Hi All,
I just got a deal on 5-6 juniper trees, very dead from a fire years
ago, and still standing. I took one home yesterday. They are each
about 30 feet long, 15 inch diameter at the base. I kept 4 inch and
larger, and generally about 4 feet long between the major branches, or
sharp bends.
I cut one 4 inch diameter by 36 inch piece into 1/2 inch slabs by
jointing two adjacent sides, then the band saw, then touch up one side
on the jointer, and finally the planer. Not to a perfect finish, just
enough to get the size, color, and any defects. I will smooth after I
decide what to build.
Well, that's what I did, but... having no experience in working
with actual logs, I'm curious what people with actual experience do
when they get a salvaged log. BTW, my band saw does 6 inches max, so
I plan to use my chain saw to make the larger logs in half or quarters
as needed to fit the band saw.
Any comments will be appreciated!
Rich.....
On Jun 13, 4:39=A0pm, Sonny <[email protected]> wrote:
> If you are going to do a lot of log ripping with a chainsaw, you need
> a special chain, otherwise you may burn up your saw. =A0An option, if
> you use a standard chain, is to saw half way down the log (4' of an 8'
> log), then allow your saw to rest about an hour, before continuing to
> saw.
I did a fair amount of this chainsaw lumbermaking. Here's some info
and pictures:
http://bullfire.net/Lumber/Lumber.html
On Jun 13, 3:58=A0pm, tom <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Jun 13, 6:57 am, rich <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Hi All,
>
> > =A0 =A0I just got a deal on 5-6 juniper trees, very dead from a fire ye=
ars
> > ago, and still standing. =A0I took one home yesterday. =A0They are each
> > about 30 feet long, 15 inch diameter at the base. =A0I kept 4 inch and
> > larger, and generally about 4 feet long between the major branches, or
> > sharp bends.
>
> > =A0 =A0I cut one 4 inch diameter by 36 inch piece into 1/2 inch slabs b=
y
> > jointing two adjacent sides, then the band saw, then touch up one side
> > on the jointer, and finally the planer. =A0Not to a perfect finish, jus=
t
> > enough to get the size, color, and any defects. =A0I will smooth after =
I
> > decide what to build.
>
> > =A0 =A0Well, that's what I did, but... having no experience in working
> > with actual logs, I'm curious what people with actual experience do
> > when they get a salvaged log. =A0BTW, my band saw does 6 inches max, so
> > I plan to use my chain saw to make the larger logs in half or quarters
> > as needed to fit the band saw.
>
> > =A0 =A0Any comments will be appreciated!
>
> > Rich.....
>
> Yep, Mr. phorbin's right. Chainsaw mill with a ripping blade on the
> bar. That cheap one with the integral level would probably do just as
> well as the expensive one. Maybe invest in a metal detector, if you
> haven't already? And this is probably the best excuse to upgrade the
> bandsaw, too, considering all the money you've saved on the lumber. I
> built a jig that'll hold about a three foot log section (which can get
> pretty heavy, depending on the species) that travels in the miter
> groove of the bandsaw. This saves material when compared to the
> chainsaw's kerf. Tom- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Thanks to all. I did 3 smaller logs yesterday and got some nice 1x4's
for later use. Also a stack of 1/2 inch foot long pieces. But that
LV guide looks like just the thing for the larger pieces. Most of the
logs are 4-5 feet long since the wood is very "knarly" and I cut the
sections between bends, and major branch locations. Wish I could
split some logs!
Rich.....
In article <0c35295a-bcd4-4688-a71d-
[email protected]>, [email protected]
says...
> Hi All,
>
> I just got a deal on 5-6 juniper trees, very dead from a fire years
> ago, and still standing. I took one home yesterday. They are each
> about 30 feet long, 15 inch diameter at the base. I kept 4 inch and
> larger, and generally about 4 feet long between the major branches, or
> sharp bends.
>
> I cut one 4 inch diameter by 36 inch piece into 1/2 inch slabs by
> jointing two adjacent sides, then the band saw, then touch up one side
> on the jointer, and finally the planer. Not to a perfect finish, just
> enough to get the size, color, and any defects. I will smooth after I
> decide what to build.
>
> Well, that's what I did, but... having no experience in working
> with actual logs, I'm curious what people with actual experience do
> when they get a salvaged log. BTW, my band saw does 6 inches max, so
> I plan to use my chain saw to make the larger logs in half or quarters
> as needed to fit the band saw.
>
> Any comments will be appreciated!
>
> Rich.....
