cut it has limbs 12" in diameter that I can get 8 and 10' long straight pieces out of. I have read about compression and tension wood and wondering what issues I will run into trying to cut the limbs.
I have an LT 40 and woodmizer 4 deg. blades.
Thanks ahead of time for your input on this.

Magicman · April 03, 2016, 08:18:33 AM

My experience has been that logs from limbs are not logs. I will only saw them "hourly rate" because the handling will be extensive and the yield will be small. I discourage customers who suggest sawing them.

Limbs spend their entire life holding themselves and leaves up so there is much tension (energy) stored inside. When you try to saw it, you release this tension (energy) and the results are generally bad. Some of the same thing happens when you saw a log from a tree that grew on a side hill or on the forest edge and all or most of the limbs were on one side of the trunk.

YellowHammer · April 03, 2016, 08:21:24 AM

Limbs spend their entire existence defying and fighting gravity. When the force of gravity is removed it will have a tendency to spring or flex back. So the limbs will have a lot of stress in them, and will generally yield curved boards, or even if they come off the saw flat, when they dry, the will move more than usual. There are a few sawing techniques that can be used to minimize the stress, or at least reduce it, but it's not always going to work. It's been a long time since I've sawn limb wood...

Den-Den · April 03, 2016, 09:01:52 AM

Pecan is not a stable wood, it moves quite a bit when drying. Limbs from any tree are unstable and tend to warp, pecan limbs will very bad. I would be surprised if you got more than 1 out of 10 to stay flat while drying.

Pecan is great for barbecue and good for wood-turning. If you have any wood-turning friends, give them some and ask for a bowl. Bowls that warp are still usable.

whittle1 · April 04, 2016, 05:48:22 PM

Thanks for the reply's and I was kinda worried about that. I may try one of straighter ones, it would be nice if showed up a problem right away instead of maybe looking ok green and then not being usable after it dried.
Like you said if nothing else it does make good smoking wood.

Magicman · April 04, 2016, 08:42:06 PM

You will notice that the heart is not in the center of limb wood. This is your first indicator of trouble. :-\

WDH · April 04, 2016, 08:46:57 PM

Now, I am going to have nightmares.

mesquite buckeye · April 05, 2016, 11:37:06 AM

Most mesquite is limb wood. :(

whittle1 · April 05, 2016, 11:56:23 AM

Could you cut it right down the centerline of the pith and then all the boards on that side would be either compression wood or tension wood. Or posssibly quarter sawing? Don't know so just asking.

ScottInCabot · April 05, 2016, 12:09:56 PM

Sometimes you just need to say "NO", and pecan limbs are one of those times. Don't get me wrong, I love to make nice little sticks out of them for the smoker....but I won't mill it and then listen to the customer complain for ten years about them curling up and warping into firewood.

Scott in Cabot

Magicman · April 05, 2016, 09:17:15 PM

Back in my earlier sawing days I agreed to saw some limb "logs" for a friend. It ended up with him getting nothing usable and I was out my sawing effort. Thankfully I had already sawn a few good logs for him and we chalked the limbs up as experience. We are still friends.

woodweasel · April 07, 2016, 12:46:58 PM

Its a pain to cut, dries badly, warps badly, has a lot of waste. With that said ,Ive made beautiful furniture out of it !! :D :D

mesquite buckeye · April 07, 2016, 12:57:29 PM

To use wood like that I would suggest: Cut it thick. Do lots of tension relief cuts during the milling. Cut the lumber short before you make furniture out of it. It can be done. Don't ask how I know this. :

:

;D

WDH · April 07, 2016, 04:30:22 PM

smiley_bat_morph

I have been there, done that, been there, done that, and been there and done that

fishfighter · April 07, 2016, 08:29:24 PM

Heck, pecan is not even good firewood due to a pain in the back side of splitting it. :D Then, it loves to pop. :D

Magicman · April 07, 2016, 10:29:40 PM

I built a complete bedroom suit out of Pecan. Also over 100 clocks of various styles. Nary a problem.

ScottInCabot · April 08, 2016, 02:23:20 PM

Quote from: fishfighter on April 07, 2016, 08:29:24 PM
Heck, pecan is not even good firewood due to a pain in the back side of splitting it. :D Then, it loves to pop. :D

Sure makes my BBQ taste better ;D

Scott in Cabot