# quartersawing with a chainsaw mill



## jessesnowden (Mar 15, 2015)

So I will try not to brag, though I am just so excited! Sparing the details, I have to opportunity (completely legally) to go to the portland area and harvest as many oak trees as I can fit in my pick-up. Not sure of the age or size. My question is on positioning the logs once they have been dropped. Depending on the terrain the trees are on when they are dropped, we will be able to get a tractor/bobcat/atv/4×4 truck in to move the logs. Along with half a dozen guys. But the only thing we lack is a bandsaw mill. All cuts will be done with chainsaws. We have 2 saws with 36"bars and what sounds like at least a dozen saws between all of us at around 20-30". 

We want to quarter the oak, obviously. Does anyone have any tips for setting up some sort of jig or support to keep a quartered log sitting face up? 

Or another technique for ending up with quarter sawn lumber with a chainsaw mill. I have a couple ideas... either build a sacrificial "jig" out of 2x4 that will hold the log and be cut away as the log is milled. Or flatten just enough of the corners to nail a 2x4 or 2x6 along to use as the reference surface for the cut. 

There is also a video I ran across on youtube of a guy using a combination or alaskan mill and a virtical lumber maker guide. But I'd rather use my brain than my wallet to achieve this. Since I've spent barely anything on this so far. 

Any tips or advice on setting up/supporting the log for milling would be greatly appreciated. Either involving man power, or power equipment. We will try to adjust the plan according to what we think is the best course of action. Thanks so much!


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## jessesnowden (Mar 15, 2015)

Here is what we've come up with so far. If you think of any improvements don't be shy!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*It won't be easy*

I would look into renting a swing blade mill:

http://petersonsawmills.com/mill-operations/cutting-patterns/

















Or use this method:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*When I tried ripping an Oak log .....*

The few times I've tried to rip down the length of an Oak log, it didn't go well. Of course I wasn't using a "ripping" chain and that was mostly the reason that it took forever.

http://www.toolcenter.com/RIPPING_CHAIN.html


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