how to cut a log

[Antonio Majer]

Hi all. I have a piece of log, about 4m long, cut down two or three years ago in my garden and left outdoor without protection, but raised from the ground. Black locust, Ø30cm apparently sound (strangely it is still budding a little); unfortunately I didn't paint the heads, so they have started splitting.
http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/5852/bl1jx2.th.gif (http://img229.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bl1jx2.gif)
There isn't a sawmill nearby here and in any case I'm not able to move such a log.The other day I was wondering if it would be possible to cut it lengthwise by means of a portable chain saw, to get a plank 8x30cm. It could take 2-3 hours for two cuts, I think. Has anybody tried something similar? better to forget about it?
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/4514/bl0xk2.th.gif (http://img178.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bl0xk2.gif)

[The Bigfella]

There are plenty of chainsaw mills out there, so it is possible. The problem you face is how do you cut it straight? You may be able to rig up some sort of jig so that you cut it straight. Ripping timber is going to be harder on your saw, so don't do it all at once.

[emichaels]

Antonio you can definitely do this with handheld chain saw. There was a thread a year or so ago, and thanks to my ineptness using the search function I cannot findit, where a young forumit over in New Hampshire modified his chain saw chain (refiled the angles) to make it a ripping chain. You can also buy chains that are set for ripping. The cut will be as straight as your eye is good. Make sure you have wood wedges on hand to drive in the log as you go so it doesn't bind the chain. The wedges also provide a little protection from the chainsaw kicking back.

http://www.toolcenter.com/RIPPING_CHAIN.html

Eric

[Jim Ledger]

I'd split it into quarter with steel wedges and then put the quarters through a bandsaw.

[sawcutmill]

Woodmizer has a European chapter, I have read of a french women who has one and I think is available for hire. She was featured in one of their quarterlies about 3 years ago(?)
btw, many tree species will sprout out of their side bark, I have personally seen Walnut, cherry, willow, Locust and oaks do this, survival mechanism.Many of the farmers took advantage of this fact and just layed down a log, an in time, sprouted a very nice set of trees or hedges from it to form fences.

[Antonio Majer]

Thank you so much to all, I have never heard of ripping chains before, now I'll look for them.
---
I well know Woodmizer (there are some clips here http://www.woodenboat.com/videos.html, just for dreaming) but I don't think it's possible to hire it out there. About splitting: Jim, I usually split short (30-40cm) pieces of log, but believe me it's impossible to split 4 meter (o-n-e-h-u-n-d-r-e-d-f-i-f-t-y-s-e-v-e-n-i-n-c-h:D) of black locust. Moreover the surface is so rough, that you need to plane it before sawing.
http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/4229/k02oc8.th.jpg (http://img166.imageshack.us/my.php?image=k02oc8.jpg) http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/1725/p102jo9.th.jpg (http://img516.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p102jo9.jpg)

[ChrisBen]

Antonio, there are a few company's that make portable chainsaw mills, I don't know what you could find locally though.
Chainsaw Mills - Alaskan MK III Chain Saw Mill by Granberg (http://www.toolcenter.com/ALASKAN_MKIII_CHAIN_SAW_MILL.html)
There are also websites explaining how to make your own mill from readily available materials.
Make your own lumber with a chainsaw mill by Jacqueline Tresl Issue #39 (http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/tresl39.html)
Our resident sawmill expert Bob Smasler should be along soon to answer your question when he wakes up on the west coast here, or you could send him a PM.

[Jim Ledger]

[quote=Antonio Majer;1829969] About splitting: Jim, I usually split short (30-40cm) pieces of log, but believe me it's impossible to split 4 meter sawing.

Not at all. With three wedges and a sledgehammer you can start a split and work it down any length you have. Wayyyy easier than trying to rip with a chainsaw, plus you get no cross-grain.

[Mrleft8]

Black Locust splits very nicely.

