Sawmill Operation
Blade Height Scale
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4-15 60HDdoc081208 Sawmill Operation
Example: You want to cut 1" (25 mm) random width boards from a log. Position the blade
for the first cut. Move the carriage to an even measurement on the inch scale. Make a
trim cut. Return the carriage for the second cut and lower it 1 1/8" (29 mm) below the orig-
inal measurement. (The extra 1/8" (3 mm) allows for saw kerf and shrinkage of the lum-
ber.)
The yellow area on the scale identifies where the blade could encounter a side support or
log clamp. Check that these items are below the blade level before sawing.
The Quarter Scale
See Table 4-1. Two quarter scales are provided with four sets of marks. Each set repre-
sents a specific lumber thickness. Saw kerf and shrinkage allowance are included, but
actual board thickness will vary slightly depending on blade thickness and tooth set.
To choose which scale to use, determine what finished thickness you want to end up with.
The Grade Hardwood Quarter Scale provides thicker finished boards usually required by
commercial buyers. The Standard Quarter Scale allows for kerf and shrinkage of finished
boards suitable for most custom applications. Always check with your customer before
you saw to determine what actual finished thickness is required.
To use the quarter scale, look at the blade height indicator. Line up the horizontal red line
on the indicator with the nearest mark on the scale you want to use. Make a trim cut.
When you return the carriage for a second cut, lower the carriage to the next mark on the
scale. This mark shows where the blade should be positioned to cut a certain thickness of
lumber, without having to measure on the inch scale.
Example: You want to cut 1" (25 mm) (4/4) random width boards from a log. Position the
blade for the first cut. Adjust the quarter scale so a 4/4 mark is aligned with the red line on
the indicator. Make a trim cut. Return the carriage for the second cut. Now, instead of hav-
ing to measure down 1 1/8" (29 mm) on the inch scale, you can simply lower the blade so
the indicator is aligned with the next 4/4 mark on the quarter scale. Turn the log 90
degrees and repeat.
Standard Quarter Scale Grade Hardwood Quarter Scale
Scale Actual Board Thickness Scale Actual Board Thickness
4/4 1" (25 mm) 4/4 1 1/8" (29 mm)
5/4 1 1/4" (32 mm) 5/4 1 3/8" (35 mm)
6/4 1 1/2" (38 mm) 6/4 1 5/8" (41 mm)
8/4 2" (51 mm) 8/4 2 1/8" (54 mm)
TABLE 4-1
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