Clapboard mill (radially sawn)

[711ac]

A buddy built this a few years ago. He's an "old iron" guy and this was modeled after a old mill further upstate here in Maine. I believe the sawing method was the only thing that he really imitated. Supposedly the vertical grain is far less prone to cupping and splitting and it held up far better than flat sawn siding.
Basically there's a 2" wide chisel type blade put on the arbor that would round (take out the taper) the log and get through the sapwood, sometimes taking several passes around the log. After each pass across the log, you'd turn a crank to spin the log just enough for another pass with this "chisel" blade.
After the log was true from end to end, a blade would replace the chisel. Each pass of the blade would leave just enough wood to not fall off, then you'd just snap them off.
If the low was big enough you would do this process again for another round.
Both mills are flat belt driven, in these pics off an old tractor.
This was last year at the "Freyburg Fair" in Freyburg Maine. This BS virus stuff has cancelled the fair this year.
Sorry for basically a tease for photo's. I spent a week there at the fair between the 2 mills. I don't know why it's so hard to take pictures sometimes.

 



 

Thought y'all might find this interesting.

[barbender]

That is really cool, I've never seen a set up like that!

[Peter Drouin]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The thing worked well. Always kool thing at the fair.

[WDH]

Now that is true quartersawing. 

[nativewolf]

Now that is neat, I've looked at every turbosaw video on their lathe based tool and this is like an early version.  I especially like the debarker, cool indeed. 

[moodnacreek]

I think there are 2 clapboard mills still running. One is in Vt. and the other Maine. 

[Nebraska]

That is extremely interesting, thanks for posting it.

[scsmith42]

Fascinating system!  Thanks for posting.

[711ac]

Thanks Peter, Tim (the guy that built the mill) talked me into working the fair last year and was just too busy to take more pictures.

[moosehunter]

I helped a friend build his house. We used the radial sawn siding. He drove to Vermont or New Hampshire to get the siding. The siding came painted/ stained. It has been up 20 years, no cupping, no chipped or pealing paint. Pretty amazing stuff.
mh

[moodnacreek]

This method of sawing is called radial. The mills that do it lathe the log to a cylinder first and then put it on the clapboard mill. The home made mill in the photos is very clever as it does not need the lathe to round the log, it does it all on one machine. Why didn't I think of that?

[Trackerbuddy]

I wonder if a Lucas mill could be set up to make clapboard?  

[711ac]

You'd need a way to support and rotate the log incrementally, then there's getting it debarked and round. I believe it would be possible for a clever guy with a mill and a welder 8).
The rough cutting of boards was only the start of making clapboards. Tim made up a jig with the angle to plane each side, and both (top and bottom edges) got edged also. Now this is for his customers that are repairing or matching 100+ year old houses and have a historic objective. 

[Bruno of NH]

Ward clapboard mill in Johnson Vt makes clapboards like this.
I think they only make them up to 8' long.
I went through the mill once and seen it in operation. 

[Trackerbuddy]

You'd need a way to support and rotate the log incrementally, then there's getting it debarked and round. I believe it would be possible for a clever guy with a mill and a welder 8).
The rough cutting of boards was only the start of making clapboards. Tim made up a jig with the angle to plane each side, and both (top and bottom edges) got edged also. Now this is for his customers that are repairing or matching 100+ year old houses and have a historic objective.

If I find a clever guy with a Lucas mill and nothing to do...

I think I saw this mill or one like it on This Old House many years ago.  They were matching historic clapboard siding.