Resawing 2' stock

[Jim Becker]

Along the lines of what Johnny just wrote, if resawing with the band mill reveals more movement than would be expected from just moisture imbalance, the option to rip narrower is still there. I'd be more concerned about twist or bowing lengthwise in that respect and that can happen with narrow boards just as well as with wide boards. So I remain of the mind that I'd do the bandmill resaw first and then make plans from there since there is still a need to get it thinner anyway, regardless of other operations that may or may not become necessary depending on "the mood of the tree".

[Josko Catipovic]

We resawed on a small bandsaw mill - very anticlimactic. Nothing bad happened. Started out cutting to 6/4 expecting some movement, but after seeing none on the first couple planks, decided to go to desired thickness (4/4). We did loose a couple planks to cracking while handling/transporting after sawing. It seems 2' 4/4 white pine is rather fragile. It's all stickered now in the shop, and hopefully won't do anything exciting. Humidity spot-checks place it all at 9-10%
A related question is whether this is a reasonable way of sourcing wood. I posted earlier (https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread....-sourcing-wood) about having to look for a new lumber source, and going to sawmills instead of KD FAS stock from a lumberyard. I've been buying 8/4 (or thicker, basically the heaviest planks i can handle) sequentially sawn green stock, stashing it in a shed, and planning on resawing (in advance of) when I need it. I''d be curious to hear of the pitfalls of getting wood this way.

[Jim Becker]

The biggest challenge with sourcing material like that is less about drying it, which most folks can do properly if they want to; rather, it's more about insuring over time that it doesn't have "critters". Sometime this year I'll be having a bunch of ash and a few other things milled here on my property (ash borer devastation). I'll be stacking and stickering it for a requisite amount of time, but will also likely take it for further KD just to be sure it's clean. One thing...don't stash it in your shed until it's already been air dried with proper ventilation stacked outside. You need that air movement to wick off the moisture. Once it's down reasonably close to where it will likely go, they you can warehouse it. But even then, I suggest keeping it stickered for good air flow.

[Brian Holcombe]

Glad it worked out!