I recently got a hobby sawmill(Woodmizer LT10). How do I cut a log so wooodturners can use the wood? I assume ya'll would be interested in the knottier sections, is that correct? If I simply cut a log into big squares, what do I do with them so they don't crack? Which kinds of wood are preferred? Which kinds of wood, if any, are undesirable for turning?
Neal
Depends on the wood turner, if they do spindles or bowls. Regardless, you will always want to saw out the center of the tree, called the kant. Can't turn kants! For spindles, 2x2, 3x3, and 4x4s are needed. For bowls, slice off a split, then cut down the center, then flip and remove the other split. cut the blanks to length. The length longer than the width to allow for checking.
Depends on the wood turner.
You want to seal the end grain immediately with Anchor Seal.
What Dan means to say is don't expect a turner to buy a boxed heart. His definition and spelling of cant are a bit different from mine.
I'd slab one side to ~4", then take take a timber, planning to leave two or three 4/4 boards through center. Flip the broad side up against the bunks and slab the opposite. The boards can be edged to take the heart out and sold as quartersawn specialty lumber for framers, the rest to turners. Leave the wane alone, it won't be in the way if they're taking a bowl. Best to sell the entire log or half, leaving the protection of end grain to the purchaser.
If you are going to crosscut for them, leave an extra three inches in length over the width of the piece and seal the ends to slow checking. You'll want to select your cuts with an eye to the knots, realizing that a bowl will be tapered, allowing an angled knot to parallel the wall, though turners don't generally care to have one going through. They'll choose how close they want to get to the figure around a knot for final turning, just give them a bit of room to the end of the blank. Charge a _lot_ more for this service, as you will lose some to bad calls regardless, and good business practice will dictate replacement of those that split right away for the customer. Use an end-grain sealant. The one mentioned is a water emulsion wax.
Leg blanks are basically 12/4 stock, and can be taken instead of boards when you saw across the heart. Box it out, sell in 36" length to allow a 32" leg, or just sell half length and let them turn boxes.
Hi Neal, I composed a visual guide on how to cut blanks for another group I was in.
You can view and save this pdf presentation from this url.
Hi Neal
I turn mainly bowls, and yes I do turn other stuff, but it is mainly from wood that I am unable to use for bowls.
And no I do not make blanks and store to use later for turning, if at all possible I keep my wood in log form as long and big as I can handle, does not always work out, but I try.
The reason is every time you cut the wood you open a face to dry out, and that means splitting, you need to seal the wood, trying to minimize that and cut extra length to be cut away later, all this is very wasteful.
So I cut and turn , cut and turn, and on.
My blanks are basically half logs, the log is chain sawed through the pit (that's not always the centre) and the pith is centered in the half log, unless the log is to big and I might cut a slab for a platter or shallow dish first, I do this more so if there is nice grain like in a crotch piece that is cut through the pith of the main stem and branches.
Most turners like free wood if they can get a hold of it, but do buy curly and burl wood, some are into hollow form turning and artsy forms, for the curly wood and burls most do not like surprises but solid wood, and for the artsy wood well thats rarely made from cutup logs.
No I am not telling you what or how to cut , just how and what some turners do and use, communication and showing what you have will be your challenge, good luck.
Here are a couple of links to turners that show how they cut up their wood.
Cad, thanks for the pdf on cutting logs. It is nice info to have.
Bruce
cad wrote:
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