Stavemill professions #2 – Cut Before You Shape!

In 1928, after eight generations of forestry activity, Eugène Charlois established a splitting workshop in Murlin: Maison Charlois.

After the selection of oak trees in the forest by Charlois buyers, the most crucial step in the crafting of stave-grade oak is the splitting of the wood. This is an ancestral skill, a traditional technique passed down from generation to generation, as it has been within the Charlois family. A merrandier possesses an unerring eye to read the grain of the wood, split the log into quarters, remove the pith, sapwood, and bark, and shape straight-grained staves. This meticulous process ensures a watertight barrel. Each stage of production is distinct. From the yard where the logs are received daily to the stacking of staves in the seasoning parks, several key steps follow in sequence: measurement, crosscutting, splitting, sawing, edging, sorting, quality control, and stacking. This is what defines the art of stave-making (merranderie).

Crosscut Before Shaping!

There’s crosscutting, and then there’s crosscutting. In the log yard, an initial selection is made using a chainsaw. Logs of quality lower than stave-grade (merrain) are cut into sections and sent to Les Ateliers du Chêne in Saint-Martin-du-Puy, where they are repurposed into railway timber, structural wood, or construction wood.

Once the crosscutting in the log yard is complete, the stave-grade oak logs are transported by loader onto rails that carry them to a conveyor belt for further processing. Here, the crosscutter operator takes control. The first step involves scanning the log and recording key data such as the date, volume, and traceability. Once the log is in position, the crosscutter begins by cutting off the butt end (also called the coqueron), which will later be repurposed into fuel or particle boards. From a distance, it may seem simple—just press a button for the saw blade to slice the log into sections. In reality, it’s a far more precise, strategic, and skillful process. The cutting is done with millimeter-level accuracy, following the cutting lines marked by the scaler during the log’s inspection in the yard. Each log is cut into several billets, and thanks to the initial selection in the yard, this stage deals exclusively with stave-grade wood. However, many steps remain before the billets are transformed into staves ready for use by coopers.

The crosscutter sets the pace in stave-making (merranderie), much like a conductor leading an orchestra. It is their responsibility to supply each splitting station and splitter, ensuring the billets are distributed evenly and avoiding overcrowding of the workspaces. This requires the crosscutter to maintain a high level of attention, particularly for safety. Stave-making is truly a team effort, with each station feeding into the next, from the log yard to the stave seasoning yard. Every role is interconnected, forming a seamless process that transforms raw oak into stave-grade wood.

Photographs © Christophe Deschanel