Oak boards thickness
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4570Man
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Cut it 1". I prefer not planing until I'm ready. If you do plane it to 7/8.
newbury
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C'mon -
Give us hints as to what your projects are.
I like 3 to 4 inches for tabletops, 2 inches for trailer decking.
Give us hints as to what your projects are.
I like 3 to 4 inches for tabletops, 2 inches for trailer decking.
Egon
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How big is the log? Will it be quarter, rift or flat sawn?
Yeah, I am thinking about 25 mm.
I will be redoing our living room, and sell the rest.
Logs are 50 - 60 cm (20 -23 in) in diameter. Quarter, rift or flat sawn? That's another great question. What would you do?
I will be redoing our living room, and sell the rest.
Logs are 50 - 60 cm (20 -23 in) in diameter. Quarter, rift or flat sawn? That's another great question. What would you do?
Egon
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With no idea of quanity required I'd go with flat saw at one inch for the living room with one log. With the other log I'd go for a mix of cuts with some three inch quarter sawn and the rest cut flat or rift sawn to make for the best use of the log.
Deere Dude
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I had a few logs cut 4 years ago and had it all cut 1".
1" might be easier to sell later and more projects to use it on unless you had something specific a thicker piece would be used for.
1" might be easier to sell later and more projects to use it on unless you had something specific a thicker piece would be used for.
Sawyer Rob
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As a sawyer, I can assure you that more wood has been wasted from being cut too thin in the first place, than cut too thick!
There's a reason the "standard" lumber thickness off the mill is 5/4. (I-1/4")
I mill my lumber 5/4 and AFTER it's dry and ready to use, I plane it to fit the job it's headed too.
SR
There's a reason the "standard" lumber thickness off the mill is 5/4. (I-1/4")
I mill my lumber 5/4 and AFTER it's dry and ready to use, I plane it to fit the job it's headed too.
SR
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dragoneggs
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Agreed... 5/4 rough sawn unless you have specific projects in mind that require thicker.
TnAndy
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Most hardwood lumber is sawed on the 'quarter' system...4/4, 5/4, 6/4, etc. Each scale has an 1/8" built into it because old circle mills were notoriously inaccurate, and the end user, such as flooring mills for example, wanted to end up with a solid 3/4" thickness for their flooring after planing.
That means if you saw 4/4 lumber, you "should" end up with a green board 1 1/8" thick. You'll lose maybe a 1/32-1/16 of thickness in drying, leaving plenty to plane to give a 3/4" finish.
Unless you know in advance you have a project requiring 5/4 or thicker lumber, cutting the extra thickness to later pile it up in planer chips is a waste of wood, in my opinion.
I saw on a bandmill, for myself mostly, and I grade as I saw the log. The better grade stuff, I saw on the quarter system. The heart wood, and lower grade logs, I saw on the inch scale, which after saw kerf and drying, leaves me about a 7/8" board. Since I'm going to use the lower grade stuff for sheathing or pallets, or boxes and not plane it, that works fine
That means if you saw 4/4 lumber, you "should" end up with a green board 1 1/8" thick. You'll lose maybe a 1/32-1/16 of thickness in drying, leaving plenty to plane to give a 3/4" finish.
Unless you know in advance you have a project requiring 5/4 or thicker lumber, cutting the extra thickness to later pile it up in planer chips is a waste of wood, in my opinion.
I saw on a bandmill, for myself mostly, and I grade as I saw the log. The better grade stuff, I saw on the quarter system. The heart wood, and lower grade logs, I saw on the inch scale, which after saw kerf and drying, leaves me about a 7/8" board. Since I'm going to use the lower grade stuff for sheathing or pallets, or boxes and not plane it, that works fine
Sawyer Rob
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The problem with sawing at 4/4 is, it assumes that all lumber will dry perfectly flat or nearly so...
BUT, that isn't what happens in my world and also, most times I like my lumber to finish out a bit more than 3/4" too...
Like for instance, a table top, (they use the most lumber) they look MUCH better thicker. And that allows me to decorate (route) the edge too... Same with cutting boards ect....
SR
BUT, that isn't what happens in my world and also, most times I like my lumber to finish out a bit more than 3/4" too...
Like for instance, a table top, (they use the most lumber) they look MUCH better thicker. And that allows me to decorate (route) the edge too... Same with cutting boards ect....
SR
TnAndy
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Which is certainly a reason to cut 5/4, or thicker. I cut everything from 1" to 8-10" thick stuff for fireplace mantels, but try to have a plan in mind for what I'm cutting when I'm cutting it.
But to routinely cut that thick for lumber that will end up 3/4" finished I still contend is a waste of lumber turned into planer shavings.
It would be a good idea for you to paint the ends of the logs, especially if you wait that long to saw them. That will prevent splitting on the ends of the boards. The sooner you cut the logs after felling the trees, the sooner the lumber will be dry and ready to use.
Sawyer Rob
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Coat the ends of the logs with Anchorseal (from UC Coatings) and mill them ASAP!!
SR
SR
scott_vt
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Good Afternoon Rosso,
I totally agree with Sawyer Rob, I would much rather make a few extra wood chips joining or planing a board, than not having sufficient stock to make a flat straight board at the right thickness !
Im not a sawyer but I have milled a lot of lumber for various wood working projects.
Also take a look on You Tube for some very good information on proper stickering techniques, for keeping your boards flat and straight. And yes, coat the end grain of your boards with Anchor Seal or something similar !
scotty
I totally agree with Sawyer Rob, I would much rather make a few extra wood chips joining or planing a board, than not having sufficient stock to make a flat straight board at the right thickness !
Im not a sawyer but I have milled a lot of lumber for various wood working projects.
Also take a look on You Tube for some very good information on proper stickering techniques, for keeping your boards flat and straight. And yes, coat the end grain of your boards with Anchor Seal or something similar !
scotty
