# Cutting logs into pen blanks



## randyrls (Jan 24, 2012)

I recently joined a wood turning club and I now have some branches of osage orange about 6" in diameter.  My bandsaw is limited to 6", and I have a 5/8" re-saw blade for it.

I've never cut down raw logs into pen blanks before. So I am looking for any tips, guidance, or suggestions on how to do this.  I have thought on how to hold the log for cutting.  The most I have come up with is a clamp with pins to hold the log section steady and prevent it from "rolling" or twisting while cutting.

Can a pen blank be dried with a food dehydrator or a small styrofoam cooler with an incandescent light bulb in it?


----------



## Robert111 (Jan 24, 2012)

I screw a board into a length of log, then turn the board-log on its side and slice the log by using a fence to slide the board-log through the blade.

Never heard of your styrofoam cooler drying box but sounds promising.

By the way, branch wood is notorious for having a lot of internal tension that will twist and turn as it dries or when it's ripped.


----------



## randywa (Jan 24, 2012)

Randy, this article has some good info. I also screw a board to the wood.
"PB1693 Sawing Logs for Quartersawn Lumber" by The University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service


----------



## Wildman (Jan 24, 2012)

You can also search here for band saw sleds people use.

If scroll through jig section here will find band saw sleds that will help you cut logs. Or use search feature for faster results.
Woodworking projects tagged with 'jig' @ LumberJocks.com ~ woodworking community

I air dry wood people do use dehydrators and cooler kilns too. Any box, with fan and light will work. Want to ensure not going to start a fire. Somebody here posted a picture of his Plastic cooler, computer fan, and light bulb kiln several years back. 

I rough cut pen blanks to about 1” x 6” end seal with caning wax and set aside to dry in my shop.


----------



## Justturnin (Jan 24, 2012)

It really depends on if you want straight grain blanks or, my favorite, cross/bias cut blanks.

Some may not like my methods becasue I leave the log free and it could rull but I dont put it in a position to do that really.

For straight grain I free hand a flat spot down one side of the log. Flip it onto that flat side and run it down a fence leaving a 15/16"-1" slab. Once you have done the whole log run those slabs through and you end up w/ 1" square blanks making sure you trash the one w/ the pith. I made a cross cut sled for my bandsaw w/ some scrap wood that has 5.5" mark and I cut them to that length to dry

For Cross/Bias cut blanks I do it a little different. I still cut the flat side in the log but then I mark the pith and draw a line down the log and freehand down that line. I then look at how far the pith is from the end and set my fence so I am 1/2" past the pith plus a 1" blank. I set the fence for this cut for each side because each will be different but if it is close I leave it. I cut those thick slabs then I move my fence to its 1" mark and slab the rest all the while running the widest flat side against the fence leaving my original flat cut on the table. Once I am done I decide if it is wide enough to be X-cut, if it is I X-cut it. If not I get out some rulers and find how to cut it to get full size blanks on the bias (angle cut). I free hand the first cut and then run it against the fence for the rest of the slab. Once it is all cut I take the parts with the Pith (thicker slab) and run them through removing the pith from the blank.

Drying. there are a million ways to skin this cat. I have a 5gal bucket w/ DNA in it. I stack the blanks and weigh them w/ Corian chunks to keep them below the DNA Level. Cover them w/ DNA and soak for 1-2 days. once I remove them I place them in a bowl to drain for a bit. For Summer weather I wrap them in paper and stack them, during the winter I just stack them in the open as it is very humid here and they dry pretty slow. Once I cant smell the DNA in them (2 days to a week) I give them a few more days then I store them. For quick drying (after the DNA) I place them in my shop toaster oven at about 140 for a few hours. I weigh them every hour until they stop losing weight. Once they stop losing tey are dry. Keep in mind once you pull them out they will be dryer than the air around them so if you are going to cast or stabilize do it soon after they are cooled. One thing you have to be careful of is drying them too fast. If the moisture is drawn out faster than the wood can handle it checks and bends.

Good luck and if you have any questions pm me.


----------



## jfoh (Jan 24, 2012)

I have dried hundreds if blanks in a food dehydrator. Before that I built a tall cabinet out of scrap plywood. 48 x 12 x 12 with grooves for 1 x 1/4 x 12 slats going from side to side.  Spaced about 3" apart.  Used cheap latex paint to seal the plywood both in side and outside. Placed the blanks on the slats. Light bulb at the bottom held by a cheap drop cord, small vent hole at the top.  60W bulb would raise the temp  20 plus degrees.  100w would get the box too hot except in the dead of winter. Run for a week and everything was dry as a bone.


----------



## rockb (Jan 24, 2012)

Hi Randy, you might give this a try.  Cut your log into 5" or 6" short logs, whatever you want the pen length to be....stand 'em up on end ....and rip 'em the long way. I've done this many times.  You do want the base to be plenty wide enough  (six inches should be no problem)  and square so it won't tend to wobble and catch your blade.  Once your blade is in the wood a ways, it usually goes smoothly.   After you've made a pass of two, you'll have a good straight/flat side so then just  lay the flat side on your table and cut conventionally.  You shouldn't need to use screws, etc..this way.   Good luck, Rocky/rockb


----------



## Wildman (Jan 25, 2012)

A band saw sled will let you cut square sides on your logs. I used my fence to slab logs 1” thick. If want straight blanks just use the fence to cut 1” wide so blanks end up 1” x 1” square. Use blank cut off sled to square cut to length. 
If want blanks cut on bias have modified cut of sled. Used cut off sled to square up ends on bias cut blanks.

If wood is real wet will get some twisting, (diamond shape) even with ends sealed. Often end seal log and wait couple of months before cutting into blanks. Use caning wax to end seal. 

Don’t over think it just have fun.

http://content.penturners.org/library/tools_and_jigs/cutoffsled.pdf


----------



## cnirenberg (Jan 26, 2012)

randyrls said:


> I recently joined a wood turning club and I now have some branches of osage orange about 6" in diameter.  My bandsaw is limited to 6", and I have a 5/8" re-saw blade for it.
> 
> I've never cut down raw logs into pen blanks before. So I am looking for any tips, guidance, or suggestions on how to do this.  I have thought on how to hold the log for cutting.  The most I have come up with is a clamp with pins to hold the log section steady and prevent it from "rolling" or twisting while cutting.
> 
> Can a pen blank be dried with a food dehydrator or a small styrofoam cooler with an incandescent light bulb in it?



Randy,
I've seen a home made kiln made out of A/C paneling taped together with a 100 watt lightbulb and a small fan from an old computer.  I'll look for the details in my pile of "stuff" and send you something.


----------



## SDB777 (Jan 26, 2012)

Be warned, branches will often crack after cutting them to size...a lot of stress is built into the branch from bending under weight...also, the branch wood will try to grab your bandsaw blade, have a wedge handy to put in the kerf...maybe two or more.

That said, I freehand those small chunks.

Scott


----------



## randyrls (Jan 28, 2012)

Thanks for the information everyone.  I was able to make a simple clamp and bandsaw sled.


----------



## philb (Jan 28, 2012)

cnirenberg said:


> randyrls said:
> 
> 
> > I recently joined a wood turning club and I now have some branches of osage orange about 6" in diameter.  My bandsaw is limited to 6", and I have a 5/8" re-saw blade for it.
> ...



Any chance you can send it my way? Cheers


----------

