How to Quarter Saw the Easy Way

[@grandmaj.]

Well now, we have an older house with hardwood floors in every room, even the closets, I thought all those marks were from a bad saw job! Didn't know I had such great floors till now! We wanted to have them refinished but we were told we would hit nails so we went with carpet, when they cut out the duct holes for our HVAC we found out the floor boards are about 1 1/2" thick, some of them had the old saw mill name stamped on them. 20 years later and carpeting done twice now, I want to rip up the carpet and refinish them! That's some beautiful lumber for sure. Thanks for the video 😊

[@IronOakSawmill]

Absolutely refinish them. They will look beautiful.

[@KPVFarmer]

I love the older houses that have amazing wood floors in them. So many are covered by carpet, definitely refinish when the time is right for you.

[@DickPearson-j8w]

Gives me shivers thinking of logs not sawn to advantage-me esp ! You are a GRAIN ENGINEER! So you get the best/most out of grain=to yield beautiful grained to enjoy throughout lifetime. I learned A LOT! Thanks. Dick

[@haroldfroehlich656]

Its a lot of things to remember, a lot of work. Good job

[@m8s4lif]

Beautiful lumber by beautiful people. Hope things are going great for you and continue to do so. From Southwestern Oregon. I'm retired now. Lots of years around wood products. I really like what the two of you are doing. Quarter sawing larger high-quality logs really does make a lot of sense. Again, beautiful lumber.

[@brucewatson8451]

What a great video. I'm new to the log milling groups and it's mainly for personal and hobby use. I really liked your info and the way you presented it. I'm using a WM HM 126 and so far it's been fun, educational, and interesting for me and my wife. Thanks again, Bruce. Elma, WA.

[@adirondackwoodsman]

Just found this for quarter sawing the east way. I plan to use this myself. Thanks for taking the time to share!

[@markhowes126]

Hey Deb. Just found this video. Great job. Sorry for your loss.

[@davidedwards3734]

Beautiful wood!!!! Learning a lot from y'all!!! Have a Safe Day

[@IronOakSawmill]

Thank you David. That's one of our goals here at the mill. If you have any questions, please ask.

[@thereasoner9454]

I have a suggestion for you. If you know anyone that uses a lathe to make furniture or other things, those off cut triangles would be a great sale item. You don't need to make much due to you already spending the time. They could be cut to lathe length and shipped UPS. Good luck, and great video.

[@donaldtrabeaux5235]

Beautiful lumber and awesome job Deb and Chuck.

[@IronOakSawmill]

Thank you Don. We are glad to finally have this video done. We had folks asking to see this method, and we were finally able to show it. We have about 20 more red oak logs, and plan on making quite a bit more quarter sawn lumber.

[@realrural7876]

I've heard of quarter sawing, but I have never seen it done. Thanks for showing this.

[@IronOakSawmill]

It is a specialty lumber, and is very stable. The grain is amazing when finished

[@benzie692]

Thanks for doing this video...seems like the simplest and most logical way I have seen it explained and demonstrated to date. Helpful for beginners like me ;)

[@IronOakSawmill]

Thank you Benzie. That is exactly what out goal was. We wanted to share a straight forward way of creating Quarter Sawn. I'm glad you liked it, and I hope it works for you. If you ha e any questions, please ask.

[@andrewupson2987]

Dang it! Missed it even with the notification on. Was distracted with a car problem.

[@IronOakSawmill]

No problem. Just give a a full watch, a thumbs up, and all is well.

