Boards are actively used for various construction and repair activities. This material can be made independently from any suitable log using a regular chainsaw.
Chainsaw - a universal summer resident tool
A chainsaw, often also called a chainsaw, is a chain-operated hand tool equipped with a two-stroke (in most cases) internal combustion engine. This popular mechanism is indispensable in any homestead. The chainsaw is compact and yet powerful. It works without breakdowns for a long time in autonomous mode, due to which it can be used in any location and in a position convenient for the user. The chainsaw has other advantages:
- Equipped with mechanisms for selecting operating speed and smooth starting. This reduces the risk of chain breakage to a minimum.
- Can be used in high humidity conditions.
- Does not require electrical energy.
- It is characterized by high power indicators (noticeably greater than those of a power tool).
- Has a quick-acting inertia brake.
The main advantage of a gasoline saw is the ability to equip it with various attachments. It is they who make it a universal tool, indispensable for the home craftsman. Using a chainsaw, you can saw logs, cut stone, metal, brick, tiled building materials, remove bark from wood, cut out mounting grooves and various recesses in bars.
The functionality of the tool can be expanded even further, the main thing is to choose the right attachment or equip it with a special device.
We will not describe all the capabilities of the chainsaw. In this article, we are only interested in the issue of sawing logs using a chainsaw. More on the features of doing such work with your own hands.
Attachments and accessories for sawing – the home craftsman will appreciate them!
Cutting a log with a gasoline saw can be done after it has been equipped with various types of devices and special attachments. It is not difficult to obtain relatively smooth boards from the trunk of an old, dried tree in your summer cottage if you install a standard attachment for longitudinal cutting of wood on your chainsaw. Important point. You won't get perfect boards when using this attachment. But the cut products can be used to build a fence around the site or a simple shed.
It will be easier to cut a log more efficiently if you add to the nozzle a device for holding the wooden workpiece and a guide. You need to mount a metal frame on the saw bar. It is sold in construction stores. If you wish, you can actually make it yourself, using legs from an old school desk or ordinary metal corners. The distance between the tire and the frame is adjustable. Due to this, it becomes possible to saw logs into boards of different thicknesses.
If the tool will be used permanently, the chainsaw guide is made of a flat wooden block or a metal profile. It should be as tough as possible. The ends of the homemade guide are mounted on sawhorses. And then a log is placed under this structure for sawing. The process of processing it will occur quickly and without unnecessary labor costs.
It is worth noting that the described technique is used exclusively for cutting trunks of small length. If you take a longer log, the guide will begin to sag. As a result, the trunk cannot be cut efficiently and evenly.
We take a log and get boards from it!
Impeccably even cutting is obtained by using a leading ruler (a special guide is often used instead), which is usually called a straight template. It is, in fact, a small machine recommended for cases where woodworking is done more or less regularly. Such a miniature sawmill for longitudinal sawing costs from 10 thousand rubles. If you use it “once every hundred years”, it is better to do as described above.
Both the factory device and the DIY design cut logs according to the same pattern. Longitudinal cutting is carried out using a special chain. Finding her can be difficult. But there is a way out. Sawing trunks lengthwise can be done with a regular chain. You just need to carefully sharpen it at a 10-degree angle. Important point! The tool quickly loses its original sharpness during use. Therefore, it must be constantly sharpened so that cutting logs into boards does not cause difficulties, and the geometry of the resulting products meets the stated requirements.
Sawing logs into flat boards with a chainsaw equipped with a device is performed as follows:
- 1. Take two straight and strong boards. Connect them at right angles to each other. The result is a reliable straight template.
- 2. Make simple supports from wooden blocks. Use them to support the template you made.
- 3. Place the barrel on the device.
- 4. Fasten the frame to the tire, attach the supporting elements supporting the leading ruler to the ends of the log. The last operation requires horizontal installation. Use a building level for control.
- 5. Secure all existing elements with self-tapping screws. Some craftsmen use nails for these purposes, which is undesirable. After cutting the logs into boards, you will have to remove the used fasteners. It will be difficult to do this without significant damage to the structure.
- 6. Fix the template to the supports and adjust its height. Nuance. The cut will go somewhere 10 mm above the level of the ruler, and not strictly along it. Take this into account when adjusting the height.
