Oak Posts Milling Question

[Ted J]

I put an oak log on the Woodmizer and milled it down for 6" posts for an awning on the shop.

This is the largest log I've had on the Woodmizer other than the two 8 foot pines I was flat sawing into 1" and 2" slabs. I wanted to quarter this log to make 4 6" square posts. (This could also lead into doing/learning quarter sawing I imagine?)

The log was 18" diameter at the small end and 20" the other end and 10 foot long. After placing it on the bed of the mill, I checked the distance from the bed to the pith on each end and found it was pretty close to level, about 1/2" off. It was 9" on the small and 9 1/2" on the other. To me it was close enough.

Here is what I did.....
I made (3) 1" cuts, on the 3rd cut I got a decent board to save out of it.

I then turned it 90* against the stops and I noticed that the centers were not level, the log had some defects in it that changed the level of the pith. I went ahead and cut it the same.

So, finally the question:
Should I have turned the log 180* and made the same 3 cuts getting me to 12" across the flat cuts, then turned it 90*, level the log out and make my cuts to get me to a 12" square post?

(Thinking about it now I guess I could have leveled it out when I turned it 90*.) Would either way work?

 

[Ted J]

Now...I probably could have made the first cut at 2" down instead of 1" at a time, but hey, I'm new at this. All the logs that I have been practicing on were about 10" in diameter and as crooked as a room full of Chicago politicians. I have been pulling from this pile to practice on... but these will be used for lathe turning stock, now that I have a lathe.

Here are some more pictures for those that need pics... of what I did to the log.
12" square... well, somewhat square. I wasn't looking for a perfect 6" post.

Ted

 

[Sawyer Rob]

So, finally the question:
Should I have turned the log 180* and made the same 3 cuts getting me to 12" across the flat cuts, then turned it 90*, level the log out and make my cuts to get me to a 12" square post?

Depends... Seems to me you was more worried about getting the 6" post out than what kind of lumber you milled to get there.

If the log was "decent" i would have "grade sawed" it, until i got down to the 6" post.

Rob

 

[Sawyer Rob]

The first time i came to this thread, your pictures didn't come up for me, this time they did. It looks to me like you milled (4) 6x6 post from that cant, right?

I still would have grade sawed it to get down to the 12x12 to saw into 6x6's EXCEPT, when you saw multible post out of a cant, there shouldn't be any pith in any of the post. You should to saw them out as far away from the pith as you can get. In fact, "Ideallyl" you should saw out one post, (with the pith centered in the post) out of each cant, but many don't do it that way.

Rob

 

[Ted J]

The first time i came to this thread, your pictures didn't come up for me, this time they did. It looks to me like you milled (4) 6x6 post from that cant, right?

I still would have grade sawed it to get down to the 12x12 to saw into 6x6's EXCEPT, when you saw multible post out of a cant, there shouldn't be any pith in any of the post. You should to saw them out as far away from the pith as you can get. In fact, "Ideallyl" you should saw out one post, (with the pith centered in the post) out of each cant, but many don't do it that way.

Rob

I really only got one good 10 foot board, which will come out to be about 6" wide after trimming it up. Some of the other cuts didn't really produce much as far as quality boards, but I could make a few shorts from them for small projects. Those are in the pic laying off to the side.

Now if I wanted the log flat sawn for a full flitch I have a pretty good idea how that's done.

How should I have cut the log? I'm asking.

 

[mountainlake]

I most times would turn 180 to get to 12" with the exception being huge logs that don't like to turn easy. Steve

 

[DRB]

when you saw multible post out of a cant, there shouldn't be any pith in any of the post. You should to saw them out as far away from the pith as you can get. In fact, "Ideallyl" you should saw out one post, (with the pith centered in the post) out of each cant, but many don't do it that way.

Rob

Thats how I would do it. If you don't have room to box the heart with a 6x6 then make a 12x14 and cut the heart out with a 2x12 and use it for a couple nice edge grain 2x6's then cut your remaining 2 6x12's to make the 6x6. I think its a good idea to get the pith out of the posts if you can or box it in the center of the post.

This works for me with softwoods any way. I don't have experience with hardwoods thou.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Before i bought one of Norwoods Log turners,

I "use to" turn my "biggest" logs 180* quite often. The reason why is, it gets rid of a lot of the weight off the log faster, and makes a "one man show" go easier than turning 90* each time. Of course, with the log turner, big logs are no longer the problem they use to be.

There are two important things when grade sawing. How you start out opening the log, and that you keep sawing the BEST face of the cant. I "grade saw" almost all of the decent hardwood logs that i get, ESPECIALLY those cherry and other "harder to get quality", species.

Personally i think it's a shame to get a really nice, near veneer quality walnut/cherry/oak (or other harder to get) log, and then chainsaw it up into big flatsawn chunks. The day is coming when you won't see nice cherrys like that, and we should start trying to make the best of them right now.

Rob

 

[AndyR]

The day is coming when you won't see nice cherrys like that, and we should start trying to make the best of them right now.

Rob

Yup, Or start planting more...

 

[Mad Professor]

Unless you've got really huge stuff you should saw for grade and box the heart. 4 6 X 6" posts from an 18" log are going to move and check a lot.

 

[Ted J]

All comments appreciated, that's what I was looking for.

I understand what you mean about getting the nicest boards out of what you have available, makes good sense... good point.

So, if I wanted to I could still take these 6x6's and alternate saw them to get quarter sawn boards, right? Afterwards cut out any pith sections where I could to eliminate that portion before the drying process.

Besides, I'm in no hurry for any posts, and If I can get some pine logs later, they'll do.

Ted