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Author Topic: Staving ironwood. Won't split.  (Read 2809 times)

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Offline Prarie Bowyer

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Staving ironwood. Won't split.
« on: July 21, 2014, 01:22:52 am »
I want to make some staves out of 40" smaller dia logs.

I'm going to have to saw it.  No biggie then it hit me.  Resawing jigs typically secure the logs by a screw in from the sides.  That will damage my back.  Free handing haven't worked well for me in the past.  I either waste wood or break a blade. 

How am I going to split this?  Is there a better jig for this?

This is what I'm thinking right now.  I'll cut two pieces of scrap wood on an angle and set thim like a"v" to cradle the mostly straight logs.  Then I'll use drops of a foaming glue like Gorilla glue to glue the log to the rails at the contact points with a 2-3" gap in the middle.  Then snap or draw a line down the log to saw along.  Then I can just use a hammer to pop the sled rails things off.

Should they be quartered or 1/2ed ?  Is it prone to distorting while drying?

Incidentally, while I was cutting a log from a downed Osage tree, I started looking at the crushed but still live tree over the sage tree.....turned out to be iron wood.  What are the odds? 
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mikekeswick

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Re: Staving ironwood. Won't split.
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2014, 02:44:08 am »
If I have to saw then I cut freehand. If you are breaking blades you are twisting the wood. Also get a 3 tpi blade meant for green wood and it will be a breeze. Trying to cut using the fence will be a nightmare compared to freehand.
Also why not just use some wedges? It WILL split  ;)
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Offline Cameroo

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Re: Staving ironwood. Won't split.
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2014, 03:10:04 am »
I think you might be overthinking it.  Just snap a chalk line and run it through the bandsaw.  Easy-peasy  ;) A 40 inch length of small diameter log should be manageable.  If you feel it's not, just get a second set of hands.  Free beer can be very enticing.

I haven't had much luck in the past trying to evenly split small diameter logs with wedges.  I think the bandsaw is the way to go.
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: Staving ironwood. Won't split.
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2014, 03:19:28 am »
When I first had my bandsaw I made a fancy V jig... complete waste of time >:(.
Go free hand, ideally with an assistant who knows what they are doing on the other end . Like mike said a 3tip with alternate set teeth for a wide cut. The other thing is to tap a wedge into the open cut to help keep it clear. When in doubt, hit the stop button, check everything. Once the first cut is done it's all much easier.
Here are some irritating sayings that might help ;)
"Slow and steady wins the day"
"Let the saw do the work"
Del
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blackhawk

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Re: Staving ironwood. Won't split.
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2014, 06:55:56 am »
Swing harder....get a bigger hammer...I've cut my fair share of the stuff and haven't met one yet that wouldn't yield to my swing  8)  like cam said your either over thinking or can't think for yourself....kerf it if ya have to with a circular saw first...set your depth very shallow for the first cut..then set it a lil deeper for a couple more runs thru the same cut...then run your splits off that..it WILL split...this is only IF(big if) you can read the grain and know its straight n clean

And Google is your friend!!!  :laugh:
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Offline dwardo

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Re: Staving ironwood. Won't split.
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2014, 07:18:13 am »
Quote from: blackhawk on July 21, 2014, 06:55:56 am
Swing harder....get a bigger hammer...I've cut my fair share of the stuff and haven't met one yet that wouldn't yield to my swing  8)  like cam said your either over thinking or can't think for yourself....kerf it if ya have to with a circular saw first...set your depth very shallow for the first cut..then set it a lil deeper for a couple more runs thru the same cut...then run your splits off that..it WILL split...this is only IF(big if) you can read the grain and know its straight n clean

And Google is your friend!!!  :laugh:

I split out a 8 inch diameter wych elm at the weekend using a tiny hatchet and wooden wedges. If you take your time and use lots of wedges anything will split. I only used the hatchet to make the wedges and a beater and start the initial split.





Still had time to put the fish on before a nice glass of Red.




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Offline Prarie Bowyer

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Re: Staving ironwood. Won't split.
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2014, 07:58:32 am »
Well it is starting to split but i'm crushig alot of grain and it looks like Irongwood is known for its interlocking grain.  I've had that on trying to split elm before.  Bent my wedge and still no split.  Well it did eventually split but it wasted alot of wood due to grain tear out. 

Dwardo my dia is almost as big as that pic above.  Myine dosent seem to want to split that cleanly.


Compotent 2nd hands are not easily had.
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Offline Pappy

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Re: Staving ironwood. Won't split.
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2014, 08:11:00 am »
What Mike said if you want to saw it,I have done a lot and it's not usually a problem. Just cut slow and hold on and don't let it roll on you and you won't have a blade problem. Fences are no good in my oppion for cutting staves. :) Never seen much IW I couldn't split,about the only ones I saw is pretty small stuff. :)
   Pappy
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Offline Prarie Bowyer

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Re: Staving ironwood. Won't split.
« Reply #8 on: July 22, 2014, 06:18:55 pm »
Free handing didn't work out so well.  Considering making a medieval style resaw frame or investing ina japaneese resaw.
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