Oak bedroom set, start to finish

[timothykamp]

I think I'm interested in making a complete oak bedroom set from scratch. I cut down a decent amount of oak, and if I could find enough red or white oak, what's all involved in going from log to lumber? Here's what I'm figuring after doing a little reading.
-Cut oak tree in summer into 8 or 9' logs and get them somewhere that I can mill them
-Get a mill, cut them into boards approx 1" thick
-Let boards dry for a while
-Run the boards through a planer and a jointer

What am I leaving out - and what are the time frames for drying/milling after they're cut, etc. Say I have 3 or 4 18" oak trunks that are 9-10' long. Is that an amount of wood thats worth milling?

any input is appreciated

 

[BobL]

-Let boards dry for a while

Milling at 1" means you will end up with a max of around 3/4" thick boards. This is going to look a bit scrawny for things like legs so you might want to mill some at 2" or even 3".

A normally minimum "while" is then determined by your thickest piece of timber. A normally accepted wait time is an inch of thickness per year .

Also if you are storing the timber outside I would consider bringing it inside into a room with similar dryness characteristics as where it will be finally used for month or so before use.

 

[Backwoods]

I like to mill logs that were taken down after the leaves have dropped and before any sign of spring. It just seems to dry better. If the sap is up it seems like Californian black oak just wants to pull its self apart in the drying process.
Give yourself at least a ¼-inch extra thickness to allow for movement in the wood as well a shrinkage.
Are three or four good logs worth milling? Absolutely!!! Cut a few extra legs so you have choices after the wood has dried and make them out of a knot free area of the log so they will stay straight.
I am heading out in the morning with the mill to mill up about 24 Oak logs for a customer that just wants to build an awesome Oak table next year, the rest will be hobby wood.

 

[del schisler]

I think I'm interested in making a complete oak bedroom set from scratch. I cut down a decent amount of oak, and if I could find enough red or white oak, what's all involved in going from log to lumber? Here's what I'm figuring after doing a little reading.
-Cut oak tree in summer into 8 or 9' logs and get them somewhere that I can mill them
-Get a mill, cut them into boards approx 1" thick
-Let boards dry for a while
-Run the boards through a planer and a jointer

What am I leaving out - and what are the time frames for drying/milling after they're cut, etc. Say I have 3 or 4 18" oak trunks that are 9-10' long. Is that an amount of wood thats worth milling?

any input is appreciated

go to this site you will get a better answare or more on your question It is the best site for wood drying and ect. As far as a 1" per year is not completly right on oak Some wood will dry fast and others will not For best results Kiln dry is the best Here is the site http://www.woodweb.com/cgi-bin/forums/sawdry.pl

 

[BlueRider]

You will likely have better luck getting good results with oak if you cut it down and mill it in the fall. A heat wave during the first few months of drying can ruin a whole stack of oak. If you must mill during the summer you should stack and sticker the wood in the shade and protect it from direct winds, yet allow for air to freely circulate around the stack.

Most people don't mill anything thinner than 5/4". this usually shrinks down to just over 1" dry.

Definately a do able project. perhaps ambitious for a first wood working project but still doable and worth setting your sights on. I would give it a green light.