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Cuts for quartersawn logs

1/3/15       
Philippe Member

Sorry if I am asking an obvious question, I am new at sawmills!
Best wood is usually described as "quarter sawn", but typically on a small sawmill one makes a cant then slice the cant in sequential boards. That should yield at best 2 quarter sawn boards, the one above and below the pith (1 and 2 on the drawing),. To optimize the yield, could one make a first cut 1 board above the pith, 1 thru the pith and 1 below, then use the left over from the cant (A and B), turn them 90 degrees and recut the top and bottom can't at mid distance, boards 3-10 on the drawing, then continue with the left over C, D (and E, F) turn them 90 degree and keep turning 90 degree after each cut? They wont really be “quarter sawn” but as close as possible. Another drawback is that the boards get narrower and narrower..

Or is this too fussy and wont make a better board ? Any feedback ?
Thanks !


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1/3/15       #2: Cuts for quartersawn logs ...
Quarterman

What kind of wood will you be sawing? If it is one with prominent medullary rays it might be worth actually quarter sawing the log.

Other woods, not so much.

1/3/15       #3: Cuts for quartersawn logs ...
Philippe Member

Nothing very exotic, just oak mapple walnut cedar...

1/3/15       #4: Cuts for quartersawn logs ...
Tommy

Most sawyers won't square the log up first, but begin cutting with your #1 board. Squaring the log up generally creates too much waste. Instead, the bark edged boards are dealt with after the log is sawn. Otherwise, the log is sawn similar to your description. As you mentioned, some boards come out 'rift sawn', rather than truly quarter sawn (which is a blend between quarter sawn and flat sawn). It's difficult to get completely quarter sawn lumber out of a log. Hope that helps.

1/3/15       #5: Cuts for quartersawn logs ...
Philippe Member

Yes !@ Good point about not squaring at first ! Thanks all !

1/4/15       #6: Cuts for quartersawn logs ...
Gene Wengert-WoodDoc

Pieces #1 - #10 will be very likely to develop side bend when drying, as one edge is so close tot he pith and the other edge not. Some of the pieces are going to be more rift than quarter.

Pieces #11 - #14 are more flatsawn than quarter.

In the top right, the pieces are indeed perfectly quartersawn, but they will oftentimes contain a lot of low grade (knotty and pith) on the region close to the pith. Keeping the pieces intact during drying will eliminate side bend warp. Ripping after drying will allow you to eliminate the central low grade section and get two narrow pieces of quartersawn.

There are better quartersawing patterns. Did you check the archives? Here is one of many sites in the archives

You could also check the book SAWING, EDGING, AND TRIMMING HARDWOOD LUMBER by Denig & Wengert

Note that quartersawn is not "better" for many people...they like the grain pattern of flatsawn. Of the woods you listed, I would only consider q-sawing oak, if someone wants q-sawn, but the others would not have a special market. Q-sawing takes longer, has lower yields, and is more expensive to do.

One q-sawing link

1/12/15       #7: Cuts for quartersawn logs ...
Dave Boyt  Member

Website: http://www.norwoodsawmills.com

In the course of cutting, I set the quartersawn oak & sycamore boards aside, so they are available if a customer specifically requests QS. If the customer doesn't care, he (or she) gets flat sawn boards. If cutting for a customer who wants as much QS lumber as possible, I use a pattern like this (and charge by the hour).


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1/12/15       #8: Cuts for quartersawn logs ...
Philippe Member

Thanks everyone and Pr. Wengert. I had read that entire section of the forum but before that posting :S.
This gives me a better idea on how to experiment with time vs results!


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