- 7. Rotate the log. Turn on the chainsaw. You make the first cut.
Then you need to free the log from the stops and boards, fix the template on the cut surface so that it faces in the direction of the second cut. The ruler can be attached with supports to the ends or directly to the surface of the barrel. Make a second cut. In relation to the first, it will be perpendicular.
Next, turn the log and fix it. The ruler can be removed. We will carry out further sawing without it - one of the cut sides of the trunk will serve as a guide. You need to adjust the thickness of the cut on the frame, saw off the log to get a beam with bark on only one side. Now turn the barrel again. Set up the frame. You carry out the final sawing and get the boards at your disposal. If their width is not important to you, there is no need to cut the trunk to fit the timber. Simply saw the workpiece to the middle, turn it 180°, then continue the operation you started.
We cut the trunk across - there will be no difficulties!
As you can see, longitudinal sawing with a chainsaw is a rather labor-intensive process. If you want to get logs by sawing the trunk crosswise and then make boards from them, the operation will be impractical due to the large expenditure of effort. Most often, cross-cutting is used when it is necessary to make country street furniture from wood - tables, benches, small benches. It is also recommended for preparing firewood and for decoration using sawn logs. In such situations, logs are cut into disks of small thickness (up to 15 cm).
The cross cutting process is as follows:
- 1. Place the trunk on trestles 70–80 cm in height (they should be as stable as possible).
- 2. Remove the bark from the wood, if any.
- 3. Make a small cut. It will play the role of a guide groove.
- 4. Rotate the barrel being processed 90°. The tire of a power tool must run strictly along the intended groove.
- 5. If you need logs, make notches on the tree with an ax.
- 6. Sawing the trunk.
Transverse and longitudinal cutting of logs must be carried out in compliance with safety standards. It is advisable to carry out work in thick clothing, gloves, glasses, and headphones. Prepare a first aid kit in advance - a chainsaw is a potentially unsafe tool that can cause serious injury to a person. Always move the saw forward along the guide and do not try to push it harder. The tool should move freely.
The chainsaw must not be raised above the shoulders. The tool must only be run on the ground. In this case, the chain brake must be in the engaged state. Its release is carried out just before the start of cutting logs. Do not fill the gasoline container if the saw has recently been used. You should wait until the tool and fuel tank cool down. Take care to carry out work safely. And then sawing up tree trunks on your own will not lead to dire consequences. Good luck.
Whatever you can do with a chainsaw - with the help of all kinds of attachments, this tool becomes very multifunctional. Don't know how to cut a log into boards with a chainsaw? Now we won’t talk about that!
Chainsaw – a tool for all occasions
Most owners have no idea what capabilities are hidden in this seemingly single-function tool. We are talking about what functions, besides cutting logs into firewood, a chainsaw can perform in skillful hands. But just think - the tool is absolutely autonomous, fill the tank with fuel, and work where it’s convenient for you!
A wide range of work is determined by a powerful, compact and safe gasoline engine, which has a very unpretentious “character” and the ability to work in the most difficult conditions. Another good thing about a chainsaw is its sealed fuel supply system, which, in combination with a diaphragm type carburetor, allows it to work in a variety of positions, perhaps not upside down. In addition, the designers have provided reliable protection of components from overloads and breakdowns in the form of a centrifugal clutch.
Look at the chainsaw from a different point of view - you are holding in your hands a tool that is amazing in its capabilities! This is a universal drive for a wide variety of devices, capable of not only sawing wood, but also cutting metal and stone, pumping water, drilling wells, and even serving as a low-power engine!
DIY multi-tool
The most popular attachment, which is even produced by chainsaw manufacturers themselves, is the petrol cutter attachment, which turns the chainsaw into an autonomous version of an angle grinder. The nozzle device is a bearing assembly with a shaft, with a pulley installed at one end, which is driven into rotation by a V-belt. At the other end there is a mandrel for fastening abrasive wheels. By changing circles, such a grinder chainsaw will be able to cut stone, tile, brick and even metal. Of course, the circle is hidden in a protective casing, without which working with such a tool would be pure playing roulette - lucky or not!