[@pup734]

Beautiful wood great job explaining the process

[@IronOakSawmill]

Thank you Larry. I was hoping it came across ok. Just glad to share what we learned

[@morgansword]

Long overdue to let folks who care about me know that yes, I am okay, just old. I did the swing arm on this mill I designed an it doesn't deflect a eighth of a inch when it is free arm travel. Your mill is horizontal drive and mine is vertical travel on the powerfeed. I do weigh a good one third more but its moved on just four tires like you'ns is now. Most of the ideas came from swingarm motorcycle frame work. Yet some of the drive came from a old Brockway truck from the early forties. Yes, a ton less in weight but its the ideas from old designs that did work an will work again if metal fatigue is not a factor. I hope 630 stainless face bearings will hold up on timken roller bearings. So far, everything is easy access so hopes are elevated. On a different note, I nearly missed the chance myself to see the trees that you visit in some museum. Vertical grain not a problem, its getting a tree small enough to go through any mill. Thing is, there's a zillion of them still in our national forests just rotting away because of the .0001% of our population than might ever try to see. I understand making a forest protected for all to enjoy but to lock up millions of acres for this is just wrong. Walking on foot only access for a hundred miles is in my mind, Ludicrous to think even a few of those who could would ever travel to. I was just a young teenager working for the Silver Queen Mine, it had huge timber blocking the way to this mining area that would solve our national debt to this day. The cores from drilling had ounces of gold with high zinc content and of course lead, silver, and a lot of trace minerals.... it was crazy following veins that within very few feet from the surface, wide as a two lane highway and thick! We had to leave it because of the "Wilderness Bill" and it was quite painful knowing we were in the Bill Gates today fortune level. The large fir an cedar, hemlock trees were all twenty foot plus on the stump an a hundred foot plus to the first limb. All in all, a college level crash course in government bureaucracy that drove this young man crazy at the time. I found myself wishing for things that would help everyone who was poor an find health for the sick. It doesn't work that way as people soon forget to save for the rainy day. TV changed us, it made us believe that the world wants war and we couldn't be further from the truth. I haven't met many who wished to die just because they were poor . an poor is a term that is used wrong as well. Poor compared to what? Enough Morgan as I see a book length comment coming/LOL

[@IronOakSawmill]

Hello Morgan. It is always good to hear from you. I don't know much about design engineering. I just know that this machine works great. You have an amazing history, and always a great story. I wish folks like you could write it all down, for folks to read and realize the great people that help build this country. Do t ever stop commenting. We look forward to your wit and humor as well.

[@oneinmessiah7030]

Hello Sir! I would love to hear more about the Silver Queen Mine! How can I get in touch with you?

[@patrickcreath217]

Thanks Mike. Can't wait to saw up some oak like that, as my brother and I (both retired military) are clearing a lot to build a large shed for lumber. At present we're sawing up pine beams and boards (LT35 H)👍 for that...however another brother is a logger...who I helped for 9 years. He has brought a lot of big white/red oak, honey locust, red cedar, yellow pine and tulip poplar back to the farm. He pushes pretty hard to get me to saw those big logs, but I think I should have a place to cure them first. I'm 2 yrs senior to him, so what I say goes!!🤣 What say you? Great videos btw.

[@IronOakSawmill]

You are 100% correct. Build the shed my friend. If he outranked you in the service, it doesn't count in civilian life. 😆 The logs sound like a good mix. The locust will be the toughest. The bark dulls your blades fast, and the wood is very hard. It's slow cutting for sure. It's a very reactive wood sometimes. Not as bad as black locust though. The others should be a pleasure to mill. We're glad you enjoyed the video. We just wanted to share what we learned. Thank you and your brother for your service to this great country. We owe you both a debt that can never be repayed. Please keep us informed on the milling, and the shed build.

[@EricStockfleth1]

I’m weird in the fact that I love lumber with “flaws” more than I love clear lumber. Quartersawn just makes it more beautiful. As always great informative video guys!

[@IronOakSawmill]

We are the same way. Flaws ( character) adds so much to a piece. Clear lumber is nice, but kinda boring. Quarter sawn Oak has the rays, that add the character.

[@jackjohnson291]

100% People are weird, but I’m glad to see where not alone.

[@johntillotson4254]

Your not weird

[@KPVFarmer]

Agree 💯

[@brianwestveer9532]

Thanks Deb and Chuck, I almost missed this video, and I keep asking about quarter sawn, beautiful stuff thanks again.

