milling thread

[friedrich]

What are the jacks doing?

the lucas mill will only cut 20cm above ground so you need to put the logs on cribbing. with heavier logs i will just cut until the mill runs out of room and then will jack up the skin and put cribbing under it.

 

[SeanKroll]

I'm wondering when a log has a lot of internal stress in it, and it splits, is it likely to just be junk, or will the stress have been relieved enough to get any good lumber out of it.

This bigleaf maple log started splitting when cut, then the crack grew a bit more. I used some splitting wedges to force the splits to the end of the log. After a week of being bucked, the largest split in the second picture was about 1", with the other 2 being smaller than 1". The other end had some slight splits. I just popped the 10-12' long log apart, now.

My guess is that its going to warp badly.

I'm trying to learn about case-hardening. Is that pertinent to this log?

 

[stikine]

Boy, I don't think I'd hold out much hope for that log yielding much straight lumber. I'll have to look up the term case hardening.

 

[Raj]

I'd cut it thick and hope for some curly or birds eye.

 

[SeanKroll]

We'll see if it becomes milled lumber or milled firewood.

 

[friedrich]

i only know case hardening from metal work is the term used for a similar thing in woodworking?

 

[lumberjack]

Case hardening happens when the outside of the wood dries faster than the inside, causing stress in the wood that presents itself when working the wood later.

In a kiln you can add water or steam during the later parts of the drying to relieve the stress.

Tests showing the stress

Showing minimal stress.

 

[Raj]

Some crap sugar maple I had.