# How do you decide what to saw?



## WadePatton (Dec 14, 2011)

Danminmint, my Alaskan came today, picked it up right after sending second load to the log yard. Whooped it together, went back to the woods, set up a log...and then

well what do i want to do? do i want 4x4 plus boards, a single 8x8, all boards? I suppose I'm going to have to create a project list (projects needing lumber as a sub-list) and prioritize according to that. I should also surely concern myself with learning the setup and all that first.

But it got dark on me before i could set up a support for the first cut. rain tomorrow.

So i came home a bought a 6 cube saw. :hmm3grin2orange:

When you have no spec to saw to, what do you? Slab it and resaw later?

projects include: gunstock blanks, deer blinds, outbuildings, barn lumber (patch up), small cabin, and such. right now i have a 10" poplar set up to start learnin' on. there'll be many more of those, plus cherry, locust, persimmon, sassafras, hickory, ash, oak, walnut, southern hardwoods yo.


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## BobL (Dec 14, 2011)

When in doubt I saw 2" or 2.5"
If the timber is potential table material I saw one slab at 4" for potential legs etc


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## betterbuilt (Dec 15, 2011)

I'm the same as BobL. I saw 2 1/4 or 2 5/8. Anything else I need I go to the mill and pick it up. It takes them thirty minutes to make what would take me days. Also they aren't making as much sawdust as I do. 

My rule of thumb for my logs if it's 24 inches or smaller it goes to the mill. If its bigger it gets milled on site.


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## Sawyer Rob (Dec 15, 2011)

First thing you should saw out is, some timbers (i like 7x9's) out of lower grade logs to put your lumber on to dry.

You are going to NEED them, so why not saw them out first and get started on building a place to dry this lumber you will be milling out??

Rob


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## WadePatton (Dec 15, 2011)

i'm starting out on small stuff-too short or little to go to the log buyer at this point. i realize that setup takes the same time effort for any size, but hope that little wood saws a touch faster. 

more time than sense and less money than enthusiasm.

btw this one is long and straight and has 5 or 6" square post written all over it.

rain is in my county already...


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## betterbuilt (Dec 15, 2011)

A while back I cut some trees for a lady and I took them to bandmill to have them milled. I told the sawyer to mill the biggest square he could and the rest boards. Most of the logs were 8-10. I ended up with a great stock pile of 4x4,5x5,6x6. I've always remembered how useful that was. There's nothing more satisfing then having a 6x6 when you need a 6x6. 

Go make some saw dust and hurry back with some pictures.


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## tomsteve (Dec 15, 2011)

i dont own a mill, so i come on here, surf some pictures and say," yup...i'd cut that and do it that way.":biggrin:


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## WadePatton (Dec 15, 2011)

tomsteve said:


> i dont own a mill, so i come on here, surf some pictures and say," yup...i'd cut that and do it that way.":biggrin:



KEEP surfing here and you'll find your saws multiplying and mill "needs" ever increasing. fair warning. 

Yup, for the Poplar-post and bds is probably the way to go-and I have lots of that. It'll be easier to decide when i'm milling the less plentiful hardwoods. Poplar and Sassafras dominate my place with Cherry being the most plentiful wood of higher value. 

I can't afford to pay for sawing at this time, but likewise can't afford not to jump on this opportunity while we're cutting the big stuff for mkt. My production rate will likely exceed my construction rate-until i get to the cabin project.


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## Talltom (Dec 15, 2011)

Welcome to the guessing game, Wade. There's no substitute for knowing exactly what you need before you cut it, but that will seldom happen. You're on the right track identifying species and planning their use to maximize value. Longer and bigger pieces are the most difficult to get, so identify the logs for these first. It's best to have some back-up logs, as it isn't unusual that you won't get what you thought you would out of a log, e.g., big knot in the middle of a beam. 

The problem with cutting cants and then resawing as you identify your needs is that they take much longer to dry. If they warp while drying, they can be difficult to resaw and they tend to warp as they are being resawn since the outside is drier than the inside. I wouldn't avoid storing cants completely, but as long as you have a reasonable idea what you want, it's best to cut to that thickness right away. My default setting for furniture grade wood is 5/4. Nothing wrong with cutting different thicknesses from a single log, but it does make stacking more difficult.

If you mean tulip poplar, long & straight is the rule rather than the exception. It's a good utility wood that will take a nail without splitting & is also used for paint grade moldings and as a secondary wood for furniture. It's not especially strong but is fine as timbers and posts, but will rot within a year in contact with the ground. It makes good 2x4's for framing.

Sawyer Rob makes a good point - your most immediate need will be for storing and drying your wood. I make almost all my stickers out of tulip poplar. You're not going to get many 2x boards out of a 10" log, so I would cut 1" boards for stickers. Unless you already have stickers ready, move the boards indoors right away and dry them as fast as possible. You'll need a couple hundred stickers this year and a couple million eventually. 

It's a good idea to have storage space for air drying ready before you cut. If you don't, store this winter's yield in your garage until you have as more permanent spot.


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## smokinj (Dec 15, 2011)

BobL said:


> When in doubt I saw 2" or 2.5"
> If the timber is potential table material I saw one slab at 4" for potential legs etc



I do the same. Best to look at your log in the fourm it will become......Resaw good to. lol


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## WadePatton (Dec 15, 2011)

Thanks all and TT. Yes, on the Poplar, tulip/yellow it is and the straightness surprised me because most of the logging leftovers are knotty and bowed/twisted/rotten sections and ends from the bucking process. Yes, the mid-sized 40-50 footers left standing are the fodder for my future cabin.

AND before someone jumps in and says "too much work for a cabin", please note that it's a small cabin for me and two dogs, _and_ that i was planning to hew with a broadaxe and/or adze.

CSM should allow for more consistent sizing and produce lumber from the wastes instead of large chips good only for fire starting and coarse mulch. Either way i can also peel the bark and use it for siding. My closest neighbor to the site lives in a 100+ year old Poplar cabin-based house. 5" thick walls


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