Ripping green planks in the field?

[Highbinder]

Hello,

I've started to become more interested in green woodworking and I'm curious to know the best way to make planks/boards in the field?

I have had some success making small planks using hard wood batons and a froe, but there's a fallen Scots pine I have my eye on and I'd love to lift a few longer (say 5ft x 1ft x 1") planks from it for a project.

Perhaps it'd be worth buying a rip saw? Currently only tools I am using are a 21" buck saw, and a 1lb and 1/2lb hatchet. Realistically I can tidy up any timber at home with power tools but I'd like to learn without

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

 

[Robson Valley]

You'll need a dozen or more wedges, hardwood will be just fine, say each 2-3" wide, 8-10" long.

The Haida people here in the Pacific Northwest split western red cedar logs to make house boards.
1. Get the split started at one end of the log.
2. Replace the froe with a couple of wedges so they are banged in tight enough to start the splits along the sides.
3. On both sides, pound wedges into the side splits to lift the slab. Keep the end ones tight.
4. More and more side wedges as the split advances along the log.

If there's any knots, this will not work and a loggers rip saw is needed. Look up "Saw Pit."

Franz Boas was an early (late 1800's) anthropologist who spent much time documenting the
lives of the PacNW natives on the coast.
He reports that the largest cedar house board that he ever measured was 14' tall x 36" wide and less than 1" thick.
It can be done! Mostly, I've seen 14' x 18-24" wide x 1-2" thick at the UBC/MOA.

 

[crosslandkelly]

If you can get hold of an Alaskan chainsaw mill.......
[video=youtube;xdIoCBzadgw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdIoCBzadgw[/video]

 

[Snake]

I am currently thinking about one of these.

http://www.logosol.co.uk/sawmills/big-mill-system/big-mill-timberjig.html

 

[Robson Valley]

Files wear out. Oregon (Swiss Made) chainsaw files come in boxes of a dozen. Being able to take the mill to the log is a huge advantage.
Look at the crap wood in my avatar. That took a 36" bar to cut.

 

[Nice65]

Files wear out. Oregon (Swiss Made) chainsaw files come in boxes of a dozen. Being able to take the mill to the log is a huge advantage.
Look at the crap wood in my avatar. That took a 36" bar to cut.

Especially cutting down the grain, it knocks the edge off. The chainsaw mills are very good though, a little wasteful on timber, but tons of fun.

 

[Robson Valley]

Our modern sawmills use a "gang saw" which is a connected series of band saws, the blades maybe 4" wide.
They are digitally set and will do an entire log in one pass. ZIP! you have a stack of lumber!
I've forgotten what the kerf is but has to be 1/4" or more so it's not unlike a power saw.
Ruined blades are fabulous steel for bladesmiths.

My neighbor runs a Wood-Mizer(?) outside his country shop. It's like a band saw, lying on its side.
The blades are about 1.5" wide, one cut at a time. He makes log picnic tables and furnishings.
I expect he never needs to cut anything more than 12' long, often just slabbing logs.

The OP never said what the project was. Wood carving? Split along the grain.
Anything else? Alaska mill or equivalent.
By hand in the really old days, out in the bush, dig a huge hole to stand in.
roll the log over the hole, one guy on top, one guy in the hole, start sawing.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Scots pine splits nothing like cedar. Very few things do.

If you must make pine planks by hand, and personally I think you are nuts I think you are going to need something like this:
http://www.timberframe-tools.com/natural-timbers/rip-sawing-an-old-log/
A very large, very coarse toothed, rip filed hand saw...
or, a frame saw, like this
https://www.bob-easton.com/blog/2009/475/

I doubt that a pit saw is going to be practical for you for a number of reasons, not least that you have to rope someone else into your plans, and chances are that they will not want to be the one in the pit getting all the sawdust in their eyes!

Anyway, the size of teeth needed for cutting through a 12" trunk cannot be understated. The gullets need to be deep enough that they can carry the saw-dust load from such a deep cut. Nothing that you will find in any normal tool shops is going to be good enough.

 

[slowworm]

I was going to say I had trouble splitting Scots Pine simply for fire wood with an axe so I'm not sure I'd want to plank a large log with wedges.

I've go a log to plank myself and I'll use my alaskan mill, possibly planking it at 3" thick and then cutting 1"x3" planks with a circular saw to minimise waste and keep costs down.

 

[Hammock Hamster]

You can always try experimenting with a froe.

I have had limited success with planks but I've managed some reasonable boards that can be used for plates, turned into spoon blanks etc... in theory good control will let you take full planks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Robson Valley]

Once set into the wood, the froe should follow the split, not cut the wood.
I described the Haida technique as the froe isn't as useful as the wedges.
Instead of a froe, it's likely that their paleo technique began with nephrite jade axes.

Even for what little wood splitting I do for carving, beyond 8"-12", the wedges are all I need.
Set in the froe with a log mallet then start adding wedges at the top then along the sides.

 

[Stew]

If you are splitting with wedges, I've had better success with starting the split in the centre of the log, after advice from bowyers. A lot more likely to get an even split rather than running off, though it is harder in the first split from round.

 

[mrcharly]

Scots pine splits nothing like cedar. Very few things do.

