iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

cutting large log in half

Started by jdtuttle, March 01, 2010, 10:27:03 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

jdtuttle

Looking for ideas. I was given a large maple log 5' to 6' accross & 10' long. No, I don't have a swing mill  :o i have an LT40HD so I need to use a chainsaw. Here are my thoughts. I  have a 20" bar on my chainsaw. so my first cut will be down the middle toward the heart. Roll the log and cut toward the middle from the opposite side. Then cut some notches in both ends of the log & place hydraulic jacks  and try to split the rest of the log. Anyone ever try this? Or any ideas on other methods?
jim
Have a great day

Bro. Noble

                                   





                                    FFG ;D
milking and logging and sawing and milking

Norm

Jim if it has a heart crack follow it on one side as best possible with the chainsaw and then try to split it with wooden wedges. I use my trackhoe at that point but see if the wedges will pop it.

Good luck.

Brad_S.

I'm with Bro. Noble, black powder. Drive the cahinsaw bar down from the top in the middle of the log, fill it with about 6 oz. of powder and a model rocket fuse, pack the remainder with sawdust, stand back and touch the leads to a battery. I've done it and it works well. A little wasteful but no worse than a crooked chainsaw cut.
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

Chuck White

I would go to the local Rent-All and pick up a chainsaw with a 4foot bar!

It would take some time to cut it,  but it would work.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

captain_crunch

Surely there is an Old Timber cutter around somewhere. I have a friend who can actually saw passible boards. After doing it awhile they got awfull catty with a saw. One Mill (I-P) actually had an Eletric power saw with a 10 ft bar and every summer they stood short logs on end and split them to get them into mill
M-14 Belsaw circle mill,HD-11 Log Loader,TD-14 Crawler,TD-9 Crawler and Ford 2910 Loader Tractor

Magicman

There is nothing wrong with your idea.  Follow Norm's suggestion and take advantage of any crack that is already in the log.  Don't try to bury the bar with your first cut.  Just take an inch or so with each pass.

I wish that I was helping you.  I love big logs..... ;D
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

metalspinner

I do what the little voices in my wife's head tell me to do.

bandmiller2

JD,not to be an old curmudgon but thats going to be one long hard project.To do it right you'll have to quarter it.If you don't have a powerfull need for maple,it may be better to cut it in discs and split for firewood.Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

taschmidretired

Brad S
  You got any photos or video of spliting with black Powder? It would be interesting to see how it works.  T A
"Until I had turned Thirty Five, the longest I had ever stayed in one place was my Mother's womb."

"Beware of the man that shoots his arrow first, and then paints a bulls eye around it after."

Woodchuck53

I agree with chuck white. That is how I fell in love with my 090G, rented for 45.00 and they in turn put it toward the great deal I got on the saw. 60" bar and all. Looking back I wish I had bought the other 2 they had. I found out later they went to the scrape yard. The chain is not avaiable in our area anymore. Like they said a little work and had to build a guide because of the weight but it worked. CV
Case 1030 w/ Ford FEL, NH 3930 w/Ford FEL, Ford 801 backhoe/loader, TMC 4000# forklift, Stihl 090G-60" bar, 039AV, and 038, Corley 52" circle saw, 15" AMT planer Corley edger, F-350 1 ton, Ford 8000, 20' deck for loader and hauling, F-800 40' bucket truck, C60 Chevy 6 yd. dump truck.

Magicman

Quote from: taschmidretired on March 01, 2010, 05:02:09 PMYou got any photos or video of spliting with black Powder? It would be interesting to see how it works.  T A 

Probably do a search.  There's a video on here somewhere.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

jdtuttle

Thanks for the ideas. Gun powder is out. The log sits next to his fuel tank :D & it's to big to move. Metal spinner thanks for the link. That is kinda what I had in mind. I think I'll do what Norm suggest & look for a heart crack & saw along there. If that doesn't work I'll rent or borrow a saw with a 4' bar. Frank, I just can't bear to see a log like this cut into firewood. Besides I see some nice table tops in there, I hope.
Thanks everyone,
jim
Have a great day

taschmidretired

"Until I had turned Thirty Five, the longest I had ever stayed in one place was my Mother's womb."

"Beware of the man that shoots his arrow first, and then paints a bulls eye around it after."

Magicman

I still can't watch it without laughing...... :D
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

taschmidretired

  Now it will fit on the mill!
"Until I had turned Thirty Five, the longest I had ever stayed in one place was my Mother's womb."

"Beware of the man that shoots his arrow first, and then paints a bulls eye around it after."

Magicman

Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

captain_crunch

A old movie Line comes to mind after watching that<Think ya used enough powder there Butch>  Had one older fellow who came from Mich. talk about drilling holes in chunks then fill them with water and wait for winter to freeze water and split them
M-14 Belsaw circle mill,HD-11 Log Loader,TD-14 Crawler,TD-9 Crawler and Ford 2910 Loader Tractor

taschmidretired

It can split steel reinforced concrete that way, why not wood.   T A
"Until I had turned Thirty Five, the longest I had ever stayed in one place was my Mother's womb."

"Beware of the man that shoots his arrow first, and then paints a bulls eye around it after."

backwoods sawyer

I use a long bar but do not like to get to close to the dirt, so I use a 20 ton bottle jack and just cut a notch for it to slide down into, some logs pop open so be carful when it opens up, others open up wide and have to be pried all the way open. You will still have a lot of wood holding even coming in from two sides, even a 32" bar would make a big difference.
Backwoods Custom Milling Inc.
100% portable. . Oregons largest portable sawmill service, serving all of Oregon, from our Backwoods to yours..sawing since 1991

bandmiller2

They sell a product now for splitting concrete and stone you drill a hole put it in and it expands and cracks,forget the name but it works.Sometimes you can take your chainsaw and cut a groove then use common splitting wedges, sorta work the crack along.Only sure thing it's a buster.Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

terrifictimbersllc

I saw large logs in half with a chainsaw mill.  52" width of cut.  Have Alaskan and Sperber mills.  Both are modified to have the option of deeper than normal cuts.   The Alaskan is a 56", and I bought two uprights from them with 36" long vertical bars. Eric at Granberg sold these to me. The Sperber has round aluminum uprights which are end drilled to mount at the top.  I made 3 sets of auxiliary uprights from aluminum of the same diameter, which I end-drilled on the lathe, tapped, and inserted a threaded stud of the same diameter/thread in order to make extensions which I add to the top of the mill's uprights to extend the depth of cut.  Have used it to quarter very large logs too big for the wood-mizer to quarter,  under 4' diameter.
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

jdtuttle

QuoteI saw large logs in half with a chainsaw mill.
OK Dennis, when do you want to come over to Candor & show me how it works? ;D
Jim
Have a great day

backwoods sawyer

I put the 5' bar on the big saw climb up on top of the log with a straight board as a reference and start down the length of the log. I finish both ends from the ground so that I am clear of the log when it falls in half. Then I put the 32" bar on and cut a 12" flat edge the length of each half or split it down the middle depending on the log. I got a big 52" fir that goes 30' before it gets small enough to fit on the mill. This would be a good log for a swing mill. Give me a few days to get to this project and I will post some pictures.
Backwoods Custom Milling Inc.
100% portable. . Oregons largest portable sawmill service, serving all of Oregon, from our Backwoods to yours..sawing since 1991

terrifictimbersllc

Jim I'll let you know next time I'm setting up to do it. If you can't make it I'll send you a picture. dennis
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

Thank You Sponsors!