A chainsaw in a wood shop?

[Bryan Cramer]

I was reading the current issue of Woodworkers Journal and they reviewed cordless chainsaws. The article stated they have practical uses in the shop like breaking down panels (I hope they didn't mean plywood!!!). It also showed a picture of the author cutting the end off a rough sawn board! I get that wood turners use chainsaws to break apart logs (as was mentioned in the article), but using a chainsaw to rough cut boards? Really? Can't you just use a hand saw or a circular saw? Does anyone do this in their shop?

[Jim Rimmer]

I got the magazine but haven't read the article yet. I tend to agree with you on using a chain saw to rough cut to length. Are they trying to find a resoan for having one of these tools? Ad sponsor pressure?

[Richard McComas]

Can's answer your question but I can offer some chain saw safety tips.

Tip # 1

Don''t hold your chain saw like this when starting.


261490

[Julie Moriarty]

Did they recommend a dust collector? :rolleyes:

[David L Morse]

Was it the April issue?

[Bryan Cramer]

Was it the April issue?
It was their current issue I got in the mail yesterday. I didn't look at the cover.

[Chris Fournier]

I've had an electric chainsaw in my shop for about 15 years. I use it to break out lumber that is very heavy, waned edged etc. While it is not the most relied on tool in my shop it is pretty invaluable to me and I am glad that I have it to use. It has also been great around the house.

[johnny means]

I don't own a chainsaw, but could definitely see how one could come in handy for breaking down lumber. I have what most would think is a very well equipped shop. Yet, breaking down anything over 8/4 is a big hassle. A chainsaw would make it fast and easy.

[Kevin Jenness]

Back in the day (1985) I helped my neighbor build a houseful of doors out of 4000 board feet of 10/4 Honduras mahogany. The biggest planks were over 3 feet wide and 16 feet long, and I don't remember anything less than 10" wide. We would have been lost bucking up that load without a chainsaw (Makita electric) and my Husqvarna is invaluable for converting native timber into useable blanks for turning or milling, mainly pieces too big to get on a stationary machine or cut with a circular saw.

[J.R. Rutter]

I have an electric Makita that I use to break down long bundles of lumber. Last time I used it, we got a load of jatoba - maybe 500 BF that came in at 19-20 ft long. I sawed through the middle before I even broke the bands. I've also used it to crosscut whole bundles of rippings into kindling sized sticks. So handy...

[Tom Fischer]

Agree with the above.
I don't think chain saws have a "tooth set", but naturally cut a very wide kerf.
Maybe it's a wobble in the chain, a "slop" in the bar groove.
Designed not to bind up, even in lumber that is tipping/twisting.
You can bind up a chain saw chain, but it's harder to do than with a circular saw blade.

At my local old time saw mill (Castner's in Stillwater, NJ) those guys always reach for a battery powered chain saw when crosscutting.

[Jim Matthews]

I've seen carvers using something that looks positively medieva (http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=MIN+300&catID=65)l...

If it's running on electricity, there's little it could do that a decent jigsaw couldn't manage more safely.

http://www.boschtools.com/Products/Accessories/Pages/BoschAccessoryDetail.aspx?pid=T234X25#specs

[Peter Quinn]

Agree with the above.
I don't think chain saws have a "tooth set", but naturally cut a very wide kerf.
Maybe it's a wobble in the chain, a "slop" in the bar groove.
Designed not to bind up, even in lumber that is tipping/twisting.
You can bind up a chain saw chain, but it's harder to do than with a circular saw blade.

At my local old time saw mill (Castner's in Stillwater, NJ) those guys always reach for a battery powered chain saw when crosscutting.

Chainsaws definetly have a set. One tooth left, next tooth right, etc, just like a hand saw or band saw. Generally set for cutting green wood. I've never used one for wood working, though I was informed this week one might be used on an upcoming job involving very large white oak planks. Just for roughing lengths. I've seen lots of chain saw based mortising and cross cutting type tools in a local post and beam shop, but those aren't the same thing you would fell a tree with. Ive seen ice carvers make good use of electric chain saws for rowing blocks and shapes. And someof my dovetails look like they were made with a chain saw, but I swear they were not!

[Ole Anderson]

Check out this video at about 1:24, he uses a chain saw to remove excess wood from inside the turning.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/LgsDWb0orSQ?rel=0&hd=1&egm=0&modestbranding=0&theme=light&autohide=1&iv_load_policy=3&cc_load_policy=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0

[Tom Fischer]

Chainsaws definetly have a set. One tooth left, next tooth right,


Well, I know that. What I meant was that there is not a "saw set tool" as there is for hand saws. You can't adjust the kerf on a chain saw. It just is that way, very wide.

Although it is hard to bind up a chain saw, if I have large firewood logs and they are twisted, don't know which way the weight is actually going, I always bring two chainsaws. If one gets stuck, I have the second one to cut it free.

[Frank Drew]

...4000 board feet of 10/4 Honduras mahogany. The biggest planks were over 3 feet wide and 16 feet long...

Those were the days, back when you could get really wide mahogany, and at a decent price. My last (smallish) purchase was 200 bf of really nice 22+" boards for $600, from Thompson Mahogany in Philadelphia.