Quartering a Big Southern Red Oak Log

Lud · January 18, 2012, 07:50:18 AM

Thanks for the insights , Jake. If you ever do the You Tube demo on the sharpin' and the rippin' it'll be appreciated. 8)

Norm · January 18, 2012, 07:54:44 AM

There is a 12 step program Danny but unfortunately you'll have to cut the lumber to frame them out with. :D

WDH · January 18, 2012, 07:57:40 AM

I hate building steps :D.

paul case · January 18, 2012, 08:42:57 AM

The most effective patch is grease or oil on your skin with sawdust stuck to it. It isn't very effective. PC

OneWithWood · January 18, 2012, 05:41:34 PM

you will sleep well tonight, Danny.

mrbuck50 · January 18, 2012, 06:39:54 PM

Hey Jake.....I got to saw up one of your quarters today from that big red oak. All I can say is OH NO!!!! I think I have the fever........Had a great time with Danny today. He gave me a demo on the LT-15, we made some sawdust and told some stories. Thanks Danny for allowing me to demo your machine and for your hospitality. Danny says I have been broken in right today......I managed to hit the log dog with the blade :

jueston · January 18, 2012, 08:29:38 PM

well buck, not that you did it once, it won't hurt so much next time you do it... :D :D :D :D 8)

Magicman · January 18, 2012, 08:37:55 PM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, mrbuck50. Thankfully it was Danny's sawmill and Danny's sawblade.

Congratulations on a good day with the mill.

WDH · January 18, 2012, 09:31:54 PM

Mrbuck50 (Chris) only nipped that side support a wee little bit, hardly enough to count ;D. It is good to go ahead and get that out of the way! I told him that he was now officially a Sawyer ;).

Here are a few pics from today. Here is one of the quarters loaded on the mill. Not much more room for more quarter

I could not manually turn the cant without some hydraulic assistance. I do have external hydraulics on this mill, just not the same kind that you find on the big mills :D.

A shot of of some of the figure, which was pretty good. You can see the rot that was starting at the pith. I edged this off.

Here is our newest Sawmill Recruit, mrbuck50 also known as Chris. He took to the mill like a duck takes to water. I suspect that he will be taken over by the ~~dark~~ sawdust side

. It was a good day and great to meet another Forum member, that is what makes this place great.

DanG · January 18, 2012, 09:52:32 PM

Mrbuck50, welcome to the Forestry Forum! You have fell into a nest of the best folks you'll ever find, and right into the lap of one of the best of the best. How'd you get so lucky?

isawlogs · January 19, 2012, 07:55:46 AM

Nice that the external hydraulics match the mill in color.

Danny I also use the external turner at times on my mill, I use a chain wrapped around the cant. By putting the hook low on the cant. I am able turn the peice over with the loader and by curling the bucket/forks I can control the cant landing on the bed in a softer way.

Dodgy Loner · January 19, 2012, 09:39:40 AM

Purty wood! Thanks for satisfying my need for pictures. It looks like you need a new quartersawn red oak floor ;D

slider · January 19, 2012, 12:47:28 PM

I see Danny is up to his old tricks again,invite you over for a demo and work you like a dog.He is a sly rascal Chris ,now if Jake offers some time on his 70 don't fall for it.There in this together so just beware.Trust me I know .Take it from a victim

DanG · January 19, 2012, 01:32:02 PM

Quote from: slider on January 19, 2012, 12:47:28 PM
I see Danny is up to his old tricks again,invite you over for a demo and work you like a dog.He is a sly rascal Chris ,now if Jake offers some time on his 70 don't fall for it.There in this together so just beware.Trust me I know .Take it from a victim

Busted! :D :D :D

OneWithWood · January 19, 2012, 01:45:11 PM

Appears that Danny and Chris had a great time. From the looks of the figure I would say the extra effort to get some quarter sawn out of that log is worth the effort.

Danny, even with hydraulics on the mill I often resort to the 'external hydrauics' for pieces that size until I have whittled them down a bit.

I bet it was fun offbearing those boards...

mrbuck50 · January 19, 2012, 07:11:21 PM

If I could work with Danny or Jake and gain just an ounce of their combined knowledge, it would be worth it!!! I had a great time and learned a lot. I guess I should have known something was up when Danny told me to come "ready to work" :D Not really......
I belong to several forums and for the most part, each of them have the "family" feel. I think it is great that a group of folks can get together on this here internet thing and become good friends. I always try to meet folks from the other forums I am on and now have had the privledge of starting that here as well.

customsawyer · January 19, 2012, 07:32:40 PM

Danny bring Chris with you next time you get a itch for some Pecan that has to be sprayed and stacked. I will have a cold adult beverage while I watch the two of you keep up with the mill. Chris welcome to the forum. Don't be trying to keep up with Danny as I have trained him and he might be a bit fast for some. ;D

WDH · January 19, 2012, 09:05:31 PM

Looks like I will have to now get some orange LogRites to maintain style, Marcell. Maybe I could trade the blue ones in for some orange for harmony :D. Using the chain would be easier on the mill. Those big logs can slam down with a lot of force when you turn them, even with a cant hook. However, this also attests to the quality of the LT15 in being able to stand up to the really big logs. That is one well built little sawmill. Built to last.

Al, you did a very good job tailing that pecan lumber (Whew, I was sure glad that you showed up when you did!). With all your experience, you would have no problem with this red oak :

.

Robert, I slide the boards off the mill onto a board table, so that helps a lot. Jake says that you are not supposed to "carry boards" ;D.

Dodgy, another log like this one and I would have a very good start on a floor. Where the figure moves from quarter sawn to rift sawn, you get a "speckled" pattern that I also like a lot.

Chris, if you get you hands on Jake's LT70, you will be ruined :D. Jake would be guilty of behavior leading up to the ruination of a man

.

WDH · January 25, 2012, 08:43:43 PM

A fitting end. The log sawed out to 524 BF. Mostly 5/4. The quality was not quite what I hoped for, but there are some exceptional red oak boards. This tree will live on in another form.

Don K · January 26, 2012, 05:36:12 AM

Nice stack Danny. I'm sure we might see another form from you in a coupla years.

Don

SwampDonkey · January 26, 2012, 05:53:36 AM

Nice job Jake and nice score Danny. Them big ones might take some "engineering" but sure open up into some nice lumber. I don't think my little Efco would be much good on that log. ;D

Nice little tractor there Danny, what HP? Up here it's cheaper to buy a 50 HP than a 35 HP because no tax, classed as farm machinery.

customsawyer · January 26, 2012, 05:58:26 AM

Nice stack of lumber. Did the rot extend out very far from the pith?

WDH · January 26, 2012, 07:30:02 AM

The tractor is 56 horsepower. It does a great job.

Jake, the rot varied from none to 25% based on the quarter section once you got past the first couple of inches from the pith. That is what hurt the yield since it scaled over 800 BF Doyle and cut 524. One quarter had a big overgrown knot that once opened up was hollow and rotten all the way to the middle. Basically, the last three feet of every board from this quarter was no good. Still, it was a good haul and the rift and quarter sawn lumber will make some nice tables, like Don alludes too, down the road.

It was good to get this tree when I did because in another year or two, the rot would have progressed to the point that sawing it would be marginal and it would be dead anyway.