>
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=20126&cat=1,41131,41139
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=&p=20127&cat=1,41131,41139
Been looking at these off and on for awhile because I often want to mill
something out of a log and have a relatively flat surface when I'm done.
In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> tom wrote:
> >
> > Yep, Mr. phorbin's right. Chainsaw mill with a ripping blade on the
> > bar. That cheap one with the integral level would probably do just as
> > well as the expensive one. Maybe invest in a metal detector, if you
> > haven't already? And this is probably the best excuse to upgrade the
> > bandsaw, too, considering all the money you've saved on the lumber. I
> > built a jig that'll hold about a three foot log section (which can get
> > pretty heavy, depending on the species) that travels in the miter
> > groove of the bandsaw. This saves material when compared to the
> > chainsaw's kerf. Tom
>
> I scored some 2-foot diameter red cedar logs a couple of years back.
> Sawed them in half for benches for my fire pit. Used my little Stihl
> 025C and let me tell you, it was an ordeal. I didn't have a ripping
> chain and the long chips were like a rat's nest. Had to clean out the
> drive gear area about every 30 seconds.
>
> But the benches are great! Almost like the benches in the redwood parks
> in California from when I was a kid. However, those had backs because
> they were cut from 4-foot diameter logs!
>
If the grain promised straight and clear from end to end, wedges driven
on a line at intervals along the length can split it pretty clean.
I used this method to deal with some seven and eight foot by 20 inch
logs a few years ago. ...Maple. No way I was going to even try to rip it
with a chainsaw.
It's pretty quick and you have to drive the wedges more or less evenly
into the log and listen. It's something you can't rush. It doesn't take
long and it's pure magic when it works perfectly.
If you are going to do a lot of log ripping with a chainsaw, you need
a special chain, otherwise you may burn up your saw. An option, if
you use a standard chain, is to saw half way down the log (4' of an 8'
log), then allow your saw to rest about an hour, before continuing to
saw.
Different kind of sawdust, too. Keep the chain clear of the stringy
"sawdust" or the saw could
1) jam and
2) if the bar screws aren't tightened properly, the chain could jump
the sprocket (toothed gear at the motor) and screw up your sprocket
alignment, .
**Long ago family joke: "Don't play with your sprocket."
Sonny
On Jun 13, 6:57 am, rich <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I just got a deal on 5-6 juniper trees, very dead from a fire years
> ago, and still standing. I took one home yesterday. They are each
> about 30 feet long, 15 inch diameter at the base. I kept 4 inch and
> larger, and generally about 4 feet long between the major branches, or
> sharp bends.
>
> I cut one 4 inch diameter by 36 inch piece into 1/2 inch slabs by
> jointing two adjacent sides, then the band saw, then touch up one side
> on the jointer, and finally the planer. Not to a perfect finish, just
> enough to get the size, color, and any defects. I will smooth after I
> decide what to build.
>
> Well, that's what I did, but... having no experience in working
> with actual logs, I'm curious what people with actual experience do
> when they get a salvaged log. BTW, my band saw does 6 inches max, so
> I plan to use my chain saw to make the larger logs in half or quarters
> as needed to fit the band saw.
>
> Any comments will be appreciated!
>
> Rich.....
Yep, Mr. phorbin's right. Chainsaw mill with a ripping blade on the
bar. That cheap one with the integral level would probably do just as
well as the expensive one. Maybe invest in a metal detector, if you
haven't already? And this is probably the best excuse to upgrade the
bandsaw, too, considering all the money you've saved on the lumber. I
built a jig that'll hold about a three foot log section (which can get
pretty heavy, depending on the species) that travels in the miter
groove of the bandsaw. This saves material when compared to the
chainsaw's kerf. Tom
tom wrote:
>
> Yep, Mr. phorbin's right. Chainsaw mill with a ripping blade on the
> bar. That cheap one with the integral level would probably do just as
> well as the expensive one. Maybe invest in a metal detector, if you
> haven't already? And this is probably the best excuse to upgrade the
> bandsaw, too, considering all the money you've saved on the lumber. I
> built a jig that'll hold about a three foot log section (which can get
> pretty heavy, depending on the species) that travels in the miter
> groove of the bandsaw. This saves material when compared to the
> chainsaw's kerf. Tom
I scored some 2-foot diameter red cedar logs a couple of years back.
Sawed them in half for benches for my fire pit. Used my little Stihl
025C and let me tell you, it was an ordeal. I didn't have a ripping
chain and the long chips were like a rat's nest. Had to clean out the
drive gear area about every 30 seconds.
But the benches are great! Almost like the benches in the redwood parks
in California from when I was a kid. However, those had backs because
they were cut from 4-foot diameter logs!