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Home , Chainsaw mill, Portable sawmill

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Less common gems Here are just some of the I harvest around the Joplin, Missouri area. The samples include 1. catalpa, 2. sassafras, 3. sweetgum, 4. spalted sycamore, 5. mimosa 6. Osage orange, 7. quartersawn sycamore, 8. hickory, 9. honey locust, 10. walnut, 11. quartersawn black , and 12. mulberry.

well as less common gems–what teaming up with a sawyer to mine impressive ray-fleck I call “backyard exotics.” (See (as I do here working with figure, or slab the crotch “Less Common Gems”, above) For Joplin, Missouri, homeowner in a walnut for a stunning maythose have of you all whothe have a variety of T. J. Palmer, M.D) makes sense accent table. Perhaps granddad trees growing on your land, you and is the safest way to go. itsplanted wood a into tree an a halfheirloom century By working with a sawyer, ago and you want to transform woods you’ll ever need. All you you can determine how you lack is the equipment and know- quartersawwant to slice a the white wood oak for log bowl or furniture piece in his Harvesting how to transform the resource best effect. You may want to memory. The reasons abound for into usable stock. That’s why harvesting home-grown woods. Identifying suitable trees with natural edges that • What to avoid Backyard Exotics : Trees that There’s no place like home for a bonanza of beautiful woods. Start by finding a suitable make interesting benches, branch out low make poor •candidate Size for harvesting, bar tops, and accent logs. If the tree has been dead, By Dave Boyt keeping these pointers in mind: • tables.Species Crotchesand identification can yield it may have rot or be hollow. : Most portable spectacular feathered grain. Consider the tree’s origin can handle logs between 10" : (urban vs. forest.) Urban trees Imagine walking into a and 30" in diameter, but a Most sawyers know the are notorious for containing dealer’s show room and having few will cut logs outside that local species, but all bets are metal. Scan suspect logs with next project, all with matching If your property or neighborhood • Formrange. The ideal log length off with ornamental trees, a metal detector. They could grain and color. Just down the has a stand of trees, you may runs between 8'4" and 12'4". onwhich the mayAudobon come Society from half- Field have wire, nails, or first choice of all the best aisle you encounter stacks of be wood-rich…maybe super rich. : Straight logs give the Guideway around to North the American world. Rely even a steel post embedded. material–wide slabs of walnut, beautiful boards of exotic native Often times (depending on best yield if you are looking Trees Finally, don’t mill branches, quartersawn sycamore, and species you’ve never seen before. where you live) urban, suburban, for straight boards. Curved even if they’re big and cherry planks milled to exactly Imagine all of this for less than and acreage yard trees include logs can be cut lengthwise as a reference for straight. They contain stress 26the rightwoodcraftmagazine.com thickness for your Oct/Nov 201475¢ per board foot! the usual oak, , and ash, as Photos:to Markproduce Neuenschwander curved slabs identifying native species. Oct/Nov 2014and maywoodcraftmagazine.com warp beyond use. 27 Options

Do-it-yourself you when harvesting the mill blade (around $30 for a Several choices lay before blade) if they strike metal. Keep the logs clean. Dragging Haulingbounty of backyardyour logs woods: If you decide to Photomill your B them on the ground crams to the sawmill own logs, consider a dirt in the bark, which is ( ). hard on bandsaw blades. Lift The minimum size saw the logs and carry them, if saveIf you some just havemoney a few by bringing logs and recommended is 70 cubic possible. Even lifting one end a way to move them, you can barcentimeters needs to (c.c.s.),be longer but than most the while moving them helps. It’s mills run over 100 c.c.s. The easier on your yard, too. deliverthem to the the logs mill. and I schedule return homea log Most sawyers charge from drop-off so that the customer can widest diameter you will cut, and 30¢ to 50¢ per board foot, you need a special ripping . A thewhich most works reasonable well for way straight to with the boards all in one trip. Add to this the safety gear (chaps, B Brush on a thick coat of latex or Anchorseal 2 (Woodcraft #150809, logs. Charging by the hour is Just loading the log on a helmet, and steel-toe boots), and Use a chainsaw mill to slice up a $24.50/gallon) to seal the ends of logs and prevent end-grain checking. trailer can be a wrestling match, you have a significant investment few logs or logs in heavily wooded deal with specialty cuts such involving winches, ramps, and (about $1,700). Many people use areas that are hard to get to Finding trees as crotches, short pieces, and other equipment. And you’ll chainsaw mills to cut logs where with a portable bandsaw mill. quartersawing, since