Of course, there are a lot of people who will call this method crazy, because you can buy a normal one and not have to worry about changing any attachments! However, in practice, the idea is completely justified - high-speed saws equipped with such attachments work no worse than conventional grinders. Of course, they can’t compete with professional powerful tools, but in the household they justify themselves. This device has two undeniable advantages - autonomy and saving money.
Another professional attachment that can be bought in specialized stores is the so-called debarkers.
Their functions exactly correspond to the purpose of the chainsaw and, in fact, increase its capabilities - in addition to cutting wood with the help of debarkers, it can be processed, namely, cleared of bark, growths and branches, and also cut grooves in logs, which is useful in the construction of wooden log houses, and give the rounded surface a flat shape.
Debarkers are divided into disk and drum. The first ones are used for cutting recesses and mounting grooves, and the drum ones are used to remove bark from logs; they are also called debarkers. The device is a drum or cutter mounted in a bearing unit. The device is driven by a V-belt drive; for this purpose, there is a special pulley on the axis. Taking into account changes in the diameter of the pulley and the engine speed, you can also change the speed of operation of such a tool for optimal processing of wood.
Essentially, the attachment is a regular centrifugal pump that is attached to the saw and driven by the same pulley and belt. The principle of operation is the same as that of all centrifugal pumps - one hose is lowered into the water, the second serves as a pressure hose. Before starting work, liquid is poured into the engine through the plug, which is necessary for the pump to “grab” the pumped water. When the turbine rotates, it creates a reduced pressure inside, due to which water is pumped out. The device is, in fact, the simplest, but imagine what use it can be when a country house is without power, and the water supply issue needs to be resolved urgently!
With the help of special attachments, a chainsaw can be turned into a drill or a winch, and even into a boat motor, capable of reaching speeds of up to 20 km/h with a fuel consumption of 1 l/h. However, these are already rarer cases, while devices for longitudinal sawing of logs, or, as they are called, mini-sawmills, are found quite often.
How to cut a log into planks with a chainsaw - vertical attachment
First of all, it should be noted that no one sets themselves the task of professionally cutting logs with a minimum amount of waste. For professional work, you also need the appropriate tool, but the attachment for longitudinal sawing of logs will allow you to solve many small problems on the farm. Let's imagine, for example, that an old pear tree has dried up in your garden, and you just need a few boards to fill a hole in the shed. Instead of using a tree trunk for firewood, you can use an attachment to get the material you need.
Devices for longitudinal sawing of logs are divided into vertical and horizontal. The simplest device is the first option: the adapter is attached to the tire at its base, and with the help of a guide bar the straightness of the adapter's movement is ensured. This entire structure is attached to a board, which serves as a stop for cutting and at the same time as a guide. The accuracy of such a device is not high - it can be used to cut rough boards or give a log a simple square shape, however, such a device is assigned corresponding tasks.
How to cut a log lengthwise - cut horizontally!
Much greater cutting accuracy is ensured by the horizontal structure, which is a rigid frame attached to the chainsaw bar in two places - at the base and at its end. The attachment points can be shifted to provide the required cutting width. Of course, such a device is intended for small logs, the diameter of which will not be greater than the length of the tire.
Using the guide element, you can set the required thickness of the boards. The most difficult thing will be to make the first horizontal cut - in order to get an even cut of the wood, you need to attach an additional guide frame to the log, which will serve as a base surface for the stop. At subsequent stages of dissolving the log into boards, the flat surface of the previous cut serves as a surface for support and a guide.
This design is quite easy to work with. Before sawing a log lengthwise, it must be well secured along its entire length - the less it vibrates, the smoother the cut will be.. To avoid jamming of the chainsaw bar, small wedges are constantly inserted into the cut to prevent clamping. It should be noted that no matter how hard we try, there will be quite a lot of waste compared to a conventional sawmill. First, give the log a square shape by sawing off the top layer on all sides, and only then proceed directly to dissolving the log into boards.
It will not be difficult for craftsmen to make attachments of this kind with their own hands when working with welding and metal - the corresponding diagrams on the Internet are not uncommon, and from the material you will need several square hollow pipes, nuts and screws.
Any construction project is incomplete without the use of wood. If you have logs, you can cut it into boards yourself. This way you can save money, and the log will go to work.
First you need to prepare the log for cutting. To do this you will need to remove the bark. The simplest and most effective tool for this purpose is considered to be a stapler. Because the scraper, when removing the bark, does not touch the tree.
