Resaw ? 8 x 8x 16footers

Band saw mill

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

16' is the most common length of saw log. Any mill will be set up to saw this length.

Re: Resaw ? 8 x 8x 16footers

John in NM

Nice commission to get, congratulations!

I'll spare you my first thought - its what my dad would have said

Re: Resaw ? 8 x 8x 16footers

Michael van pelt

Thanks John. Metal frame base and a 16 ft table. Bread board ends and butterfly’s is my plan. I believe I quoted it correctly....we will see! Hope so!

Re: Band saw mill

Michael van pelt

Thanks ! The 16 ft length had me worried. I am calling around trying to find someone in the central Il area

PS

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

A band mill that is well set up and equipped with a new blade can saw with surprising accuracy and leave a surface that can be hand planed or belt sanded smooth. It will be worth finding a mill that is experienced to get this quality result.

The mill will be concerned about metal in the beams. Blades for a band mill like the WoodMizer are cheap. If there is reluctance, offer to buy a new blade for the job, about $20+/- depending on where they are buying.

bandsaw mill

John K Jordan

Before I got my Woodmizer bandsaw mill I resawed successfully on a 14" Delta shop bandsaw with a riser block and a shop-made high fence. The biggest was 2x12 Douglas fir. It was slow but worked perfectly with me holding one end and guiding and a friend supporting the far end. For a long, heavy beam I would set up an infead and outfeed support some distance from the bandsaw.

Since I got my bandsaw mill I would absolutely use it instead. I have trimmed up 6x6x16' beams to remove twist and warp. Resawing bigger stock is what a bandsaw mill is designed for - it is typical to turn a tree in to a single long cant (beam) then saw it into any size. Easy to slice up even a 24"x24"x16'.

That said, many smaller personal band mills may not handle 16'. I bought an extra bed section for mine so I can saw up to 18'. Without that, I would be limited to about 12' as purchased. A commercial mill should be able to handle a long piece nicely.

Be careful sawing beams from barns. There may be hidden steel from broken or undiscovered nails, etc. Hitting a single nail can destroy a $30 blade. I would use a metal detector made for sawmills before every cut. I have LumberWizard detectors for this (not the small one) but there are others.

JKJ

Re: Resaw ? 8 x 8x 16footers

J Barrett Irby Jr

I agree with the bandsaw mill. Contact Wood Mizer and they will give you list of people in your area that bought one. Others, like Timber King may do that as well.

I second the use of the metal detector.

Also, be aware that everybody that bought a mill may not be still using it and may not be anywhere near

expert. Some of them may come to you for an extra fee.

Re: Resaw ? 8 x 8x 16footers

David Yoho

A Woodmizer mill would work just fine. Years ago a friend asked me about making a mantle and surround for the fireplace in the new house they were building. He asked if I could use a 16-foot beam from his father-in-law's farm that he thought was walnut. It turned out it was walnut so I got in touch with a woman that frequented this site that had a Woodmizer. She said she could do it as long as I paid $20 for each time her blade hit steel. I checked the beam best I could and removed several cut nails but managed to miss one. Best $20 I ever spent. The 1-inch-thick slices were easily jointed and planed in my shop later.

There wasn't enough wood from the beam to make the moldings so he requested cherry. Turned out nice and he was very pleased.

Re: Resaw ? 8 x 8x 16footers

Don Stephan

8 x 2 1/2 x 16' bpoards. Wow. I'm too old to even think about moving just one, much less joint, glue together, and turn the tabletop over.

Re: Resaw ? 8 x 8x 16footers

Michael van pelt

That’s why they pay me the big bucks! LOL!!!!