[@IronOakSawmill]

It's good to finally get the quarter sawing video posted. We just finished the last of the red oak QS. We now have about 800 board feet of QS red oak.

[@andybrzezin]

Great video as usual guys! Appreciate the simple explanation for something that I feel gets turned into a science experiment by some! Beautiful lumber and not much waste when taking out the narrower stock too

[@IronOakSawmill]

Thank you very much Andy. We wanted to stay away from the terminology, unless it was critical. We think it would make for a better video. I'm glad you were able to benefit from it. We were really glad we processed the smaller pieces. The grain was well worth the effort

[@sawsurgeon]

Howdy Chuck & Deb! Great educational video. Thank you so much for the detailed explanations. I have a nice White Oak to mill up for trailer decking, so I’m exploring my options. Bless’ns to ya both, Tedd

[@IronOakSawmill]

Thank you Tedd. If it's real clear, consider just making lumber. Trailer decking can be made from lower quality logs.

[@wallyknapp7023]

You could saw my oak for quarter saw if I lived by you. Excellent work!!!

[@michaelhansen6977]

Wow! Amazing wood cutting!

[@Lifeinthe906]

Beautiful quarter sawn oak. Im gonna try some at some point. lots of work on the LT 15. Thanks for sharing

[@IronOakSawmill]

Thank you very much. I think the toughest part would be the turning on the LT15. We started out with an LT15GO. An excellent machine, but you did need a good piece of support equipment to assist with some of the physical work, and to have a place to slide the larger cants to, so you didn't have to pick them off the ground.

[@jasonsahrle5448]

Great video, love the quarter sawing

[@IronOakSawmill]

Thank you Jason. This was a long time coming.

[@James-go8ct]

Growth rings 90 degrees from the face makes perfect sense now haha just had to see the video. Well done. Hopefully you can get your hands on some sycamore or cherry, I’d love to see the quarter sawn grain out of those species.

[@IronOakSawmill]

Glad to help out. Thats one thing we like to do. Share things we have learned, to help others out. We have a couple of 20" x 11 foot cherry in the log yard. Kinda rare around here. Usually they rot from the inside out well before getting that size. Sycamore is another story. Either quarter saw it, or let it sit for a year and a half, then saw it however you want. Those are to 2 best ways to handle sycamore.

[@James-go8ct]

@@IronOakSawmill where are you guys located? I’m the woodworker from malvern, we chatted on Instagram about a week ago. I sent you a picture of the one cherry board I had milled with my chainsaw mill. It had some quarter sawn grain in it. I enjoy the content and enjoy learning! I also know who to call if I ever have a tree I want milled!

[@IronOakSawmill]

@@James-go8ct I remember the cherry board. Very cool that you are close by. We are up near the Allentown area. Not far at all. We would be happy to mill some logs for you. Glad you like the content. We will be sure to keep it coming.

[@d11rdozer]

Cool process, love the results!

[@IronOakSawmill]

Thank you Dave. We had been wanting to share this process for some time now. Maybe help out another sawyer

[@mikedraper5260]

Thanks for the informative video . Looks like a great way to do quarter sawing . Rib Chuck . Hope you are doing ok Deb.

[@ronskancke1489]

I quarter saw much simpler than any of these other methods. I like a 24 to 26 inch log. Start at the top. Live edge saw it down just past half way. Flip and repeat. Take said live edge boards and snap 4 lines. 2/3 of this board will be vertices grain. The middle third is horizontal grain. Very simple.

[@daniele.woodhead1218]

Another 5 ⭐ video keep up the awesome work God bless y'all from Gaffney South Carolina viewer

[@IronOakSawmill]

Thank you very much Daniel. We were hoping folks would like it, and help them to make there own quarter sawn boards.

[@mikeandcolleenk9831]

I wish i could afford a mill to have lumber thats good. Its hard on a fixed income to get ahead. Everyone who has one i hope you help people who cant afford much. Barter, trade. Im happy for you looks like a nice mill.

