OK, I’m getting into this milling stuff here a little more seriously, and questions are coming up. I’m looking for input from those with worldly experience to help steer me right!
Resawing logs: Opinions? I’ve seen 2 methods so far for the first cut…
- Place the log on a “carrier” to saw in half (lengthwise).
- Use the jointer (eeeeek!) to flatten a spot on one side of the log and that flat spot becomes the bottom, sliding on the table of the band saw for the lengthwise cut
- If I’m going for quarter-sawn, do I still make the first slice down the middle of the log?
Fence design:
- single-point vs. regular flat fence — which is best for what type of resawing? [NOTE: I know about blade drift already]
- Off-cut slice between blade and fence, or in fall-off position?
- Differences in technique between resawing for boards and resawing for veneer?
Ooops, it’s closing time. I’ll watch for answers and probably post more ??s later! Thanks!
forestgirl Another proud member of the “I Rocked With ToolDoc Club” …. :>) you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can’t take the forest out of the girl 😉
Replies
What size log you got and what size bandsaw (vertical clearance)?
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
PlaneWood
Hi Mike. Next week, after I install the riser kit, I'll have 10" resaw capacity with the Grizzly 1019Z. Using a new Timberwolf 1/2" 3tpi blade, configured for green wood. I'm asking the questions above with regard to more than just my immediate project, which is spalted and very wet maple. I haven't measured this log, but it's probably 10" - 14" depending on the location. Let's keep it simple and work with the 10" number.
Other tasks will be resawing kiln dried cherry, alder and possibly mahogany. Different blade for the KD material. And......I have some KD stuff that might make good veneer.
Don't forget the other questions! <g>forestgirl Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
I see a froe in your future.
A froe? I have a froe!! Never used it though, really needs sharpening I suspect. Why, specifically, do you say I'll need one? All those book and article authors seem to do without, LOL!forestgirl Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
ever hear the saying "dull as a froe''?...don't sharpen a froe, it is designed to cleave not cut. a sharp froe is more than annoying, it is apt to ruin good rives.
Edited 1/25/2004 12:29:55 PM ET by SPHERE
"apt to ruin good rives"
I'm reeling!
'tis true. I spent many hours with a froe and riving fork, enjoyable way to make a lot of little ones outta a few bigguns.
My froe is from a truck leaf spring, soaked it in the woodstove over nite, flattend with a sledge on the railroad track anvil I have, torched a 30* double bevel, made a handel for the bushing eye..
so what are ya reeling over?
Go Stab yourself Ya Putz! Ya think I Parked here?
Tryin' to weave my way through all the junk in my shop. When's the wife gonna realize this place needs some tidyin' up?
one man's trash is another's treasure..send it all to me.Go Stab yourself Ya Putz! Ya think I Parked here?
...with a froe and riving fork...
froe, I am familiar with - - what is a 'riving fork'?
I am glad ya asked David. Got Ice?..anyway, a riving fork is a forked limb that one would use to hold the billet or what have you that you are Riving. When you rive say a long (5' was very common length) chunk of white oak for clapboards or roof sheathing (clap type was used for roofing as well) you would wedge in the fork the end opposite the froe, so as you torque the froe to rive off the stuff you want you donot waste energy holding the billet fast against your leverage of the handle.
Traditionally the riving fork was interlocked with yet another fork so as to make it self standing, or the wishbone end would be anchored with rocks on the ground for added stability.
For riving shingles out of say a 24'' length of again white oak was favored you could simply work off a stump. That takes more whacks with the GLUT or Maul and less levering, as you are not trying such a long split, and often the splits will pop once the froe establishes the "READ" of the split. Almost all splits are radial, for shakes.
