Spruce

[John S]

I am going back to finish a job of 20 to 30 inch spruce logs on Saturday.  7° Turbos deflected quite a bit around the knots, even when slowing down.  Should I try 9° or 10° from WM?  Today is the last day to order for the current discount.  Thanks.

[alan gage]

The general consensus on Spruce is a lower hook angle. 

You can do some looking in the archives and see that it's generally despised by sawyers for the reason you mention. I hate the stuff and would even get waves with brand new 4 degree blades. 

Alan

[Southside]

4° and keep the band tension maxed, change them often. It wouldn't hurt to sacrifice a couple of chickens and perform a Voodoo / Santeria festival either. 

[Percy]

Whenever I cut larger Sitka spruce logs such as yours, I have had great results using either 7 degree turbos or the 747 profile(fastest). To avoid waves around knotts or otherwise, I increase set to about 33 thou. Spruce can be miserable if the mill isn't aligned properly.

[John S]

Mill was aligned by WM PA a few months ago, not many hours on it since then.  No problems milling other species. Thanks for the replies.

[Chuck White]

I've found that when I sawed Spruce, I had best luck cutting a little (noticeably) slower and more set, at least .030.

Not perfect, but better.

[terrifictimbersllc]

I don't think you'll do better with 9s or 10s. I only use 7/39s , with 55 hp/055/1-1/2, Usually with good results but spruce is still challenging. It helps to break down the log with several wide oversized cuts so that the rest of the sawing is of narrower pieces. Plan those wide cuts so that they can be be re-trimmed if necessary.

[barbender]

Spruce is the 👹 of the north. If it has large knots, 1" plus, it doesn't have much use imo. If you have 2" knots and saw 2x4, they will break in half at the knots. Sheathing or other wide 1x would be a good use for it. 

 Spruce without the big knots saws well and makes beautiful lumber. 

 People think that it causes waves because the knots are hard. Look at the grain of the wood around those knots. It changes so much that the blade is going from ripping to almost cross cutting, and back again. A wave won't start at the knot, but about 4" before and end 4" after. That crazy grain is also why the lumber is pretty worthless in that situation.

[Tin Horse]

I normally don't have or get any spruce here. A customer brought WP as usual to be milled and somewhere found 2 large spruce as knotty as I've ever seen. Basically as a joke to see how they'd turn out. Over the years I like to try and compare different bands. I've currently settled on the WM 7 degree turbo. 1 1/2" x .055 DH. Running with 35 HP diesel. To my surprise they cut as well as WP. Flat and smooth through all knots large and small. Diesel as blade cleaner. Customer was pleasantly surprised as was I. 

[John S]

Thanks for the replies, I just ordered some 4° to try and keep on hand for frozen logs.

[Crusarius]

My personal experience with cutting spruce is lower hook angle.

I do not for the life of me understand why everyone says 10 degree is the best all around blade for so called low power mills. I have 22hp and absolutely hate 10 degree blades for everything!!! 

The results I have gotten from 10 degree blades has always been poor. even with all the advice I received from the amazing ppl on this forum.

I choose 7 or 4 degree for most everything now.

[barbender]

When I had a manual mill with 13 hp, all I had were 10° and they cut fine. I still end up with a few on my 40hp diesel now and again. I prefer the Turbo 7 but if I had to run 10s it wouldn't be that big of a deal to me🤷‍♂️

[Bruno of NH]

I use a notch tooth band with 3/4 tooth spacing and have great luck .
Just sawn a bunch sawed out nice and flat

[SwampDonkey]

Spruce is twisty grain to begin with, ever try splitting it? :D I would rather saw balsam any day. A lot of people will still want pasture knotty spruce cut and even pine with 6"+ wide knots. Ok :D If someone had some decent forest grown spruce that has been actually spaced over it's life and had pruned naturally before limbs got large, then you have something decent to saw. ;D

[barbender]

I completely agree! It seems like it's the pasture ones that most often finds it's way to the mill yard for some reason🤷‍♂️

Balsam is nice, stable wood. Predictable, it is a bit overlooked I think.

[Hemlock121]

Thanks for the replies, I just ordered some 4° to try and keep on hand for frozen logs.

Will you keep us posted how the new blades work?  Are you using diesel fuel to keep the pitch off your blades?

[Resonator]

Best blade I've found to cut spruce lumber flat is a surface planer blade. ;D

[KWood255]

Sent you a PM John. 

[John S]

I have not used diesel since pitch build up has not been an issue.  I use Marty's recipe in the Lubemizer.

[Bruno of NH]

Get yourself some chip tooth bands and be done with it .

[47sawdust]

Bruno,
Where are you getting those blades?
Keep up the good work my friend !

[Bruno of NH]

Bruno,
Where are you getting those blades?
Keep up the good work my friend !

DW Bands
Kennesaw in GA.
Both have them 

[240b]

i saw red an norway spruce regularly.  with 1 1/2" x 055 blades from cooks 
I've never experienced any problems with a sharp blade.  the feed is the same as i use 
for white pine.