How would you open and saw this one?

[kelLOGg]

I estimate it about 28" max diameter and the customer wants 5/4 boards plain sawn. I think that is too thin given all the knots. Would you level on the pith or geometric center? It is pin oak.
Bob

  

  

  

  

 

[WDH]

I would say open with the best face on the bed so that you cut the best face parallel to the bark.  However, that log does not have a best face  . 

[AnthonyW]

I am by far an expert (<100hrs milling). First, I would warn the customer that several of the branch show rot (see picture 1 x2, picture 5 x1). If the decision is to go for it, I would align the check in picture 4 parallel to the blade and level by the pith.

For the experts, how did I do?

[Chuck White]

I would let the customer know my concerns with the log, and then give him exactly what he wants.

I also think I would cut in consideration of the end-check in the 4th pic!

[4x4American]

subscribed

[WellandportRob]

I would cut it every 16" and then split it into firewood.

[scsmith42]

Bob, if you orientate it the same way as your third photo it appears that the bulk of the defects will be along the edge of the board.

Personally I would mill it heart center so as to keep the defects relatively equicanter on the cant.

[4x4American]

I would cut it every 16" and then split it into firewood.

:D :D :D :D

[Magicman]

Square the cant so that the pith check on the butt end will be parallel to the sawmill bed.  You want the pith on the top end the same distance from the bed as that butt pith check.   That should contain the pith check within probably 3 center boards.

Yes, the lumber will be fairly poor quality, due to the limbs/knots.

[AnthonyW]

I would cut it every 16" and then split it into firewood.

That's why I call my sawmill a 24 foot long log splitter that makes lumber. I roll the dice on every log. I start by trying to make 1x. If it isn't good enough for 1x then I try for 2x (either cutting 2" or 4" thick). If that fails I cut the whole log into 2x slabs and add it the slab pile for firewood for my father. :D The only waste my sawmill makes is sawdust.

[beenthere]

Good answers.
"specially" the firewood lengths first.  :D
But I'd just live saw it from the top down to near the center, then flip it over 180 and live saw it down to the dog board.
Maybe the customer just wants to see the knot patterns that develop and will make $300 projects out of the "boards" that he gets.

You can "Oooo" and "Ahhhh" and say "Wow!! " after each cut when the board comes off and he may think he has a real prize.  Never know...

[WDH]

Never know..........

Until it dries. 

Then you know  .

[kelLOGg]

I loaded it on the mill today ala Anthony's suggestion. Actually, that was the only orientation over which the sawhead would pass w/o a lot of chainsaw work. I won't be able to get to saw it until Thursday but it is leveled and ready to go.
Bob

 

[coppolajc10]

I like your mill setup. Your snow looks like sawdust, mine just looks like snow. Good luck with your log, Jake.

[RayMO]

My experience with those type of pin oaks/water oaks is cut thick or cut fire wood . Blocking and fire wood are all they are good for in my area .

[JB Griffin]

Ain't that the truth Ray, I cut some water oaks that had been pushed over with a track hoe, haven't sawed them yet but already dreading it, lots of shake and some rot and quite a bit of black water poured out of em. :D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Hit me in the head with a hammer and call me a crazy goat.....but I have put a bunch of logs like that on the burn pile.  :D

[Magicman]

Sawing that log does not make it a "saw log".  It makes it a log that got sawed.  The lumber will be questionable at best.

[Andries]

Dang - the waiting is gonna kill me.
Will it be firewood that got milled . . . or will it be $300 slabs with many Oooohs and Aaaahhhs?
Kellog - - Thursday is going to be 'pregnant with suspense'. (Old Saying)

[Magicman]

I plan to be at the Cabin and will miss all of the excitement.   ;D

[dgdrls]

Very curious to see how it saws. With the Lucas I would pith center with the check aligned vertical with the blade.

DGDrls

[scully]

God hates a coward ! But yeh check horizontal to the deck worst side up .

[5quarter]

Bob...If you make 5/4 boards out of that it will blow itself apart. I have tried on 2 separate pin oaks and wound up with half a dozen useable boards. It looks really cool coming off the saw, but it gets progressively worse as it dries. I did however have better luck with 10/4 wide planks. once they reach EMC, they can then be resawn 6/4, 7/4 or perhaps 8/4 if your really lucky. If you do saw wide, make sure your blade is deadly sharp. From the looks of it, your blade will be sawing through face grain, edge grain and end grain in nearly every board. Pin oak is harder than most white Oaks, which just adds another level difficulty, esp if you're sawing wide. for myself, I will usually saw whatever the customer wants me to, but in your case, I would put my foot down. your reputation goes out the door with every stick of lumber you saw.

[kelLOGg]

I like your mill setup. Your snow looks like sawdust, mine just looks like snow. Good luck with your log, Jake.

