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Bradley Potts
10-21-2017, 4:24 PM
I have a project that needs 16" long partial log sections; the idea is to keep the natural log with bark -- I have what I believe is acacia from a blowdown that came down last Spring. There will be 2 such pieces that are to be the pillow-style feet/pedestals for a timber bench, so that means I need to saw off only a flat top and a flat bottom along the logs' lengths.

So far, the 12" diameter logs checked almost immediately after cutting, so I immediately painted them, as paint was all I had on hand. That checking is why I'm here asking questions. What's more, a month ago I tried cutting one of these blowdowns with a bucksaw (phew, it was hard work, but doable fun), but as the roots were still in the ground and the tree top was on the ground, that put the entire trunk under serious bending stress and when I got the cut to the center of the tree, the sucker split almost perfectly in half for a good 5' or 6'! Next, I came back with a chainsaw and managed to get proper back-cuts and then quickly finish off the cuts without further total splitting.



From what I've read, I assume I need to cut/mill these logs on the bandsaw immediately while still somewhat green.
Once the 2 flat sides are cut/exposed, then what? How do I keep these pieces from blowing apart on me? As they are pretty massive pieces, some splitting is acceptable, but I want to have something workable in the end. I am willing to use butterflies to hold the checks in check.
The piece is to look somewhat rustic.


TIA gang, I look forward to your suggestions!

-- Bradley

Dennis Ford
10-22-2017, 8:58 PM
It is usually not possible to dry logs without major checking, the same is true for partial sections of log that include the pith (center of tree). Some softwoods are exceptions.

Bradley Potts
10-22-2017, 11:33 PM
Thanks Dennis. Checking is okay as long as I don't start with one piece o' wood and end up with 2 or 3, :eek:. I took my log sections over to a friend's shop today, he has a bandsaw with more resaw capacity than mine, and we lopped off 2 parallel slabs from one log and did a full 4-sided rip on the other one. Wow, the wood is really nicely figured and colored, so I hope that I get some useful material out of them. The moisture content is still 24% in one section (the one that I slabbed off less deeply) and 29% in the other.

The good news is that are lots more of these downed trees, so I might go harvest more for planks.