Experiments in Crosscutting Wood with Shear Blades

Crosscutting of 1-inch squares of white spruce was studied to isolate and examine effect of annual ring orientation, moisture content, and variation of wood structure on cutting. A hydraulically-powered machine was adapted to do the cutting. Blade thickness had a great effect on cutting force. Doubling the thickness increased the cutting force by about 50 percent. Blade wedge angle has a small effect on cutting. Cutting tangentially requires a higher force than cutting radially. Sapwood requires a higher cutting force than heartwood. A dull blade requires higher force to cut. Moisture content above fiber saturation does not appear to affect the cutting force.

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