PDA

View Full Version : so how would you mill this log?



Matthew Hills
06-09-2017, 10:21 AM
Rob Cosman has a recent video showing how he gets flatsawn boards out of a birdseye maple log. It was interesting to see him have the same dilemmas on how to get reference surfaces and support the material during the cuts -- these are the same types of things I wrestle with. Any folks here do this regularly and have a good flow?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFatYvgL3dQ

John K Jordan
06-09-2017, 7:52 PM
Rob Cosman has a recent video showing how he gets flatsawn boards out of a birdseye maple log. It was interesting to see him have the same dilemmas on how to get reference surfaces and support the material during the cuts -- these are the same types of things I wrestle with. Any folks here do this regularly and have a good flow?


That was interesting. That's one heavy-duty bandsaw!

I have some of the same issues on both the shop bandsaw and of course, the woodmizer, sometimes making supports with lumber and lag screws. Trying to get the best figure is guess-and-miss sometimes. I hate it when I miss.

I do a lot of processing of turning blanks from logs in the shop, but I don't cut too many boards there. He started exactly as I often do with a square to draw a perpendicular line through the pith then marking the first free-hand cut line with a red Sharpie. I also usually clean up the first edge just enough to ride against the fence without rocking, using a plane, hatchet, or freehand on the bandsaw, cut the second edge straight, then turn it around and clean up the first edge.

After that, I would probably use the bandsaw nearly everywhere he used the jointer and table saw. I suspect he would use his bandsaw for more of the processing if he had a good fence with instant setting and an accurate scale. I make more use of wedges. He could also have made good use of a much higher bandsaw fence.

As far as turning blanks, there is a current thread in Turning discussing some of the ways to cut up log sections; I put a few photos there: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?255368-logs&p=2696787#post2696787

JKJ