Say you have to cut through 500 ft of trees to make a road.....

[Steve G.]

Ok, so the we should try and mill em' as soon as possible? does it matter if we wait a year to mill em? Or is it just so we can get them stacked and dried as soon as possible? How long would we have to dry them for?

thanks a bunch jo!

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

A couiple of things.  One, coat the ends with a log sealer to prevent checking and degrading of your lumber.  Cut the logs with a length of about 8 to 10 inches of trim; example: 8' 10".  Use at least 1" x 1" stickesrs every 16" to 18" and not placing the next layer of stickers directly over the last; offset them on every layer of lumber.  Make sure to keep the lumber out of direct sunlight to prevent additional checking of the edges or the top layer of lumber.  I usually place a layer of tin or plywood on the top layer with stickers between for air flow.  You general climate may tell better the duration for drying.  General rule of thumb around here is, a year to the inch of thicknes.


As to the timeline of sawing, I like to get them sawed as soon as possible, unless I am specifically wanting spalted lumber, then let the logs set for a year or three.

[Steve G.]

I made sure we cut them about 12'4" each so that we didn't get caught with just under 12 feet of lumbar. Will the wood become twisted or anything from drying?

Also, just in case we don't end up getting our own mill if I was to have someone come in a and mill them for us what would a good hourly wage be?

Thanks

[Steve G.]

Use at least 1" x 1" stickesrs every 16" to 18" and not placing the next layer of stickers directly over the last; offset them on every layer of lumber. 

http://www.ronhazelton.com/howto/home_grown_lumber.htm

Ron placed the bottom boards on a level surface created with 4 by 4s. He then placed small pieces of wood called stickers between each of the planks to create a space that would allow air to circulate and cause the boards to dry evenly. The stickers were stacked directly on top of each other to prevent the boards from bowing.

This guy says to place the stickers directly on top of each other so the boards don't bow... who's right???

[Kirk Allen]

The idea of offsetting each row is a sound practice. If each sticker is directly above the previous then you have a section of the board that does not get air on either side.  By offsetting them each time, back and forth, each board can theoretically dry better. 

[Steve G.]

The idea of offsetting each row is a sound practice. If each sticker is directly above the previous then you have a section of the board that does not get air on either side.  By offsetting them each time, back and forth, each board can theoretically dry better. 

So your saying they won't bow?

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

Unless you put some very heavy weight on the stack you get some bowing.  I have had very little bowing in an up and down direction.  Where I might get more bowing than anything is sidways or edgewise directions.  Unless you put the wood in a vice like condition and continually keep it tight as it shrinks, you might well have some movement.

[Steve G.]

Thanks, Now say I want to mill some oak for making furniture - like the stuff you get @ homedepot - say 3/4" 1x3's. Would I mill the wood an inch so that I could plane it smooth later or mill it exactly 3/4" And also if I want oak 2x4's would I give it an extra half inch?

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

Yes, on sawing larger than what you want for finished wood for project.   I am not familiar enough with your Eastern Red Oak to know how much it will shrink and such.

[Kirk Allen]

Cut it 1 1/8th and you will be pleased with the end result, assuming your going to have boards 6" or wider.  for 3" wide boards they should plane up fine if you cut them 1" but realize the best boards from a log are going to be much wider than 3". 

I would cut them 1 1/8th, wide as possible, sticker them, dry them and when you are ready to make stuff rip them from the wide stock.  You will be much happier with the end result this way, trust me 

[Steve G.]

Thanks alot guys, i'm learning alot! Now can someone explain to me what quarter sawn and all those other terms mean?

[Kirk Allen]

q-sawn is when the grain is vertical when you look at the end grain. 
Your oaks have the best appearance when Q-sawn. 
Technically its 60-90 degrees but the best looking is vertical grain. 
30-60 is considered rift sawn and anything below 30 is flat sawn. 

[Steve G.]

I fail to understand in what context you are using the degrees???

[Kirk Allen]

No problem.  I found this pic online that probably is one of the better examples I have seen........................and it saves me from drawing it, which I am not real good at 

[Steve G.]

He he, I had just read that article yesterday right after I posted. What a small cyber world I was gonna post it and ask ya'll if it was right or not.... but I guess it is since you posted it

Thanks

[Stevem]

Wait a minuet!

Aren't the titles on the pictures reversed for rift saw and quarter saw?

It's my understanding that "quarter sawn" oak has a distinctive ray pattern that doesn't show up in rift sawn.  And in my experience I lose the ray pattern after about 6-8 degrees off vertical so it becomes rift. 

And it is my understanding that Vertical Grain is any wood that looks vertical grain or at least it is in the soft woods which can be as much as 60 degrees off of vertical when you have a high ring count as long as the growth rings show on the wide face.  Kind of like an edge view of plywood.

Correct me if I'm wrong please.

Stevem

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

It looks like it to me, as well, but I wear bifocals.

[Kirk Allen]

Steve you are correct regarding the middle example. Each one of the boards in that picture would be quarter sawn, or vertical grain.

SteveG, the small pie shapes between the boards on the middle pic would be closer to rift sawn. 

The third pic is quartering a log but doesnt provide the maximum vertical grain the way the have hit.

Good catch SteveM! 

[Steve G.]

Got back from another 2 days of logging and stacking em' with the tractor (kubota L3750) - we got a cant hook from baileys... I tried to convince my dad about the logrite hooks - he said he wanted the ones he's used to working with.

We have some big logs up there - about 3 18" x 40ft pines and alot of other oaks about that size but not that long. How much do logs that size go for?

Steve

[adk patroller]

It depends on what you have in the area for log buyers and/or mills.  The very best pine in NY generally sells for $350/MBF delivered to the mill.

I have a price list for pine logs in a log yard 9 miles from our forest which includes Fresh Pine at $250/MBF Stained Pine @ $200/mbf.  Spruce & Fir a $285/mbf.

Red Oak in my area is paying around $300-$400/mbf with the best saw logs @ $475/mbf

[Steve G.]

Please translate "mbf" ---- I know it has something to do with "board feet" what does the "m" stand for?

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

m stands for thousand b for board and f for feet  mbf

[Steve G.]

And what is a board foot determined by? A 2x4? A 1x3? A 1x6? A log

Thanks again frank

[ESCANABAJOSH]

http://www.schererbros.com/homeowners/how_to/calculate_board_feet.php

found this on the net

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

Thanks Josh, that is exactly how I do the figuring.


A board foot is 1" THICK  and 12" SQUARE