Sawing overlength???

[teakwood]

Hi guys, need your advise again

I have this exceptionally nice Teaktrees and i would hate to buck them into short wood. would like to cut a beam out of it.
My sawmill with the extension can just saw 5.7m (18.7') in length, but this log is 11m (36'), strait like a candle.
I have saw overlength but nothing like that. Is there any trick without fabricating a new bed extension?

[Den-Den]

If it was me, I would fab a long deck extension.  You will likely have additional long logs in the future that the extension would be used on.  Moving partially sawn logs and aligning them to continue sawing can be done but is tedious (OK for once or twice but gets old fast).

[Southside]

Wait - the Stilh Timber sports chainsaw champion is asking how to saw a couple of long logs into beams?   You could whip up a CSM jig a lot faster than a bed extension.   

On a serious note I have done it with shifting back and forth on the mill, have being the operative word, it is a real pain, you need to support the overhanging portion or the log will bend and accuracy goes out the window.  Trying to keep it level becomes a massive challenge. 

[terrifictimbersllc]

Obey all the laws of physics in the minutest detail including those related to safety and sawing.  :P

[WV Sawmiller]

   Why?

   Do you have a need/use or market for the beam?

[longtime lurker]

I would opt to break it in two unless I had an order for longer lengths.

Log movement (bow, spring, cup and twist) is going to significantly reduce recovery over 11m. Turning that much good wood into edgings and shim cuts just doesn't add up unless I've got an order for it. My price list jumps 25% at 4.5, 30% after 6.0, another 50% at 7.2, and beyond 8.0 it's POA. Even at that double and a bit premium over 15' lengths it's not that profitable when you factor in time and recovery rates just doing regular boards.

An exception would be to prove you can, so you've got a bit of an idea on process and costings. If you think there's a market for them - bridge girders are my normal extra long product - start hoarding those logs suitable. Logs that will cut 600x600 at 12.0 are a precious commodity, even 450 X 450 at around 8m is a lump of a log.

I can saw to 8.4. Beyond that it's CSM two faces and then rollers to move the log along under the mill for the other two. I keep threatening to set a saw up for 12m but...logs that can cut that are that scarce I probably won't ever actually do it.

It's a heck of a lot of work at those lengths... Don't shortchange yourself if you're quoting

[teakwood]

If it was me, I would fab a long deck extension.  You will likely have additional long logs in the future that the extension would be used on.  Moving partially sawn logs and aligning them to continue sawing can be done but is tedious (OK for once or twice but gets old fast).

You absolutely on spot with this post. My thoughts also 

[teakwood]

Wait - the Stilh Timber sports chainsaw champion is asking how to saw a couple of long logs into beams?   You could whip up a CSM jig a lot faster than a bed extension.  

On a serious note I have done it with shifting back and forth on the mill, have being the operative word, it is a real pain, you need to support the overhanging portion or the log will bend and accuracy goes out the window.  Trying to keep it level becomes a massive challenge.

 good one!!
Of course i know how to do it and have 2-3 options to do it, it's just i thought maybe somebody has a trick to do it easy that i don't know of. I even considered to freehand chainsaw the beam (i'm not bad at it) and then rectify on the bandmill. 
But moving a long log around the mill back and forth gets old fast.

[teakwood]

I would opt to break it in two unless I had an order for longer lengths.

Log movement (bow, spring, cup and twist) is going to significantly reduce recovery over 11m. Turning that much good wood into edgings and shim cuts just doesn't add up unless I've got an order for it. My price list jumps 25% at 4.5, 30% after 6.0, another 50% at 7.2, and beyond 8.0 it's POA. Even at that double and a bit premium over 15' lengths it's not that profitable when you factor in time and recovery rates just doing regular boards.

An exception would be to prove you can, so you've got a bit of an idea on process and costings. If you think there's a market for them - bridge girders are my normal extra long product - start hoarding those logs suitable. Logs that will cut 600x600 at 12.0 are a precious commodity, even 450 X 450 at around 8m is a lump of a log.

