Cedar Siding

[Bob Smalser]

The final plans for the house require 100 more pieces of cedar siding than I cut initially….no sweat, I’ll take a day and cut some more.

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4173972/51855389.jpg

The swing-blade mill has an adjustable swinging shim that jams into the frame to set the saw blade at a bevel shown below:

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4173972/51855380.jpg

I simply place an unexceptional WRC log in the mill and flatten it’s top by taking off a couple flatsawn 4/4 boards first…an 18.5 inch log with a volume of 140BF by Scribner and a mill value of $150 or so less transportation….

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4173972/51855536.jpg

…I drop the mill 7 ½” vertically, square up an edge of the log, set my saw blade on bevel using the shim above, and move the saw 7/8” horizontally (above) into the log for the first vertical cut.

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4173972/51855370.jpg

With the beveled first vertical cut made above…

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4173972/51855362.jpg

…I swing the blade to horizontal, move the saw an additional 1/8” horizontally and make my horizontal cut.

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4173972/51855355.jpg

With the horizontal cut complete, I remove the swinging shim and bring the sawblade back through the log vertically with no additional horizontal adjustment…and I have two pieces of beveled siding above.

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4173972/51855527.jpg

From that small 140BF log I recover 29 pieces of siding and a half dozen 4/4 boards that will clean up to 1X6 trim, in addition to some tapered pith waste useful for lath and outdoor chairs. As this is a relatively clear butt log, 21 pieces grade out to No. 1, 8” siding worth over a dollar a linear foot. All-in-all…over $300 retail value in lumber from $150 in log and about an hour’s time.

Making a jig and cutting 400, 18” cedar shingles will be next.

[Walt Pater]

Bob, I am really impressed with your versatility, and your good-natured patience. "No sweat, I'll take a day a cut some more?" I wish I had that.
By the way: apparently, the sawdust and sap from WRC is really, really bad for saw milling equipment. Really bad. I'm surprised that yours still works. What I can do, though, is come get yours, take it back to my place, and I can fix it for you, cheap. It might take some time, say, six months or so, but when you get it back, it'll run like a dream. I can also put a new "warning" sticker on it for you. That'll take another couple of months, but hey-safety first.
Seriously- I really look forward to your informative, well-illustrated posts. Keep 'em coming.

[Tyler Howell]

Walt, What a guy. So helpful!:D
Bob thanks. Another lesson in wood lore!;)