It snows like crazy when I saw - any time of the year. ;D

[kelLOGg]

5Q, I told the customer that I thought 5/4 would be too thin but in the end it is his call. We'll see if he holds to that after all the FF opinions (and mine). He is a great guy for whom I have sawn many times so if the lumber turns to splinters after drying he won't get tied in a knot - after all I have 5 more clear logs of his next on the rollway. I wish it was Thursday.
Bob

[AnthonyW]

Even prior to 5Q's post I was thinking the same thing. You might saw them 8/4 or 10/4 then allow them to dry and then resaw them. I would try to cut a deal with the customer, 60-70% of the bill now (cutting them twice as thick means you'll cut half as many boards) and 40-30% later (luckily resawing then without the bark isn't as tough on the blade). The pros and cons are cutting twice as thick may result in a fewer number of wider boards but more of them usable whereas cutting them to size 4/4 or 5/4 now may have more wider boards but less that are usable.

[Sixacresand]

If there is an use for short stuff, I'm sure there will be some beautiful lumber between the knots. And the trimmed out big knots make good stove wood. 

[FarmingSawyer]

[5quarter]

Well, that's good to know Bob. I'm anxious to see how you wind up slicing the "log". Perhaps you can saw it thick and wide until you get it down to something like a 12"x14" cant and then make some boards. Knots will be smaller as you go deeper into the log and you may be able to edge off some of the worst ones. looking forward to see how it all shakes out.

[Magicman]

My customers are always on site when I am sawing and I always let them make the final decision regarding "whether to or not to saw".  It depends upon the use and many times they always need "barn lumber".


 
Yes, I sawed it.   :D

[5quarter]

MM, After seeing Bobs job, your customers log looks pretty nice.   :D ;)

[taylorsmissbeehaven]

I would cut it! I love to see what comes out of those nasty logs people drag up. There may be some beautiful jewelry boxes (or other small projects) between the knots. One more day and we will know. Brian

[Ocklawahaboy]

Even prior to 5Q's post I was thinking the same thing. You might saw them 8/4 or 10/4 then allow them to dry and then resaw them. I would try to cut a deal with the customer, 60-70% of the bill now (cutting them twice as thick means you'll cut half as many boards) and 40-30% later

I say ask for 70% now and 40% later.  Tell them you learned math from the folks that decided that 1.5 x 3.5 is a 2x4. 

[WDH]

 :D :D

[kelLOGg]

I would cut it! I love to see what comes out of those nasty logs people drag up. There may be some beautiful jewelry boxes (or other small projects) between the knots. One more day and we will know. Brian

Knotty wood does have more "character" than clear and my customer (and me) have an eye for the character.
Bob

[kelLOGg]

5Q and Anthony, sawing thick, drying and re-sawing is a good idea. I'll bring it up. Now all I have to do is lift the boards off. The cust. and another friend will be coming when I saw - they can be the fork lift.
This sure is a lot of anticipation - hope it doesn't disappoint.
Bob

[kelLOGg]

Well, Thursday finally came, had some problems but it turned out to be rather successful. My friend decided on a thickness of 1.5" and to cut the log in half rather than to take the widest possible boards. We trimmed one dimension to ~25", flipped 90°, sawed in half, flipped the 2 halves and sawed two boards each pass down to the bottom. Took about 3 hours. The problems were: 1) adjustable roller guide was more than maxed out so stopping and chain sawing and chiseling at times was required, 2) my add-on DRO does not work consistently at low temp (~35°) so we didn't get consistent thickness. It would change reading by about 0.2" to 2.0" and I didn't know it until I raised the head for return and tried to set for the next cut and ... what? That's not right!. I finally resorted to measuring tape and a pencil :( , 3)  got some wavy cuts at times but given the extreme nature of the log -  not too bad. Enjoy the pics.

Exit cut on halving
 

 

Rotate 90 degrees


 

Continuing to cut to bottom


 



 



 

 

 

There's some rot but not a lot.
 

 

[4x4American]

oooo.....ahhhhh.....ooooooo.....ahhhhh 8)

[coppolajc10]

I'd say it was worth it, I hope it drys well for your customer.  Thanks for the pictures, Jake.

[Southside]

Not sure about others, but if that would dry flat and not fall apart I would prefer to have a floor that looked like that any day over the 3" "perfect" stuff you find at any big box store. 

[5quarter]

   Bob, great job on the sawing! Logs like that will separate the men from the boys pretty quick. ;) 6/4 is still thick enough to take a skim cut on one side and flatten the flip side on a planer. Hopefully he'll get a few that dry fine. Tell him when he stickers the boards to sticker between the knots whenever he can. the lumber will distort at just about every knot over 2" especially if its on the edge. If you get another one like that, after you split it, take the top half off the saw and do one half at a time. Takes more time, but you'll avoid the wave thing. Pulling through 2 feet of knarly pin oak would make an lt-70 grunt and snarl, but they have a much better chance of sawing straight through stuff like that as they can run the bigger, thicker blades.
   Did you saw the rest of his logs? I bet they went a little smoother that this one... ;) :D

[FarmingSawyer]

That's why I love what we do! Hidden beauty in the most unlikely places...  :new_year: