Firewood question Here ??

[JeffHK454]

I'm a firewood guy but thought this question was more fitting for this section.

I lucked into a huge supply of low grade (skid) White Oak 2"x8"x36" planks and need a way to crosscut them into a usable length. I have over 1400 boards as of right now and more on the way...also have 500 4"x6"x36" Red Oak skid runners ..no nails , just too long. It's all kiln dried and non-treated shipping materials that where going to the landfill.

I'm looking for saw adaptations or chain recommendations for making this a doable task, I've been cutting them with my radial arm saw but it's taking it's toll.

I have the saws in my sig. as power plants.

Thanks , Jeff

 

[OhioGregg]

I would think most any of those chainsaws in your sig would work for that. Especially crosscutting, thats what there desiged for. Probably be best to rig up a way to hold the boards, planks, and cut several at a time. 1400 is a lot of boards!

Gregg,

 

[Sprig]

Wow, nice score!
Maybe a small bandsaw instead of killng yer other one?

Just a thought.



Serge

 

[BobL]

What about

1) Get 2 saw horses and place them 6 - 8' apart.

2) place two 8' - 10' lengths of 4 x 2 across the two saw horses. Space the 4 x 2 say 18" apart to start with

3) Stack boards across the 4 x 2 in piles 5 high with a useable length extending out past one of the 4 x 2's

4) Leave a 2" gap in between every 2 piles of boards

5) Place 2 more 4x2's on top of the boards parallel with those underneath

6) clamp the whole lot (including saw horses) together with clamps - use the 2" gap in between the boards as per 4) to add extra clamps in between piles of boards

7) run a CS down the side of the 4x2 with the boards extended out from it. If you had a mini mill this would be really useful about here

8) For last cut run the CS down between the 4 x 2s

If seen this done with short pieces of banded lumber but this should work just as good and it shouldn't cost as much.

 

[Brmorgan]

When I used to work at a fingerjoint lumber mill, we often used a big Husky w/ 4'+ bar & helper handle (sorry, can't remember if it was a 395 or 3120 - I didn't care much about saws back then) to cut entire slings of lumber down into short blocks that the fingerjointer could work with. If I were you I'd stack the whole works on a few skids and into nice tight piles as big as your longest bar will allow, and secure everything together with a ratchet tie-down strap or something - just make sure you put the strap(s) where you won't be making a cut. Then just start cutting to length as if it were a big square log. Since it's Oak you might want to use a skip chain depending on the length of bar you use.

That's about the easiest practical solution I can think of - anything easier/faster would probably involve a trimsaw/lugchain/lugloader setup, or a dedicated package saw:

(I want one of those... No idea what for, but I do. $6500 on CL in Vancouver right now.)


I should tell you that in these parts, a guy could risk being summarily flogged & hung by his toenails for cutting up Oak 4X6 stock like that! Is it full of nailholes, or just low grade?

 

[Ted J]

Jeff,

I would have imagined that 2"x8"x36" White Oak planks were already in a usable length. So if your cutting all those 3 foot boards shorter what ya going to do with them?
Just curious!!!!?

Ted

 

[Ted J]

Jeff,

I would have imagined that 2"x8"x36" White Oak planks were already in a usable length. So if your cutting all those 3 foot boards shorter what ya going to do with them?
Just curious!!!!?

Ted

I'm probably answering my own question, but does it happen to be related to the title of the post? Are you just turning all the planks into more firewood or maybe "kiln dried kindling"?

 

[JeffHK454]

Just firewood... my furnace can only accommodate a 30" length.

I was going to pass on the deal because of all the extra work involved but I just couldn't stand seeing all that wood going to a tub grinder.

I've cut 40-50 boards up and have been warming the house every morning for the last week ... seems more worthwhile every day I don't touch my firewood stacks!

Any special chain profile I can do with an Oregon grinder and a handful of files ??

Thanks for the ideas... Jeff

 

[Streblerm]

I would ratchet strap a whole bunch of them together and then get to cuttin' with whatever saw trips your trigger that day. That's how I do slab wood.

 

[BobL]

Here ya go. PPE use is dodgy but you will get the idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1jGmFgfNBo