Processed a few log chunks this morning

[JR Custom Calls]

This maple never gets old. Cut in to it and it looks boring, then you find some pieces like this...

Had a pretty good pace going this morning. Took me about an hour to get all this maple cut up (cut over 200 hedge blanks yesterday) As much as I enjoy this, I can't help but wonder how much more awesome it would be if I had a bandmill.

 

[ironman123]

Jonathan I agree on the bandmill. Are you using bandsaw now? Ambrosia Maple is one of my favorite woods. 200 hedge calls should have dulled the blade some. How many of these maple are you trying to get done today?

 

[JR Custom Calls]

I called it quits at 125 ish today (a mix of 6 and 10-12" pieces). Blade is just about done haha. I have probably 100 or so 12" blanks left to cut out of what I've got left. I cut 20 or so pot call blanks as well. Found some burl that I didn't realize was there.

I figured out that when I cut logs in half with the chainsaw (so I have a flat surface for the bandsaw), I can cut straight across the length of the log and it shoots out long strands rather than tiny sawdust if I cut across the grain. I figured out how to do that on the bandsaw for the most part, which lets me cut a lot faster.

I posted this picture yesterday in my bandsaw review thread, but this is how I go about slicing the logs in to slabs, then I slice the slabs in to blanks.

And here's what some of the pot call blanks turned out like...

 

[GeauxGameCalls]

Wow. Some beautiful stuff and a nice setup!

 

[woodtickgreg]

Someone's having a lot of fun. Very productive Jonathan.

 

[RJH]

Jonathan
Where do you get your saw blades? Must be great blades.

 

[JR Custom Calls]

Jonathan
Where do you get your saw blades? Must be great blades.

I've been using Olson hardback 3/4" 3tpi blades from woodcraft... $28 or so. I've tried several timber blades and had no luck with them. They don't last long at all for me, and after the second one broke, I said the heck with $55 blades.

 

[JR Custom Calls]

Someone's having a lot of fun. Very productive Jonathan.

The main reason for this push is to get the funds for the chainsaw we talked about. After an unexpected $500 crown that my wife had to get, after the $200 root canal, my chainsaw savings took a hit.

 

[woodtickgreg]

You'll appreciate it all the more when you get it. Life just happens sometimes.

 

[JR Custom Calls]

You'll appreciate it all the more when you get it. Life just happens sometimes.

No doubt I'll appreciate it. You should have seen me cutting the chunk of hedge off that I brought back to process (btw, all 200 or so blanks came from a single 12" cookie from that log). 16" bar, 20 some odd CC saw, and very dry hedge... you do the math. I ran out of gas about 3/4 of the way through the log haha. I'm not even going to begin to explain how hard it is to cut a 40+" maple crotch with that same saw haha.

 

[JR Custom Calls]

There has to be a less messy way to go about this. This big hedge makes so much waste. Luckily I have a neighbor who takes me scraps.

Looking at the pic, it looks like there's a lot of good wood there... it's actually all cracked (except the big chunk under the shop vac hose... it's just sitting there waiting on a new saw blade). I cut as much as I can, making pen or striker blanks out of the stuff too small for game call or pot call blanks. Unfortunately, this bigger/older hedge is just full of cracks.

 

[woodtickgreg]

That's what I call seriously testing out that new saw!

 

[JR Custom Calls]

You bet. I actually cut so much yesterday, my brand new blade is so dull it won't cut straight. I'm almost to the point of buying a lennox or laguna carbide blade.