Cedar "Logs", Now What?

[BKind2Anmls]

One of my clients cut down a great big cedar and saved a couple of chunks of wood for me thinking I could do something with it.

I have sliced up many small logs with my band saw for boxes, etc., but I have no idea what to do with this. Is it useful for something besides firewood? I love small slabs of figured wood for boxes, etc. but I'm not sure of how to slice this stuff up or even know if it the results would be worth the effort. I would have to take a chainsaw to it first to get it into a size I could manage with the band saw.

If y'all thinks it's usable, I can go online and look for the procedures to harvest crotch wood.

The folder is there to show the size of the logs. It took two men to lift one of these pieces.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[CDPeters]

How much capacity do you have on the bandsaw? The second picture looks like there might be some really nice figure in there for small projects.

If I couldn't work it on the bandsaw, I think I would probably try to visualize how the figure runs and maybe slab out 3 or 4 slabs with the chainsaw. Seal the end grain good so you don't lose too much to checking.

 

[ScottM]

Cedar has a very low moisture content so it should be ready to use immediately. Cedar also tends to crack easy especially when subjected to heat from friction. DAMHIK:BangHead: To reduce this make sure your tools are very sharp. Also when sanding use fresh sand paper and sand lightly.

 

[BKind2Anmls]

So I would just pretend it's a normal log and cut slices off going from one side to the other?

 

[sawduster]

far from an expert here, but I have quite a few cedar chunks and what I do is first cut them in half longways, then " slab " them on my band saw.I cut them thicker than i want so I can run them through the planer. The parts with the pith in them are discarded outright as they will definately crack. The scrolled parts on the birdhouse I just recently posted were made from cedar processed this way and if I was a decent box builder I have some other really pretty parts for future use
In my experience cedar can have some really gnarly gaps and " char " inside so a certain amount becomes firewood anyway, but not before I get a peek inside :gar-Bi
As Scott mentions, cedar is brittle and prone to cracking from heat if sanded too agressively :BangHead:

I personally see some really purdy potential in those chunks ...keep us posted ! :icon_thum

 

[sawduster]

.....forgot to mention, I have jointed pieces to make bookmatched slabs with a fair amount of success :icon_thum

 

[CDPeters]

So I would just pretend it's a normal log and cut slices off going from one side to the other?

Susan - cut them lengthwise - ripping if you will - just as if cutting boards out of a log with a sawmill.

The really knotty one looks like it might produce some really nice "crotch feather" figure.

Not sure if the visual helps, but something like this:

View image in gallery​

You could then square up an edge and resaw on the bandsaw if you want thinner stock.

C.

 

[BKind2Anmls]

Thanks, Chris. Your illustration is perfectly clear. I will have to cut it with a chainsaw. My bandsaw only has about a 12" resaw capability. That means I will have to instruct my husband on how to do it. I don't operate the chainsaw myself if I can help it.