How's my ash doin? <G>
Go Stab yourself Ya Putz! Ya think I Parked here?
now that you explain it, I do have a faint recollection of seeing the situation in a book - maybe Sloane or Underhill - -
How's my ash doin? <G>
it's on ice - - and under ice, and covered with snow - but it's drug out and in position for the sawmill - - guessing it'll be mid feb, if the weather cooperates - got several logs down, but it's too icy to get them down the hill - they slide forward and release the tongs, then it's too slick to get back to them for another bite - you wanna be here to supervise the sawing?
you wanna be here to supervise the sawing?
David, if that was serious..then SURE. I'd love to make the trip..what'd we say..5 hours?..I looked ya up on the map, Cincy to Indy..then follow the North star..Mid to late Feb I'll be bonkers from workin on the house an a ride might cool my jets some.
Today was totally awful here, Inch of ice on everything, I-75 was a parkin lot..one truck stopped, and no one behind could get goin again..of course I saw it on the news from my nice warm couch.
S'posed to warm some overnite, don't do anything dangerous, ice and loggin do not mix well.
Oh, yeah, a riving fork is also called a break..gee, I wonder why?
Go Stab yourself Ya Putz! Ya think I Parked here?
Well, the other day I sawed up a 10" wet cherry log that was 3' long on my sears bandsaw that has 6.5" clearance. I also used a timberwolf 3tpi blade.
First I used a single blade axe to trim off about 2" from each side resulting in a 6x6 timber. I then used a Stanley #40 to get one side relatively flat.
I then ran it through the bandsaw making 2" thick planks. I then sawed each of those into squares, resulting in nine 2x2 squares. Only 8 are useable as the center square contained the center of the log.
But, pushing that 6x6 wet timber through the blade was no easy feat. Would have been easier if I would have made an outfeed table.
I've been thinking about making a 'travelling' band saw on roller guides for just such purpose. I saw one once that used small auto tires for the wheels and a 3hp electric motor.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
Mike, which type of TW blade did you use? Their AS series is good for use in green wood -- it doesn't produce as smooth a surface as the PC, but work better in wet or green wood. I agree on the outfeed table comment -- I was looking at designs this weekend.
What's your opinion on fence styles? relative position of the stock for general resawing and veneer??forestgirl Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Never used a fence. Always do it freehand. For dry wood I mark a line and follow the line. For green wood I snap a chalk line. Haven't found a marking stick yet that will make marks on green wood.
When resawing dry lumber I joint the bottom side beforehand and get the bottom square with one side. The squared up side will be on the inside of the band saw blade. After sawing the first piece, I then joint the side of the larger piece and resaw again. That way the resawed pieces will always have one good side. The other side then goes through the planer or the sander.
Don't know which TW blade I have. It's 3 tpi and 1/2" wide. Cuts ok in green wood. Cuts better in dry wood. I ordered 3 of them last time. I just told the lady that I wanted a 1/2" blade for resawing.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
I'll let you know how the new blade stacks up agains the PCs for sawing green wood. I think they generally assume you're talking about KD wood unless you indicate otherwise.
Do you ever cut your own veneer??forestgirl Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
>>>Do you ever cut your own veneer??<<<
No. A store close by has oodles and gobs of veneer at a price I can afford if I ever want any.
I have resawn and sanded down to 1/16" however. That's pretty close! Right now I can't remember what I did with that. Guess I need to increase my intake of Vitamin C & E.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
Jamie,
Here's what I have pretty good luck with in my first sawings of 7"-8" dia. cherry logs.
I had a bunch of trouble sawing into the carrier and having the blade bind before I got my Timberwolf blades, and I had a bunch of logs to saw up and didn't like the idea of sawing up a carrier board each time. What I found worked well was this:
I'm sure it can be improved upon but it seemed like a decent start for me.
Use the carrier for the first cut. You won't need to cut into the base of the carrier; just take enough off the side to get a straight flat side. Then take the log off the carrier, put the flat side down and make another flat side, perpendicular to the first.
Now, set up your point fence on the inside and start slicing boards off.
Anyone have a better method?
Bill
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