couple sticks of wood

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

It's all Siberian Elm

These are 36" wide by about 15 feet long

There's other logsat least this large in the wood pile

149702

149703

I used to do this sort of thing with my Stihl 036 I just got that new 441 and it's a log sawing monster. Total time in those cuts: maybe 2 hours.

[William Duffer]

Those are some nice pieces..

[Andrew Joiner]

Nice work Cliff. Did you use an Alaskan Mill? That's amazing for 2 hours work.

[Dan Forman]

If you turn, it makes nice bowl too.

Dan

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Nice work Cliff. Did you use an Alaskan Mill? That's amazing for 2 hours work.

I used that pictured Stihl 441 chain saw in my hot little hands. No rig no mill just me and my saw.

That saw is like chained lightning.

I treated the ends with a witches brew of Asphalt and mineral spirits, I cooked till it was all bubbly.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

If you turn, it makes nice bowl too.

Dan

I got some crotches the size of Kansas. one is nearly 4" across.

[Dan Forman]

Cliff, I'm assuming you mean 4'? :)

They can have some pretty wild grain...http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/P1020314.jpg

Have fun,

Dan

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

12' long Oak logs, Tree was at easily a hundred plus years old
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154020

154021

As you can see the smaller of the two is as yet uncut.

[Tony Shea]

That's some pretty good sawing to be able to hold that straight of a line. I would think you'd have to stop and sharpen before you finish a cut. I'd be interested in seeing a photo of you in action to get a little better idea of how your pulling off such a decent cut freehand. And that is one heck of an oak monster, how does that bar even clear that thing?

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

The straight cut is actually very easy.
1.) First requirement is a big dog saw. Without that the operation is doomed.
2.) Then there's the first cut that takes off a slice off the top of the log horizontal to the ground. This establishes a flat surfece from which to guide and operate the saw. After that it is duck soup.
3.) Then I draw a chalk line down the log whatever thickness I want for the cut.
4.) Following the chalk line, I cut a shallow groove with the tip of the saw. I climb cut this and get about an inch or two into the log. this creates a "line" that no amount of sweeping saw dust away can obliterate. the chalk line, if left to itself, would be worn away 'cause one must clear the dust to see the line.
5.) Just because it seems easier to have the end cuts done: Standing on the ground at either end, I slice the ends of the log through to the bottom of the cut or out the bottom of the log - whichever I want.
6.) Then, I pierce the log straight down starting from one of the end cuts and just let the saw to the cutting paying a little attention to the torque factor which can drag a saw cut off to one side. I use the saw relying on the Spikes at the power head and rock the blade through an arc progressing a few inches each time. On a log like this one, the long vertical cut may take up to 20 - 30 minutes.

I used to use a Stihl 036, which is no small saw by any means, to do this and its shorter bar and lesser motor made for a much sloppier cut.

The hard part is stashing the wood away.

[David Helm]

Do you use the same hook angle on your chain as you do when bucking? Alaska mills use chains that have rip type hook angles filed in them.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Do you use the same hook angle on your chain as you do when bucking? Alaska mills use chains that have rip type hook angles filed in them.

I ground a chain to rip.

At first I didn't notice a big difference, but the chips don't clog the saw like the slanty grind does. Plus I grind off the Depth of Cut limiter. That little nub that all the chain saw "experts" insist must be ground to some precise depth below the tooth. I remove the worthless things from all my chains the first time I grind 'em. They do nothing but slow me down.