Loggin' in Griswold. It's a long way from Tokyo.

[Mike Cutler]

Stu gave us a little loggin' from Tokyo, So with this morning being absolutley beautiful. I decided to go into the swamp, retrieve a black cherry that the beavers had taken down this winter, and give us a little loggin' from the other side of the world.
In the following pics we start with a 4' x9" black cherry(choke cherry, here in Ct), and are just trying to see if the 10' section still out in the swamp is worth humping up to the garage.
First pic is the log on a sled. Nothing fancy, just some scrap wood. We then mill two sides so we can get it off the sled and just use the fence as a reference.
In this log I really just want the two piece from the center 2 inches. Two one inch thick pieces form either side of dead center. You can see when the log is ripped in half that quite abit of spring force is relaeased in one photo.
We ended up with 4, 1" x7" pieces. Two are close to quarter sawn, and two are pretty much flatsawn. The bandsaw blade marks in the final pic are the result of having to stop and reposition myself to control this log at various times. It was a little heavy.
There is a lot of waste, and a lot of dust, but it was a lot of fun. Hopefully this fall those boards will become a tabletop that I have in mind. Time will tell. If nothing else it was a great way to kill the first "spring like morning".
So what do y'all think, should I go get the 10' section still out in the swamp? or leave it for the beavers?

[Todd Davidson]

Cool Mike. Neighbors took down a couple Cherry trees and milled them. Produced some nice wood. Hope you fare as well.

In peace, Todd

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Now that looks like the easy way to do it!!

Very nice looking little bandsaw you have there! :D

I'd get the 10 footer, but hey, I'm known to be a little nuts :eek:

Cheers!

[Mike Cutler]

Now that looks like the easy way to do it!!

Very nice looking little bandsaw you have there! :D

I'd get the 10 footer, but hey, I'm known to be a little nuts :eek:

Cheers!

You got that Monster Hitachi with the 3" blade, IIRC,:eek: . Now if I had that, I'd tackle the 18" diameter ash that they took down. 12'-14' of clear straight grain. Hey, I might just do it anyway. Half of it fell into the river though, so I'll need some waders. Hmmm..... Do I start the chainsaw, and wade out into the river, or do I start it out in the river? :p

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Beautiful find and man that's a nice bandsaw you have!! I'd go for the rest of it if I were you!

[Tyler Howell]

Nice Mike,
Whatcha usin for an outfead table:confused:
Can we see some more pix:confused:
Thanks for sharing.
PS Go for ten.

[Syd Lorandeau]

Hi Mike--
I got to give it to you, you sure know how to put that Rikon to the test.
Syd

[Dick Parr]

That looks great Mike. You never did say if you are going back for the 10' section. From the pictures it looks like it would be worth going back.

Thanks for the pictures and ya, what did you use for an out-feed table?:confused:

[Mike Cutler]

Nice Mike,
Whatcha usin for an outfead table:confused:
Can we see some more pix:confused:
Thanks for sharing.
PS Go for ten.

Tyler.
The "oufeed table" is the old outfeed table from my tablesaw sitting on a pair of Rigid Flip Top stands. I really just kinda looked around the garage this morning, and cobbled everything together.
I did go back for the 10' section. It actually ended up one 7' section and two 4' sections of straight length.
Here are some more pics of the milling in different stages. Getting the 2nd,3rd, and 4th sides square, then starting the rip down the middle.
I found that having 4 sides sqaure is easiest. It allows you to reposition the bandsaw guide and not move it again once you start cutting the planks.
I'm going to get a thin sheet of formica for the next time, and place it on top of the bandsaw table, and the infeed and outfeed tables. There is an awful lot of friction on the table with a wet log, hence the bandsaw marks.
I'll cut the rest of it tommorrow. If there is something in particular that you would like to see, or would like me to try, and then photograph. Let me know, and we'll do it.
Humping those logs out of the swamp was some good work, then I helped get an Amish made Oxen cart out of a stock trailer. Whoa was that heavy. Everything was made from 1" quartersawn oak, and the frame was 2" square steel tube stock. Those wood and iron wheels had to weigh 200-250lbs apiece. I'm looking for some red wine and ibuprofen tonite.;)

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

...I'm going to get a thin sheet of formica for the next time, and place it on top of the bandsaw table, and the infeed and outfeed tables. There is an awful lot of friction on the table with a wet log, hence the bandsaw marks....

