Help Me Saw This Cant!!

[Randy]

I have a few logs that will square BIG-----Let's use this measurement--- 24" square cant---pine----How would you saw it---I can use any size boards. I know I should saw some 24" wide boards off of one side then turn 180 and saw some more--then turn 90 degree's and saw some---say 16" board's then get to about 10" or 12"--heart/pith centered----then cut the rest into  what ever keeping the heart/pith centered-------------My Question is------Is this the way you Pro Sawyers would do it--------I have some 18" wide boards---thats real wide for 1x to me-----but would you want 24" wide boards or would you want to cut it "Wrong(heart/pith not kept centered)" and end up with some narrower boards??? Also, do you have problems with wide Pine boards splitting on the ends, even though you seal the ends?? Thanks Randy

[Tom]

Randy,

It all depends on who and what you are cutting for.


I would probably cut the log as you described because I would be looking for the most and best from the log.  A 24" board is kinda neat.  Not everybody has them.  You can also cut 6" vertical grain boards off of the sides and make flooring.   It will pull like the dickens to the side and you might have to cut to shorter pieces and be satisfied with 4" boards after you trim them straight.

You may think of thicker stock too. 24? 2x's or 3x's makes good table stock or rustic shelving for living rooms and family rooms.  People here use them for room dividers and put aquariums on them.  In that case, you might have to go even thicker.

If you are cutting the log to produce as much of a certain size as possible then all bets are off. You are just turning it into dimensional pieces then.  You should still design your cuts to take advantage of the most stable grain in a board but logic tells you that some won't make it.

[DanG]

As Tom said, its depends on who you're cutting it for.  If for yourself, just whack it into whatever you need and hope the rift-sawn stuff doesn't take off on you.

If it were me, on the other hand, I'd be putting the word out around Myrtle Beach and Charleston that I could provide some really big beams.  That stuff will bring some big prices from specialty builders that have a hard time finding it.

[Randy]

Thanks!! I tried this ONCE--To much work for pine-------Had a 24"sq pine cant---------Cut the cant into 9 8x8 cants------ sawing all the 8x8 into what ever thickness(making sure the grain is right)taking the 4 corner 8x8 and quarter sawing them--------As I Said Only ONCE did I do this. Randy

[solodan]

I agree with Tom 24" boards are neat, but I would cut them to 2X. I've cut boards 1X18" with luck, but any thing I have ever really used this wide is usually thicker than 3". I have cut flooring 1X12 and had no problem. I think that the rift sawn stuff makes the nicest flooring though. If you make random width, random length floor boards then it doesn' t matter if the boards move on you just trim them narrower and shorter. You would be amazed how much of the crooked stuff can be recovered in flooring. I have also 1/4 sawn a hole pine log about 36" as well. yes alot of work but it made real nice stable siding, it really doesn shrink or move much, but you also can't find much 1/4 sawn  pine in the box stores either. I usually saw what I need, sometimes if I dont need anything particular I will saw cants or wide slabs. other times I've cut into a log and seen real neat grain or colors and changed my mind on what was coming out of it.

[ARKANSAWYER]

  On large pine logs like that I will cut them so that I can get to a 12x24 cant then cut 1x and 2x 12's.  Most of the time I saw the large chuncks 3 1/4 to 4 1/2 thick so if I need to resaw I can and get good lumber.   Large chuncks like that tend to cup so it will allow you to flatten them out after drying.   I often saw so that I have barky edges and leave them that way when I dry them.  Makes great counter tops and table edges.
   But when you get plenty of large chuncks on hand it makes no sense to saw for them.  Also they are heavy to handle alone.   I saw large logs into octagons and it keeps the board width down and you can edge the tapered edges off. (I have a edger so it goes fast.)

[Brucer]

With no specific market, if it were Western White Pine or Ponderosa Pine, I'd saw it into a couple of 10" x 24" FOHC cants and sell them to a local timber framer for $16 / linear foot (each). The center I'd saw into 2x4's.

Last summer I had an order for 60 pieces of 1x6 x12' white pine. I had a couple of 24" logs, so I sawed one down to a 12x20 cant (1" flitches), sawed the cant down the center (2 pieces 6x20), turned them 90 degrees (together), and then sawed 1" lumber through both pieces at once.

Tom, I was pleasantly surprised to find that green White Pine doesn't move more'n 1/16" over a 12' length.