My first log (small scale) - Woodworking Talk

Clark · 09-17-2009, 10:36 AM

So I found a good deal on a 14" band saw (thank you craigslist) and got it set up. Couldn't' wait to try it out on something so I grabbed a bit of old dead maple from the yard and opened it up. Like I said, small scale, compared to what most of the people on this forum are into, but still lots of fun and perfectly good for small projects.
Some very evident spalting in this standing dead maple.
Can't wait to get my hands on some more stuff to open up

**Daren** · 09-17-2009, 01:52 PM

It's a good start. YEARS ago before I bought my sawmill, or even had a shop bandsaw I used to drag stuff home (cool branches, old timbers, pallet wood...) and saw it down to "project size" on my table saw. I still have a table I made from spalted sweetgum that was cribbing under a load of 6" sewer pipe on a semi I had ordered for a job. (used to run a plumbing shop) Little treasures can be found and used just about anywhere a guy looks.

**TexasTimbers** · 09-17-2009, 10:32 PM

That's some nice looking wood Clark. Every 1000 mile journey starts with a first step . . . . . . .

greg4269ub · 09-17-2009, 11:30 PM

nice little bit of wood you have there. good thing you put up some pics i heard rumors of voodoo dolls or something of the sort for not posting pics of your first logs sawed down

i sawed my first last weekend and forgot to take some pics been feeling stange ever since

i need to get them up soon should have them by the end of the weekend.

**TexasTimbers** · 09-18-2009, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greg4269ub

. . . i heard rumors of voodoo dolls or something of the sort for not posting pics of your first logs . . .

Oh no, you are confused. It's not just the first logs. It's all of them.

Clark · 09-18-2009, 10:00 AM

I had heard those voodoo rumors myself, which is one reason I was very careful to have my camera at the ready. This weekend I'm hoping to run a few more little bits and pieces through the saw and see what I come out with. I'll be sure to add more pics of anything interesting...well to me it will all be interesting so I might end up posting a few boring ones too.

Clark · 09-21-2009, 02:12 PM

I made a few more cuts of the dead maple over the weekend that turned out pretty well (see picture). However, I then tried to do the same with a bit of fresher wood, I believe it is some type of Ash that had been cut within the last month. While the maple came out pretty straight over all, the green stuff was pushing that blade around so much i was practically milling out helix shaped lumber. I know that I need a thicker blade to help with walking, is there anything else I might be doing wrong that would affect the cut so much? Or could it just be the wood itself? Pretty sure it is just my novice mistakes, but any thoughts are welcome.

don716 · 09-21-2009, 05:24 PM

If you want to do some good resawing you need a 6" riser block with a Timberwolf 3/4" 3tpi blade.Add a few extension tables around your saw and go to town.On fresh cut wood you will want to go slow and don't force the wood through the blade.If you push too fast it will wander and you will not get a straight cut.Take your time and you will get good results.
Donny

slabmaster · 10-02-2009, 09:53 PM

I use a timberwolf 1/2" 3tpi blade on my 14" Rikon band saw.And it does a fine job.Most 14" saws can't tension a 3/4" blade properly. So i use the 1/2" blade. I have resawed alot of ash on it for guitar sides and backs.

Gerry KIERNAN · 10-03-2009, 10:41 AM

I don't know how many tpi your blade is, but for slabbing small wood you should be running about 3 tpi. As Slabmaster mentioned, a wider blade tends to be more stable for ripping. Also, your blade tension might not be tight enough for the harder wood. Make sure your guide blocks, or bearings are quite close to the blade to help keep it stable.

Gerry