Quarter sawing

[Cease232]

Just got some nice white oak logs. Would like to quarter saw them on my bandsaw mill. Anyone have any experience with this. According to my research you quarter the log and then rotate 90 degrees every cut. That would leave the boards with one live edge and the mill head would have to lift over the log after every cut.
Anyone have a different or better procedure?
@Sawyer Rob
Jeremiah


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[Franny K]

Cut off the bottom, rotate 90 degrees and spin end for end. Lots of ways to modify the technique. Make a few passes through the center instead of true quarters at the start.

What mill or what sort of stops or squaring arms and clamping?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I quarter saw every once in a while, here's the most common ways it's done,

When I do it, I want the MOST quarter sawn boards I can get, so I use the "Radial Quarter Sawing" method, because that's the ONLY way you will get ALL quarter sawn lumber. (the others will make some "rift sawn" lumber)

It's also the most wasteful, but I need tomato stakes, so I use the scrap for that... lol

Take a lumber crayon, and draw on the end of the log all the QS cuts, it will help you keep track of what you are doing as you mill it.

SR

 

[Cease232]

Cut off the bottom, rotate 90 degrees and spin end for end. Lots of ways to modify the technique. Make a few passes through the center instead of true quarters at the start.

What mill or what sort of stops or squaring arms and clamping?

It's a manual mill. Linn lumber. Basic clamping set up I've seen on the tracks of many other mills
Why spin end for end?

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[Franny K]

I asked about the clamping as with stops that go up and down as opposed to swinging and a log roller chain I can stand up a half log. Then just slice it up until the bottom quarter remains. That yields quarter sawn at the central area.

You will see why to spin end for end as with two flats 90 degrees apart and a round surface that is necessary to cut off the bottom as opposed to clamping a strange shape.

Do not be surprised if the cuts through the center end up convex due to stresses in the log.

I was describing how to do the bottom method in the above picture, alternate quarter sawn. I have seen that radial technique called reverse roll quarter sawing. There are lots of videos on line some are good and some like seeing themselves and will likely do things differently by next year.

 

[Cease232]

I quarter saw every once in a while, here's the most common ways it's done,

When I do it, I want the MOST quarter sawn boards I can get, so I use the "Radial Quarter Sawing" method, because that's the ONLY way you will get ALL quarter sawn lumber. (the others will make some "rift sawn" lumber)

It's also the most wasteful, but I need tomato stakes, so I use the scrap for that... lol

Take a lumber crayon, and draw on the end of the log all the QS cuts, it will help you keep track of what you are doing as you mill it.

SR

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks Rob.


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[Cease232]

I asked about the clamping as with stops that go up and down as opposed to swinging and a log roller chain I can stand up a half log. Then just slice it up until the bottom quarter remains. That yields quarter sawn at the central area.

You will see why to spin end for end as with two flats 90 degrees apart and a round surface that is necessary to cut off the bottom as opposed to clamping a strange shape.

Do not be surprised if the cuts through the center end up convex due to stresses in the log.

I was describing how to do the bottom method in the above picture, alternate quarter sawn. I have seen that radial technique called reverse roll quarter sawing. There are lots of videos on line some are good and some like seeing themselves and will likely do things differently by next year.

I have the ability to saw a half log on edge. It's a little more work for me than if I had a woodmizer but I can position the log pretty much however. I see what your saying about clamping against the square side. Thank you.


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[Franny K]

Actually I was clamping so the cut side was not against the stops. Here make a few passes then move into the flip and spin method.

I have not really decided how I feel about this quarter sawing. It might dry out lighter. End up with heart and smaller growth rings on one side of a board and larger growth rings on the sap wood other side.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Here's one I did a while ago,

You get down to four of these to mill,

A tomato stake and then you are down to some narrow boards,

Some nice "rays",

SR

 

[Marine5068]

I quarter saw every once in a while, here's the most common ways it's done,

When I do it, I want the MOST quarter sawn boards I can get, so I use the "Radial Quarter Sawing" method, because that's the ONLY way you will get ALL quarter sawn lumber. (the others will make some "rift sawn" lumber)

It's also the most wasteful, but I need tomato stakes, so I use the scrap for that... lol

Take a lumber crayon, and draw on the end of the log all the QS cuts, it will help you keep track of what you are doing as you mill it.

SR

I've seen many tables and such out of matched quarter sawn oak and it looks fantastic.

 

[Cease232]

I decided to go with double cut quarter sawing. Once I got near the end of each 1/4 log I cut 8/4 stock which should be essentially rift sawn, good for table legs.
Turned out pretty well. Hard to evaluate the grain when it's rough sawn.


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[Sawyer Rob]

I've seen many tables and such out of matched quarter sawn oak and it looks fantastic.

Here's a hutch I built from oak off my place, much of it is quarter sawn,

Too bad you can't see the top, it's fantastic... lol

BTW, the whole hutch is solid wood... (no plywood)

SR

 

[Cease232]

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[Cease232]

Here's a hutch I built from oak off my place, much of it is quarter sawn,

Too bad you can't see the top, it's fantastic... lol

BTW, the whole hutch is solid wood... (no plywood)

SR

Very nice Rob. Those doors hade some beautiful grain.


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[Marine5068]

Here's a hutch I built from oak off my place, much of it is quarter sawn,

Too bad you can't see the top, it's fantastic... lol

BTW, the whole hutch is solid wood... (no plywood)

SR

Beautiful Rob

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Thanks guys, for those of you that like oak, I thought this might be useful to you...

SR