making timbers

[J Beyer]

This question applies when you are sawing a customers logs.  

When most of you make timbers for a customer, do you mill the timber out first when milling a customers logs if that is all they want from the logs, or do you make a few boards and then go for the timber?  I know how I would go about it if I were sawing for inventory.

JB

[Tom]

I picture the timber in the log and saw to it taking usable boards as I go.  A bad fault as I saw may make me change my approach.  It also allows me to ease my way into the timber to make sure that it is as straight and accurate as possible. Growing stresses can be accounted for this way and side boards are easier to saw.  To saw boards from slabs is a pain in the neck even with an edger and resaw.

That's my preference.

[J Beyer]

Thanks Tom.  

Never gave it any though in regards to the growth stresses.  How you described on how you saw a timber is the way I would do it if I were maing boards from the same log.

JB

[woodmills1]

I have done a bit of cutting for post and beam oak timbers, and found the thinking is a bit more complicated.  the object is to preserve the target size for the beam while trying to keep a good yield from the better quality sections of the outside of the log.  on a log that is much larger than the target beam size I sort of think from the inside out.  that is  i will check maximum distance from the bed to the blade after taking four light passes on the log. lets say it is around 14" and I am making 8x8 stock.  I would make my next pass at 13 and 5/8 then 12 1/2, then 11 3/8, 10 1/4, 9 1/8 and finally 8", flipping the log to take even amounts from both faces.  this will give the final 8x8 while allowing the boards to be my regular 4/4 cut at 1 and 1/8".  this can get complicated keeping the numbers in your head while attending to the regular tasks around the mill.  I bet auto setworks come in real handy here.

all bets are off though when the log is just large enough to support the target beam size.  one wrong drop of the blade height, or some stress in the log, which usally shows up more in this situation,  and I find my self turning the nicest portions of the log into thin slices that might earn me awards in the new "shootout"  :D  this is where the pricing of the job comes into play.  I try to earn enough from the target sized material so I don't feel so bad losing a 4/4 board or two.

[Minnesota_boy]

I've found that sawing hardwood for timbers is quite different from sawing softwood timbers.  Hardwood seems to have more stress built in and is much harder to straighten if the timber begins to bend from stress as you saw.  Removing a little from each side is a necessity.

With softwood, often you can go for the yield any way you want.  Of course, the boards on the outside aren't as valuable as those of good hardwood either.