I can saw to 8.4. Beyond that it's CSM two faces and then rollers to move the log along under the mill for the other two. I keep threatening to set a saw up for 12m but...logs that can cut that are that scarce I probably won't ever actually do it.

It's a heck of a lot of work at those lengths... Don't shortchange yourself if you're quoting

Very good post! thanks Aussie

I don't have the buyer yet for this log, just doing some brain storming what to do with it. I will definitively not buck it in short wood, that i have already decided.

I will try to sell it as a log or as a beam. If i can't sell it i will make a beam and store it, somebody will want it someday or i use it for myself. could do a 8x8 or 8x6.

I calculated the log in shortwood, it would give me around 375$ in boards.

Of course i will not shortsale myself, if somebody wants this log/beam they need to pay. I'm not in the business of giving discounts on special sales.
(If a customer asks for 2x8 instead of the standard 2x6s for a roof than you can charge, and charge big.)

I will price the log in 450$ and a 8x8 beam in, lets say 700$.

Was texting and joking around with a guy in Switzerland, he is a multi millionaire and owns a big vacation house here in Costa Rica, over the years we became friends and his wife, after the first furniture i made for her, officially named me their own personal cabinet maker
I sent him the fotos of the log and ask him joking aren't you building anything like a fireplace roof?
He thought for a second and said, don't buck that log, we talk in August when i visit Costa Rica, i need to renovate the whole roof of his Outdoor Rancho!! It's a 3 story column building, outdoor eating and resting area with a fireplace and kitchen beside the pool. the thing is probably 8x18m (24x54') the third floor has 6 big corner posts and and a spaced beam structure without a roof, the rain falls thru. don't now if i explained myself?

Am i a lucky fella if my friend does this renovation, it's a fact that i get the job. no question or price asked, just bring the wood!

[Cranbrooksawyer]

I have some western larch logs that I would like cut to over the 21' maximum length of the mill. I have not done it yet but a fellow sawyer mentioned what he has done is. 1 screw in 2 2" X 8" boards parallel to each other to take the taper out. 2 cut part way thru on your first cut supporting the free end on blocking or a roller bed. 3 slide the log down the mill supporting the D log side on blocking. 4 finish the first cut once everything in level and clamped. 5 Remove the 2"x 8" and repeat the process but you now have a flat surface to work with. It would take a bit of time getting set up for the first cut but I can't see how it would not work.  Let me know how it goes. cheers.

[Brad_bb]

You could saw the first half, roll 180, saw the other side of the first half (always supporting the end of course).  then move the log 1/3 of it's length down the bed, using one of the first cuts as a reference to align the log, continue one of your cuts for this 1/3, then move the log another 1/3 to finish cutting one side.  Then roll the log 180, move it back and cut the final 18 feet.  This method is a pain in the butt.  It's tricky getting your log aligned  well so that your cuts are in the same plane as best as possible.  If you only have one to do, you can do this.  I'd prefer not to.

If you have a number of long ones to cut, build or buy extensions for your mill.

Another option might be hewing, depending on the finish you want and how well teak will hew.  I have no idea, but the log does look like straight grain which is good for hewing.

[woodrat]

This method is a pain in the butt.  It's tricky getting your log aligned  well so that your cuts are in the same plane as best as possible.  If you only have one to do, you can do this.  I'd prefer not to.

Have done this a few times. Can confirm... lol

But, the customer was very, very happy with his 29' 8x9s for the top plates on his timber frame project. And he paid by the hour, so...

We also went out in his woods with the skidder and spent a half a day picking and procuring exactly the right trees for the task, too. 

I'll be doing some 24's soon for doing some repairs on my own barn, and again when I build a saw shed. But it is definitely a PITA.

[teakwood]

I'm planing a sawmillshed and have decided to use the logs for two 9m (29.5')beams i need.

first i did two sides with the chainsaw, free handed. i'm not bad at it.
so i ended up with 2 pretty straight sides already, that eased the supporting and centering work on the sawmill by alot. wasn't actually that bad, did one beam in 3hours by myself.
Of course the excavator helped me load the beam onto the sawmill.

Ended up with a perfectly straight 15x20cm x9m (6x8" x29.5')
 @longtime lurker