Logging In Tokyo.....

[John Hart]

Stu,
I think it is just phenomenal how you've documented this process. And what a process!!!! You are to be commended. Thanks so much!!

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Stu,
I think it is just phenomenal how you've documented this process. And what a process!!!! You are to be commended. Thanks so much!!

Hey thanks, I'll take it where I can get it!!

As you imagine, I don't have a lot of buddies to share this with here.

The other day, a friend in the neighbourhood and his wife were at the L shop while I was on the phone to Husky Japan, when I got off the phone, they said to me "Chainsaw..???"

You would have thought I'd bought an AK47

I guess it is out of their realm of experience here in Tokyo.

I've learned so much from this place, and from others like it, that the little bit I can give back is only fair.

Cheers!

[John Hart]

It's interesting that you would kinda feel isolation in such a crowded place. Well...You got the CREEK!!!! It's my favorite place to hang out.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I like the new toy you built...very cool. Yeah I can imagine there aren't a ton of woodworkers in Tokyo. But like John said, you got us...(if that's any consolation ).

[Ed Breen]

Stu,
I envy your wonderful luck in finding the wood and also living in a part of the world that I remember fondly.
Seriously though, when I moved wood or heavy machinery I used to borrow an engine puller from a friend who has a shop. I have since bought my own, it breaks down and the legs fold up so it doesn't take up too much room. I think I gave about $100. for it at one of those traveling tool shows. It is rated at two tons and would be a great help.
Ed

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

I like the new toy you built...very cool. Yeah I can imagine there aren't a ton of woodworkers in Tokyo. But like John said, you got us...(if that's any consolation ).

Maybe not a "Consolation" but more like a "Boobie Prize"

[Rick de Roque]

Stu,
Is that a punching bag in the back of the shop? Is that for when you cut twice and its still too short



Rick

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Stu,
Is that a punching bag in the back of the shop? Is that for when you cut twice and its still too short



Rick

How did you know?

Oh I get it, you have one as well

Cheers!

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Well, that log in the pic above is no longer a log, but three very nice fat boards!!

I cut them to 6 cm thick thinking that when I got to use them, I'll get down to 3 cm each (Big Blue's territory) and with jointing and planing I should easily have the coveted 3/4"

Or it may just get cut up as veneer, as the grain is REALLY nice!

I had a heck of a time with the Husky chain saw I bought, it ran fine once, then it would not start for love or money!

Turns out the spark plug wire was badly corroeded and the coil that goes on top of the sparkplug was worse, I bodged that with some motorcycle stuff, and then had carb troubles!

Eventually with help over at www.arboristsite.com I got it all sorted, boy that big 85cc saw cuts like a champ, but all the pulling on that cord (no decomp valve either, it is a circa 1976 saw!) and I'm a hurting today. Must have pulled the bad boy at least a couple hundred times while I was fussing and fooling with it.

Pics tomorrow, and on to the wood lot on Saturday!

Cheers!

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

For all of you following along at home, some advice..........


Chainsaw mills should be run OUTSIDE

I slabbed up that one large Sakura log I had in the Dungeon....


got some decent wood out of it for sure!!

I then took out my newest toy.....ah tool, it IS a tool honey, honest...... well, and I got the edges off the boards....



the only hicup was the slabs are 6 cm thick and the TS 55 will only do 5.5 cm, so I had to flip the boads.

I need to get a Panther blade, the fine tooth worked well, but I can see how the ripping blade would be better!

Off to the wood lot tomorrow!!

Cheers!

[John Hart]

For all of you following along at home, some advice..........
Chainsaw mills should be run OUTSIDE ...

heh heh...Stu, my first thought was..."That's how MY shop looks all the time!!!!" I think the blue smoke would bother me more than the shavings and the dust. A dungeon sawmill....what a concept! You really did this up nice and your results are great. So, now, how long are you going to wait before actually using this wood? It would drive me crazy to let it sit for a year or two or three.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

I'll tell you John, I need a shovel in the Dungeon, not a itty bitty dust pan!!

I'm done with chain saw milling in the Dungeon, for sure!

I got out to the woodlot today and got some stuff slabbed up!

I had to regrind my chain, as the normal cross cut was not working so good, I did 10 degrees and I cut off the top part of every 5th tooth to act as a clean out, boy did this mod work well!!!

The saw ran great, not a hiccup (touch wood!) and I did some outside milling!


Here is the pile of stuff they have for me, unfortunately they burried the really nice piece of Sakura I wanted to do soon, but it is still there, just buried.

I dragged out one medium sized piece of Sakura to do up first, you can see it there in middle of the pic.


here I've done the three slabs from that log, the grain in it is amazing!!

Now it is on to the Akagashi (Japanese Evergreen Oak) that is setting on top of the pile. I decided to slab it where it lay.....


Here I've cleaned up around the log and cut off the pieces I'm not keeping.


Next I put my 2x8 starter board on the top of the log.

I decided to cut to a point and then cross cut down to release each slab, this worked rather well.

to be continued....

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Now that the starter board is in place, I could fire up the Husky and get cutting.....


OK the top offcut is done, this now gives me a flat surface to run the mill on, without the starter board.


I only got the one slab off of the log before I had to head to the L shop to do deliveries etc.

I'll be back on Monday doing some more!!



I also have to resharpen my chain.....

Cheers!

[Mark Stutz]

Stu,
Do you plane to resaw the 6 cm slabs before drying? At 6 cm, I would think it might take 3 years to get them dry enough to use. I've never dried wood, but lots of discussion about it here.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Hi Mark

I honestly do not know....

Maybe, but then again, the plan is for a solar kiln on the roof of our building.

I understand if I do that correctly, I'll be looking at closer to 6 months.

Right now, I'm just looking at getting the wood!

BTW, Merry Christmas everyone, it is Christmas here in Tokyo!