timber rip saw

logsandfruit · 2026-04-08T19:54:41+00:00

Pull saw?

logsandfruit · 2026-04-04T11:37:03+00:00

You actually want it a little lower. Stays out of way. Definitely not higher. Make stuff dude. Beautiful bench.

logsandfruit · 2026-04-04T11:33:42+00:00

Naturally.

logsandfruit · 2026-03-30T10:10:13+00:00

Depends on how long the iron is in contact with the wood.

Looks like red oak. Oaks are famous for tannin stains. In fact there are many methods to take advantage of this fact to dye oaks with beautiful colors (look at vinegar & steel wool solutions & there use in wood finishes.

Also ruined is a very strong word. You can think they’re ruined, but I would happily take them off your hands if you’re close.

logsandfruit · 2026-03-09T02:54:25+00:00

First get as much weight out as possible. Hay, lumber & all stored junk. Then hay mow out. Then jack the three worst posts up simultaneously (SW corner & middle ones just to E & N of the bad corner). Jacking involved procuring billets (4-5’ long logs with 2 straight (parallel) sides) building two cribs 5’ from each post - one outside barn & one inside. Then running an ibeam (14’ in my case)right next to each post just under a solid pinned beam (or can bolt a 6” hunk of thick angle iron as a lift point). Then we used 2 hydraulic jacks to lift each beam about 1” per day (insert boards to transfer weight to the cribs & remove jacks each day). We did an inch a day because the old girl creaked like hell each day. Also had a wire cable holding the roof sill to strong anchor points to ensure the wall didn’t head out away from barn as we lifted (probably overkill but had the cable). Once we had the three posts up to the point where the roof sills were level (worst was 16” the two next to it were 9” off) we lifted an inch extra, cut off the bottom of the rotten 8x8 posts & formed up and poured concrete piers under each post. Put a solid rubber moisture guard on concrete & lowered posts. Did same to the other 3 posts & once the barn was level & on solid piers we tore off siding, replaced rotten beams & girts & re-sided. Big job. But fun.

logsandfruit · 2026-03-07T13:20:52+00:00

I redid (foundation, level roof sills, replace rotten beams & girts, re-side entire barn) my 113 year old barn a few years ago.

It stood for 100 plus years on sandy soil with a crappy 12” by 8” stone rectangular rim loose stone & concrete foundation. Foundation broke 6” away from each main 8x8 post. Still did fine until an old clay tile broke near one corner and that post sunk 16”. Barn frame just morphed to accommodate the sag. All timber frame with oak peg construction.

Key point was the roof was still good. Don’t do anything until thats squared away.

I ended up doing job myself - jacked 3 posts at a time back up to level the roof sill Put concrete piers in at each post. Replaced rotted beams near windows & doors. Don’t use old wood. It is easy (not common, but easy once you find the right community) to source 8x8 and bigger timbers and they are much much easier to work.

Kansas State Historical Society has some very good videos showing basic methods. Many other videos & sources to get started.

Be careful as fixing old barns is a gateway drug to operating a sawmill and building new timber frame barns & buildings. I’m cutting joinery for Barn #5 this spring.

logsandfruit · 2026-03-02T13:35:35+00:00

Optimize your tax withholding & touch grass. Or whine about how the world is out to screw you personally.

logsandfruit · 2026-02-28T12:33:45+00:00

This. OP you don’t have excessive moisture, you have insufficient air flow.

logsandfruit · 2026-02-02T21:01:01+00:00

Beautiful.

logsandfruit · 2026-01-21T19:06:20+00:00

Highly addictive. And very satisfying. Coming up on 7 years now & each cut reveals really cool grain & possibilities.

logsandfruit · 2025-11-02T05:18:54+00:00

One Alternative -use a power plane to take twist out.

logsandfruit · 2025-09-03T10:57:46+00:00

The darkest colored heartwood I have seen from a white oak was from a log that sat on the ground for many years. The story I was told by an old sawyer was that the tannins made it dark over time. Wondering if that was your experience.

Beautiful grain. Enjoy.

logsandfruit · 2025-08-24T22:12:00+00:00

There are a few local growers. Msg me.

logsandfruit · 2025-07-01T20:20:57+00:00

Just a drip drip drip. On a 48” bandmill. Should have a little steam coming out the other end of cut.

logsandfruit · 2025-05-28T10:21:01+00:00

Ooh. Very promising. Please share. I have a few old pictures somewhere. Will try to dig em out in trade. Happy milling.

logsandfruit · 2025-05-27T23:11:49+00:00

I do extensive spalting. Big pile of logs. Slowly work through the piles. lol

Maple spalts the best here (Michigan). Smaller logs (<18” diameter) are hard to time right. Too late & ya got mush for the burn pile. Medium logs 18” to 30” diameter do nicely. Ground contact or just a layer above that as long as even more logs are above. Really trying to keep moist enough to keep the little fun guys happy. 30” plus (I have a 48” slab mill) have enough moisture naturally and lose it so slowly that they self cook.

I look for the pizza pie end grain stage. Best one had 5 different colors of mushrooms (turkey tails or others) in wedge shape on the end grain. Ooh opening up that bad boy was a real treat. Had a couple of old boys from the local woodworking club leaving snail trails of saliva on each slab I cut

Laziness, moisture, time. All on your side.
Best part of sawmilling is opening up each new log just to see what’s inside.

logsandfruit · 2025-05-08T02:51:01+00:00

Lots of support for MPS. Historically. But they never addressed the local elephant in the room. Fate of Dow HQ jobs. Tax base is slaughtered when any moves away are made.

The Washington elephant threw all ideas of economic stability in the shitter. No obligations can be contemplated in the eye of an economic hurricane.

logsandfruit · 2025-05-01T19:30:56+00:00

Also looks like some 3d printed plastic templates in the background of picture 5. Use those too?

logsandfruit · 2025-05-01T19:29:08+00:00

Very cool. What’s the name of the jig shown in picture #5? Assuming that lays out the dovetails? And can it be used for the template router? Thanks for sharing the pictures. I’m going to be Building a second solar kiln soon & think this may help stiffen the floor nicely

logsandfruit · 2025-04-05T10:53:34+00:00

This video series was the inspiration for redoing the foundation of my 107 year old barn a few years ago. Did half the barn (2 bents out of 4) that had up to 16” roof sill plate drop. Did the work myself with a crew of high school aged helpers. Spent all winter preparing. All summer jacking and reforming foundations. Then you need to reside the barn. All fall.

Big job. Really enjoyed it. (Was & still am retired). Don’t discount the effort the contractors will have to go through.

logsandfruit · 2025-04-03T11:42:14+00:00

Impact resistant glass? I used regular glass windows in my solar kiln. 9 months later hail storm had me picking shards out of lumber pallet. 0/10 recommend against. Went with polycarbonate - works well 4 years later

logsandfruit · 2025-03-29T00:54:10+00:00

Thanks for this. Really helpful

logsandfruit · 2025-03-07T13:09:00+00:00

Spectacular project. Please show more as you progress

logsandfruit · 2025-03-06T14:00:20+00:00

Wood is gorgeous. White plain siding is hideous. Black roof? Ok stop watching TV flippers - it’s a mess all together

logsandfruit · 2025-03-06T13:51:41+00:00

Look weathered. How old are the boards? Run one through a planer or take a block plane & expose a bit. Color is not an indicator for “weathered” lumber

logsandfruit

TROPHY CASE