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Author Topic: Ageing logs  (Read 7054 times)

Offline bandmiller2

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Ageing logs
« on: October 05, 2017, 07:35:02 AM »
What are you guys beliefs on ageing logs before milling. White pine I like to let them sit until the sap on the end starts to turn white, much less mess. Hardwood I like to let it age longer it seems to relieve much of the stress inherent in the logs. Granted hardwood that has aged is harder and tougher on the saw. I have cut a lot of oak that the sapwood has rotted but the heart has given me some of the most beautiful stable boards. Frank C.

Offline Kirk Allen

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Re: Ageing logs
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2017, 08:26:46 AM »
I have not seen any advantage in letting them age.  Longer they sit the harder they are to cut as they are drier.   I prefer to cut them green, stack them and let them dry.  First few cuts should expose any stress and you can cut that out of the log with different techniques.
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Offline Stevem

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Re: Ageing logs
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2017, 10:09:24 AM »
I cut a lot of oak and "aging" them has some down sides.

The ends crack as they dry and sometimes the cracks will run full length.
They get bugs under the bark. Not too big of a deal but you do lose a little bit of the sap wood.
The ends get extremely hard as it drys compared to the rest of the log.
Stevem
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Offline Ox

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Re: Ageing logs
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2017, 11:03:02 AM »
I've noticed that with red (soft) maple when it's dry on the mill the cant will move around a lot, sometimes up to several inches with one cut.  It can get crazy.  Lots of major tension inside that dried out log, without much end checking.  Usually get some spalting and ambrosia marking when they're older like that.  When milled green it's a beauty with much less tension but the boards will move a lot when drying.  It's almost like the 6 or half a dozen paradox...

Red maple has fantastic grain patterns and gives you a lot to look at while sitting on the porch daydreaming about stuff, especially after oiling.  Some of the boards have a 3-D effect going on when you walk past slowly and look at certain spots.  This only happened on a few I had to skip plane to get the thickness more alike to the rest of the floor boards.  I'll take pics one day and post them.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline mountainlake

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Re: Ageing logs
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2017, 05:48:01 AM »
 I'd just as soon cut green except  for maybe pine which one time I cut some really fresh ones and had to use a lot of soapy water to keep the blade clean while the older pine no problem with pitch build up.  I just got done cutting some 10 year old (at least)  dried out white oak for the last 2 days..  That cut hard, takes a lot of power and blades lasted only about a hour, still cut straight but started pushing on the guide wheel flanges and sounded dull.  Steve
« Last Edit: October 06, 2017, 06:07:08 AM by mountainlake »

Offline Leeroy

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Re: Ageing logs
« Reply #5 on: October 06, 2017, 06:02:29 AM »
The owners of the handset Chase I am acquiring gave me a video and pictures of the mill.
I did notice the White Pine they milled had been sitting for a while.

Offline bandmiller2

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Re: Ageing logs
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2017, 07:22:52 AM »
Green logs cut easiest, that's a fact but you "cuts what you gots". When I owned the Chase shingle mill, made most of the shingles from white pine, a real cluster if you don't let the pitch harden a little. Just saying if you have some old logs, especially, oak cut them up, the doggest looking logs give you the prettiest boards. Frank C.

Offline Ox

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Re: Ageing logs
« Reply #7 on: October 06, 2017, 10:53:40 AM »
That's a fact.  A gnarly old stumpy looking turd of a log that makes you shudder when thinking of firewood and splitting it by hand will produce art with just a little effort on a sawmill.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Offline Maplemaker

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Re: Ageing logs
« Reply #8 on: October 06, 2017, 05:49:56 PM »
Grade hardwood logs especially maples, and basswood will stain and only be pallet lumber if they aren't sawn in a timely manner.  Summer weather is the worst

Offline Ox

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Re: Ageing logs
« Reply #9 on: October 06, 2017, 09:51:04 PM »
Sometimes that stain is good, ain't it?  Sell them city slickers some denim maple or sumpn'.  ;)

I know I'm thankful I don't have to saw and sell for a living.  I'm pretty sure I'd lose my cool with folks wanting perfection from nature.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools