slab or QS?

[alanh]

I just got a couple of white oak logs, 24" x 5' and a 8 ft, wondering which would be more valuable, slabs or quartersawn, I've had calls for both but havent had much luck drying big w/o slabs and really havent done much quarter sawing. I`ve been anxious to try the rrqs I`ve read about so much here but I`m unsure how I would accomplish the "reverse roll" part, I have a manual 15 with the pineywoods hydraulic claw turner

[btulloh]

Mighty short to spend the time to qs. Looks like the sap wood is going to be punky. You could split it right down the pith and then decide. 

[Southside]

Agree- at the very least you will have spalting, but my guess would be the sap wood is junk.  Without expecting great results it would be a good log to practice RRQS on since chances are you are not giving up much value if you don't get the desired results.  Personally, after sawing logs like, that I would turn that into firewood.  

[terrifictimbersllc]

They would be good QS practice.  Even in RRQS, the Southern crew still cuts it through the middle, sight unseen, and then does the RRQS to the top and bottom portions.  When I was in GA this spring, Customsawyer, Yellowhammer and crew first took two 9/4 boards across the center.

So following what I saw them do, first make an octagon with cuts parallel to the pith. In your case the sapwood will be rotten so cut deep enough so this takes off most of the rot.  Now, cut across the center choosing how many QS boards you are thinking the center will yield.

Then try your hand at RRQS of the remaining top and bottom portions.  Or just do regular QS moves by putting these pieces vertical, and sawing rift-QS-rift off of them.  These rift make good legs if you take them at 2-1/8.  So a combination of 1-1/4 and 2-1/8 all saved from the same logs would make a good sale package I would think.

p.s. when I say make an octagon I'm just recommending a light cut that gives straight edge references for when you are handling the log pieces later, not very deep cuts that would waste width.  The octagonal shape is easier to turn too. 

[pineywoods]

@alanh, I would be very interested in your comments on using the pineywoods  claw turner to quarter saw. Mine won't roll the log reverse, but I used the same technique as the georgia gang, just rolled the half log in the normal direction and lowered the backstops to match. Worked pretty well on a big old sweetgum log.

[alanh]

TT, that sounds like the plan, I`ll give it a shot. 
pineywoods, my son grabbed the mill one day saying he wanted to make some "adjustments" It came back with the hydraulic turner/clamp. Needless to say Ive been thrilled with it, it wasnt until I posted it on here that I realized it was your plans he used, can`t thank you enough. As for reverserolling, it does fold under the log and move it back if you need to but I can`t see it rolling it, I`ll use your method