How should i cut southern yellow pine

[sawdog]

I have 15 acres

  with some good pines some chestnut oak and hickory maybe some red oak the rest seems to be junk wood. when it comes two cutting pine should i cut a true 2x4 or 2x6 or a 1 3/4 x 3 3/4. And how should i cut oaks in 1 1/4 x4 two mill are 4x mat. 
       

[Kirk Allen]

All depends on what your going to do with it. 

I prefer to cut my pine to industry standards which is 1 1/2" X 3 1/2" or 1 1/2" X 5 1/2".

As far as oak, what are you going to do with it?  I cut all my hardwoods 1 1/8th thick and random widths.  I tend to focus on clean wide boards for the woodworkers, as well as my own woodworking projects.  Wide boards sell provided they are dried properly. 

[sawdog]

Thanks for the reply. i thought i should cut a 1/4' larger green .

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

Sawdog, I would strongly suggest that you take a close look at the odd species you spoke of and see if you can make some lemonade from them, before you cut the better trees.  I have found pretty good profits in some of the odd species around here. 

I know, Kirk, it fits me!

[sawdog]

Well Tail Gunner what odd species was that the chestnut oak or hickory or was it the junk wood i wrote about. The junk wood i am refering two is black gum and soft ball size trees not large enough for lumber . I also have some twisted up maple and sweet gum . If there is a market the gums pleas let me know

[Kirk Allen]

Gum is a wood carvers dream wood.  They LOVE that stuff.

Maple, let it spalt and make a fortune from it.

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

Twisted trees are often prized as base material for tables or for lamps. 

[Kirk Allen]

As far as oversize cutting green, I have found 1/8" is plenty for pine to shink to nominal dimension when dry. If I need 1 1/2" finsished lumber I cut 1 5/8ths

[sawdog]

Thanks a lot for information my junk wood might not be junk . Now most   of my maple is twisted how can i market this. And how or were can i market black gum and how should i cut this in chunks with a chain saw.I cut a black gum last week as big as a 50 gallon drum it still there its ben to wet two pull out . Should try two sell this on line.   You no this is the fist time i've typed since seventh grad. And it's not easy my wife thinks it's funny.   thanks again for your in put

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

Put some pictures on Craig's list in your area, of some of the twisted wood and market as a table base or lamp base. 

[Stevem]

I have 15 acres

  with some good pines some chestnut oak and hickory maybe some red oak the rest seems to be junk wood. when it comes two cutting pine should i cut a true 2x4 or 2x6 or a 1 3/4 x 3 3/4. And how should i cut oaks in 1 1/4 x4 two mill are 4x mat. 
      
FWIW
If cutting construction 2" X ?" and 1 5/8" gives you 1 1/2"  Then cutting 3 5/8" will give you 3 3/8.  Likewise cutting 5 5/8 will give you 5 1/4".  That's what the math says.

 I find that cutting a 2 x 6 to 5 3/4" works out about right.  The biggest thing is to cut all your wood to the same oversize, ever time.  Then what you cut today will match what you cut next year and the year after that.

[Kirk Allen]

I know the white pine, which is about the only green pine we have here, will end up dried to 5 1/2" if I cut it a full 1/8" oversize.  The thickness may be just under 1 1/2 but I think what you stated is the most important.

cut all your wood to the same oversize

[sawdog]

Thanks for all the in put and information. I have been sawing for about four years but for my self and not for the public . You ain't seen the last of Sawdog 

[Kirk Allen]

You can try the classifieds at http://www.woodnet.net

That forum is devoted to wood workers and if you tell them what you have to offer the responses normally are very good.

I have sold a Truck load or two of wood on that site. 

[runningalucas]

I know the white pine, which is about the only green pine we have here, will end up dried to 5 1/2" if I cut it a full 1/8" oversize.  The thickness may be just under 1 1/2 but I think what you stated is the most important.

cut all your wood to the same oversize

I've been doing a lot of reading, that is when time permits; I've learned a great deal from reading several of you all on this board.

I'm back in the 'stix', and getting ready to set my mill up tomorrow, and have some fun with it.

After reading this thread a few days ago, my mind has continually had more, and more questions...

I thought more appropriate to just continue this thread, rather than start another.  My questions are regarding oversize cutting and shrinkage.

It sounds like the general rule of thumb is always an 1/8th of an inch over for both width, and thickness, for green wood, or is that species specific?

If that's the case, is there a different allowance for 'seasoned logs'?  I don't know the species exactly, but have several seasoned logs that have been sitting in a log deck for a number of years.  They are in the weather, but should be 'seasoned'.  Do I cut these to the exact desired dimension, or do I always allow an 1/8th?

Overall, the species that I'll be cutting are as follows:  Hemlock, Larch, Doug Fir, Grand Fir, White Pine, Spruce, and Birch. 

Thx in advance for any advice 

[Kirk Allen]

I allow 1/8th for thickness on 4/4 boards and at least 3/8ths for width if my goal is 6" width. 

Softwoods I leave more on the width as they shink more than hardwoods

[Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"]

For the six houses I have sawed, I have always sawed the lumber to the dimensions on the market.  Even the commercial lumber is green most of the time and will shrink some.  I try to cut to the needs of the customerls order.  On hardwoods I also cut to their need and what they want for a finished product.  The recent U of O order was cutting 3/8" over finished dimensions, allowinf for kiln drying and possible defects in twiseted wood.

[runningalucas]

Wow, two different answers.  I guess it's product specific, and always check with the customer; thanks for getting back with me.

[Stevem]

Different answers because the end product use and the wood it's self is different:

As a general rule:  Inside wood should be about 7% moisture content and outside wood should be about 12%.  BUT if you live in the desert or tropical rain forest the answers come out different.  Likewise different for furniture for the YMCA pool side.  Also consideration needs to be taken for shrinkage parallel to the grain or perpendicular to the grain.  Wood shrinks differently in both directions.  If you cut a 2 x 2 with the grain sloped at 45 degrees it will dry as a parallelogram and needs to be resawn to be usable. 

Look here for a definitive answer:

http://www.woodweb.com/cgi-bin/calculators/calc.pl?calculator=shrinkage