[@Bryan-yl7mg]

I've seen a lot of people trying to make quarter sawing videos. Seems like most of them have no idea what that term actually means and that aggravates me to no end. Luckily for me, yours is one of 3 styles I've seen that actually work so thank you for not teaching people the wrong way lol. I was a bit concerned early on when you said it was an easier way, even though it takes longer and has more waste. Seemed counter intuitive, but I'm glad I stuck it out.

[@MichaelLyons-h4i]

That's not true quarter sawing.

[@greybeardbaldgamer]

congrats on the subscribers.

[@pjseiber2774]

Beautiful work

[@dirtygrease]

Great stuff here - huge help!

[@Michaelangelo-eh7bb]

Beautiful job

[@ernestinebass4371]

Ain't no such thing as waste, son. That's firewood!

[@jerrylittle8922]

I miss seeing Chuck and you Milling Mrs.Deb. Hope your doing ok.

[@CougarLand]

15:25 You'll need to cut some of those down to get rid of the pith...you don't want that left on those edges.

[@wallacewillard7131]

Thank you, question; I have a new mill, is it better to keep in log form or make cants until you ready for boards? Many ash trees. ..

[@IronOakSawmill]

If your logs are stored up off the ground, have space in between them to allow air flow, they should last. Keep leaves and such from building up on them, as that will hold moisture, and promote rot. Some woods that are very reactive, such as poplar, or sycamore are best to let sit for a while. This will allow them to lose some stress, and they won't react, and warp like crazy when you cut them. You can have a log where the sap wood gas rotted, but the heart wood is solid and beautiful. If you like salted maple, it's best to let the log sit up off the ground for a year or so before milling, as this will promote spalting. Bottom line, it depends on what you are working with, and what you want to get from the log. Unless you are doing lice edge, and need the sap wood to be solid, I think most could sit upwards of a year, off the ground, and spaced. Also, and this is huge. Seal the ends of your logs as soon as you can after cutting them to length. This will help prevent cracking in the ends of the logs, that will cause lumber lose. Ash will last, but I wouldn't let it sit for years.

[@clarkpiper6007]

Great video! I recommend making the first center cut as a 4/4 or 6/4 slab to remove the center of the pith. Then quart and rift saw the remaining halfs. That's the way I've gotten my favorite boards out of the sawmill. Stable and straight lumber without center zone.Do you still sawmill?

[@debfromthemill6945]

Hit the thumbs up everyone

[@johnrosier1686]

Got it. 😎👍

[@Concretewiththehauses]

Nice video. Very helpful.

[@wild1bill1950]

I LIKE THAT YOU HAVE RAILS OR BUNKS FOR YOUR LOGS TO ROLL ONTO THE LOADER ARMS. THAT KEEPS YOUR LOGS AND BLADE SO MUCH CLEANER AND SHARPER. DO YOU SPLIT ON THE BIG CRACK WITH IRONS OR WEDGES?

[@peternobst2945]

Grüsse aus Deutschland Ihr Beide Macht das Wunderbar weiter So.

[@IronOakSawmill]

Petra, vielen Dank. Das Erzgebirge sieht aus wie ein wunderschöner Ort. Es ist schön zu wissen, dass wir einen Freund dort haben.

[@wayne251975]

I could be doing all this wrong, but the way I have figured out how to get the maximum quarter sawn is by chasing the grain.. I say chasing as what i do is none of the protocols i have seen demonstrated uses each log as its own process. What I do is make sure that; 1. Tyere is No twist or very little twist as both ends need to be very close as to how the growth rings are oriented. 2. Look at the orientation of the growth rings, at times i have noticed an oval or believe it or not almost a square in the rings. 3. I then have a plan as to how much of the log has more rings oriented correctly to simply flat saw that portion of the log to get the quartersawn lumber. 4. The other portion such as the first cut is deep enough to get to the vertical rings. I set that aside and keep cutting till I get to the bottom of those rings. 5. Readjust the last of the log with the first cut together and keep cutting till i have nothing useable left. I have yet to find this procedure to not work...