Is that an aluminium table?

Wax the P out of before you start, find some "Good" car wax that has a lot of that Carnauba (sp?) in it, works like a charm (on my cast iron table).

Cheers!

[Mike Cutler]

Is that an aluminium table?

Wax the P out of before you start, find some "Good" car wax that has a lot of that Carnauba (sp?) in it, works like a charm (on my cast iron table).

Cheers!

It's a cast table, and I use a Marine paste wax. I'll try the carnuba though.

Thanks for the tip.

Hey!!!. Wait a minute, the fence is aluminium 1/2" plate, and I didn't wax that.:eek: DOH!!

Now, really thanks for the tip.;)

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

It's a cast table, and I use a Marine paste wax. I'll try the carnuba though.

Thanks for the tip.

Hey!!!. Wait a minute, the fence is aluminium 1/2" plate, and I didn't wax that.:eek: DOH!!

Now, really thanks for the tip.;)

Yep, that aluminium can be rather grippy :D

More pictures please!

[Andy Hoyt]

Looking good down there Mike.

By the by - How big a bowl ya want?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hey Syd - How's your share of the stuff we stole from Mike coming along?

[Bill Fields]

Mike:

Think I mentioned I was a resident of OL in 1979-1883, in which I converted a 10 acre swamp into a lovely 3 acre pond. No beavers, just muskrats and they undermined all the old swamp maple trees surrounding the pond (crash--another crash--then another --all in 3 weeks) and I had to have the 20 foot root-balls hauled away using huge cranes and mega-trucks. I cut up some of the logs for firewood.

Sold the place for less than I had in it--still there -- 224 Mile Creek Rd.

Kind of miss it sometime here in the desert.:(

BIll

[Greg Koch]

Very interesting, Mike. Thanks for posting. And ditto Stu....more pics, please.

[Mike Cutler]

Mike:

Think I mentioned I was a resident of OL in 1979-1883, in which I converted a 10 acre swamp into a lovely 3 acre pond. No beavers, just muskrats and they undermined all the old swamp maple trees surrounding the pond (crash--another crash--then another --all in 3 weeks) and I had to have the 20 foot root-balls hauled away using huge cranes and mega-trucks. I cut up some of the logs for firewood.

Sold the place for less than I had in it--still there -- 224 Mile Creek Rd.

Kind of miss it sometime here in the desert.:(

BIll

That's a very pretty area Bill. We used to do a lot of cycling training down in Lyme /Old lyme. Hill repeats on Mt Archer, and Joshua Town road, and then head over to Millington, via the Devils Hopyard for more hills.
It's funny where you end up in life, eh? I was born and raised in So. Cal. Now here I am in Ct unloading Oxen carts, but I wouldn't change it. I like living in Ct, and New England in general.

[Syd Lorandeau]

Hi Andy,,
Been busy lately so have not done any turning in a couple of months, the wood is coated and picking up more spaulting. Do use some of Mikes "sled" system to slab up a couple of the bigger pieces whick is now stacked and drying. Thanks again Mike. With good luck I hope to get to Maine for a visit.
Syd

[Mike Cutler]

Well. I got back to it this morning. My back was a little sore from unloading that Oxen cart, but it loosened up as time went on.
The pics are from this morning. I tried to show more of the setup. Still nothing fancy, but doing that long log showed me that I'll need to build a stouter infeed and outfeed table. What I had was a little rickety.
I tried to take a bunch of pics, but once I started going, I kinda kept going. This series just shows the log going through the milling, and finishes up with pics of the grain. It's a pretty grain.
I had to open both doors for enough space to get the longer log through. I have positioned my BS to be in the middle of two doorways.

