About ten years ago I cut down a "Silver Dollar" eucalyptus tree in my
front yard. I cut the trunk into rounds about 18" - 24" long, the
diameter ranged from 14" to maybe 20". I tried splitting them right
afterwards for firewood, but the stuff was tough as magic nails, and
didn't split at all. So I threw them in my sideyard and let them sit
since. The other day I noticed the rounds were covered with fungus
and looked weathered. "Lightbulb: spalted wood".
So I hauled a small round into my woodshop and tried to saw a flatsawn
board off to see all the pretty grain and stuff, using a bow saw with
a rough ripping blade (I got no other means). An hour later, I'd made
a cut maybe 1" deep into the end of the log. The sawdust looked like
it came from a fresh log, and the wood is still hard and tough. This
method isn't efficient, and that dog won't hunt.
Any better way to mill boards from these rounds? I have a light-duty
chain saw, but don't see that working either. I can't imagine a saw
mill would take such a small job, or that it would be economically
feasible.
Sacramento - Fairfeild area, CA
Thanks a heap,
Zz
On May 7, 10:53 am, Zz Yzx <[email protected]> wrote:
> About ten years ago I cut down a "Silver Dollar" eucalyptus tree in my
> front yard. I cut the trunk into rounds about 18" - 24" long, the
> diameter ranged from 14" to maybe 20". I tried splitting them right
> afterwards for firewood, but the stuff was tough as magic nails, and
> didn't split at all. So I threw them in my sideyard and let them sit
> since. The other day I noticed the rounds were covered with fungus
> and looked weathered. "Lightbulb: spalted wood".
>
> So I hauled a small round into my woodshop and tried to saw a flatsawn
> board off to see all the pretty grain and stuff, using a bow saw with
> ...
>
> Any better way to mill boards from these rounds? I have a light-duty
> chain saw, but don't see that working either. I can't imagine a saw
> mill would take such a small job, or that it would be economically
> feasible.
>
If it really was a ripping blade it sounds like it needs
to be sharpened. It should have big teeth, four teeth
per inch (TPI) would be about right I would think. You
need big teeth for resawing.
You can make one of these:
http://www.hyperkitten.com/woodworking/frame_saw.php3
A good hardwood is best, but Doug fir would probably do.
Taking to someone with a bandsaw would be my first choice,
if one were available.
You could also take up bowl turning...
--
FF
Zz Yzx <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I cut the trunk into rounds about 18" - 24" long, the
> diameter ranged from 14" to maybe 20".
[...]
> Any better way to mill boards from these rounds?
I've been working with similar small sized logs and over time milling
them into small boards. What I've been doing is splitting the logs
into quarters with a wedge and maul. You mentioned you had tried
splitting the logs, not long after they had initially been cut, but
didn't have any success. If they're dry now, they may split better.
Once I have my log in quarters, if the wood is dry enough, I'll
then anchor a piece to some scrap plywood with a couple of screws
one of the rough flat sides and then run it through the bandsaw.
Flip the piece around to the other rough flat, anchor to the plywood
again, and run it through again. At the point I should have two
relatively flat sides to my log quarter and I no longer need the
plywood to act as a sled going through the bandsaw. Now I can just
flip the quarter back and forth slicing off pieces. I then wind up
with quarter sawn pieces of whatever I've got. The pieces are
small--but that's fine for what I use it for.
If you don't have a bandsaw, you might try checking to see if you've
got a local woodworking or turning group in your area and see if
someone in the group has a bandsaw that would be willing to help.
--
If you want to reply via email, change the obvious words to numbers and
remove ".invalid".
Zz Yzx wrote:
> About ten years ago I cut down a "Silver Dollar" eucalyptus tree in my
> front yard. I cut the trunk into rounds about 18" - 24" long, the
> diameter ranged from 14" to maybe 20". I tried splitting them right
> afterwards for firewood, but the stuff was tough as magic nails, and
> didn't split at all. So I threw them in my sideyard and let them sit
> since. The other day I noticed the rounds were covered with fungus
> and looked weathered. "Lightbulb: spalted wood".
>
> So I hauled a small round into my woodshop and tried to saw a flatsawn
> board off to see all the pretty grain and stuff, using a bow saw with
> a rough ripping blade (I got no other means). An hour later, I'd made
> a cut maybe 1" deep into the end of the log. The sawdust looked like
> it came from a fresh log, and the wood is still hard and tough. This
> method isn't efficient, and that dog won't hunt.
>
> Any better way to mill boards from these rounds? I have a light-duty
> chain saw, but don't see that working either. I can't imagine a saw
> mill would take such a small job, or that it would be economically
> feasible.
>
> Sacramento - Fairfeild area, CA
>
> Thanks a heap,
> Zz
Try cutting from the side rather than across the end. Most saws will
cut better this way. Chain saws cut so fast this way that they clog up
on shavings so it is better to cut diagonally rather than straight
lengthwise.
--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA
OK, I'm weird ! But I'm saving up to
be eccentric.