[@hollywinsman9464]

What beautiful wood you sawed. What tractor are you using?

[@crosscutwoodworking7243]

I miss seeing you on here. Chuck passed. They always had had great videos.

[@traviskelly5480]

Did he really pass away? I was wondering why they stopped making videos

[@devialas]

Wow very good job

[@huguesdesrochers1378]

nice work!

[@davidtrutwin3790]

This is how I have been sawing. I like dong white oak. It seems to have nicer flake than red oak.

[@IronOakSawmill]

I've sawed many white oaks, and I ha e to agree. Much easier to find good Ray fleck in white oak. Just ha e to find the quality white oak logs.

[@davidtrutwin3790]

doing

[@davidtrutwin3790]

@@IronOakSawmill In my forests the white oaks are better grade than red oaks.

[@IronOakSawmill]

@@davidtrutwin3790 quality white oak is tough to find here. Plenty of huge red oaks though.

[@davidtrutwin3790]

@@IronOakSawmill Where are you? Central MN here.

[@toddwheeler1526]

Idea? Take your last kants and cut them at 10-8 quater for rift sawn. Square or Square tapered table legs look the same on all 4 sides being rift sawn.

[@DavidMiller-k6e]

GREAT video, but this log is not red oak. For my experienced eye the log you are working on is in fact a black oak. The bark and the wood itself do not exhibit red oak traits in my 50+ years of working in hardwood sawmills I've seen many hundreds of both being milled.

[@billboy7390]

Nice looking lumber but I didn’t know red oak was ever quarter sawn. I’ve never seen quarter sawn red oak in my 45 years of furniture building, it’s always been white oak. I would love to build something from that wood.

[@IronOakSawmill]

Hello Bill, and thank you. For some reason, red oak does not get the attention that white oak does. They have the same appearance. I realize they have different grain structures. That's the reason that red oak is never used to make barrels, as it will leak its liquid contents. I guess I should research that a bit. I've made many things with red oak. From just a simple trim board, to a fancy cradle for my Grandson. The wood looks amazing though.

[@billboy7390]

@@IronOakSawmill thanks, I’d love to get my hands on a couple hundred BF and build something. I live in AZ. so I’m sure it would be hard to get. My suppliers out of Phoenix would require a minimum of an entire unit and I’m not willing to invest in something I might not make any money out of. I rarely use red oak anymore, it kinda gone out of fashion. Maple and cherry are my two goto woods. Walnut is to expensive and long term exposure is dangerous. I do use some mesquite and carob wood. Beautiful woods.

[@IronOakSawmill]

@@billboy7390 once we are done q sawing, we will a have a few 1000 bdft, and another few thousand bd4ft of plain sawn. Red oak seems to be popular around here. No issues selling it.

[@almonjacob3496]

I enjoy your video, unfortunately there is no "east way" to quarter saw on my manual homemade mill.

[@leonardwilson980]

Great job with the 1/4 sawing. From the looks of it you might need a sharp blade. You were getting a lot of tear out.

[@stevenwells6292]

Yes Timber Green video still on YT. Posted 13 years ago.

[@roofermarc1]

I had a guy quarter saw my red oak. He didn't have a clue and you should see some of his screw ups. I should've known better to not properly vet him. Next time I have a log cut I'll be the helper for sure

[@roberthousedorfii1743]

don't know if you did this, but woodturners will buy those triangular quartsawn pieces.

[@Hunterworks]

I watched this a couple times, I can't see where you did anything but cut it up then flat saw it except the smaller triangles which were 1/4 sawn.

[@jeffriedel2587]

my wife has an old piano all tiger oak

[@IronOakSawmill]

That must look amazing. Probably made from super high quality, slow growing oak.

