Re: quatersawing logs

Randy Johnson — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:32:36 GMT

If you plan to have the logs sawn at a local mill or hire a portable mill to come to your place, then discuss this questions with the sawyer before you fall your trees. They'll know the limits of their machines as well as the particle yield you’ll get from your trees. One of the main things to be aware of is that the widest quarter sawn board you can get out of a tree is half its diameter, and the majority of the boards will be considerably narrower. It’s a result of how the logs are cut to produce the quarter-sawn lumber. Here's a website with a good diagram of how the cuts are made. http://www.taylorlumberinc.com/techniques.php

I’ve watched quarter sawn wood being produced at small local mill and most logs appeared to be in the 20”-30” range.

However, if so, you plan to mill the lumber yourself, smaller trees can produced useable lumber, although boards will be narrower and the overall yield will be lower.

It also depends on what you plan to make from the lumber. I’ve produced 1/2” quarter sawn wood for jewelry boxes on a 14” bandsaw. I started with a 10” diameter log that I ripped in half with the chainsaw and then did the rest of the milling on the bandsaw.

Hope this helps,

Randy Johnson

Editorial Director

quatersawing logs

mikepawlik — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:39:23 GMT

I want to try and quartersaw some white oak. What is the minimium sized log that you might consider trying to quartersaw. I realize larger logs are ideal, just wondering at what size is quatersawing feasible.

Technique Questions

Re: quatersawing logs

quatersawing logs