Chain sawing cants from a downed spruce following chalk line?

SwampDonkey · April 02, 2011, 05:24:10 AM

Ok, something for you chainsaw boys to ponder or throw fodder at. ;D

Do you suppose a fellow could chalk line a log for say 10-12 foot to mark your saw path along a log to square up a timber say 6x6" or 8x8"? I have this big old spruce that fell over when the butt blew out in a wind storm. The rest of the log is cream yellow, which is real amazing to me. I have a couple chainsaws, both 53 cc or so, a Husky and an Efco. I was wondering if anyone has done this or much of it. I know there are chainsaw mills, but if a man can whittle out a cant/timber with hand tools, why not a chainsaw. I really don't want to box the heartwood. I want to discard it actually, 4" around the pith, and use the outside wood. There isn't much difference in decay resistance in white spruce between heart and sap. You just never know when you might use a big old timber in a barn or old farm house. ;) I don't intent to run the saw hard, there will be some resting involved. I'm not interested in production. ;)

Here is a picture of the tree. If I remember correctly, the log is 22" on the but and 32 feet long to a 10" top.

weimedog · April 02, 2011, 07:24:44 AM

Roughed out by eye...no chalk lines

Roughed out with 2x6 and one of those "http://www.hud-son.com/Boardmastervideo.htm"

SwampDonkey · April 02, 2011, 07:40:54 AM

Thanks for the pictures. Looks like you did well there.

I have awhile to go before I can even tackle it because of the snow. ;D

thecfarm · April 02, 2011, 07:42:23 AM

I can't see why not. I would have a sharp chain on both. Could you saw with one for 10-15 minutes and than swap saws? This way you won't have to run those saws wide open for a straight ½ hour.I don't think it would do them much good. Make sure the fins are clean on the motor too.Good luck.

SwampDonkey · April 02, 2011, 07:49:11 AM

Yeah, I can. My runs with the saw(s) aren't going to be much more than 5 minutes and won't be full throttle even then.

celliott · April 02, 2011, 08:31:06 AM

You definitely can. Last winter I did the same thing, with a chunk of spruce, and cedar. My dad needed some long boards for kayak paddles. He was going to carve them anyways, so it didnt matter as much that they were rough. Freehand with a chainsaw isn't perfect but it'll definitely work!
BTW I used a 357XP. Keep your chain sharp and you should be fine, just take your time. Helps the saw, and its more accurate.

weimedog · April 02, 2011, 09:49:38 AM

Quote from: thecfarm on April 02, 2011, 07:42:23 AM
I can't see why not. I would have a sharp chain on both. Could you saw with one for 10-15 minutes and than swap saws? This way you won't have to run those saws wide open for a straight ½ hour.I don't think it would do them much good. Make sure the fins are clean on the motor too.Good luck.

Ripping like that is how I test my saw builds..they have to be able to handle similar situation before they make it to "farm service". Typically a cut like that in pine with a full blade of wood is about a minute per 1.5 foot. ie 12 ft, 8 minutes. This with my 80 cc Jonsered 820 build. More power, less time! With motomedic's big machine he was taking maybe 6 minutes for a slab. When I was milling hard Maple and Ash, with my old McCulloch 797, 15 minutes for a 14 ft slab in 28in wood was typical. AND of course the chain played a major role in thise!

SwampDonkey · April 02, 2011, 10:22:41 AM

No worries, I've sharpened a few chains in my time. ;)

Left Coast Chris · April 02, 2011, 10:37:38 AM

I have had to rip a few larger logs to put on the band mill and I ran the chalk line longtudinally down the log then repeat straight down the cut ends to get the straight up and down of the saw bar set. With a 40" diameter log its more difficult to maintain the saw bar straight up and down. With a smaller log and in soft wood you should not have a problem if the timber does not have to be exactly square.

Al_Smith · April 02, 2011, 07:11:44 PM

I've got a Grandville mini mill which is similar to that thing Weime has .You just nail a 2 by 4 on the log and saw away .

Using either a Mac 125 or Homelite 2100 S I can make about a foot a minute on 18" oak . It's an option but a slow one .

SwampDonkey · April 03, 2011, 06:58:42 AM

Although, I'm sure those gadgets are great for their intended purposes, I'm not looking to buy anything. ;) Just looking to get'r done with what I got. I think you (me) will be surprised at how good a job you can do if not in a hurry. ;)

Al_Smith · April 03, 2011, 10:16:06 AM

You can free hand a rip cut or just nail a striaght 2 by 4 on the log and slide the dog down it as a guide . I'd advise using the largest saw you can lay your hands on or you'll be at it a long while .

It's one thing to cut fire wood with 3 cuber and an entirely different thing to try and rip with one .

SwampDonkey · April 03, 2011, 10:35:01 AM

Apparently, you've never met a Maritimer with Scots blood before. ;)

Al_Smith · April 03, 2011, 10:43:43 AM

:D Well perhaps not . I have tried to rip with a little saw though( 4 cuber ) and it's an exercise in futility .

SwampDonkey · April 03, 2011, 10:59:22 AM

One man's futility is an others utility I guess. :D

isawlogs · April 03, 2011, 10:02:21 PM

It sure can be done. When building a log house the first log down is split, here is how it gets sawed...

Tools used. chalk line, level, saw. Any one of your saws can be used for this, that cut aint gonna hurt it none.

Mark the small end of the log with the level to a point wide enough to make either the 6x6 or the 8x8 , what ever you want or the log can produce for you .
Using a nail to hold your chalk line to the small end level line, with level at large end, sight down your log to visualise the cut , once satisfied of the slab thickness, mark the level line and chalk both sides.
Start saw and cut above your line, you should be able to use both lines to make a very straight and level cut.
Once this cut is done , the three others are a repeat and much easier.
If this is clear as mud , pm me your phone number and I will be glad to explaine it all in French to ya. eh eh ;)

SwampDonkey · April 04, 2011, 04:23:39 AM

Marcel, you have a way of explaining things.

;)

isawlogs · April 04, 2011, 07:44:14 AM

Ya know I would of eventualy talked to ya in da Shakespear tongue ;)

05_sprcrw · April 04, 2011, 08:03:30 AM

I have been considering doing this as well looks like I will have to give it a go here when I find a suitable log.

Kevin · April 04, 2011, 05:01:08 PM

Quote from: 05_sprcrw on April 04, 2011, 08:03:30 AM
I have been considering doing this as well looks like I will have to give it a go here when I find a suitable log.

There's one under the snow in Centreville, NB.

tyb525 · April 04, 2011, 06:46:46 PM

Running a saw wide open will actually do it more good than running at partial throttle - they are designed to be used wide open.

mad murdock · April 04, 2011, 07:38:17 PM

Swamp, Jim King has written on other posts on the FF. That is the way they do it in Peru all the time, they freehand the logs into cants and pack them by hand to a mill to saw into boards. You will be amazed at what you will be able to do with minimal tools.

05_sprcrw · April 05, 2011, 07:51:21 AM

Quote from: Kevin on April 04, 2011, 05:01:08 PM
Quote from: 05_sprcrw on April 04, 2011, 08:03:30 AM
I have been considering doing this as well looks like I will have to give it a go here when I find a suitable log.

There's one under the snow in Centreville, NB.

Might be a little far for me to travel :D, but we have a few large oaks that were downed last fall in a wind storm we have been making a lot of fire wood out of it but now we are down to a very large trunk that I could possibly use for a few posts