[@paulbriggs3072]

Technically speaking, quarter sawn is around 45 degrees growth rings as seen from the end, and 90 degree growth rings at the end is called rift sawn. And of course flat sawn we all know about.

[@garys4777]

You really shouldn’t comment on something you know nothing about. A simple google search will show you’re wrong. Technically ( air quotes) “ Anything 60-90 degrees is quarter sawn and 30 up to 60 is rift.

[@juliehenry6421]

When I trained people at CWS I explained Red Oak and White Oak Quarter Sawn as stretch marks on the wood -

[@IronOakSawmill]

Very interesting way to put it.

[@paulmorak8184]

Why is there a little circular saw just ahead of the band saw

[@AndirHon]

It's a debarker, it cuts off the bark just before the blade. The bark can dull the blades because it usually has dirt and other impurities in it from being exposed to the weather for the life of the tree and that's hard on the cutting blade. Going out the other side is not as bad, but starting your cut into a dirty edge and dragging that dirt through the rest of the tree has a dulling effect like sandpaper.

[@THEBOSS-vn2ky]

Good job kids

[@budiningsihningsih7705]

Rp up.

[@kennethhanaburgh6877]

I thought you were supposed to flip the log back and forth to get quarter sawn lumber I believe that's just regular lumber

[@sheilamclaughlin963]

Why trim theuntil u know if u want the knots in ur projects

[@IronOakSawmill]

It all depends on each board we are sawing. Although we like the character of the knots, folks who come to us for quarter sawn lumber, want the clear lumber. We have to supply what they are looking for. If you like k ots and figure, check out some of our live edge videos. That's where we focus on all that character. We think you will love it.

[@jeffriedel2587]

tiger oak

[@IronOakSawmill]

I knew there were more people that called it that. Thank you Jeff.

[@themoonman-4]

Darn it

[@debfromthemill6945]

Live steam going on now

[@IronOakSawmill]

Catch you in the comments

[@Chris-bn1bn]

Nice timber, feed is too fast though.

[@sheilamclaughlin963]

I would not be against the knots for a project

[@IronOakSawmill]

Hello Sheila, and thank you. We agree 100%. We love the character. I think it adds so much to a build.

[@sheilamclaughlin963]

Trim boards

[@IronOakSawmill]

Just boards that need the edges cleaned up. Since we don't have an edger, we use the mill

[@melthomas6250]

Beautiful wood. Why don't you let her saw and you offbear? It looked like she did all the wood.

[@jonnybritnorth7966]

please please DO NOT STAND INFRONT OF A WORKING BLADE... that thing is traveling at over 3000 feet a minute. ive had blades snap and whiplash forwards. Your wife is taking a huge risk of injury

[@robertreader6053]

Quarter sawn wood isn't as pretty to me

[@IronOakSawmill]

It's a preference for folks. It's a character that some enjoy, and others don't get as excited about.

[@jimbauer6822]

Not a thing on how to do it

[@randymarrufo6666]

Talk to much

[@carlkrebs1]

Oh , What would your price be , for 2 of those logs quarter sawn ?

[@carlkrebs1]

i could very enjoyably build YOU 2 a Fantastic english gothic dinner table out of this Oak that NOBODY you know Has one of .........Easily a 15k table , One of a kind , Cut , Chiseled , Mortised , Tenoned , Glued and impossible to Ever wear out through normal but extreme use . Your great great grandchildren will be using it , With No nails in it's Construction needed , at all , Built like a Tank . All made with Hand Joinery !

[@carlkrebs1]

i definetly know this , i would DEARLY love to Buy enough quartered white oak , 1 1/2 inch thick to build a 42 inch wide tabletop 12 feet long and have enough flat sawn white oak in 3 inch thick lumber to build the legs and braces for this Family Dinner Table . Yes , i do have a large family . 7 kids , 5 adults and 3 grand children . they are all filipinos except my big American ass , so yes 12 foot long will do , just fine . and yes i know it will be extremely heavy , around 600lbs , Finished .