Walnut crotch, 2 short cherry logs

[AndyR]

It was a really nice day here, around 74 degrees, so I decided to mill the best crotch piece from the big walnut and two shorter cherry logs. The walnut crotch was pretty nice but the figure didn't go very wide. One of the cherry logs was a crotch as well and it had a little figure but nothing fantastic. I'll be doing a lot of trimming and working around holes and bad sections on these cherry boards when it comes time to use them, but it's still better than wasting them. I've got to take the time to build a pair of sawhorses, my back is tired

Each time I use the RipSaw goes a little better, though.

Andy

 

[Trigger-Time]

Very Nice............looks as if have a good size log to mill.



Gary

 

[AndyR]

Yup.

I'm thinking about picking up a mini mill. I don't think I want to try turning that thing...

 

[Trigger-Time]

I'm thinking about picking up a mini mill. I don't think I want to try turning that thing...

Mini Mill can come in handy, split these two logs with one. You don't
have to but I sliced some off the top with Alaskan mill first.

 

[woodshop]

... I've got to take the time to build a pair of sawhorses, my back is tired ...

Nice job Andy, but you are right, you have to get those cants up off the ground or you're knees and back will suffer. Couple wooden horses are a lot cheaper than knee replacement or back surgery years from now. I'm sure you have seen these I made specifically for my Ripsaw? I use an aluminum floor jack to get the huge ones up on the horses.

 

[AndyR]

Sawhorses

So about how tall are your horses WS? That last pic with the oak cant, they look like they couldn't be more than about 20-couple inches. They look strong though, is that all pine-building material and plywood gussets?

I have been using the floor jack with some of these, but it's tricky, they want to roll off real easy. For me, It's a little scary and uncontrolled-feeling for that amount of weight. Does work in a pinch though.

 

[woodshop]

So about how tall are your horses WS? That last pic with the oak cant, they look like they couldn't be more than about 20-couple inches. They look strong though, is that all pine-building material and plywood gussets?

I have been using the floor jack with some of these, but it's tricky, they want to roll off real easy. For me, It's a little scary and uncontrolled-feeling for that amount of weight. Does work in a pinch though.

They are 18 1/2 inches high and 25 inches long. Yes all made from pine since I wanted to keep the weight to a minimum. Would have used clear spruce if I had had it. Careful to select premium grade stuff so no weak points. The legs started as 4x4's (which of course are 3 1/2 square)... the finished legs are a full 2 inch by 3 inch. The center beam the log sits on started as a 6x6 and is 3 inches wide and 5 inches high. The gussets are 3/4 plywood. That indexed aluminum strip that holds the chocks is 1/4 thick and 2 inches wide.

Balancing round logs on that jack... more often than not the log is not so round that one part on the ground is more flat than the rest and will stay there long enough to get the first horse under, which I then chock so it won't roll when jacking up the other end. I have also just chocked the end on the ground with wood chunks so it wouldn't roll. For HUGE trees, I mill at least one or two sides while on the ground so I have at least one flat surface to jack it up onto the horses. I use that jack to rotate those huge logs also. As in this pic here...

Also... here is pic of the underside of those horses if you were interested in building them.

 

[urbanlumberinc]

Thats a pretty crotch you've got there
That log behind em ain't bad either. Walnut?

 

[AndyR]

Thats a pretty crotch you've got there
That log behind em ain't bad either. Walnut?

Thanks, I've been told that before . Yep thats walnut. The crotch was the first piece of the tree I milled. I can't wait to get into that big log it's just about 36" at the narrowest part of the butt (between the buttress's). I need to cut a lot of stickers first.

Also, thanks to WS for the pics and description of your sawhorses-helps a lot.

Andy

 

[TNMIKE]

Hey Woodshop

What is the purpose of the angle on the chocks? I assume the chocks are steel and the angle aluminum? Thanks

 

[woodshop]

What is the purpose of the angle on the chocks? I assume the chocks are steel and the angle aluminum? Thanks

Actually, those chocks are made of black locust, which although is some pretty tough dense wood, is still wood none the less. That steel angle iron on the upper edge where the chocks hit the log is just to protect the wooden chock from getting beat up. Those pins sticking out of the bottom which set into that aluminum track are actually tuning pins from an old piano, but you can make them from 1/4 inch round stock and just grind a taper on the ends so they will easily find the holes.

 

[Backwoods]

I have a pair of removable freestanding camper jacks that I have used to pick up logs with. I set one up on each side of the log at the end and run the cable under the log and then crank it up, sometimes I have to place a 2x4 with notches on both ends to keep the tops of the jacks from coming together. I have loaded 36” 16’ logs onto my trailer which is 28” off the ground. The big plus to the camper jacks is that they are light and disassemble so they do not take up a lot of room and they are cheap.