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First step in producing the timbers needed is to "buck" the log to length.
This first cut is done with an industrial sized chain saw. Working with timbers
of such size requires a lot of caution and attention to safety.
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The next step is to remove the end of the log. This is done so that precise measurements
of the heart of the log can be made.
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The log is being moved to the saw mill for cutting. John directs the move while
his crew manages the equipment. The "bed" on which the log will set while
being sawn is precisely aligned so that the sawing operation produces timbers at
precise right angles.
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John determines the location of the heart of the log and measures it against the
cutting bed. The log must be correctly aligned and centered on the bed before sawing
can begin.
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The first cuts square the log and remove the bark layers. The log will be rotated
on the bed as layers of wood are removed from each side. John uses a band saw to
cut the timber from the log. Band saws produce very little waste with very smooth
cuts.
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You can see the timber emerging from the log and the manner in which John mills
the wood. All of the timbers sawn in sizes 6"x8" and larger use the "boxed
heart" cut wherein the heart of the tree is the center of the timber. This
is done to equalize the stresses in the wood around the center of the timber which
makes it less prone to twisting and warping.
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The finished timber can be seen in this picture. In all, it took about 45 minutes
to mill it. When you consider the number of timbers in the chapel, you can get some
appreciation of the amount of time required to just to produce them from the original
logs.
After all of the timbers are sawn, the next stop is our dry kilns.
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All of the timbers that have been sawn for the chapel are moved to the dry kilns
for drying. It will take about 28 days for these timbers to dry down to a moisture
content under 20%. We use only dried timbers for a frame as they are more stable
over time. You can learn more about the saw mill and the dry kilns by clicking on
these links:
Ask a question:
- Tell me more about the Dry Kilns
- Tell me more about the Saw Mill
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this page so you won't have to log in again.
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