Farm Forestry New ZealandMilling eucalypt sleepers with Woodmizer
Sleepers are generally produced from lower quality logs of durable species of eucalypt. Shown here is one way of producing four straight sleepers or posts from a high movement eucalypt log on a woodmizer portable bandsaw:
The log is turned 90° after the first cut then cut through the pith. A stick is inserted either before the first cut is finished, or using a spade to lever the two halves apart. This provides two points of contact so the log doesn't pivot, making it easier to keep the log intact, to turn it back 90°.
A third cut quarters the log. Note how these cuts open up the log and release tension.
The top quarters of the log are raised using a spade and two fillets are placed near each end so that these two quarters only contact at those points. These top two quarters are now stable.
Three straightening cuts are made to three faces (see arrows).
The two top sleepers are turned 90°. Both sleepers are edged on the top and also on the bottom (to straighten that edge). These two completed sleepers are now removed.
Face A above was previously straightened, so both quarters are turned towards each other 90° and an edge is cut.
The other two faces are cut before turning both sleepers 90° and cutting the final two edges to complete the sleepers.
This method produces perfectly straight sleepers and removes most of the sapwood, which will make great fiirewood!
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