Oxfordshire Woodland Group

B.C. Bruce has shared with us the conversion of top quality west coast larch to produce all vertical grain lumber using an overhung circular saw that can cut both in the vertical and horizontal planes.

The conversion cut pattern is marked on the end of the log to guide the sawyer how to maximise the production of vertical grain lumber.

A simple horizontal cut is made to flatten the top of the log

followed by 2 vertical cuts and 1 horizontal

A second horizontal cut produces a clean flat surface

The vertical cuts are repeated

followed by a horizontal cut freeing the boxed heart

The boxed heart will go for beam material with this being the cheapest cut obtained from the log. It's been 600 years since this beam was enclosed by tight grain timber growing at a rate of 28 rings per inch 3 ins from the heart.