Cutting angles

Cutting angles recommended by Forest Products Laboratory for hardwoods. May 9, 2001

Cutting Angles Recommended by Forest Products Laboratory for Hardwoods


SPECIESCUTTING ANGLE (°)
Ash15 to 25
Basswood20 to 30
Birch15 to 20
Chestnut15 to 20
Cottonwood5 to 10
Elm soft15 to 20
Black gum10 to 20
Hackberry15 to 20
Magnolia5 to 15
Mahogany10 to 25
Hard maple15 to 25
Soft maple5 to 15
Red oak10 to 20
White oak10 to 20
Pecan20 to 25
Sweet gum10 to 15
Sycamore10 to 15
Black walnut15 to 20
Willow15 to 20
Yellow poplar10 to 20



Cutting Angles
KILN DRIED
7" MOISTURE OR LESS
WET OR GREEN
MORE THAN 7"
CABCAB
Ash15 35 10 35
Basswood 10 30 20 30
Beech 10 35 15 35
Birch 10 35 15 35
Cedar 5 30 10 30
Cherry 10 35 15 35
Chestnut 5 35 10 35
Cottonwood 5 30 10 30
Cypress 5 30 10 30
Elm Hard 0 40 5 40
Fir 10 35 15 35
Gum 20 35 25 35
Hemlock 15 35 20 35
Hickory 5 40 10 40
Mahogany 10 35 15 35
Maple 5 40 10 40
Oak 10 40 15 40
Oak Qtd. 10 40 15 40
Pine Yel. 20 35 25 35
Pine White 25 30 30 30
Pine Ponderosa 25 30 30 30
Poplar 30 30 35 30
Redwood 5 30 15 30
Spruce 20 35 25 35
Sycamore 5 35 10 35
Walnut 5 35 10 35
Elm Soft 5 40 10 40

CA is cutting angle. B is grinding bevel.




Kind of woodDefect-free pieces at cutting angle of--
10°15°20°25°30°
PercentPercentPercentPercentPercentPercent
Ash697072737953
Basswood----52656865
Birch----716355--
Chestnut----81766534
Cottonwood403725271231
Elm, soft242448331918
Blackgum425247534337
Hackberry374775935420
Magnolia877878566261
Mahogany7788767787--
Hard Maple----56565117
Soft Maple436157333418
Red Oak669695928765
White Oak749895937437
Pecan788276929557
Sweetgum356654514944
Sycamore253926231818
Black walnut--647350--
Willow324650594610
Yellowpoplar667575676748

For each cutting angle shown the test pieces were planned under two different conditions: (1) At 36 feet per minute feed and 3,600 r.p.m. and (2) on the opposite side at 54 feet feed and 5,400r.p.m. The moisture content was 6 percent for this entire series of tests.