is sawing a log with a chainsaw hard?

[Justin Cavender]

I was given an ash log 16" wide 6' long I want to saw it with a chainsaw how hard is this to do?

[Rick Levine]

I'll bite. Is this a trick question? What do you think chainsaws were invented for? Sorry if I sound sarcastic but I had to respond to you. Please don't take offense. It will be harder if you have a dull chain. You might want an extra chain depending on how many cuts you plan since ash is a pretty hard wood.

[Cody Colston]

It's a lot of work, even with the right set-up...which is a big saw, a rip chain and some sort of guide like an Alaskan Sawmill.

I routinely saw short logs (<20" long) in half or even make four slices through it to get two rectangular turning blanks. Only I'm sawing with the long grain and get long shavings coming off the chain. Even that gets real close to work sometimes.

If you are thinking about sawing at right angles to the log for the entire length, several times, to slice 6' long boards out of it, you are in for some rough work and a lot of chain sharpening.

You will be cutting end grain the entire way which is tough on the cross-cut chain, produces dust rather than shavings and will shake your teeth out. But, I suppose it can be done with enough perseverence.

[Justin Cavender]

No offense taken I just don't know how to go about doing this. there isnt a sawyer around who will set up for less than 500bf and I dont want to haul these logs all the way to him and back.

[Rick Levine]

Like Cody says, you might want to get a rip chain or two as well as one of these if you want planks out of the log:

[Myk Rian]

I saw a Youtube video or several where they used gunpowder to split oak logs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SUuU...eature=related

[David DeCristoforo]

"...how hard is this to do?"

Compared to what?

[Art Kelly]

No offense taken I just don't know how to go about doing this. there isnt a sawyer around who will set up for less than 500bf and I dont want to haul these logs all the way to him and back.

I sawed a silk oak tree about that size into 8' boards with a Craftsman electric chainsaw. It was time consuming, but not real hard. You have to enter the log at an angle because cutting across the end grain is a fool's errand. Also, by entering at an angle you can get the bar lined up a lot better--just like using a handsaw. I never sharpened my chain the whole time, IIRC.

If I had to do it again, I'd be talking to a sawyer because doing it with a chainsaw wastes a lot of wood. I marked mine at about 2" and ended up with dressed lumber about 1-1/4" thick once all the saw marks were gone. (I sawed it freehand.)

I'm guessing by going to a mill, you'll gain at least one more board.

Just depends on how valuable you think the wood is.

Art

[george wilson]

If any of you saw the large cider press I posted many pages ago in the Neander section,i had to rip a 3 1/2" dia. hickory log with a chainsaw. It was at least 10' long,and it was killer on my back. I was in my 40's then,but still had back trouble.

[Pete Bradley]

Turning that log into planks with a chain saw is not easy. Chain saws want to crosscut, and I've found even rip chains are slow. Then you have to have a way to run the saw straight. There are guides or jigs for this, but they're not cheap compared to a few ash boards and they require a saw with a bar much longer than the diameter of the log.

If it were me, I'd probably cut two opposed sides off with a chain saw, then sled it through my bandsaw (assumes a band saw that can take the weight and cut the 13" or so cant). Maybe you could quarter the log lengthways with wedges (not fun with ash, but probably doable), then sled the quarters through the band saw. The simplest approach would be to cut it into 2' lengths, split it into blocks, and use it for mallet heads, etc. It will take a couple of years to dry if the blocks are thick.

Ash has an interlocking grain that generally gets lots of small checks in the cut ends rather than big long ones. That's a good thing, but you still should coat the cut ends with paraffin, paint, or log sealer ASAP.

[Darius Ferlas]

My first thought wouldn't be about how hard it is to do the job with the chainsaw but rather about how much waste that would generate.

[Leo Vogel]

Justin - a chain saw is one of the most dangerous tools to use, especially if you are not familiar with their use. What you are wanting to do is not easy, and potentially dangerous. I don't think the reward is worth the risk of a major accident.

[Greg Magone]

Justin,

I own some land that has huge maple trees, lots of alder, and a few cherries. As a woodworker, I have been very interested in turning this wood into nice boards for use in my shop. Unfortunately, I have not found anything reassuring that it is a good use of my time.

As others have posted on here, a rip chain is a must if you are ripping with the chainsaw. I had a large maple tree that I decided to rip after I had cut it into a 18" long block because it was too heavy. (The darn thing was 36" inches in diameter and I couldn't move it.) I didn't get more than 9 inches down the log before my chain was worthless.

The other problem a guy has is the wood is green. It will take 1-2 years for it to dry out, and you'll need a place to store it out of the elements stacked neatly (called stickered) in a manner that allows the air to flow. You may or may not have the room for this.

However, here is a bit of good news. Do you enjoy turning at all? If so, you can block it up and then turn it on the lathe. At 16", you may need to cut it down on a bandsaw first before chucking it into your lathe. From what I understand, turners prefer green wood for a variety of reasons and it doesn't split. What I have read indicates that it is best to cut off only the amount you want to use.

Good luck!

[Mark Norman]

Couldda cut it up in the time it took to read this thread...Just duit!
Not hard at all with a strong back and a sharp chain.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

OK, I just want to add my .02. In addition to the above.
If you don't know how hard it is to chainsaw a log, you obviously don't own one. First problem in you'll need to rent/buy one. If you buy one get a good one, and NOT an electric, or a BORG model. Get a quality saw, because you'll need it to cut that monster log. As mentioned a rip chain and a spare would help.

Second and most important. Get someone who knows how to use a saw to help you out. A chainsaw, if you don't know what you're doing, can certainly kill you. No offense intended.

Third, a chainsaw is a most useful tool. You can do lots of things with one. Hunt down trees and get free wood. If you have a lathe, you should never again have to buy blanks!

If you were anywhere near me, I'd jump in my truck and help you cut the log...