What's the best way to cut this?

[randywa]

This is some hackberry that came down in a 2007 ice storm. I"m looking for ideas on the best way to cut it up, x-grain, diagonal, pen blanks,or something else. I cut these about 16" long, but there is a lot more of it. Thanks for the help.

 

[kirkfranks]

I had some similar and I realize now that I cut too many long grain slabs and not enough cross grain. The cross grain is much more dramatic IMO.
Since you have nice large logs don't forget the bottle stopper size blanks.

 

[randywa]

I hadn't even thought bottle stopper. The wood is a little wet from rain, but solid. Should I stablize it for the cross grain?

 

[kirkfranks]

I am sure like any wood that will depend on the solidness of the wood and the sharpness of your tools.
I did stabalize mine with acetone/plexiglass mixture under pressure, but my wood was not very solid so I even stabalized the long grain blanks.

 

[robutacion]

This is some hackberry that came down in a 2007 ice storm. I"m looking for ideas on the best way to cut it up, x-grain, diagonal, pen blanks,or something else. I cut these about 16" long, but there is a lot more of it. Thanks for the help.

Hi randywa,

The best way to cut those logs would be rip/slice them in half first to allow various type blanks possibilities. Cut some in quarters, and live some in halves, the quartered ones will produce the bottle stoppers, straight grain pen blanks, while the half slice ones will give you the diagonal and cross pen blanks as also will give you bowl blanks.

If you want to cut the logs a bit further to save you space and start getting blanks out of the wood, not touching the logs length for now, rip some of the quarters in 1.5" squares, the edges will give some straight grain pen blanks, leave the 1.5" square x 16" in full lengths or cut them in 6" lengths, that give 2 bottle stoppers per blank.

Rip also some of the quarters @ 21mm thick boards and make your straight grain pen blanks out of them.

From some of the half logs, measure 5,5cm from each side of the pith (centre)
mark a straight line on one of the sides, cut it and them set you bandsaw/table-saw fence @ 11cm and remove the other edge (mark), you endup with a partial log at full length and 11cm wide, from here rip 21mm boards out of it and these will give you the diagonal pen banks.

Repeat the same process for the cross blanks but this time measure 6.5cm from the logs pith to each side, giving you boards at 130mm for you cross cuts blanks.

If you want to do some bowls and from the logs diameter you sow in the pics, each log will five 4 bowl blanks, again slice the log in half then cut it in the length in 2 pieces. Mark the centre on the flat face of the wood and pencil the maximum round circumference you can and then cut it round.

Even tough the wood is not green, far from it with all that spalting, you can seal the end grain with paint, wax or any wood sealer's, you have nothing to lose by protecting the ends, but I doubt that will make any different from the condition the wood is at...!

Feel free to contact me if you got confused, otherwise good luck with it...!:wink:

Cheers
George

 

[rjwolfe3]

George, thank you for posting this. Now I have a better idea of what to do with a bunch of my logs that I need to cut up!

 

[randywa]

updated pics

I got out to the shop this morning and cut a little of it up. I think I like it. George and Kirk thanks a bunch for the help. I think I've seen a diagram for cutting the way you said. I'll have to look for it.

 

[TellicoTurning]

This is some hackberry that came down in a 2007 ice storm. I"m looking for ideas on the best way to cut it up, x-grain, diagonal, pen blanks,or something else. I cut these about 16" long, but there is a lot more of it. Thanks for the help.

I have some hackberry that I got about a year or two ago... it's been sitting in the yard under a tarp and nicely spalted like yours... I cut mine lengthwise to make bowl blanks... I only use the cut offs and scraps for pen blanks..

 

[DurocShark]

that's some purdy wood!

 

[randywa]

If I stay true to form, I'll turn it into some of the finest mulch known to man.

 

[robutacion]

View attachment Bowl Blanks from Log Handout.pdf

If I stay true to form, I'll turn it into some of the finest mulch known to man.

Hey..., not really if you use the 4" Flap discs!

Number 40 or 60 grits to cut the wood quickly and 100 or 120 grits for shaping right to the point where you need to start with the normal hand sanding process, some CA handy to soak as you go and after you got it, you will never lose a soft blank ever again...!:wink::biggrin:

PS: There is a PDF file explaining wood cuts names and techniques particularly handy for cutting logs, I will look for it and add it here, if I found it...!!!

Cheers
George