Dealing with logs that are too big.

[KimG]

Yeah a Bow saw is the best answer if you don't have a chainsaw, and to cut a straight line with a bow saw requires a couple of skill points.

1. Don't press down, let the weight of the saw alone be the down force.

2. Cut on the pull stroke as well as the push, this stops it going off course.

3. Always have a sharp blade, a new one is not much (£8.00 or so) it is much easier.

Cutting through a 7 inch log would take less that 2 minutes, it's hardly going to cause a coronary!

 

[woodfarmer]

Electric Chainsaw.

Easy peasy

 

[Jacob]

....
Cutting through a 7 inch log would take less that 2 minutes, it's hardly going to cause a coronary!

And obviously you need the practice! You will still be able to do it even if you don't read KimG's notes. Just do it fer gawds sake!
"Dealing with logs that are too big" ? Saw a bit off! Would a diagram help?
You could say that all woodwork comes down to "dealing with logs that are too big".

 

[Vic Perrin]

Electric Chainsaw.







Easy peasy

+1 from me

Vic

 

[Rhossydd]

Just do it fer gawds sake!
"Dealing with logs that are too big" ? Saw a bit off! Would a diagram help?
You could say that all woodwork comes down to "dealing with logs that are too big".

Just another patronising, unconstructive comment that fails to understand the original post from you jacob.
With an average of being thanked less than once in every hundred posts I know that'll all we should expect from you.
Please don't bother commenting to my threads again.

 

[Jacob]

Just do it fer gawds sake!
"Dealing with logs that are too big" ? Saw a bit off! Would a diagram help?
You could say that all woodwork comes down to "dealing with logs that are too big".

Just another patronising, unconstructive comment that fails to understand the original post from you jacob.
With an average of being thanked less than once in every hundred posts I know that'll all we should expect from you.
Please don't bother commenting to my threads again.

Sorry Rhosssyd but there isn't really an alternative to sawing a bit off. Nibbling perhaps? How are your teeth? :lol:

PS and if you hope to do any woodturning you will find a saw very useful (essential) unless you only ever intend to turn stuff prepared by somebody else. MMUK's Bahco suggestion was good too. Slightly more skill required than for a bow saw, but more precision.

 

[Rhossydd]

Nibbling perhaps? How are your teeth?

Sharper than your attempts at sarcasm.

 

[Vic Perrin]

Hi Rossyd,
I went through the same issue as you wondering what was the best way to nibble, hack, butcher some timber off lumps of timber to get the on the lathe and not be extremely out of balance so as to scare you to death when you started to true it up.

Honestly my £10 investments for the electric chainsaws from the Boot Market, have been a godsend. I even use them for planking timber logs.

It has also proved invaluable in the garden for heavy pruning of trees and big shrubs.

Vic

 

[Rhossydd]

I have a chain saw.
Ever tried to chain saw off half an inch from an irregular surface ? I know some people can, but I haven't that level of skill with it and haven't the time practice.
Hence why my original post said "...and chain sawing further aren't options."

 

[CHJ]

.......What's your strategy ?
Try to hand plane or carve off enough to get it under the guides ?
Anyone tried using an Arbortech to cut enough away to make the cut ?
.

As already mentioned by other members, just about any of the mentioned options dependant on the shape and character of the particular piece.
1. sledge and slice on bandsaw if it's shaped such to allow poking someway under arm.
2. Chainsaw
3. reciprocating saw (more recent) very handy.
4. axe (think this is safer and less stressful than wielding an Arbortech)
5. old powered planer, more prone to clogging than your Arbortech idea but a little more sophisticated.

.......
Buying a bigger band saw or chain sawing further aren't options.

Agreed not an option worth pursuing, within a couple of wood acquisitions the logs will grow that extra 10mm to foul the machine again. And they will not fit on the lathe anyway. :twisted:

 

[bellringer]

If you are trying to cut a log in half then just use the chainsaw

 

[Grahamshed]

With an average of being thanked less than once in every hundred posts I know that'll all we should expect from you.

Not wanting to take sides here but I will point out that most of Jacobs posts were made before the 'thanks' system came along.

 

[duncanh]

Not sure what happened to the reply which I posted earlier...

I have arbortech and lancelot cutters for my small angle grinder and I tend to use them sometimes for trimming the odd bit of wood here and there when a rough blank doesn't quite clear the bed in a couple of places or when something is wildly out of balance.
I've also used an electric planer in the past for doing the same thing. Both work and you could use these for removing wood as you intend, although the planer would probably judder quite a bit cutting through the end grain.

I also have a couple of chainsaws, the first of which I bought when I couldn't be bothered tackling logs any longer with the bow saw.

You could use either of any for what you require but I would generally choose the chainsaw as it's easier to get a straight cut than with any of the others.

The advantage of the arbortech/lancelot is that they are lighter so easier to handle. You don't need to don chainsaw safety trousers so it might be a little faster (I'd still recommend visor/glasses for the plentiful chips though and ear defenders).

However, arbortechs have safety issues of their own and I've seen some photos of nasty injuries caused by them so use them with care. You could argue that the chainsaw is actually safer as it has a chain brake and there is only one area of kick back rather than the whole of the arbortech.

 

[JustBen]

I think the best solution for walnut logs that are too big for you is to give them to me....

Only kidding, I don't want to get between a man and his wood.

I've seen a few videos on the cheap electric chainsaws and they seem pretty good for the money.

I use an axe or old electric planer to trim to fit bandsaw.

 

[Vic Perrin]

3 pages on how to cut the end off a log ?

 

[Grahamshed]

3 pages on how to cut the end off a log ?

And nobody has mentioned using a jig or doing it freehand.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Am I reading this wrong or are you trying to cross cut about a half inch off the end of a log (that is at 90 degrees to the grain direction). Or are you trying to rip a half inch down its length ie with the grain?

 

[Grahamshed]

Across the grain we ( I ) think.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

that's what I thought (Thanks Graham). So Ross I'm puzzled, why have you given up on the chainsaw? If you have a really sharp blade its no biggy to just nibble off a half inch and keep the cut reasonably true. Does need to be sharp though.

 

[Inspector]

Mount it between centres on the lathe and turn the excess length off. The little spigot left can be cut off with any tool you have and like.

Pete