How to cut a walnut crotch log?

[Rob Will]

I have a rather rough 28" walnut log with many big limbs and a solid looking crotch.

If I want to saw the crotch on a woodmizer with the intention of resawing into veneers later.........How should I position the log on the mill?

If you are looking for the most dramatic grain pattern, do you lay the "Y" of the crotch flat or stand it up? Does the same hold true for where a large limb was cut off.....do you put that limb cut at either the 3:00 or 9:00 positions?

Please advise, I have to decide on how to cut this very soon.

Thanks,
Rob

[Gary Breckenridge]

:cool: Find an "old timer" that works in a small saw mill and ask him what to expect out of the log.:cool: Once he starts talking you'll have all your answers.:cool:

[Ian Abraham]

Lay the crotch flat and saw away. The slabs should look like a pair of pants ;)

It's allways a lucky dip what you find inside a log like that, it could be some amazing figure, or you might get a rather plain board that fall apart down the centre. But thats all part of the fun :D

Yes put the big limbs at 3 or 9 oclock. This isn't so much about figure, it just gets you the widest clear boards with the knots on the edge where they can be trimmed off easy.

Cheers

Ian

[lou sansone]

as always, great advise and an easy way to think about the orientation of the log. I agree with Ian

Lou

[Rob Will]

Any suggestions on how thick to saw a walnut crotch?
The maximum width will be 24 - 27"

Thanks for the help,
Rob

[lou sansone]

I would saw it 4/4. anything less would be very susceptible to warp.

Lou

[Tom Sontag]

A minimum of 4/4 is correct, but if drying time is no problem then a little thicker hurts nobody. If you lack resaw capabilities nearing 20"+, then 4/4 for panels is your best bet.

One tip about those "pair of pants" boards: before you start slabbing away at the crotch, make sure all three pith points are the same height off the bed of the saw. In other words, you want the pith in the trunk and the pith of the two limbs all in one board. This increases the odds that the board on each side of this center cut (which WILL check at the pith) will not check. You might want that center board to be a little thicker to capture all the pithy young wood.

Of course, that center board is not trash; it will have the most awesome figure, but only be usable as a V shaped piece.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with the "thicker" is better sentiment for these cuts as crotches can dry a little funky. Leaving a bit of material to allow for flattening later is a good thing.