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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NSW
    Posts
    90

    Default Cutting quartersawn cants with a CSM

    Hi all. Just hoping for some collective wisdom.

    My parents have a property on the NSW sth coast and will be having a few spotted gums felled, they are getting huge and threatening the house and shed.

    They are a mix of sizes, but at least 2 really good ones - at least 3 ft at breast height.

    I already have timber coming out of my ears, however my folks will just chop this into firewood if i dont try and do something with it, and will use this as an excuse to get a CSM.

    I have no interest in slabbing it, and instead would love to (very eventually) build a smallish timber sailing dingy, about 14 ft or so with the logs.

    Such a project would need a quantity of quarter sawn timber of various dimentions. I realize the difficulty in obtaining this solely with a CSM, so here is my plan, and i welcome any further input.

    I have access to a 400mm tablesaw, wich can rip approximately 140mm deep, and will be buying a big chinese chainsaw and ebay special mill (no i dont expect amazing performance or for it to be passed down to my grandkids). Plus a serious jointer, thicknesser and spindle.

    So the plan.

    Break down the logs into appropriate lengths (longest boards i hope for are 5 meters) plus a variety of shorter ones for other components dependant upon branches etc (im chasing high grade timber so want to avoid knots where i can)

    Then take the thickest possible core centered slab from the center of the log, measured from where the growth rings begin to drift too far from quarter. They will be different for each log.

    From these slabs, use the CSM to rip the core out, and break into 140mm wide cants of various thicknesses, which i will eventually break down into quarter sawn boards on the rip saw (i assume less wastage this way).

    With the remaining 2 'roundback' slabs, rip out another set of 2 quarter sawn slabs (this time with the core having already been removed) and break down futher untill they can be put over the rip saw, again dependant upon the log.

    A few questions on this process.

    Biggest one is keeping stability on the secondary CSM cuts. I expect that i may have to stack and clamp/screw a few together to assist with stability, however any tips would be appreciated.

    Secondly what to do with the sapwood? Can i just leave it on and let it get nibbled away by borers while it seasons, or will this impact the heartwood?

    Also what could be done with the radially sawn wedges that will be left? Im thinking about keeping them to rip into narrow quarterish sawn peices. Any other ideas?

    Yes i know it sounds like hard work, but ive watched these trees grow my whole life and would love to put them to a new use.

    Cheers, Steve.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    27,757

    Default

    I've milled over 150 logs with CSM and BSMs.
    Of these, one small log was 1/4 sawed with a CSM and 2 larger ones with the BSM, and that was enough for me.
    I figured that if you slab enough logs and about 1/4 of each log is close enough to being 1/4 saw then its just easier to slab logs and pick the 1/4 saw slabs out from those.

    A few suggestions
    3ft diameter x 5m long cuts are going to kill any cheap saw.
    You will probably be better off buying a used brand name than a new chinese saw.

    Hope you have forklift or tractor to handle that size stuff.

    For stability one possibility is to make up a pair of large clamps similar to these I made up for the BSM I occasionally use.
    The uprights can be tilted over to accomodate different heights of cut.
    The clamps work fine but rolling and positioning the 1/2 and 1/4 cylindrical cants even with a forklift was a right PITA
    Loggrippers.jpg

    I realize these sorts of clamps would be a major investment in time and effort to make but the last thing you want is the cants t o roll on you and the saw in the middle of a cut.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NSW
    Posts
    90

    Default

    Thanks Bobl

    Yep have a tractor.

    My uninformed thought was that by avoiding cutting through the heart and going say 100 mm either side of centre the width of cut would be significantly reduced and have less load on the saw. And was planning on only needing 2 wide cuts per log.

    Even at second hand i reckon i could buy 2 chinese saws for the same price, but understand your reasoning.

    Nice clamp setup, but was hoping for a little more rustic and simple- 200mm bugle heads is what im thinking at this stage.....
    Last edited by sleake; 16th April 2019 at 12:00 PM. Reason: Missed info

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    27,757

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by sleake View Post
    Thanks Bobl
    Yep have a tractor.
    Whew!

    My uninformed thought was that by avoiding cutting through the heart and going say 100 mm either side of centre the width of cut would be significantly reduced and have less load on the saw.
    Nope - if you do the arithmetic it works out that the full width of the cut 100mm from the centre of a 900mm diameter will be ~880 mm.
    Even at 200 from the centre the cut width is ~800mm!
    Thats all big saw territory even more so in long wood.

    The width is less of an issue than the proposed 5m lengths of the cuts.
    5m is a LONG way.
    In such a long wide cut I would be pulling the saw out about half way and touching up the chain otherwise you will kill even a branded name saw.
    CSMing is about 50% about the chain and 50% about saw power.

    Even at second hand i reckon i could buy 2 chinese saws for the same price, but understand your reasoning.
    Sure but even a used well maintained brand names saw will last a lot longer.

    Nice clamp setup, but was hoping for a little more rustic and simple- 200mm bugle heads is what im thinking at this stage.....
    Sure I understand.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NSW
    Posts
    90

    Default

    Hmm guess i should have paid more attention in yr 8 maths!

    Maby lucasmill hire is the way to go to break these buggers down..... there is a guy just up the road from these trees.

    Yeah 5 meters is alot of wood.....

    Sure makes it sound like hard work! Haha

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    27,757

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by sleake View Post
    Hmm guess i should have paid more attention in yr 8 maths!
    yeah it’s not that intuitive.

    Maby lucasmill hire is the way to go to break these buggers down..... there is a guy just up the road from these trees.
    by the time the Lucas guy sets up you’ll find it costs very little more to mill the whole tree , but of course he won’t 1/4 saw.

    Yeah 5 meters is alot of wood.....
    Sure is!
    Sure makes it sound like hard work! Haha
    I’ve milled a couple of 5 m long logs but the were 450 mm wide soft woods.
    Wide Spotty is challenging even at 2.5 m especially if you have never milled before.
    the longest I usually mill is 4 m.

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