Dealing with logs that are too big.

[Rhossydd]

I'm sure a few of us have had this dilemma;
You get offered some decent looking fallen wood that you think should be great for turning. The tree surgeon has already done his best to chop it down to sizes for burning or chopping into smaller lumps. You pick out some of the nicer bits that look like you can cut to something manageable back in the workshop, only to find that the tree surgeon's idea of the best thickness is half an inch thicker than your band saw can handle <d'oh>.

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 ?

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

 

[MMUK]

Not having a bandsaw I would have to section with my Bahco 244+ Barracuda

 

[jurriaan]

I like turning big blocks of wood. I use a chainsaw and often a reciprocating saw with a 12" blade. The reciprocating saw is often quite easy to use, you don't have to don special protective clothing, you can hit the floor without problems and chips don't fly all over.

Preparing blocks doesn't require a bandsaw - you can't lift really big blanks up to the bandsaw easily anyway (for example a 22" blank), and bandsaws that can't handle that height often have tables that can't handle the weight anyway.

I wonder why the bandsaw is so necessary?

 

[paulking]

Using wedges and a lump hammer split of the excess

 

[Grahamshed]

I think I would have to resort ( begrudgingly ) to some sort of handsaw and just sweat it out.

 

[Brianp]

I was going to suggest something similar but thought there must be another answer!

I use a bow saw and a 7 or 8 tpi stanley saw for most of my hand sawing (cos I have neither a band or chain saw). The stanley is much better, if a little slower, but you can keep to your line much easier.

 

[paulm]

Splitting off a strip with a froe or axe is sometimes an option, or a hand held electric planer is also sometimes very helpful, or of course good old handsaw.

Depends on the shape of the piece of timber of course, if the issue is across the grain it might be possible to cut through on the bandsaw as far as possible, switch off, turn the timber round and cut from the other side, switch off and then take it off to finish by hand, depending on which dimension and aspect of the log is the problem, or take a strip off the length along the grain on the bandsaw and then use that cut surface to run on the table at a reduced height.

Difficult to say without seeing the timber in question.

A cheap electric chainsaw can also do a surprising amount of work and is okay to use inside the workshop as no fumes as for a petrol one.

Cheers, Paul

 

[bellringer]

Chain saw is the way to do it

 

[Rhossydd]

Preparing blocks doesn't require a bandsaw - you can't lift really big blanks up to the bandsaw easily anyway (for example a 22" blank), and bandsaws that can't handle that height often have tables that can't handle the weight anyway.

My question was about blocks that almost fit under the guides, but just need a little trimming off.

My lathe isn't big enough for 22" blocks or lumps so heavy they won't fit on the saw.

I wonder why the bandsaw is so necessary?

Hand sawing through 7" of Walnut isn't my idea of recreation.

 

[Vic Perrin]

If you have a good supply of timber coming in it might pay you to invest in a chainsaw. I brought a couple of electric ones last year on the boot market for a tenner each. A new blade required for one of them and the other just a quick sharpen. I have petrol saws but find the electric ones so handy for occasionally preparing big lumps for mounting on the lathe

Vic

 

[Jacob]

What's wrong with just sawing or chopping bits off until it fits? I don't think there's another way.

 

[Vic Perrin]

What's wrong with just sawing or chopping bits off until it fits? I don't think there's another way.

Sound a bit too much like hard work for an old man like me !!!

 

[nev]

https://www.google.co.uk/shopping/produ ... CHAQ2SswAA
or
https://www.google.co.uk/shopping/produ ... JsBEPMCMAM

 

[finneyb]

Even if the wood just fits the bandsaw I have my doubts if it would cut it - its right on the limit of the machine if not past it, esp if its wet wood which tends to clog the blade.

I'd cut the corners off some way - maybe bandsaw and get a octagon shaped piece and take it from there on the lathe - at slow speed until its rounded.

HTH

Brian

 

[Rhossydd]

Even if the wood just fits the bandsaw I have my doubts if it would cut it - its right on the limit of the machine if not past it, esp if its wet wood which tends to clog the blade.

Not a problem. I've resawn lots of 6" stock in the past without any serious problems and that's without the 3tpi sabrecut blade due to arrive from Tuff Saws next week.

It's just the annoyance of trimming half an inch or so off the, end grain, of the walnut logs I've just got.
Cutting some slots with an Arbortech seems a relatively easy way to do it, anyone tried it ?

 

[finneyb]

The mists are clearing - you are splitting the log. I thought you had it split.
Big problem I see is the log rolling as you cut it on the bandsaw and twisting the blade - it will be a new blade I've done it!
If you cut a flat with the arbortech to get under the guides set that flat on the bandsaw table so that the log is stable.

Alternatively, make a sled to stop it rolling while you cut the flat - it would be smoother than the arbortech http://lumberjocks.com/stefang/blog/22967

Brian

 

[Rhossydd]

The mists are clearing - you are splitting the log.

No.
The first slab I've had is effectively a 6½" section of the tree cut across the grain. When on the saw table the grain runs vertically.
IOW I need to reduce the thickness of the cross section of the slab by a small amount across the end grain.

 

[Jacob]

Saw.

 

[bellringer]

Saw.

why use a bow saw what wrong with a chainsaw

 

[Jacob]

Saw.

why use a bow saw what wrong with a chainsaw

Use a bow saw if you haven't got a chainsaw?
It's a bit of a puzzler this. Nobody has ever sawn a piece of wood before. :roll:
Can we have WIP snaps? This could be useful.