they need straps. Heavy ratchet they find them, which lets them case, avoid doing it yourself require more handling. The straps used by truckers are Workingmove the log with one boarda at a time. Make sure you really want with a chainsaw. There are average rate is around $60/ great. Hauling logs and lumber shop bandsaw to remove the tree for too many risks. Tree services hour. Other charges may include puts a serious responsibility through at a steady pace. One woodworking stock. I would can be expensive, but they transportation and setup fees on you. Make sure your vehicle way is to pass a manageable log never recommend an urban tree earn their pay! Tell them if the sawyer brings the mill to has adequate towing capacity logsBandsaws. of 1.5 hp or more over the to get a good be cut down just so to make what you wantPhoto done. OnceA the you. Still, you should beat the and that the trailer is rated for can be used for milling small flat side, and then use the fence something out of it. Still, if you tree is cut into usable logs, 75¢ per board foot cited earlier. the weight of your logs. On the I recommend a 1” wide on the bandsaw to cut yourPhoto have a dead or dying tree, or one sealFinding the ends a sawmill ( ). If the customer is willing, return trip, be sure the load is blade with 3 teeth per Cboards. If you mill regularly, that otherwise needs removal, I’ll put him or her to work off- securely strapped down and inch, though 1.5 to 2 teeth per make a right-angle sled ( why not make the most of it? bearing the boards. I generally that the straps put pressure inch would work well for more ). Secure the log with screws Beyond your property line, There are thousands of portable enjoy having the customer Haveevenly aacross portable the boards. powerful saws. The key is to use through the sled’s fence and akeep neighbor’s an eye opendoor forto ask trees about and custom sawmills across the work with me, especially when mill come to you a sharp blade, and to feed the log into the log’s waste area.I marked for removal. Knock on country. Do a web search for cutting unusual wood, because those in your area. The state we can discuss the various a tree. Sweeten the deal by forest products association, possibilities. Some sawmill If you don’t have a safe way offering the owner a bowl or Department of Conservation, operators have strict rules to haul logs and lumber, find thoseother piecewho burn made wood from in the their wood. and SawmillFinder.com about what a customer can do someone with aXX portable I’ve offered split firewood to Arrangingare good resources. for milling because of liability issues. sawmill to come to you as To get the most out of your shown on page . To help the fireplace. Because you’ll have logs, know ahead of time what sawyer’s job go smoothly, pile to haul the logs home, don’t bite When you talk to a sawyer, you want as an end product. up or line up the logs on level Fellingoff more thantrees you can chew. describe the size and number The sawyer will cut accordingly, ground to give him plenty of of logs accurately. Be up front accounting for shrinkage as area to work in–at least a 30' about them coming from a yard. the wood dries, and the loss . Provide logs for blocking Leave the hazardous business Many sawmills will refuse to of wood from . If you and 1 x1" stickers to air-dry the of felling a tree to a bonded and cut yard trees because of the have a specific project in mind, sawn boards. Stage the logs so C insured tree service with the high probability of hitting nails make a cut list and let the that the sawyer cuts the best Run the log-bearing sled along the saw’s fence (or a clamped-on right equipment to do the job and other embedded metal. sawyer decide the most efficient ones first. By day's end, you makeshift fence) for resawing slabs or cutting turning squares. safely. Your Others take it in stride, but will way to mill what you need. may not get to all of them. guy28 maywoodcraftmagazine.com be qualified. In any Oct/Nov 2014expect you to pay for a new Oct/Nov 2014 woodcraftmagazine.com 29 Figure 1: Cutti ng Opti ons Cutti ng Opti ons

Wood Grain Key 4. Riftsawn boards (with growth Taking Care of your lumber 1. Flatsawn boards rings from 45° to 75° Wood can be cut so as to bring 5. Slab or waste wood (for 2. Boards with pith (tend to Tarp have cracks and warp more) rustic projects or firewood) out the best grain and physical 3. Quartersawn boards (most properties. The sawyer can stable and can have figure) infigure Figure out 1ways to maximize Add weight the cuts you want. As shown here. 5 5 C • Plainsawing, here are your 5 3 cuttingtangential and grain to the options: growth 4 cuts the wood A E Timbers rings. This common cut Conventi onal stacking, left , disregards the cutti ng 4 3 yields V-grain patterns in D S ti c k e r s order, unlike the Europeon method, above. 5 1 2 most species. It can result in cupping, so you may want to cut wide boards thicker. 