Sawing a 38 foot 8X12 timber

[Magicman]

EDIT:  I realize that some comments may be fragmented but the LINK will bring the readers here.

The Deed is done.  


 
The Cypress log is bucked to 38' 6".


 
Turn it around and load it onto the sawmill, top end toward the operator (me).


 
Leveled it and marked an 8X12 target on the end as reference.


 
38' makes my sawmill look small.  The butt is supported by cribbing.


 
The first face is opened and the slab bucked off at 20', then turn.


 
The second face is opened.


 
I had to adjust my target up ~an inch which pushed the centered pith off but it was not a problem.



It's a looong way to the other end.


 
The Prentice loader was used to adjust the log.


 
After I opened the four faces the log was adjusted toward me, but it could only move 6½' to the last bed rail.


 
Then it was a matter of sawing, bucking, and removing the slabs.


 
More ......


  
Here the log has been rolled back the first 6½'.


 
More.....


 
Yup, the cant was square.


 
And the timber got longer.


 
After the first 6½' I could then move it back 13' which helped.


 
He had to be careful and not saw into the timber.


 
Then push the slab off.


 
And then roll the log forward again.


 
Saw and push another slab off.


 
Finally down to the last two cuts.


 
That is a purdy sight !!!


 
Purdy enough to see it again !!!


 
A look from the operator's end.  Note the cribbing to prevent it from sagging.


 
It got off loaded onto a trailer.


 
And bound down.


 
And off to become the ridge timber in a new home.

[kelLOGg]

 8) That's exactly the way I do it! ;D

[Cedarman]

We finished 13   4x8x32' cedar ridge beems a couple months back on our 22' mill.  Takes about an hour a log.
We use a pallet jack with pallets to raise and lower the end keeping it level.
Pays well.
Would not like to do it with big oak though.

[Magicman]

This Cypress timber took 4½ hours @ $110 per hour but the actual sawing took practically no time.  We were measuring, checking, and double checking.  You can't make a mistake with a 38' Cypress log that has an 18" top.  

[Don P]

That is a nice looking beam and its cool to see how its done. It is a case of using the mill you have but it made me realize how well an Alaskan mill does on big long stuff.

[jpassardi]

Nice work Lynn.
I would think the tedious  part is getting it levelled & parallel to the bunks as you progress the log - and  chain sawing the slab without cutting into the timber. I see you let the owner do the chainsawing...  lol

[thecfarm]

Another fine job was done.
It's nice they had the support equipment.

[Magicman]

This is the first time that I have ever sawn over 20½', and hopefully the only time.  The success was based upon the support equipment and the tailgunners.  I had rehearsed the sawing operation many times in my mind when I should have been sleeping because I knew that this would be a "one shot deal". 

Out of 25 logs, this was the only one that could make the 38' timber without wain or other defects.  It had taken the logger a year to find and then be able to harvest these trees because Cypress does not grow on dry ground.

[samandothers]

Out of 25 logs, this was the only one that could make the 38' timber without wain or other defects.  It had taken the logger a year to find and then be able to harvest these trees because Cypress does not grow on dry ground.

All your work, loggers and contractors, the customer must have deep or empty pockets!   :D

[dougtrr2]

I am surprised that you didn't cut it oversized first to allow for error and final tweaking.  But then again, when you have that much experience and knowledge, I guess it would just be a waste of time. 

Pretty amazing.

Doug in SW IA

[Magicman]

the customer must have deep or empty pockets!

I suppose that anyone that can afford to build a home with a 38' living room can afford the timber.   ;D

[Larry]

I'm impressed!

The only long ones I have done are oak.  Butt is almost too big for the mill and the small end is just big nuff plus a little log crook.  I passed on a 24 footer a couple of months ago for that reason.  Only need so much stress in my sawmill life.

Price was very reasonable for that kind of custom work.

[Tom King]

Looks Great!

Every 18th and 19th Century house I've worked on around here have every sill full length.  One 1828 house has 2- 12x12 x40 foot long Heart Pine sills still under it.

That same house had 40 foot long fascia boards 27 feet off the ground.  Those were about weathered away to nothing in thickness left, but we didn't replace them with 40' long boards.

Hope Plantation has 40 foot long floorboards in the Dining Hall.

I figured they must have felled those trees Very close to where the house was built.  They didn't have Woodmisers back then, but I guess there was no shortage of slave labor.

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Holy smokes.  Nice work magic man. Not very many sawyers would have tried that.

[Daburner87]

Incredible.  What do you think the weight of it was?

[Andries]

Nicely done Mr MM !
It's a far cry from your usual production type work, but the hourly rate reflects all the tweaking and tuning to get it right.
👍

[Dan_Shade]

Do you charge extra when the customer checks with a square 

[Magicman]

What do you think the weight of it was?

Oh my, hadn't thought about weight but surely 6-7K lbs.

Actually Dan, I was doing the square checking.  My first 8" face opening was not exactly square so I sawed the timber at 9" on the other 8" face and then turned the first face up and sawed square.

Square was just one of the many checks and measurements that we made before and after each pass.  The timber was amazingly true although it did have a bit of crown after sawing which excited the customer because he could turn the crown up to minimize sag when it is installed.

[GAB]

This Cypress timber took 4½ hours @ $110 per hour but the actual sawing took practically no time.  We were measuring, checking, and double checking.  You can't make a mistake with a 38' Cypress log that has an 18" top.  

MM
I like your bdft rate on that one.
GAB

[Magicman]

Yes but my normal sawing @ $400 Mbf usually produces more $$ than that hourly rate, just not in this instance.

[Crossroads]

I'm impressed!

[Peter Drouin]

Nice job, 

[Magicman]

I'll probably be sawing more timbers on this Cypress job, but nothing over 18½'.  8)

[dgdrls]

Outstanding!!

Very well though-out

D

[doc henderson]

still learning from the best!
true, I am getting 304 BF so 121.60 bucks by the BF.  is that correct?
of course, that is not including any side lumber.  usually, you do better on timber by the BF, but this had so much movement, and double checking it sounds like.