[Antonio Majer]

I’m a bit amazed: do you really think you would be able to split that log? I cannot even start the split, the timber is so hard that prevents the wedge from penetrating…I wonder if we are speaking of the same black locust! maybe you are particular strong, but it’s impossible for me even to start the split.
Below you see my wedges (have they an angle too obtuse? Are yours much more sharp?)
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/3791/bl002su1.th.jpg (http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bl002su1.jpg)
These are the trees (still without leaves, they have just started budding):
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/4804/bl006cg0.th.jpg (http://img178.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bl006cg0.jpg)
And this is (just out of curiosity) a root of black locust. The farmers here say one must split them when they are still green. Now it’s simply impossible, even the chainsaw has problems (well, besides the possibility of finding little stones in the wood)
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/6568/bl005ox6.th.jpg (http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bl005ox6.jpg)

[Jim Ledger]

Try putting a wedge in one of the checks in the end to start the split. What you want is a three wedges, not in the end of the log but on the outside, hitting each one in turn and working the split down the log. You don't have to be particularly strong because the wedges are being tapped in a little at a time, unlike splitting firewood where one blow does the job. There are not many logs that can withstand this kind of applied force. The hardness of the wood is actually an advantage because it transmits the force down the log.

[neilm]

For less than $50 on ebay you can buy a Haddon Lumber Maker. http://www.loghelp.com/tools/chainsaw.html I have one and have cut large logs with it. I usually quarter the log then use a portable power planer to make sure it's straight then run it through my 18" Bandsaw to make lumber. The biggest problem is weight. I limit my logs to 4 ft but if you had two or three people you could do longer logs. Make sure you debark the log first so the dirt won't dull your chain. If you are only doing one log you can get by with a standard chainsaw chain. It's just slower. If I were to do it over I would get the Mini-Mill. I like the handle idea for better leverage.

I've tried splitting logs and it's easy to do with 4 wedges or more but there is lots of waste. You are much better off ripping with a chainsaw.

http://neilmoomey.com/temp/hemlock/IMG_2147_700.jpg

http://neilmoomey.com/temp/hemlock/IMG_2149_700.jpg

Neil

[Bob Cleek]

Splitting, yes, although less than certain to reliably produce consistently dimensioned stock, so expect a fair amount of waste in resawing and planing.

A good log should attract somebody with a portable bandsaw mill who would likely do it for a share of the wood. The bandsaw mill will yield the most useable stock and be by far the fastest and most efficient method. Again, I don't know if anybody in Italy is doing this. Woodmizer, a company that makes bandsaw mills, used to have a referral service on their website that gave the contact information for people in various areas with their mills who would be interested in milling trees on an individual basis.

Short of a bandsaw mill, I would strongly recommend the Granberg Alaskan mills. http://www.granberg.com/ Plug disclaimer: Elof Granberg, who invented these little gems, is an old friend of mine.

http://www.granberg.com/images/index_lg_w_title.jpg

(Note the tip of the chainsaw blade coming out of the side of the log below the sawyer's right hand. He's holding the saw's trigger with his left hand.)

The Granberg Alaskan mills are clever, deceptively simple tools, and not expensive. All they are is an attachment guide for a chainsaw which maintains a set depth of horizontal cut. To start, you tack a couple of two by four's, or even a flat plank, on top of the round log. This provides your reference plane for the first cut. The "mill" guide rides on this reference plane and makes the first cut, leaving a corresponding flat on top of the log. Thereafter, you just use the next flat and the flat after that, on and on, to slice off planks from the log. The depth of the chainsaw bar set below the carriage guide on the flat determines the thickness of the plank. By rolling the log and cutting flats at right angles, you can turn out large beams, or quarter saw, or whatever you want. You DO need to use a chainsaw with enough power (Granberg has specs on this relative to the size of the bar), and a sufficiently long bar. You also SHOULD use a specially designed "ripping chain," for the fastest and best results. Granberg also supplies these. While the cost of any decent bandsaw mill could never be justified by the need to mill a log every now and again, the "Alaskan Mill" is so inexpensive that it is well worth the money even if used infrequently. Your chainsaw, with either a standard blade and chain or an extended blade and ripping chain, becomes doubly useful.

[kc8pql]

Black locust, Ø30cm...The other day I was wondering if it would be possible to cut it lengthwise by means of a portable chain saw, to get a plank 8x30cm.

You can't saw a 30cm wide plank out of a 30cm dia. log without leaving the pith in the center of the plank. If you do that the plank will split down the center as it drys and the two halves will bow away from the center. You have to cut around the heart. Probably the widest plank you could get out of the log would be 10 or 12 cm.