If you must make pine planks by hand, and personally I think you are nuts I think you are going to need something like this:
http://www.timberframe-tools.com/natural-timbers/rip-sawing-an-old-log/
A very large, very coarse toothed, rip filed hand saw...
.

Awesome.
A good rip saw is a wonder. I have a rip saw for ordinary work and it is terrific (it had been incorrectly sharpened for crosscut, I recut it for ripping).

 

[Highbinder]

Wow great responses, thanks guys! That link to the frame saw article was a great read. The large tooth rip saws are beauties. I may know a luthier who has one but I'll have to ask - he does love his old tools tho' so wouldn't surprise me.

Alaskan mill / chainsaw is off the table, this is just a bit of fun on my part and buzzbuzz of a chainsaw + PPE doesn't sound so much fun.

I'm not resigned to using Scots Pine, it is just what is convenient at this time. I'd be curious to know how different native species differ in how they split and ease of working for future reference. I remember reading sweet chestnut is nice to work with.

Someone asked what the intended use was. I'm sketching up a little table / shelving unit and I thought it'd make it out of found wood, or at least by my own hand. I reckon I'll have a go at the wedge method again and aim for some longer thin planks. As long as I can get the length I can join two together with butterfly joints to get the width I want.

/e: And I'll try splitting from the middle. Last time I started on an end, but chose a length with a twist in the grain and caused the split to run off slightly.

 

[Robson Valley]

Ask around: who is using wood heat and what are they splitting? Some species have to be easier than others.
Our western red cedar absolutley pops open, fresh or dried. Most of my wedges are cedar as well. 30 degree included bevel is OK.
Once I set the froe, I have a 32oz smooth-faced hammer to tap in the wedges. As you go along, you can pull the
first wedges and set them in ahead of the most recent ones.
I keep planning to make some wedges from a hardwood like Alder or birch but never quite get around to it.

 

[Dave Budd]

I've no experience planking scots pine as I only have hardwoods in my woodland, but I've made planks from a number of species there.

Wedges from either side is the easiest way if the log is too large (diameter) to manoeuvre with a froe and cleaving brake. I've cleft ash and oak into parallel boards of 2-6" and radial splits (ie wedge shaped) in largish trees this way; the only tools used were a hatchet and sledge hammer to start the split, then wooden gluts to move the split along. Down side is that the split isn't always easy to control and if the bark is still on the tree, you can't see it drifting off. Roughly split planks (which they will invariably be) can be trued up with axes or adze on site, saving weight and work later

A froe used with a cleaving brake is the best way to get even boards without sawing. I normally split anything over about 3" with wedges first, then further down with the froe. The cleaving brake is the key here to allowing you to move the split along the wood, just assuming that the froe will go through straight is wishful thinking on anything bt shingles!

I've rip sawn small amounts by hand with a big 1 hand rip saw. Not the perfect tool for the job, and while it worked for 4" poles, I wouldn't want to make a habit of it!

These days I mostly use either my Alaskan mill for big trees (anything over about 14" diameter) or my Logosol farmers mate. The logosol I have is a bench that you place the log onto and then run a chainsaw along the top following a guide rail. Both of these obviously use a chainsaw, so you lose 6-10mm on every cut an, the saw drinks fuel and your saw will never be powerful enough.

If you have a chainsaw but don't have the desire to get into a milling system like that, then you can do a pretty fair job milling short (even 4 feet) just ripping the logs freehand. I've cut lots of 1" and 2" planks from oak, birch and alder logs this way. They aren't totally parallel but they are still much better, faster and less wasteful than splitting and axing true!

 

[Zingmo]

Have a look at these folk. https://www.instagram.com/p/BTGx8qjhjqW/

I find hewing mesmerising: I could watch for hours.

Z

 

[mr dazzler]

I remember reading sweet chestnut is nice to work with.

Chestnut IS fantastic to split (and carve as well). Its nice to sniff as well :Wow: Several years ago I got some chestnut that was around 24 to 28 inch diameter and in 4 and 5 foot lengths, and easily split it into 2 inch boards for to make chair seats. I used 3 steel wedges and a small sledge hammer. The only problem was the wazzock removal men LEFT THE PLANKS BEHIND when we moved back to east Anglia All that lovely clean straight grained and nicely 2 year seasoned chestnut probaly ended up in someones fireplace I've done the same with ash oak and birch (although birch wasnt 24 inch diameter ) Essentially though to get worthwhile planks from splitting the log needs to be clean clear of knots and green. EG on birch (or alder) if its started to "go" (spalty inside like a crunchie bar) it wont split true, but crumble and run out. Birch "goes" very fast if its been left on the ground more than a month or 2. I'd consider cross cutting your scots pine into shorter lengths between the branches then split them with wedges and axe to practise getting a good feel. Or at least have a go at your log as it is, remember to have plenty of wedges, and split 50/50 each time in terms of volume of wood. Any branch nodules/crotches etc literally prevent the wood splitting cleanly and easily to the point where it becomes impossible and unfeasible and a waste of time. A branch grows so as to support the weight of itself and foliage WITHOUT SPLITTING...Windfalls can sometimes prove to be a gold mine but its rare. I wouldnt waste time getting a rip saw at least with the aim of ripping logs end to end. Check out the home made band saw mills on youtube, any amount of ideas using 2 car wheels, and engine, track and bandsaw blade to build a usuable transportable ripping saw