Cutting Hollow Cookies on WMLT15

[gfadvm]

I have some 20" diameter hollow blackjack that a lady asked me to cut 1" cookies from. I need a safe way to clamp these for sawing. My plan is to run some 3" deck screws up through  a piece of 3/4" ply and clamp the ply to the mill. Does this sound secure enough? How many screws would y'all recommend if this is an acceptable way to secure them?

[Ocklawahaboy]

Sounds good to me.  I don't saw hollow cookies though.  I would be afraid they'd just fall apart.  I would think 3 screws would do it.  I generally just put a 1x6 flat on the bunks and use the cam clamp on my lt40 to hold the piece vertical but pressure from that direction wouldn't be good on the hollow piece.

[Delawhere Jack]

That should work. Just feed nice and slow.

[gfadvm]

Thanks guys. I am just thinking I'll get a better/flatter cut with the mill than the chainsaw but want to be safe and not hurt my mill. (I love my mill and have even named her!)

[Ocklawahaboy]

You will get a better cut, no doubt.   More uniform thickness between the cookies too.

[Den-Den]

I would be comfortable with 4 of those screws (evenly spaced and into solid wood).

[WDH]

That is how I did it.  I took a long board and screwed the log to the board.  I then used woodworking clamps to clamp the board on the bed with the head and blade of the mill between the clamps.  Cut slow and steady.  I cut cookies for a wedding this way.  All perfectly even. 

[WmFritz]

(I love my mill and have even named her!)

So what's her name?  ??? ???

[YellowHammer]

We did a couple hundred a few weeks ago using an LT40 for a wedding.  I used a notched crosstie against the backstops to clamp the log piece into.  Seemed to work pretty well, didn't have any issues.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=94vRxlxdA4I



YH

[beenthere]

I cut cookies for a wedding this way.

What is this, a trend or fad to have wood cookies at weddings? 

Last week my grand daughter was here and her friend was asking where she could get wood 'cookies' for her wedding. Grand daughter said "sure, grampa can do it".  ;)
So 'ol gramps bucked up a couple white ash logs and they were thrilled. Apparently for a centerpiece at each table to build something on.

Someone write a wedding book that suggests 'cookies' ??

[YellowHammer]

Its the hot new thing, we've done several such jobs.  They actually look pretty good on the table.

A specialty that band mills seem to excel at.  For this batch, the wedding planner says they usually pay $8 to $12 bucks apiece for them, so we gave them a half price discount at $4.50 each.   ;D
Everybody was happy.  It doesn't matter that they will crack, they are considered disposable.
YH

[WDH]

They are definitely the "In Thing". 

I would cut them for $8 - $12 each all day every day  ;D.

YH,

You can whack them out much faster than me, so I might have to charge $5.50  :D. 

[WmFritz]

All they need to go along with those wedding cookies, are some of these like Jeff had at last years Pig Roast.

http://aspenware.ca/

[beenthere]

YH
Much, much nicer cutting them on the bandsaw mill, compared to my eyeballing 1½" cookies using the chainsaw.
That is a neat way to clamp a short bolt on the mill to saw them off.

[VT_Forestry]

I built these centerpieces for our wedding last May - bottoms were walnut and maple, everything else was pre-commercially thinned pine.  The hole was drilled for flowers, and the table numbers on each centerpiece were done with a wood burner.  Lots of time and effort, but we got lots of compliments on them!  This is them all loaded up ready to head over to the reception

[gfadvm]

Well, I got em cut today! I screwed the hollow log to the floor of my short log jig with 6  3" deck screws and got along fine. The first slice vibrated and scared me but subsequent cuts were vibration free. I like Yellowhammer's notched beam! Now to see if they sell as well as my wife predicts!

It will also be interesting to see if the hollow cookies are less prone to crack than the solid ones. I'm thinking they won't crack due to fact that they were standing dead and the big hollow should help. We'll see......

[gfadvm]

WmFritz, Her name is Mildred and we call her Milly for short!

[Sixacresand]

I wonder if sweet gum would be less crack proof? 

[Peter Drouin]

I have cut them too, For a wedding. Hemlock and pine.

[Magicman]

I try to keep a stack pre-cut and ready for a hitchin'.  Walnut and ERC. 

OK, I give them away.   ;D

[WDH]

I wonder if sweet gum would be less crack proof?

Actually, it is. 

[Barney II]

Have to get with the bunch----order for  200  11/4" cookies for a wedding in July. Going to be cut out of maple from their woods. Will also make a drop box out of the maple .  Going to be a busy summer.

[tule peak timber]

another way to use cookies. Pics are of our incense cedar in an upscale restaurant in Los Angeles..... Rob

 

[Magicman]

I would not give that many away.   

[SPIKER]

Looks interesting, those series of 3 pin with hole in the truck bed looked great, would be nice to do them & have votive candles in them!   

looks like it could be lucrative at 8 or 10 bucks a pop! 8)