Log Holding Fixtures

[Richard Baker]

Does anyone have a good fixture/device to hold logs or half logs securely for chainsawing? Either for removing the pith and/or trimming off the "corners". Am thinking of a device to support the log at 24" to 32" above grade and clamp it securely, for pieces 8" to maybe 18" diameter, to 24" long. Have a couple of ideas but don't want to invent a bias ply tire if a steel belted radial is already out there.

My safest procedure so far (without building anything) is to position the log or half log on another section of tree stump (on end), and clamp it in place with the leading edge of the bucket on the tractor front loader. Can apply several thousand pounds of clamping force if needed. Crude but effective.

I realize that you young, strong, healthy folks just lay it on the ground and saw it, but my back needs to be in some semblance of a standing position, not bending or leaning over.

 

[Bill Boehme]

.........thinking of a device to support the log at 24" to 32" above grade and clamp it securely, for pieces 8" to maybe 18" diameter, to 24" long............

I realize that you young, strong, healthy folks just lay it on the ground and saw it, but my back needs to be in some semblance of a standing position, not bending or leaning over.

Richard,

I don't know what your requirements in the first paragraph is going to do to your back if you hoisted a log 18"D X 24"L up to a height of 32" -- could that have some connection to why you can't cut the wood bending or leaning over any more? Maybe you intend to use the loader on your tractor to hoist the wood.

I have some green mesquite on my driveway about that same size and I know that my back would never be the same if I picked one of them up. They were loaded on my truck by a tractor and then I just rolled them out onto the driveway when I got them home -- even that was not easy.

When I was a bit younger, we used something that we called a sawbuck (not the same thing as a $5 bill) to cut the wood. It was basically a sawhorse type thing except the ends were X shaped rather than A shaped. I can't think of anything better for cutting wood light enough to lift.

Instead of bending or leaning, can you squat or kneel to cut the wood? That is what I usually do. I think that leaning over with a chain saw would kill anyone's back.

Bill

 

[pfduffy]

Log grabbing

Hi, Richard, I will share my method and let you decide how it applies to you. I lay two logs in parallel on the ground, in a sloped area, if possible and anchor them by some means, stakes in the ground, wedges, etc. Then, the log I am rip sawing is laid between the two on the ground. The wedge effort may be needed again, but usually a log will stay put once it is caught between the others. After that, I rip saw the whole into halves and trim the ends at the bandsaw. I try not to cut logs into bowl blanks until the lathe is available because I don't want the wood to dry out. While they are waiting to be cut I seal the ends and keep them out of the sun. Safety comes first in the chain saw world but there are many things you can do to protect yourself. The other consideration is to keep the saw from hitting the ground, and my method does that as well. Good luck! Phil

 

[Gretch Flo]

I basically do the same as Phil. After the log is cut vertically (between 2 logs that are stablized), if you wanted to use a chain saw, you can lay the flat side down on another large diameter log and scribe with chaulk around a premade circle. Someone suggested these (book, article?) circles and they are invaluable for scribiing natural edge bowls before I put them flat side down on the band saw. The circles are made of plywood from 3" circles thru 13 " at 1/2 inch increments. I have a hole in the center. After I cut the blank out I lay the circle back over the blank, use an awl to puncture the center, and then use a drill to match the hole of my screw chuck. In a pinch, away from home, I find a relatives/friend's bucket, frisbee, plate, lid, etc or anything circular to give me a rough idea how to use the chain saw after using the white chaulk. Gretch

 

[Terry Fox]

Richard,

Richard Stapley at www.laymar-crafts.co.uk/tip33.htm has what looks like a nifty chainsawing stand. I'm going to build one as soon as the weather starts to cooperate. Check it out.

Terry

 

[Charlie Knighton]

log holder

thanks for the web site, terry

the articule is good and richard stapley seems to have many other valuable tips

 

[Steve Worcester]

Didn't cost me a penny. And if it ever "wears out", I'll just grow another one.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e318/AndyHoyt944/150_5021.jpg

Except you had to kick the kids out of the sandbox.

 

[Andy Hoyt]

Nah. They outgrew it long long ago.

 

[Richard Baker]

Bill, I knew you were going to say that. Lifting the log to place on stand (to 35-40 pounds) is only briefly painful, and passes quickly. Better than bending over to saw something on the ground. Over about 40 pounds (often less), I let the tractor do the lifting. Yes I am very familiar with the sawbuck. As a little kid I spent a lot of time on one end of a two-man (not one man and one little kid) crosscut saw cutting logs in the sawbuck. Unfortunately it didn't make a "man" of me, just a very strong little kid.

Gretch, I use cardboard circles. Good idea about the hole in the center. I didn't think of it until AFTER I cut my circles. Any good cardboard that arrives here gets recycled into something useful whenever possible. Have made several useful items from the container in which my "new" lathe arrived, and still have a huge piece of 1/2" MDF and some small pieces.

