lumberjackchef
Pinnacle OPE Member
- Local time
- 9:05 AM
- User ID
- 672
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2016
- Messages
- 514
- Reaction score
- 2,319
- Location
- Southeast Kansas
I had a custom job over the weekend cutting some 18' oak logs in half for some benches. This is how I make long true straight cuts with the Alaskan with a short moveable guide board.
First thing we do is prep the logs, cutting off knots, limbs and such. Then roll the log to orient the pith where I want it. My goal was to center the pith and halve the logs evenly. Here is a pic of my set up that I use all the time with a jig I built for quick and easy guide board set up.
I made two if these out of some scrap metal I had laying around that I bolt onto the log below the pith with some small lags. I get them both into position and set the one on the butt end just above the top of the log. Then I use some string or fishing line and run two pieces in parallel from each side of the guide board rest. Measure and center them with the pith at this point. Now I take lag bolts from 6" to 2" and run them in pairs down to where the caps are just even with the fishing line.
Next I place my guide board into position one the starting end of my cut and place the mill into position and at the depth of the pith. As I start my cut I go as far as I can and then stop and reposition the guide board sliding it down the log on the top of the lag bolt heads.
Then just repeat until I reach the end of the log. It takes some practice and a little patience but the end result is super straight. We have used this method to make 25' oak 10" x10" beams with great success. Just thought it might come in handy for some of you who may not be familiar with this method. It can be done with out the guide board jigs that I have used here by taking a couple of pieces of plywood and using two screws to attach the strings to. Here is the pile of half logs when I finished up today...
Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
First thing we do is prep the logs, cutting off knots, limbs and such. Then roll the log to orient the pith where I want it. My goal was to center the pith and halve the logs evenly. Here is a pic of my set up that I use all the time with a jig I built for quick and easy guide board set up.
I made two if these out of some scrap metal I had laying around that I bolt onto the log below the pith with some small lags. I get them both into position and set the one on the butt end just above the top of the log. Then I use some string or fishing line and run two pieces in parallel from each side of the guide board rest. Measure and center them with the pith at this point. Now I take lag bolts from 6" to 2" and run them in pairs down to where the caps are just even with the fishing line.
Next I place my guide board into position one the starting end of my cut and place the mill into position and at the depth of the pith. As I start my cut I go as far as I can and then stop and reposition the guide board sliding it down the log on the top of the lag bolt heads.
Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
Last edited:
