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Thread: Pre-Florence Takedown . . .

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
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    Winston Salem, NC
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    Pre-Florence Takedown . . .

    So, the Sunday before Florence hit the mainland, I was awakened by a bit of a crash and thud. Just behind my house there were two red oaks that were planted/grew close enough to each other that they essentially shared a rootball. Well, 3" of rain in an hour and microbursts finally caused them to "make a wish". One fell across two neighbor's property, and the other took out my 3 cars and part of my house . . . as well as a White Oak and a good sized dogwood.

    So in retribution, and because waste not/want not, I would like to have the stems that are still good sawed up. I know that most on here don't like Red Oak for various reasons, and I do understand. But I also have a 10' long, 4.5' diameter section of white oak, and several good sized sections of dogwood that I'd love to mill up. Is there anyone recommended in or around the Triad of NC (Winston Salem would be ideal) that has a mill that can handle something of that size . . . as I may be stout - but I can't move it from where they left it.

  2. #2
    Sounds like "Northern red oaks" ,in the South they tend to have small root systems. One couple here had to move out for a whole year to get the house put back together. I would get rid of any that could hit the house.

  3. #3
    I don't know anyone to recommend---but if you do it, have the oak quartersawn. You can use a chainsaw mill to make the first couple cuts on the logs that'd otherwise be too big to cut on a standard mill.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
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    Michigan
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    A portable mill is one way to go. An alternative that may work out better is to haul them to a mill. I had a Maple log cut into two sections 18 ft long and had a flat top tow truck winch them aboard and take to the mill. Had it milled to 2" thick and 8 ft long. Hauled it home on a trailer. Dried it in my garage.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    This is a real problem. I've dealt with a 48" log and I don't want to ever do it again. 4.5' is too big for a typical bandmill. Mine will cut up to 28" if everything is just so but even that's a lot of work. And just loading and hauling a log that heavy is a serious job.

    A swing mill can handle almost any size - it can be set up around a log where it is. But it uses a circular saw blade and can't cut wide slabs. It is possible to rip it into manageable pieces (quadrants) with a chainsaw with a long bar but I'd hate to do it. There is a old-timey way that uses gunpowder to split a log but probably not practical unless you live way out in the countryside. I've seen pictures of custom chainsaw mills that might do it.

    Red oak is great wood. Perhaps currently out of favor but I think certainly worth milling.

  6. #6
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    Nov 2017
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    Winston Salem, NC
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    Nope, I'm in the city, so gunpowder is right out. I have been giving the quadrant idea some thought, as I have access to a saw with a 36" bar. What I'm looking for is two finished slabs 30" wide by 5" thick for a workbench - one for the top and the other to be ripped into legs and bracing. Everything else would be done up into lumber. I figure squaring the sides could get it down to that point, and then cut the "tops" off which would be easier to run through a bandsaw mill. or at least a chainsaw mill. However it's going to have to sit for about 6-8 months at this point, because damage to the house requires quite a bit of rearranging of items to the basement in prep for demo/reconstruction. So this puppy is going to be air drying for a while until the house is sorted, and then I can get back to making and acting on this decision.

    Thanks for the suggestions

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    E TN, near Knoxville
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    Oak boards and slabs can warp a lot when drying due to the T/R ratio, the ratio of amount of shrinkage tangent to the rings to that in the radial direction. If the grain is straight you can minimize cupping by cutting the slabs as close to perfectly quartersawn as possible. You can minimize twist by cutting the slab so the grain direction down the length is parallel to the center of the slab in both axes - parallel to both the top/bottom faces and the edge faces. If the grain in the log is not straight you just have to cut it oversize and straighten after drying. When ready to slice up it might be easier to square the log into a "cant" to get a better look at the grain before planning the slabbing cuts. If ripping with a chainsaw it will be a lot easier with a special ripping chain.

    A log that big won't dry significantly inside for decades or longer and it would be firewood by then. If it is possible to hoist it to a vertical or near-vertical position a lot of the free water will run out the end while you wait to mill it, giving a small jump start on air drying the slabs. However, it's probably just as good (and a lot safer!) to stand the slabs on end for a few days before stickering.

    It is best to seal the end grain of the log well with a couple of coats of Anchorseal to minimizes drying cracks on the ends. If not yet sealed, it's likely checks and cracks have already started if you've had any dry weather. If that's the case I've had some success with cutting away any existing cracks and immediately sealing the fresh wood.

    Regardless, if milling is delayed I'd remove the bark to discourage insects then if possible jack or roll the log onto something to get it a few inches off the ground, then cover with something to keep the sun off. You can easily roll a large log with a winch, come-along, or a vehicle. Wrap multiple loops of chain (or cable) around the log such that the free end of the chain comes off the top og the log in the direction you want to move it, then pull the chain. (I suspect there is a youtube video out there showing this technique.) I've loaded long 24-30" dia logs on a trailer by rolling them up i-beam ramps. (I have a 50' length of 3/8" chain). If you try moving a log like this be very careful.

    Some years ago I sawed some 5" thick white oak planks to make outdoor steps for my house. I stickered and weighted them for several years but of course they were not even close to dry by then. I bolted them together with risers to a concrete slab and they didn't warp much. For benchtop use I'd cut oversize and plan on flattening when dry. I have no idea how long your red oak slabs will take to dry. I usually air dry wood that thick for 8-10 years before I use it for woodturning. It would be a lot quicker to dry and perhaps make a better benchtop to mill into thinner boards (e.g. 4/4 or 6/4), dry and flatten, then glue together. (Kiln dry?) This would also eliminate the dissapointment of a wide slab splitting when drying.

    JKJ

    Quote Originally Posted by Flamone LaChaud View Post
    Nope, I'm in the city, so gunpowder is right out. I have been giving the quadrant idea some thought, as I have access to a saw with a 36" bar. What I'm looking for is two finished slabs 30" wide by 5" thick for a workbench - one for the top and the other to be ripped into legs and bracing. Everything else would be done up into lumber. I figure squaring the sides could get it down to that point, and then cut the "tops" off which would be easier to run through a bandsaw mill. or at least a chainsaw mill. However it's going to have to sit for about 6-8 months at this point, because damage to the house requires quite a bit of rearranging of items to the basement in prep for demo/reconstruction. So this puppy is going to be air drying for a while until the house is sorted, and then I can get back to making and acting on this decision.

    Thanks for the suggestions

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
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    11,247
    A couple of years ago I found myself the proud recipient of 3 red oak logs, one was 26" in diameter, one 32" and one almost 48".

    I split the log into quarters by making a shallow (maybe 3"deep?) groove down the log on opposite sides, then cut a pocket in the end. I put a small hydraulic jack in the pocket and split the log in half.

    I repeated the splitting twice more to obtain 4 quarters which I milled into quarter sawn red oak (I hate flat sawn red oak).

    It actually wasn't that much work............Rod.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    E TN, near Knoxville
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    That's a great idea, much quieter than the black powder method!

    I have some 30" white oak logs now I and I might try that. I have a PortaPower hydraulic ram with a variety of cylinders. I'll bet I could use a combination of wedges and jacks to split them. I might be able to get the half log on my mill after just one split. I need to cut some thick planks for some outdoor steps.

    Quote Originally Posted by Rod Sheridan View Post
    I split the log into quarters by making a shallow (maybe 3"deep?) groove down the log on opposite sides, then cut a pocket in the end. I put a small hydraulic jack in the pocket and split the log in half.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    New Hill, NC
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    2,568
    Quote Originally Posted by Flamone LaChaud View Post
    So, the Sunday before Florence hit the mainland, I was awakened by a bit of a crash and thud. Just behind my house there were two red oaks that were planted/grew close enough to each other that they essentially shared a rootball. Well, 3" of rain in an hour and microbursts finally caused them to "make a wish". One fell across two neighbor's property, and the other took out my 3 cars and part of my house . . . as well as a White Oak and a good sized dogwood.

    So in retribution, and because waste not/want not, I would like to have the stems that are still good sawed up. I know that most on here don't like Red Oak for various reasons, and I do understand. But I also have a 10' long, 4.5' diameter section of white oak, and several good sized sections of dogwood that I'd love to mill up. Is there anyone recommended in or around the Triad of NC (Winston Salem would be ideal) that has a mill that can handle something of that size . . . as I may be stout - but I can't move it from where they left it.
    Flamone, there are not a lot of millers around that can process a 54" diameter log. I can at my mill yard in New Hill, NC, and east of you Frank Seaforth can handle them in Old Fort, and Dean Curfman can handle them in Morganton (but I don't know if Dean will mill for others).

    None of us will go mobile (with few exceptions). If you want to transport the log(s) to me, we can full width slab and/or quartersaw them for you.

    Do you know which species of red oak it is? IF not can you post a photo of the leaves to assist with identification?

    Regards,

    Scott

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Winston Salem, NC
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    133
    Hi Scott
    The Red Oak is gone to a far better place (someone wanted firewood) . . . But I still have the massive White Oak and Dogwood.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    New Hill, NC
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flamone LaChaud View Post
    Hi Scott
    The Red Oak is gone to a far better place (someone wanted firewood) . . . But I still have the massive White Oak and Dogwood.
    From a portable standpoint, if your logs are less than 30” diameter than most portable band mills can come to you and do the milling. When you get over 36”, you’re into swing-blade or dedicated slabber territory, and it may be more cost effective to bring the log to the mill.

    Both WO and Dogwood are worth milling. Re the WO, if it is large than 20” diameter you should consider quartersawing it.

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