[Bob Smalser]

Locust isn't worth enough for even a 300-dollar equipment investment for a Granberg unless you have access to several more logs. Nor will a sawyer show up for one log, and if he does you'll pay more than the wood is worth.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/3075040/29094193.jpg

Locust splits easily. A Jim said, three steel wedges and a 6-10lb hammer will allow you to split out radial pie sections of thicknesses sufficiently light to handle. Then you simply split off the feather edge and the bark, square one side up in a bandsaw, and dimension the board using planer and jointer. More waste than a sawmill, but your boards will have zero grain runout and do superior service as boat frames compared to what most portable mills will produce.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/4110272/50978769.jpg

The only reason we're halving this log with saws is it's a species that doesn't split easily. But two saws with normal crosscut chains took less than 10 minutes. Ripping chains are a benefit but aren't worth the trouble for only one or two cuts.

If you buy a chainsaw mill like the Granberg, be prepared for a horror story of noise and brutal work done on your knees. Where it's possible, I much prefer swinging a hammer standing upright in relative silence.

Oh, and next time, if you don't paint the log ends within a couple days of bucking to length, you are wasting your time. End grain loses moisture that rapidly. Water soluble roofing tar works well, as do wax emulsions. Latex paint is better than nothing but is unreliable.

[pipefitter]

The forumite's name was MrJoel I think. He made a sleigh for the chainsaw, IIRC , that rode a 2x4 fastened to the log lengthwise.

Ok. . .found the link http://www.woodenboat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59208&highlight=mrjoel

[Jim Ledger]

You can see in this picture how it's done. Pretty simple and only takes a few minutes to split a log like this one.

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m193/searover1916/treewithMarie.jpg

[Clencher]

Explosive Splitting.

A little aside here guys. I was reminded of this by Jim's photo above. When I was a small boy I was ‘helping’ grandfather split a log. He told me that in the shipyard where he worked, in the ‘old days’ if they had a stubborn log to split, they would use gunpowder. Little boy’s ears pricked up at this point.

Details are a bit vague 50 odd years later, but they would drill a row of holes with an auger, into the log in the plane of the split they wanted. They would ram black powder into the holes and bang in drilled plugs on top. I can’t remember the fusing system but suspect it was a powder train of some sort.

Set that off and “That’d split ‘em” said grandfather. Yes, well, no doubt it would. He didn’t tell me how many eyes, limbs, lives, were lost doing this.

Don’t try this at home. Or at work come to think of it.

[boylesboats]

Explosive Splitting.

A little aside here guys. I was reminded of this by Jim's photo above. When I was a small boy I was ‘helping’ grandfather split a log. He told me that in the shipyard where he worked, in the ‘old days’ if they had a stubborn log to split, they would use gunpowder. Little boy’s ears pricked up at this point.

Details are a bit vague 50 odd years later, but they would drill a row of holes with an auger, into the log in the plane of the split they wanted. They would ram black powder into the holes and bang in drilled plugs on top. I can’t remember the fusing system but suspect it was a powder train of some sort.

Set that off and “That’d split ‘em” said grandfather. Yes, well, no doubt it would. He didn’t tell me how many eyes, limbs, lives, were lost doing this.

Don’t try this at home. Or at work come to think of it.

I have posted a thread on this long ago.. It was cool as hell
here is an video clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kldc_R9yfmQ

[Clencher]

"I have posted a thread on this long ago.. It was cool as hell
here is an video clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kldc_R9yfmQ
__________________
Many thanks for posting that Boylesboats. I now know that grandfather wasn't telling me a tall story. As you say, cool as hell.

Still don't try this at home..................

[Antonio Majer]

“The origin of the wedge is unknown, because it has been in use for over 9000 years.” (wiki) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedge_%28mechanical_device%29)
---
I apologize to all the supporters of that noble and classic method, but this time I used my chainsaw…:D As Bob Smalser foresaw, it took only 10 minutes for a cut. Incredible. Just out of curiosity, I planed the planks, I cut off the splitted ends and I painted the new ends (not sure it serves now). I think this timber has still to season a lot, it weights 980 kg/m³ (61 pcf, if I’m right).

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/9905/3408012ts9.th.jpg (http://img262.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3408012ts9.jpg) http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/7236/3408013gg0.th.jpg (http://img261.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3408013gg0.jpg)

[Bob Smalser]

I think this timber has still to season a lot, it weights 980 kg/m³ (61 pcf, if I’m right).


Except for the ends, wood doesn't dry out very much at all in log form.

Stack and sticker your boards under cover, and they'll take one entire warm season to equalize in moisture content wit the air. For most boat framing except for the dimensionally critical like keel components, you can use use the wood green.