To remove the bark, you can use a shovel or an electric jigsaw. When using a shovel, you need to remove the bark “from yourself.”
There are three ways to cut a log. We will not consider one of them, namely, sawing obliquely. Since this method is used for specialized projects and developments.
Let's consider two methods that suit us: cutting logs lengthwise and crosswise
- Cross cutting is used to produce parts in the form of disks or cylinders.
- And the longitudinal method is used to dissolve logs into boards, bars, slats. For this purpose, many devices are used in production. We will look at how you can cut a log at home, on your own.
For cutting you can use:
- Circular
- Grinder with attachments
So, we have already removed the bark from the log, so we move on to the next steps:
- We fix the log on the guides or bed
- We saw off the slab on one side to get a smooth surface.
- Turn the log over onto the bed with its flat side and remove the second slab
- Next we cut the log into planks
How to cut a log into smooth boards and beams
It is quite difficult to cut wood straight along a log. After all, the same thickness must be maintained along the entire length. For this, there is special equipment that is attached to a log.
Many people make their own sawmill to cut logs at home.
How to make a home sawmill with your own hands
Let's consider the two most used manufacturing options sawmills.
Option one
- We weld the frame from channels and profile pipes
- We attach a saw with an electric or gasoline drive to a carriage with vertical feed
- Attach a ruler to a vertical stand to make cutting onto boards as accurate as possible
- Use a polished pipe or rod as a guide for the carriage; they are needed for the carriage to move vertically.
- We install a screw in the bearing so that it moves the carriage when moving
With this option, it is the saw that is set in motion, on a specially attached frame, and the log remains in place. In this case, a chain saw will cope with the task faster. If you plan to use a reciprocating saw, the process will take longer because it works in one direction.
Option two
- We weld the frame from metal plates and angles
- We attach the engine to the bottom of the frame
- At the top we place a shaft with pulleys
- We attach one or more circular saws to the shaft
- We attach a guide from a square (metal) to the table
- Feed the log by moving it forward and pressing it against the guides
Sawing logs into boards with a chainsaw is a fairly convenient and simple method of working with wood. Thanks to the presence of various attachments, the master receives materials that have a smooth and even surface. It’s easy to make boards yourself; you don’t have to go to specialized stores.
The advantage of sawing logs with a chainsaw
The method of cutting logs using a chainsaw has several advantages.
The ability to work under any conditions - the chainsaw is not afraid of humidity, so specialists can cut logs during the rain; in this case, the equipment will not deteriorate.
High productivity - it is allowed to carry out woodworking throughout the day, but it must be taken into account that the power of the device must be at least 7 horsepower.
Autonomous device - the equipment runs on gasoline and does not depend on electricity; the workplace can be mounted in any area where it will be more convenient to carry out the process.
Ease of use - the chainsaw is equipped with a soft start and adjustable chain rotation speed; these conditions ensure that beginners in this business obtain high-quality results.
The undoubted advantage is that the equipment costs much less than a small sawmill. During a breakdown, repairs are inexpensive and do not take much time.
Types of working attachments
Sawing logs with a chainsaw is carried out in different ways; craftsmen work with wood along the grain, as well as across it. It all depends on what attachments are used in the chainsaw.
Attachment for longitudinal sawing
It is used for sawing logs lengthwise, the process takes place in a horizontal position. After work, the master receives the same thickness of the product. The finished materials are subjected, after which the boards are used in construction.
In appearance, the device is a small frame; it is attached to the tire on each side.
Sawing with a lightweight attachment
The method is not very productive, but is used quite often. The element is fastened on one side, but the workpieces are slightly uneven. Such materials are necessary for the construction of sheds or fences.
Drum debarker – debarker
With the help of such an attachment it is easy to dissolve the log; it works due to a V-belt drive. Attached to belts on both sides, special pulleys are used for this. The speed of rotation of the shaft depends on the size of the pulleys, so the performance of the attachment is easy to change.
This technology forces the master to carefully monitor each stage of the process; some specialists use an assistant during this cutting. But this option requires increased security measures.
Features of a homemade sawing option
It is easy to saw a log into boards using a homemade tool. Manufacturing the equipment is simple:
- As a support, you need to use a frame from a school desk or a pipe with a cross-section in the form of a square, its optimal size is 20x20, more is allowed.
