Live edge siding question

[78CJ]

I am getting ready to have the guy who saws for me come out and saw some cedar live edge siding.  The last time we had talked he had never done it before but had talked with an associate that had.  It sounds like they discussed cutting three sides and then just slicing off boards.  The only issue I see with that is the varying width of the boards. 

Is it maybe a better idea to just flat saw a log then stand the boards up on one edge and cut them all uniform height?

Thanks

Ryan

[Joe Hillmann]

The method you suggested would give you fairly uniform widths but it also would waste a lot of material.  When I do it I just start taking slices from the log and leave both edges live edge.  When using logs in the 6-9 inch range the finished pieces are fairly consistent in their width + or- an inch or so.  I find crooks or knots or bumps in the log make more variation in the finished siding that the roundness of the log.  Also when putting it up I may set aside the widest pieces and the narrowest pieces and make a row of just them to make things stay straight.

[moodnacreek]

When sawing 'brain storm siding' you don't taper saw the log, you just saw it the dumb way and save the nicest side.

[78CJ]

So what you guys are saying is that you don't even saw three sides?  The other live edge is just hidden up top by the bottom of the next piece?

Thanks

Ryan

[moodnacreek]

I saw 3 sides.

[Cedarman]

Since most cedar logs are not round, but tend to have flat faces more so than most other wood, we saw 3 faces, but there may be wane on the 2 "good" corners.  If there is a little bark, it will be covered up.  Then we saw all the live edge boards.  Some boards may be a little wider than others, but you can overlap a little more and you should get a fairly uniform looking wall.  We have sawn 10's of thousands of boards like this.
Customers say they are real happy when they put up their boards.  So, if I please them , I please me.

[petefrom bearswamp]

I saw 3 sides and saw thru and thru here when making the aforementioned brainstorm siding.
Not too much variation in width and the folks who want it like the rustic look it gives

[wayback40]

What thickness do you mill your live edge siding?

[moodnacreek]

3/4" if flat and 1" to nothing if tapered.

[78CJ]

I was thinking of 1" flat, is that too thick?

[Joe Hillmann]

So what you guys are saying is that you don't even saw three sides?  The other live edge is just hidden up top by the bottom of the next piece?

Thanks

Ryan

That is how I do it.
To speed things up I drive in a spike on each end in the bottom inch of the log. Then run a come along jack under the bed of the mill and hook the ends on the spikes I nailed in then tighten up the jack to clamp the log in place.  That way I don't have to use the clamp or dogs or adjust them as the log gets smaller.  I take the top slab off maybe 1 - 1 1/2 inches thick then make cuts every 3/4 inch (siding ends up about 5/8 ) until I get too close to the spikes I put in.
Every so often I will have a log that because of some crook or crotch ends up with the top of the siding being way too wide in some areas.  In those cases I will cut off the wide part with whatever is most handy for the layout(sawmill, chainsaw or skillsaw)

[Kwill]

Have you guys got any pics of the siding boards cut.