Best way to saw a flitch pile

quadracutter222 · August 15, 2019, 04:31:41 PM

Hi all, I have two days left of my first mobile sawing job (pictures on the way) of cutting 12x12, 6x12 and 4x12 for ship blocking. I am working with a local experienced sawer who has a Mobile Dimension, so it has been quite a learning opportunity.

Once the main bulk is done I will have probably 1000-1500 board feet of full dimension 2x10 to cut from flitches saved from the 12x12 process. Most of them are 10', 12' and the odd 14/15', but range from widths of getting only one 2x10, to getting a 2x10 and a 2x4 or 2x6. I am wondering if some experience can chime in as to the best way to saw a pile like this?

I am thinking:
- try and saw similar widths together
- put the whole pile right in front of the loader
- load three of similar width/yeild
- saw one edge off of one flitch at a time (most have a good taper, so not sure if I can gang saw the first edge and end up with no wane on all three)
- use the front toe board to try and get a parallel cut
- then gang saw the three together to the 10" width.
- same process with the wide ones, but a 2x4 or 2x6 would come off first. Cut the first side, gang saw three to 14 1/8, then drop 4 to leave a 2x4 and 2x10.

I thought of doing them as I took them off, but the pressure was on for the delivery date, to the pile just kept growing ;)

Thanks!

moodnacreek · August 16, 2019, 08:28:32 AM

With a big edger before they twist or one or a few on your sawmill.

WV Sawmiller · August 16, 2019, 08:29:11 AM

I occasionally try to salvage a board or two by resawing a flitch I cut too thick but as often as not end up scrapping the idea as one or both ends wants to rise off the rails which would give a thick and thin board. IMHO It is much better to save the side lumber at the time you are originally sawing the cant - plus you save a ton of double handling the wood if sawing once. I understand why you felt you needed to cut the big stuff in a hurry but I think resawing the rest will be a real learning experience for you.

If you are talking about resawing multiple flitches at one time I think that's a non-starter because of the clamping issues. It would be for me on my mill. Good luck.

Southside · August 16, 2019, 10:55:50 AM

If you have to do it on the mill I would go one at a time given the size, flipping those 2x flitches over from the middle of a stack of them will eat your fingers in no time. They will wedge, get caught under one another, fetch on a frame member, etc - it's just miserable. If your clamp has issues with the width then just grab a decent 2x6 to use as a gap filler. It will be easy to maneuver and give you a longer clamping surface as a result.

Without an edger you are just trying to make the best out what you have - there is no easy way to do it.