Dealing With Sweep In A Log

[Sawyer Rob]

I got a red oak log from a guy for FREE (that i bought a few others from) and i figured i'd make stickers out of it, or saw it up into firewood. It had a lot of sweep in it, so even though it was a 12 footer, it wasn't usable as a 12 footer. In fact, most that saw it, called it a "junk log".

Once i put it on the mill bunks, i decided to saw it in half and make a nice pile of 5/4 x 6' boards... Every once in a while i'll put two logs on the mill and saw them both at the same time, and this was going to be the case here....

This log has sat around for at least a year, but it still looked pretty good inside...

In this case, both logs had drying splits that went opposite ways, so i had to turn one log differently from the other, and i ended up sawing them for the most part, seperately... It's still faster this way, than putting them on the mill seperately...

Pileing all of your unedged boards against a cant is a good way to edge them as your sawing... The cant will hold them steady for you while you saw, and this way you get them done all at once...

And here's the Tally from those two logs...

I always like to "at least" try to saw up, even old logs, as i can always chuck them into the wood stove if it doesn't work out!!

Hope you liked the picts...

Rob

 

[woodshop]

Very nice... enjoyed that. As I've said many times, if I had room for a bandmill, I'd have one. Interesting that somebody's "junk" log is another mans treasure. Often it comes down to time. A bigger mill might not even take the time because they can get twice the lumber from a "better" log for the same time spent, but guys like you and I can make treasure from trash.

Of course, you can do it a lot faster with your mill <smile>

 

[cantcutter]

awsome

Nice photo presentation. I think the American lumber industry has been spoiled with the way we grade logs. I have read that eastern countries mill logs that would be culled in the USA because they have been so long without virgin timber; its still fresh in our minds so we havent aquired the mindset that all wood is good wood yet.

 

[olyman]

sawyer--i posted this in another forum--a log with a bend in it----why----could not there be a sawmill--that if you put the log with the bend upwards---and have a mill that would auto adjust to keep the saw going up the log at same angle as log-----and then back down in same plane--they said its not possable--i say horsepucky!!!!!!!!!! you couldnt make a tight bend---but---and---the newer type mills that auto adjust for thickness--believe there be a way---could only do maybe 5/4 boards--cause they would bend and level out--but people need 5/4's----tension smension in the boards--at this thickness dont believe it would matter--so long as they were tied down to get straight----------what think?????

 

[Sawyer Rob]

sawyer--i posted this in another forum--a log with a bend in it----why----could not there be a sawmill--that if you put the log with the bend upwards---and have a mill that would auto adjust to keep the saw going up the log at same angle as log-----and then back down in same plane--they said its not possable--i say horsepucky!!!!!!!!!!

Well olyman,

Why would you want to saw a log that way??? Are you on your "last" log in I-O-Way??? HA HA HA

I'm with the "those" that you don't want to listen too...

Have you ever tried to change the depth of cut on a band mill as it's sawing??? That band wants to saw straight and flat, and it goes crazy if the depth of cut changes... It dives and dips all over and nothing flat from side to side comes out of it!

Next problem, why would you want to "delieberately" saw a crooked tree crooked, and then attempt to force it to dry flat??? The only way i'd EVER want to do something like that, is if the world was on it's LAST few logs and they weren't straight!

Sorry to have to say that...

Rob

 

[olyman]

you misunderstand---you have a tree that has a crook in it----you saw it the same as the crook--and you dont change the depth of the cut---whatever you start with--keep it the same depth----most logs aint perfectly straight---thats ok--its the ones that have a crook in them-----you start at the end--say 3 inches down off the bark--and the mill would adjust itself auto to keep that same depth along the full legth of the log--throw the top piece--and saw 5/4 boards from then on--dont know if i still explained it right---in other words--the mill would have to angle--to go up--then in the crook--it would almost go level--then tangle down for the final travel--

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I understand, but you DO have to change the depth of cut on the saw to follow the curve, and it's not gonna work..... Have you ever sawn on a bandmill? Try it and you will see what i mean...

There's still the question, why would you want to???? And drying would be a nightmare.... It sure isn't practicle these days...

Rob

 

[olyman]

kind of like a giant ripsaw--or a chainsaw mill--which would follow the contour of the log--as a chainsaw mill eats a big kerf--

 

[olyman]

"Im with those that you don't want to listen too...

!

Sorry to have to say that...

Rob[/QUOTE]

what did i say--sheesh--

 

[Sawyer Rob]

what did i say--sheesh--

olyman,

We had one hell of a electrical storm blow through here eariler, and i just got back on line to ck my email...

I'm not sure how i can add further to my above answers...

Rob

 

[BobL]

Even if you could cut it, any kind of straightening process is going to lead to a checking. Then trying to joint or resaw something like this will be very interesting - the wood will have dried under tension and resawing could be problematic. Having had some stressed bits of dry timber explode on me during resawing I reckon it would not be worth the hassel.

 

[olyman]

bob--now thats a interesting thought--hadnt crossed that one--was thinking along the lines of cottonwood---and these would be used for sheeting under shingles--but good un--