Terry, Guess the Laymar site device works ok, but it has no CLAMPS. Sorry, but it looks like mostly a wood gloat to me. Am looking for something that clamps and holds the wood securely.

Maybe a small, sturdy sandbox screwed to the top of a big, heavy piece of stump. Doesn't anybody but me want some clamps?

 

[laymarcrafts]

Richard the Laymar Design does allow for Clamping/Strapping as illustrated in the sketch.

RVS

 

[MichaelMouse]

Terry, Guess the Laymar site device works ok, but it has no CLAMPS. Sorry, but it looks like mostly a wood gloat to me. Am looking for something that clamps and holds the wood securely.

Maybe a small, sturdy sandbox screwed to the top of a big, heavy piece of stump. Doesn't anybody but me want some clamps?

I work like Andy, only the V is formed by wedges. But, if you must, might I suggest simple dogs? http://www.loghelp.com/tools/dogs.html

 

[Brian Hahn]

Doesn't anybody but me want some clamps?

I prefer screws for holding logs in place. For me, clamps either slipped off the round log surface too easily or had to be positioned right where I wanted to cut.

Here are two pictures of my current set-up for ripping small log sections (bolts). I've screwed a scrap of wood to the side of a chopping block and screw the bolt to it. The height of the scrap can be adjusted to accommodate the size of the piece being cut. Unfortunate, the screws are tan powder-coated deck screws and don't show up very well in the photos.

 

[Mort]

I have a waist high pile of brick topped by 3 wood pallets. The slots between the pallet boards keep logs from rolling. The corner cutoffs are useful as wedges to balance/stabilize the ripped half logs for cutting off the corners. As the pallets are cut up they are replaced. According to my bride it makes for an "unsightly mess" but it does work and the price is right. Besides it is on the back side of the house where she doesn't look too often and the neighbors only comment on the chainsaw noise if I forget and start hacking before 8 AM.

 

[Richard Baker]

RVS, Oops. Now I see the hold-down strap on the Laymar fixture. Should work well for cross cuts and corner trims, and the "V" shape should work well for removing the pith.

MM, I have a couple of simple dogs, but they won't hold logs for me. They're both scared of the chainsaw and the cat. The cat is scared of the lawnmower, but not the tractor. I am scared of what my wife will do to me if I hurt myself with the chainsaw.

Mort, Your waist-high cutting "platform" sounds good to me.

Meanwhile cut some more blanks this morning with the ole "clamp it with the bucket of the tractor front loader" method. Just need to reinforce the "platform" a bit. It's a two-level rack, made from scrap wood, that holds the bucket on upper level and the hay spear on lower level, when either is on/off the front loader. Almost zero cost, unless you don't have a tractor.

Found this morning that the 20+ year old Workmate will cradle a log sufficiently to chainsaw through the center, working at comfortable elevation. Maybe we don't need no stinkin' clamps. Thanks guys!

 

[Bruce W W]

I have been considering the same thing. The best ideas that I have seen so far appear to be using the extended reach pipe clamps from Pony or Woodcraft. http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=5099
The idea is to mount the pipe on a cutting platform with a common pipe flange and then have the extended reach sliding head hold the wood. I have also seen a simular arrangement used to hold wood going through a band saw. (Badger Pond).
Hope this helps.

 

[Richard Baker]

Bruce, Was thinking of "pipe" clamps also, but apparently almost any sort of "V" support, like the Laymar device, is sufficient for a rip cut through the center of a log.

 

[Bob Herrman]

Like others, I found bending or kneel down is hard on the body. I use four 8"x8" cut off cypress beams on a two wheel cart for a platform. Beams are heavy enough they don't move around and I can position blanks to be cut in many different positions. Position the targets at just the right height for using the cahin saw and able toget good straight cuts.

A side benifit is I can wheel my platform around and keep it out of the Sun. Makes for easy clean up also. I included some pictures, perhaps this can help you or others.

Not certain that attached pictures will post.

 

[Richard Baker]

Boxer, I still need a hold-down clamp to trim off the corners of blanks, and so far the tractor front loader bucket is working well. Must be careful to avoid chain to bucket interaction.

The "Help, etc., FAQ" will tell how to post pictures. Would like to see them. They need to be honed down to 640 x 480 pixels or less.

 

[SMarlow]

Richard,

Richard Stapley at www.laymar-crafts.co.uk/tip33.htm has what looks like a nifty chainsawing stand. I'm going to build one as soon as the weather starts to cooperate. Check it out.

Terry

Terry:
I built one of those and it works great! Mine is 12x24 assembled and was made from a quarter sheet of 1/2" MDF (about $5 at the local HD), and two 24" x 1/2" rods and some 3/4" PVC scrap. It is sturdy, steady, and safe. I made a template from a piece of hardboard, and traced it onto the MDF to make sure that all of my sections were identical. This is a great brace fcor chainsawing and I'm very comfortable with it. I only wish I thought of it first!