[Mike Cutler]

The longer log was a little problematic. It was heavy and long. I had to some major waxing in between passes to keep it moving and it still caused those Rigid stands to chatter. The sled for the longer log is an 8' 2x10.
The marks on the side of the log are beaver teeth. Need to teach them to strip the bark more completely.:rolleyes:
The last pic is hopefully a representation of what the final finished grain should look like. It's nice.

For all you "spinny folks". There is a lot of this wood out in the swamp. Tell me how to prep it for turnin' and I'll go cut a bunch of it. It came down in the dead of winter, so it isn't rotted or buggy yet.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I like the way you clamped the stickers down...great idea. How long til you can work the wood when you air dry it?

PS...that's gorgeous grain for sure.

[Mike Cutler]

I like the way you clamped the stickers down...great idea. How long til you can work the wood when you air dry it?

PS...that's gorgeous grain for sure.

I'm not really sure how long it will take to dry. I plan on making a solar kiln this summer, or I may just build a vacum chamber.
Everything I've read says about a 1" per year. We'll see.


Andy Hoyt. I'm looking forward to a "Round Object" from that hickory. When the right thing comes off the lathe, with my name on it, you'll know it bro'.
I was thinkin' bout you guys while I was playing around with the chainsaw. The rest of this cherry tree might be some nice turnin' stock. Give me a shout, and I'll make a pilgramage to LL Bean's and we'll trade some wood.

[Andy Hoyt]

I can't even resaw a two foot 1 x 4 and maintain a consistent thickness. That you did this with these wet and heavy logs and on your own is most impressive. Well done, Mike. Go have a beer and a motrin.

[Mike Cutler]

I can't even resaw a two foot 1 x 4 and maintain a consistent thickness. That you did this with these wet and heavy logs and on your own is most impressive. Well done, Mike. Go have a beer and a motrin.

Motrin and a nice Merlot- Shiraz. I'm thinking.;)

[Andy Hoyt]

Why on earth anyone would want to go to Freebean is beyond me. Tourists by the truckload from away; neon signs brighter than Las Vegas; and the same "Factory Outlet Stores" as are in every other place that the corporate monsters saw profit.

Ooops, did you say more free wood!

Freeport is a lovely quaint New England seacoast town, full of clapboarded saltboxes and repleat with cozy shops staffed by lttle old ladies and retired lobstermen. No two stores sell anything alike and there are bargains to be had everywhere!

Any time you want Mike, as long as it's at least a six weeks from now, since four weeks is about the time that some of the bigger roughed out ones are "scheduled" to be dry enough to finish turn.

[Andy Hoyt]

Grizzly brews merlot in China? What'll they think of next!

[Ted Christiansen]

Mike,

I have observed that 1" thick boards will dry from wet (22+%) to 12% in 4-6 months indoors in a forced air heat/air conditioned environment. I dont try to keep the boards flat - just the weight of the stack. If the wood wants to move because of stresses, etc. then there is no way you can stop it. In my experience you can just work around it. You wouldnt want to use the really bad boards in a project anyways, because the might move even more after the project is completed.

I plan to build a dehumidifier kiln in my basement. Basically a 3'x3'x10' insulated box with a dehumidier in it. I have read that a 400 bd ft load can be dried in 6 weeks in one of these.

Ted

[Mike Cutler]

Mike,

I have observed that 1" thick boards will dry from wet (22+%) to 12% in 4-6 months indoors in a forced air heat/air conditioned environment. I dont try to keep the boards flat - just the weight of the stack. If the wood wants to move because of stresses, etc. then there is no way you can stop it. In my experience you can just work around it. You wouldnt want to use the really bad boards in a project anyways, because the might move even more after the project is completed.

I plan to build a dehumidifier kiln in my basement. Basically a 3'x3'x10' insulated box with a dehumidier in it. I have read that a 400 bd ft load can be dried in 6 weeks in one of these.

Ted

Thanks for the info Ted. The clamps are just kinda holdiing everything together right now. I'll probably move them into the basement tomorrow, and just pile a few concrete blocks on them. Even though the weather was nice this weekend. I'm certain that I still have more than a few woodstove fires left to burn this season.

I didn't think about the dehumidifier trick. Maybe I'll just build the box and put the DH unit in there. Slick idea.