Thank you everyone for your replies. I didn't think the kerfing question would go anywhere, but there's certainly some wonderful comments here.
A little more info about my project. I'm using DougFir boxed heart. Cut in Winter/Spring 2003, milled fall 2003, planed Winter 2004 and sat covered and stickered until Fall 2004. Very little checking so far, compared to the checking I've seen in hardwoods, I should consider myself pretty fortunate.
Timberbe, said something interesting:
"Ponding also lessens some of the stresses created by drying, and reduces checking. As does a consideration for when the trees were felled, even, How they were felled."
Ponding is out of the question for me, but I'd like to know more on your thoughts of When and How the trees were felled.
I read in Steve Chappell's book, A Timber Framer's Workshop,
"Ideally, tress should be fell in the winter months, when the sap is down. According to timber folklore, the best time is during the full moon in February" (p. 147)
I'm not sure if this would apply to Douglas Fir, but just for fun I cut a load timbers this year....during a full moon...in February. We'll see how it goes.
Regarding the "How" trees are felled, could you elaborate a little bit here too?
I've been careful not to drop the trees directly onto anything in it's path because I know the tops (or middle) will snap. However, I suspect that stress fractures may develop when a tree hits the ground.
