Power Tool Question

[Steven Lavergne]

I have 82 old pine beams that are 4"x13"x13' feet long.
I would like to rip them into 3 13" planks for flooring. What would be the most economical tool that could do the job? Could a large bandsaw with a feeder do the job? Thanks for the help.

[Cary Falk]

I would say that this job screams bandsaw. I don't know how you describe economical. You will want something with at least a 14" resaw. The lowest price to probably start is the Grizzly G0636X at about $2200.

[doug faist]

Steven - just a thought. The school where I take woodworking classes has a Woodmizer set up to mill logs up to 20' long. If there's one anywhere near you, it would make short work of a daunting project.

Doug

[Frank Drew]

I have .
I would like to rip [82 old pine beams that are 4"x13"x13' feet long] into 3 13" planks for flooring. Could a large bandsaw with a feeder do the job?

Steven,

Some form of large bandsaw is about the only tool you're likely to find that could do the job, I'd think. Start looking for a band resaw or a stationary or portable band sawmill somewhere near you. If these beams have nail holes (e.g. joists or rafters), you might have to rip off a couple inches of edge before anyone would risk resawing it; the old cut nails are notorious for breaking off in the wood.

If the material is nice, that is, the real Old Pine, you're going to have quite a nice amount of cool material; a friend just priced out some random width old pine from two specialist suppliers in Virginia. One wanted $8+/bf and the other $13-15/bf, and none of it was as wide as what you're likely to have.

Let us know how things turn out.

[Steven Lavergne]

Frank, it is 50-60 years old. All heart pine. Heavy as all hell. Not a single nail hole. As Cary suggested, i'm looking at the G0636X and the G0568. I don't want to spend more than 3000 on a machine unless i have to. A local mill wants 31.20 per beam to rip into 3 boards X 82 beams +2558.00. Thanks for all the help guys.

[Scott T Smith]

Stephen, find a local sawyer with a woodmizer and have him give you a quote. I'll be that you can beat the $32.00 price significantly.

[Jeff Willard]

I don't want to spend more than 3000 on a machine unless i have to.

Laguna has a number of machines that will handle it, all under $2K.

[Tom Veatch]

+1 on what Scott said. Check your yellow pages, Google, or maybe even a local woodworking group. Google found a local guy with a bandmill when I needed to slice up some maple logs from a tree a neighbor had removed. Of course, if you're just looking for an excuse to buy another tool, forget I said anything.

[John Keeton]

Steven, many independent sawmills may be willing to resaw them for you, and many of those have tongue and groove setups. I would think you could get them resawed, planed and T&G for less than $.50/bd ft. That is still a lot of money, but it would be ready to install.

[Alex Shanku]

Here is what you need!

http://www.owwm.com/photoindex/images/3332-A.jpg

[Mike Cruz]

I seem to remember a Band Saw in the D & D section recently that should handle that wood!

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=122182

[Mike Wilkins]

Google Woodmizer for the location of a bandsaw mill in your area. I would not tackle a job this big without some kind of power feeding arrangement. This stuff makes some beautiful flooring.

[Von Bickley]

Stephen, find a local sawyer with a woodmizer and have him give you a quote. I'll be that you can beat the $32.00 price significantly.

I agree with Scott.......

[Larry Wadman]

I recently received some old heart pine and cypress logs out of the Savannah River. 100+ years old. Got them in 14' lengths and up to 13" in diameter or square. No nails just some wooden pegs. My MM16 handled them well. Had to use an engine jack to pick them up on to the feed conveyors. Others that got some logs had a local with a wood mizer slice them up for them.

[Steven Lavergne]

I seem to remember a Band Saw in the D & D section recently that should handle that wood!

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=122182

Just a little too big. Would have too pass on that one!:D

[Steven Lavergne]

Here is what you need!

http://www.owwm.com/photoindex/images/3332-A.jpg


Now THIS is a machine guys. One can only dream. Is it yours, Alex?

[Alex Shanku]

HA!! I only wish.:D

At one time, it belonged to a guy on OWWM....not sure who owns it now.