how to cut sticks and logs

[Dragonkort]

well finally time to wood work!!!  but i have a question....when we bought this house 5 years ago there was a large pile of sticks and different sized tree branches in the back yard. without a truck well its still back there.....iv been looking on the inter net for patters and ideas and such and iv found tons of ideas for making things with you got it twigs branches tree limbs....a lot of the things require cutting slices from the smaller branches to make ornaents and snowmen amoung other things.....now iv tried to cut the slices with my scroll saw but i have a problem with the slices breaking while im trying to cut them into slices.....could the wood be to old and dry? and if so would putting linseed oil on them help any ? or is there another way to go about cutting the slices from the brances?

[new2woodwrk]

If you have or know someone with a band saw that would be my choice.

I have a table saw that I can do small branches on, but a band saw would still be my go to saw.

I used my Miter saw on a branch a while ago but it was very messy - it worked well though

[jollyred]

When branches (any wood for that matter) dries it can develop cracks in the wood.  If those happen to go all the way across the branch, it will fall apart when the branch is sliced into thin discs.  Can not do anything about it, except glue the discs back together.  Usually these cracks are near the ends of the wood, and may not go all the way along the length of the branch.  Try cutting at various locations along the length and see if there is a solid part where you can get solid discs.

Tom

[Dragonkort]

Thank you both!!  unfrountly i dont have a band saw...but i do have a table saw...spike got it for me for valintines day....he hasnt let me actual USE it yet....lol  i will pratice on some good sized scrap wood before i try using the table saw.....i was woundering if that would work but now that i know real woodworkers who actualy KNOW what there doing id ask first instead of just trying it. lol  every notice as you get older people dont want you to do all the things youve been doing for years ?  my kids have told me they wish i wouldnt do woodworking if im the only one home...do they think just because im 62 instead of 22 or 32..  im more likely to cut my fingers or hand off?   or that iv forgotten what to do if i do have an accident in shop?  not to mention regardles of age theres no garintee you'll remember what to do should an accident happen... spikes not as bad as the rest of my family (kids and siblings)  but he is nervious  about my using new large power tools if hes not  home. lol he wants to teach me how to use the table saw....if he dosnt show me soon im just going to go on utube its not that hard i know but i do need to learn how to set it up for what i want to do.....and IF i can get all the stuff off my lath table i want to start on that again too....he shouldnt have fixed it for me if he ddnt want me to use it lol....oh well here iv gone and rattled on AGAIN!!  time to get back into the woodshop!!  going to try to get the baskit im making cut out before sheba wakes up and demands more attention!! lol  and again THANK YOU!!

[new2woodwrk]

Please don't take offense, but have you ever used a table saw?

I ask, because if not I highly recommend you read a few of the safety videos on youtub.

If it's a new saw, it needs to be tuned as well and there are videos that show how to do that.

Also, if you are going to cut branches on the table saw, make sure you using the miter sled and not standing behind the piece being cut off.

 

[Dragonkort]

i never take offense....one of the reasons im here is learn!!  and no spike has not let me use the table saw yet and yes i will most defently go to youtub and i'll ask spike if he has it tuned...and will also watch those vidos ... wrighting dow use miter sled and not to stand behind the piece being cut off!!   i really do wish the stores would get in some of the cheaper printers in because its so much easer to print these things out then to wright them out by hand!! lol ....oh we have a miter saw....could you just use that instead?  

[ChelCass]

I always used my chop saw for cutting slices.  It worked well for me.

[amazingkevin]

On 10/2/2020 at 7:09 PM, Dragonkort said:

well finally time to wood work!!!  but i have a question....when we bought this house 5 years ago there was a large pile of sticks and different sized tree branches in the back yard. without a truck well its still back there.....iv been looking on the inter net for patters and ideas and such and iv found tons of ideas for making things with you got it twigs branches tree limbs....a lot of the things require cutting slices from the smaller branches to make ornaents and snowmen amoung other things.....now iv tried to cut the slices with my scroll saw but i have a problem with the slices breaking while im trying to cut them into slices.....could the wood be to old and dry? and if so would putting linseed oil on them help any ? or is there another way to go about cutting the slices from the brances?

Maybe google types of accidents that can happen on a table saw. I,d like to watch that one too.i had one accident and do not want another.

[preprius]

My mom was 72 when she started on wood turning, pens then bowls.