Cutting a log.

MS-310 · Feb 17, 2006

Hay guys,

I work at a small wood shop and we have CNC routers and all kinds of wood working equipment. We had this dry kiln for almost a year and I'm making a new one but I have seen 2 red oak trees I would like to cut down for lumber is there a way to cut the trees down right or wrong. Like do you cut very far in to the tree and then spine the back side just a little. I'm just don't know.
Thanks alot
Jack.

fishhuntcutwood · Feb 17, 2006

Well there's just too much for us to talk about without even seeing the trees in question. How large are they? Where are they? Every tree is different, and has it's own set of subtle nuances. There's more than just lean to trees. There's biomass distribution, quality of holding wood, terrain, health of tree...and so on. You can at least read a couple of books. "The Fundamentals of General Tree Work" by Jerry Beranek. And "Professional Timber Falling" by D. Dent. Both should be considered required reading.

Beyond actaull cutting the tree is the consideration of where it's going to lay so as to not crack or split the tree, how you're going to get it out and so on again.

So yeah there's right and wrong ways to cut a tree. I'd say that there's more wrong. And let me try to put it in perspective: Everyone always tells me to be carefull with all of my saws when I'm out in timber, or up a tree. I tell them that the saw won't hurt me unless I let it. It's within my control, and is up to me to monitor. It's the tree that'll kill me on it's own.

Jeff

ShoerFast · Feb 17, 2006

MS-310

The best way to dry it would be to cut it dry,,,,, as in like this time of the year, before it starts taking up it's sap.

Oak is a tuff wood to dry, and red oak, to me seems to like to chack and check.

Have fun with it, as it's also some of the finest looking oak!

Kevin

CaseyForrest · Feb 17, 2006

310, where in MI are you? Maybe someone close by could come take a look.

MS-310 · Feb 22, 2006

The shop that i work at is very close to charlotte MI. Closer to vermontville.
Hay if you would like to check it out PM me and i will get you the phone number and so on.

MS-310 · Feb 22, 2006

ShoerFast said:
MS-310

The best way to dry it would be to cut it dry,,,,, as in like this time of the year, before it starts taking up it's sap.

Oak is a tuff wood to dry, and red oak, to me seems to like to chack and check.

Have fun with it, as it's also some of the finest looking oak!

Kevin

Yea oak is so very hard to dry, It takes us like 25 to 35 days to dry it down to like 5% MC. I just would like to cut it down and saw it and dry it and every thing just cuz it would be very cool.