# Another from the same yard. How to saw it?



## MS Sportsman (Mar 12, 2010)

This tree was dying so we went ahead and cut it. It had so many limbs on it I was content to let it go for firewood until I saw the grain. I've never seen an oak with so many limbs as this one. It was unbelievable and you can't appreciate it from this log. Wish I had gotten a pic before they cut it. My granmother smuggled an acorn from Germany and planted it in her yard and this is the tree. Anyhow it looks like it might have some nice quilting or figure of some sort and was wondering how to attack it on the mill.


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## mickit (Oct 5, 2009)

That's gonna be some pretty wood. Really looking forward to pictures of the stuff inside!


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

MS Sportsman said:


> Anyhow it looks like it might have some nice quilting or figure of some sort and was wondering how to attack it on the mill.


It is going to have a lot of figure...and a lot of internal stress and be hard to dry (in one piece/anywhere near flat). I would mill it thick, 2'' or more. Just lay it on the mill and saw flat saw it out. Kinda like this...http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f26/funky-milling-12983/



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## MS Sportsman (Mar 12, 2010)

Daren said:


> It is going to have a lot of figure...and a lot of internal stress and be hard to dry (in one piece/anywhere near flat). I would mill it thick, 2'' or more. Just lay it on the mill and saw flat saw it out. Kinda like this...http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f26/funky-milling-12983/
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I figured it was going to have a lot of stress in it from the beginning. That's why at first I thought it might not be worth my time, but changed my mind. You recommend thicker slabs so maybe I won't get as much loss and warping during drying?


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

MS Sportsman said:


> You recommend thicker slabs so maybe I won't get as much loss and warping during drying?


Yes, that is why. IMO, from my experience, sawed thin it is just going to cup/twist/tear itself apart while drying. No guarantee even at 2'' it will stay together/lay flat...but I can assure you any thinner it will not behave well at all. Once _dry_ it can be resawn thinner and used if you need thin stuff. Funky pieces of wood like that can yield beautiful stock, but not without extra effort sawing/drying.



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## MS Sportsman (Mar 12, 2010)

Got this cut up a little over a week ago along with some cherry and walnut. I'm a little concerned about bugs in it and my other wood. Found a larva in the edge of the oak as I was trimming knots off with the chainsaw, but didn't see any when it was sawn. I just seperated the oak from the other. Pics aren't that great, but here are a few.


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## tomb (Mar 8, 2011)

MS Sportsman,
If you are concerned about bugs in it, spray the lumber down with a mixture containing borate. I use Timbor in a 15% mixture and a chemical sprayer to apply it to the lumber.
Timbor is a wood preservitive and an insecticide. I apply it to my air dried and kiln dried lumber!:huh: You can never be to safe with treating your lumber. I figure it adds about a nickle per board foot, but I know NONE of my lumber will have any critters inside.:yes:
I buy mine online in one pound packages, mix it with a gallon of water and your ready to spray. Good luck with that milled lumber, it should make some intersting projects!


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## MS Sportsman (Mar 12, 2010)

tomb said:


> MS Sportsman,
> If you are concerned about bugs in it, spray the lumber down with a mixture containing borate. I use Timbor in a 15% mixture and a chemical sprayer to apply it to the lumber.
> Timbor is a wood preservitive and an insecticide. I apply it to my air dried and kiln dried lumber!:huh: You can never be to safe with treating your lumber. I figure it adds about a nickle per board foot, but I know NONE of my lumber will have any critters inside.:yes:
> I buy mine online in one pound packages, mix it with a gallon of water and your ready to spray. Good luck with that milled lumber, it should make some intersting projects!


 
Thanks, it says that stuff is 98% borax. I wonder if I just bought some plain borax at the grocery store if that would work. Does this not have any effect on the wood when it comes time to finishing. I already have it all stacked and stickered. I read you can put it on in dry powder form. Thinking i have a tool somewhere for spraying dry chemical hoping maybe I can just blow some into the stacked piles of lumber without restacking it all.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

That wood looks great. I hope that it drys well for you and that you get some useable stock from it. Nice job and I'm glad you didn't just burn it. Kind of makes you wonder how many beautiful pieces of wood end up in the fire.


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## tomb (Mar 8, 2011)

I have heard of people using borax in powder form, but it wont penetrate into the wood fibers. Any powder post beetles or other bugs inside the lumber wont be :gun_bandana:.
Using a warm water and borax mixture allows it to soak into the wood and saturate the fibers.
I have had to restack way to many stacks of lumber in order to coat it all . But I dont regret it a bit :no:! I never have to worry about any critters ruining my lumber.
Once you get everything treated its easy to keep up with any new lumber you put into storage.
As far as finishing, no problems what so ever. The Timbor is a white powder that turns cloudy in the water. When the water evaporates you will see a sparkly whiteish film on the lumber. Simply plane or sand the lumber and the film disappears. I do reccommend using a dust mask and other air filtering equipment.
Good luck with your decision and your projects!:thumbsup:


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