Big Oak

[mdotis]

I have this very large oak log that I want to put on my new bandsaw mill. The problem is that it is way to big to put on the mill as is so I want to quarter it. Other than taking my chain saw and ripping it any Ideas? If you were to use the chainsaw and free hand it any tips on keeping the cut straight. I have used black powder in the past so that may be the option I go with. Using black powder does not split very straight so this may make a lot of waste. Maybe the best advice is to make it into fire wood, but that seems like a waste. Note that the gun in the pic is a remington 870 for size reference. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Daninvan]

Wow! Nice looking piece of wood, with the big hollow in the middle, after you quarter it you should get some manageable pieces for your bandmill.

I would mark some lines down the log with a chalk snap line, then go over that with spray paint, and use them as your guidelines to rip it into quarters. Also if you have a helper who can give you hand signals when you are cutting, I find that helpful to keep me cutting straight-ish freehand. Also make sure that the teeth on the saw are sharpened evenly, I find uneven teeth contributes to the saw cutting crooked.

I can't imagine that powder would yield a better result than cutting it. Maybe less work and more fun! I would agree that it would probably be pretty wasteful.

Dan

 

[BobL]

This is where a taller CS mill (and winch )comes in real handy.
If you were just down the road we could put the longer rails and 60" bar on this puppy, trim off some of those buttresses and run the sucker right down the middle of the log.
I'd have to move the aux oiler though.

BIL mill has 24" verticals and can cut an 18" deep, B3M has 36" verticals and can do a 32" deep cut

 

[dave k]

I use the mini mill I made last year for jobs just like this, I run a 48" bar on the 090 along a unistrut bar, but, if the stem has a cavity along a bulk of it you should be able to freehand it fairly well with a shortish bar ?

 

[820wards]

This is where a taller CS mill (and winch )comes in real handy.
If you were just down the road we could put the longer rails and 60" bar on this puppy, trim off some of those buttresses and run the sucker right down the middle of the log.
I'd have to move the aux oiler though.

BIL mill has 24" verticals and can cut an 18" deep, B3M has 36" verticals and can do a 32" deep cut

Bob,

I thought you were going to install turn indicators and a steering wheel on the thing?

jerry-

 

[820wards]

I use the mini mill I made last year for jobs just like this, I run a 48" bar on the 090 along a unistrut bar, but, if the stem has a cavity along a bulk of it you should be able to freehand it fairly well with a shortish bar ?

Ditto Dave,

I to was thinking a mini-mill with a long bar could split the tree in half's and then take each half and quarter them. Then you would have manageable pieces for your band-saw mill.

That tree must weigh a bunch. Here is a link I found that lets you estimate the wet weight of a log just by entering each ends diameter and the logs length. I just cut a maple tree a few weeks back and the estimated weight was 1'366 pounds.

Log Weight Calculator at WOODWEB

What type of Oak? White Oak?

jerry-

 

[Daninvan]

Bob,

I thought you were going to install turn indicators and a steering wheel on the thing?

jerry-

Nice!

 

[BobL]

Bob,

I thought you were going to install turn indicators and a steering wheel on the thing?

jerry-

My BIG secret is out!

Here it is, 6 speed electric gearbox too!
Shifter is not essential as the steering wheel has gear change paddles.

Electronic dash to follow :msp_flapper:

 

[willbarryrec]

Hahahahahahahaahahahhaha!

What's the 0-60 time on that thing? Top speed? G's it can pull on the skid pad?

I'm going to bet it hauls a$$!

 

[olyman]

where the one stump of a branch is sticking up,id cut it in two....then it looks like, there are three pieces to saw boards out of. id take the cs,and saw right up the tree,to get those three out,,then cut into boards.... the top half,if the thing doesnt have rot, could be cut into some nice slabs...

 

[SDB777]

I have this very large oak log that I want to put on my new bandsaw mill. The problem is that it is way to big to put on the mill as is so I want to quarter it. Other than taking my chain saw and ripping it any Ideas? If you were to use the chainsaw and free hand it any tips on keeping the cut straight. I have used black powder in the past so that may be the option I go with. Using black powder does not split very straight so this may make a lot of waste. Maybe the best advice is to make it into fire wood, but that seems like a waste. Note that the gun in the pic is a remington 870 for size reference. Thanks for your advice.

How far in does that 'hollow spot' go?

And is the shotgun leaning against the butt end?



Not thinking the BP would work with the intended 'vision'.... I think slicing with the chainsaw is going to be the best way.



Scott (opinions are like buttholes...every1 has one) B

 

[820wards]

My BIG secret is out!

Here it is, 6 speed electric gearbox too!
Shifter is not essential as the steering wheel has gear change paddles.

Electronic dash to follow :msp_flapper:

Now that's what I call a racing mill. Very cool Bob, I like it. Is it, peddle to the metal in 6th gear?

jerry-

 

[john taliaferro]

Ac ?

 

[flushcut]

How about good old fashioned wedges and sledge.

 

[Hillbilly3995]

How about good old fashioned wedges and sledge.

Flush, I thought the same thing. With a log that size hes gonna need twenty wedges....

 

[BobL]

Now that's what I call a racing mill. Very cool Bob, I like it. Is it, peddle to the metal in 6th gear?

jerry-

The steering wheel and shifter is part of a set that my son and I are assembling into a racing car cockpit sim.

The steering wheel and pedals have force feedback so they are pretty realistic.

 

[mikeb1079]

if you do freehand it, i've read that a good way to go is to snap a chalk line and then score along that line without putting your bar in too deep. it's suppose to be much easier to make a straight cut this way, then you can use the score line to guide the deeper cut.
good luck!

 

[flushcut]

Flush, I thought the same thing. With a log that size hes gonna need twenty wedges....

I think you would only need four or five if the trunk is hollow you are only splitting off a quarter at a time. Start at one end and get a split going and follow it down the side. Once the end opens up a bit drive in a chunk of firewood or something as wide as possible I have made a split rail fence this way. It is a lot of work but fun to rock it old school like that.

 

[Hillbilly3995]

I think you would only need four or five if the trunk is hollow you are only splitting off a quarter at a time. Start at one end and get a split going and follow it down the side. Once the end opens up a bit drive in a chunk of firewood or something as wide as possible I have made a split rail fence this way. It is a lot of work but fun to rock it old school like that.

Agree, however I'm betting the hollow only goes so far...I'm also betting it'll take at least a couple kits worth of wedges but that it is certainly doable.

 

[mdotis]

Thanks

Thanks for all the great Ideas. The hollow goes about 2/3 the way up. The shotgun is at the butt end. I have toyed with the Idea of splitting with a maul and wedges. I have a bunch of them so I may just try that. Right now I think the plan is to make a cut with the saw to get things started. I may be able to follow one of the narrow sections in the hollow. Then use the wedges to see what happens. If she splits easy that may be the way I do it. I also thought about putting the high lift jack in the hollow to keep some pressure on it through out the cutting/wedging. I will try to get pictures and detail how it works. Should be a fun couple of days. But it will have to wait until it warms up a little so the mud is gone. Not sure if it is a burr oak or Red oak, I am thinking it is a red