Showing Off Some Curly Maple
A bandmill operator shares photos of a huge curly maple log, before and after sawing. December 15, 2005
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From contributor D:
I have a bandmill, but some days I would really like a swinger (with the slabber, of course). I even sent off for info, but it has been so hot the tape melted in the UPS truck. I sawed this 46" curly maple log in half with my Jonsered 2095 34" bar (what a wood eater). I am 6'3", not a short guy by an average size log, but this has some size to it. It was 15' long to start, but had a big branch at 8', so I cut the top earlier.
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Next, I sawed the 1/2 log into a 3 sided cant 28" wide (the width of my bandmill). I can't wait to start sawing 28" wide curly slabs. The good thing about the bandmill is, the side pieces I sawed off are the sapwood. It is white as rice. It is full of burl clusters. I will throw them on the mill and saw them thin.
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Here is a bad picture (I sawed till dark, and my camera is cheap) of some of the stuff I got out of the top of the log. I had to 1/4 it because of the big limb, so I bookmatched what I could. I am going to try to get a few decent books on the 28" cants. If not, I still won't be upset. The butt log ought to be pretty cool, curly and wide, just like I like them.
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From contributor B:
Man, that is some spectacular stuff! I've gotten pretty jaded over the years with all the stuff I've seen, but that is unbelievable!
From contributor D:
Same tree, the first limb was practically rotted off. The spalt had set it from the top. This book is 30" wide, same curl but wicked spalting (the picture does it no justice). I won't know what the log I prepped yesterday will look like, but I have my fingers crossed. It's pouring this morning or I would be sawing. If it gets down to a sprinkle, I am going out anyway.
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From contributor B:
Incredible! I've sawn a million feet or so but never anything like that! Those would be some of the few that I would consider my own personal stock, not for sale at any price. (Well, that's not totally true, but you get the sentiment.)
From contributor L:
I have a Peterson and an Alaska mill that can cut over 72" wide and I often wish I had a bandsaw to add to the fray (looking at that Falberg… mmm). The chainsaw mills are slow, inefficient and difficult, but still are sometimes the best option for salvaging the biggest wood. Stunning wood!
From contributor D:
Here is a couple I pulled this morning, before it started pouring. I don't mind sawing in the rain, but it was pouring with lightning. I should get some better stuff when I can get back to it. Note the 24" framing square on top for scale.
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Here is one on the deck. You can't really see the curl, because it is soaking wet from rain. When it dries some, it will stand right up.
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Here is the little pile I got off one half. This is just the full 25" x 6' slabs of heartwood. I stacked the sap in another pile. I know my stickers aren't straight. I fixed them and weighed it down after the picture.
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This is what the sapwood looks like. I shouldn't have washed it off for the picture - it made it shiny and hard to see. I sawed it 1/4"- 3/4" for clock faces and small stuff.
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