This weekend's start of a huge milling effort! White Oak

[caddguy]

I decided to start milling on a huge landing that I have stock piled full of White Oak. This is a small portion of it. By the time I am done i will probably have my entire double garage full of white oak. Yep I could use a dedicated bandsaw setup, but can't afford one to handle these sized logs! Some are over 6ft across.
These slabs are 8/4 +. I usually don't keep these finished in this width (these are the small logs at 38" wide). I mill them at 8/4 so i can resaw at a band mill and not have to make so many passes with a CS mill and yet still handle them by myself. I wonder what 1 clear slab is worth....hmmm? I am not worried about quarter sawing on these runs as they have some fungus and dry rot but still very valuable for 10" ripped finish boards. I try and saw for specific future use, such as for turnings or legs..etc.
Alot of work, but I have time.
The first pass I hit 2 screws, always a risk when milling and love to change a chain out when first starting
Comments and questions, feel free!
Dave

 

[hamish]

Wish I had some white oak that size round here!

Lots of saws from Tim..............he the closet builder these days?

 

[buzz sawyer]

Nice looking slabs. I bet it smells great while cutting.

 

[caddguy]

It smells better in my garage!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dave Boyt]

A lot of work, but it will be worth it. Looks like it might be burr oak (in the white oak group). Hard part will be waiting. It'll be a while before you'll have room in your garage for a car (if ever, if you keep getting logs like that)!

 

[caddguy]

Actually the garage is just a staging area. I check for bugs and treat if need be and I examine each slab and decide whether to rip it into smaller boards or keep it as a large slab. I then take each one and either run it through my 15inch planer or throw it on a trailer and get it flattened down on a huge panel sander. Then I reseal the ends and put it in a controlled room with a dehumidifier and let it dry. Usually takes about 3 months to get the big slabs down to about 8% moisture.
I'll take some pics of my stacks in the basement where I dry it. I have quite a selection of really nice black walnut, ash and oak right now ready to go!
I finished my ceiling in the basement with ~200 yr old spruce and I am really happy with how that turned out!

 

[JohnWayne]

Nice looking logs Dave!

 

[BigOakAdot]

Keep the pics coming! Looks great.

 

[SDB777]

Dehumidifier on White Oak....how long do the units last? Was always told Oak tannin eats those units...and since you are using one, figured I would get a good answer(instead of the 'internet commando know-it-all' types).



Scott (almost summer time again) B

 

[qbilder]

If he spends $100 or so on a DH, and it's junk after drying the wood, it was a good price to pay, IMO.

 

[caddguy]

I have a 70 pint cheapo that has been working now for close to 4 years....only problem is I broke one of the casters and now have an old marathon training book underneath that corner to level it out!
Takes about 4 1/2 weeks to take a stack of oak that's 2 x 12 x 8/4 down to less than 9% btw....

 

[SDB777]

I have a 70 pint cheapo that has been working now for close to 4 years....only problem is I broke one of the casters and now have an old marathon training book underneath that corner to level it out!
Takes about 4 1/2 weeks to take a stack of oak that's 2 x 12 x 8/4 down to less than 9% btw....

Thanks for the answer.
Cheapo is always awesome! Guessing the tannins haven't done anything, cause 4yrs is a good 'test'. How big of an area is the 'kiln', is it one of those small boxes, or have you gone HUGE?


Scott (best answers always comes from those that do) B

 

[caddguy]

kiln? HA that's a joke in my case..
It's my basement! which stays dry even with historic flooding in the area!
I sticker everything really well and with the addition of the dehumidifier and the centrally located hvac, air moves really well.
You don't have to worry about "Tannin" corrosion on a furnace because most newer units have very high efficiency filters ahead of the 'A' coil. On DeHumidifiers (at least any I have ever seen) there isn't a Pre-filter of any kind and the air is pulled directly across the coils which can cause the corrosion. DeHumidifiers are just small airconditioners really.
I am moving everything outside soon, except for selected pieces to build Christmas gifts, because I have 2 rooms to finish with drywall and wife doesn't want all the wood stacked down there anymore.
Works nice for a controlled drying environment, but not really practical for most.

 

[MrCGates]

I finished my ceiling in the basement with ~200 yr old spruce and I am really happy with how that turned out!

I'd like to see some pics of your ceiling. I have a section of ceiling needing redone in my basement, and am looking for ideas.

 

[caddguy]

I'll take some shots for you!