3 Also consider ripping them As soon as you cut a log, seal it stickers will lie flat1 to support air circulation. The advantage ⁄2 down the center before as covered earlier. It’s best to the next layer. The " or greater is that it keeps the log together, planing, and then mill the log as soon as possible gap between the boards should making it easier to bookmatch 4 D and edge-gluing them back after the tree has been felled. guarantee good air circulation. flitches. This also makes it 5 together. The cupping makes This is critical for species such When the layer is complete, place possible to mill to different it important to kiln-dry the as hickory and sycamore which layeranother below set ofto stickersdistribute directly the thicknesses, since each flitch B wood, or otherwise bring decay quickly. Oak–especially above the ones that support the makes its own layer. The slab on Cutti ng Key: C. Quartering, or quartersawing, have milled walnut that has been A. Flatsawing is where a log is is where a log is cut into quarter • Quartersawingit to a moisture content of white oak–is more durable. I top provides natural protection squared into a cant, and then cut sections and then the quarters are about 7% for use indoors. weight evenly. If possible, put from rain. Use a ratchet strap into straight-edged, flatsawn boards sliced, yielding more quartersawn with arcing end grain. (Most common vertical-grain boards. More initial cuts the wood on the ground for at least eight a tarp, metal roofing, or other between each column of stickers, and efficient method of cutting.) handling at the saw is required. perpendicular to the growth years. The sapwood has rotted material over the stack to keep and tighten it down once a B. Flitch-cutting slices boards in D. Quartering and turning means a rings. This "vertical grain” off, but the heartwood is still moisture off. Weigh it down week as the wood shrinks. sequence from top to bottom. It quartered log is turned 90° after each Kiln-Drying yields the widest boards,keeps cut to yield the most quartersawn stock proves more stable, solid. If you can’t mill the logs with cement blocks or water the natural edges, and gets the lumber. A lot of work is required by being less prone to cupping. within a few weeks, store them barrels to reduce warping. Now most out of a log. Resulting boards the sawyer resulting in added costs. require more milling later. For most species, quartersawn Air-Dryingoff the ground to avoid decay. comes the hard part–waiting. The best way to keep track of wood has a special shimmering The rule of thumb is one year the wood moisture content is to quality, but in some species, for each inch of thickness, use a pin-type moisture meter, such as oak and sycamore, Once you mill the wood, air-dry though this varies with climate available for under $50. Once the • Flitch-cuttingthe wood rays means yield beautiful sawing it. In hot, humid environments, and species. Note that this wood drops to 12%, it will not theflecked boards or quilted while leaving patterns. the air-dryingfungus will wood be noticeable is a level withinarea conventional stack disregards air-dry further in most locations. 24 hours. The ideal location for the cutting order of the boards. bringFor the the moisture wood indoors content and to matchuse To maintain the cuttingPhoto order, E the indoor humidity of your home, natural edges. This wood can out of direct sunlight, with good stack flitchsawn cuts using the be challenging to work with, air circulation. If possible, start “European” method ( ). a fan for air¢ circulation,¢ build a I since you do not have a straight with a layer of plastic on the This reconstructs the log with small kiln, or send it out to be kiln- edge for reference, but it is a ground to keep ground moisture stickers between the boards for dried at 30 to 50 a board foot. favorite of rustic woodworkers, from coming up through the About our sawyer and is becoming more popular stack. Then, place 4'-long 6×6 Dave Boyt has run a portable sawmill business for 12 years in custom furniture. One timbers,Photo D distributed evenly on in Joplin, Missouri, specializing in sustainably grown and advantage is that pieces can 20" centers for 1" thick1 boards ⁄2 salvaged ti mber. With degrees in Forest Management be book-matched to give a ( ). Place a "-1" × 1" × 4' and Wood Technology, he manages his family’s tree symmetrical mirror-image “sticker” (spacer) on top of each farm, producing walnut, oak, and other . C grain pattern that creates of the timbers. The 20" spacing is The Managing Editor of Sawmill & Woodlot Magazine, I like to spread water on freshly cut crotch slabs to the stunning tabletops.Photo Flitch- required to keep the boards from he welcomes your questi ons at dboyt@neti ns.net. beauty of the bookmatched pieces or other fi gured woods. Ccutting is especially useful sagging. Now, place your first for crotch wood ( layer of boards. They should be 30 woodcraftmagazine.com Oct/Nov 2014 ), and for curved logs. Illustratiof the sameon: Frank thicknessRohrbach III so that the Oct/Nov 2014 woodcraftmagazine.com 31