Resawing Oak logs into planks

[paulvillage]

Hi there,

I wondered if anyone could offer me advice on the following. I have a number of smallish Oak logs (6 to 8" diameter by 2 feet), which I'd like to rip into planks so I can use the wood in my woodworking projects. I've tried doing this the hard i.e. with a hand rip saw but it's next to impossible. All I've achieved after a day's work is a couple of anything but straight planks and a ton of blisters in my hands.

I called a couple of sawmills in my area (Woking, Surrey) but they said the logs were far two small for their machine. The only option left that I can think of is using a band saw (1hp at least), but I can't really afford one, nor would it make much sense buying one for a one off job. If I could find someone in my area with one, i'd be more than happy to pay for the work.

Can anyone think of any ways I could get those logs sawn into timber? I'd hate to see that good wood go to waste!

Cheers

Paul

 

[Chrispy]

Hmm........ 6" and 8" is very small for Oak, how much sap and heart wood is there? is it trunk wood or branch wood? because branch wood growing at an angle will have inbuilt stress that will come out when cut. if its trunk wood it will have a lot of small branch knots etc. give it a go out of interest but don't expect to much...

 

[paulm]

Whereabouts are you Paul ?

As Chris mentioned, is it branch or trunk wood, and roughly how many pieces do you have ?

Cheers, Paul

 

[paulvillage]

Hi Chris & Paul,

Thanks for your replies.

I live in Woking, Surrey. Actually I have a mixture of Oak, Beech and Birch logs and they're all trunk wood without branches. They come from 3 small trees that the tree surgeons fell in my area recently. I must have 6 or 7 pieces at most. I've tried doing it the Arnie way with a 26" 4.5 tpi hand rip saw but it's HELL to say the least and I don't think using a frame saw would be any easier. I think the only viable option, really, is using a band saw as I've seen done on utube by some lucky bandsaw owners. If only I knew someone with one that'd be willing to give me a hand!

Cheers
Paul

 

[bosshogg]

If you have the means to have a froe made you won't need to saw them, simply split them. The planks will be straight grained as the split follows the grain, but as already mentioned you may not have as much workable wood as heart wood tends to be useless...bosshogg

 

[woodbloke]

... as heart wood tends to be useless...bosshogg

Sap wood surely? :? - Rob

 

[bosshogg]

No heartwood, that was why at one time quarter sawn was considered the be the most stable and best, therefore most expensive admittedly, sap wood for the obvious reasons...bosshogg

 

[Sgian Dubh]

... heart wood tends to be useless...bosshogg

I'm assuming your tongue was in your cheek there boss because, generally speaking, the heartwood is the most sought after wood in darker timber species.

Sapwood is not a fault at grading because it's a normal part of the tree. It's often unwanted by the woodworker because the colour of that sapwood just under the bark is so different to the heartwood, but it's sometimes left in place and used even if the colour contrast is marked because of the aesthetic or visual statement that can be made because of that contrast. In some species the sapwood is desirable (except the most recent ten or twelve years worth of sapwood just under the bark) as it's pale and closely matches the heartwood. I'm thinking of such species as sycamore, hard and soft maples, and American ash. Slainte.

 

[bosshogg]

I bow to you re heartwood (I think that's what you were referring to as dark wood), I was thinking more of pine, oh! where have the years gone. Pine sometimes, has a soft centre brown and almost sponge like, either that or a loose centre which can actually become loose. When I referred to heartwood, this was the way I was thinking,sorry for any confusion...bosshogg

P.S. thanks for the gentle prod (small dress knife) slainte... :ho2

Imagination is more important than knowledge...
Albert Einstein (hammer)

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Pine sometimes, has a soft centre brown and almost sponge like, either that or a loose centre which can actually become loose.

You're referring to the pith boss, which is common to both angiosperms and gymnosperms and is, as you say, likely to be soft and spongy, along with suffering from exaggerated longitudinal movement, up to 20% greater than normal, leading to excessive warping, particularly warp such as bowing, edge bend, and cupping in boards taken out of a log and adjacent to the pith. It's common practice when milling logs into boards for the heart (pith) to be 'boxed out' and sent off for things like sleepers, fence posts, and other low grade uses such as pallets and crates, etc. I suspect you simply suffered a mild brain fart-- it happens to us all. Slainte.

 

[bosshogg]

Pine sometimes, has a soft centre brown and almost sponge like, either that or a loose centre which can actually become loose.

You're referring to the pith boss, which is common to both angiosperms and gymnosperms and is, as you say, likely to be soft and spongy, along with suffering from exaggerated longitudinal movement, up to 20% greater than normal, leading to excessive warping, particularly warp such as bowing, edge bend, and cupping in boards taken out of a log and adjacent to the pith. It's common practice when milling logs into boards for the heart (pith) to be 'boxed out' and sent off for things like sleepers, fence posts, and other low grade uses such as pallets and crates, etc. I suspect you simply suffered a mild brain fart-- it happens to us all. Slainte.

Wow I'm impressed, wish I could respond with such elegance...bosshogg

Slainte Mhor :ho2

If you are out to describe the truth, leave elegance to the tailor.
Albert Einstein 8)