- Build two clamps, mount a cross member with two holes for tie bolts at one end, and make a protrusion in the middle for the tire.
- For longitudinal sawing of logs into boards, it is important to make a support frame; its width must be 7–8 cm less than the length.
- Then two elements 10 cm long are welded to both sides, holes are made for the bolts, and a handle is attached in the middle for ease of operation.
- After this, insert the clamps into the grooves, the tire is installed, and everything is carefully fixed.
Working with a homemade tool is not difficult; for this you will need two sawhorses, they will serve as a support, and you also need to prepare a metal strip or board, the element will be a guiding element. A log is placed underneath and the required height for work is adjusted.
Technique for sawing logs lengthwise
Longitudinal cutting is carried out using a horizontal attachment. In order to get even boards, it is important to use a specially prepared guide; its role is played by a metal lath or a high-strength board.
The difficult part in this process is making the first cut; for this you need:
- Mount the leading ruler; it consists of two boards fastened together at an angle of 90 degrees.
- Place the log on the supports and secure its position firmly.
- Check if the log is level using a level.
- Using self-tapping screws, secure the guide ruler to the supports.
- Fix another guide in a horizontal position; the element will rest against the ground, but at the same time fix the log.
- Saw the log.
During the second cut, specialists may not use a leading ruler; the resulting board will serve as a guide. The second cut is made perpendicular to the first.
Secrets of cross cutting
A crosscut saw is used to produce firewood or decorative interior elements. Sawing is carried out according to the following principles:
- Place the log in a horizontal position on wooden supports, the height should be 0.5 m.
- Clean it of bark.
- Using an ax or saw, make small marks along the entire length; they should be located at the same distance from each other.
- Make a cut along the cuts.
Cross cutting does not require the use of special devices or attachments. An ordinary chain is perfect for such work, but its rings must be strong.
Safety precautions
When working with a chainsaw, you must follow safety rules; they will help you avoid injuries and unpleasant situations: 
- People, especially children, should not be allowed onto the work site.
- When working with a circular saw, be sure to wear a special protective cover on it.
- During the process of sawing logs, you should use protective equipment against sawdust and noise.
- It is necessary to have a first aid kit with medications to treat the wound during cuts.
- Do not pour gasoline into a heated tank of a chainsaw.
- The chainsaw must be used only for its intended purpose; it is prohibited to turn it on at full power if it is not in use.
- Installation of logs is carried out only on the right side.
- When working with equipment, it is strictly forbidden to press it with force.
If you follow safety precautions, the work will not be difficult, and the result will be high-quality material without harm to health.
A chainsaw is a versatile piece of equipment that is easy to use. Craftsmen can use it on a personal plot, in a private house. In addition to producing boards, it is used for repair work on outbuildings and wooden decorative elements. You don’t need a large number of boards; just take a couple of logs.
Video: Sawing wood into boards with a chainsaw
All photos from the article
The construction market is replete with a huge number of modern materials, which, unfortunately, are not natural. That is why wood is still the most popular - due to its versatility and availability, it is used in various construction industries. Any lumber, be it timber or boards, is made from logs, so our task today is to understand how to make the necessary building material from it.
Instead of a preface
- Logs can be sawed using hand tools or using various professional equipment used on an industrial scale.
- The cost of finished lumber is directly influenced by its characteristics, namely the thickness of the materials and the amount of waste remaining as a result of the production process.
At enterprises engaged in the production of lumber, wood sawing lines are used. This equipment is highly productive and allows you to obtain a high-quality product.
Sawmill - a machine for cutting logs into boards
One type of sawmill equipment includes a sawmill - a woodworking machine on which frame saws are installed. After processing, the final product is timber and edged boards.
Only logs of a certain size can be used as raw materials:
- length should not exceed 7 m;
- The diameter size range is much wider and ranges from 150 to 800 mm.
Round timber is also cut using circular saws called circular saws or circular saws. Such machines are divided into:
Most often, logs are processed on band sawmills, which allow sawing round timber both horizontally and vertically. Thanks to the high quality of sawing logs, very little waste remains after obtaining the final material.
But this is not the entire list of equipment used for large-scale production of lumber. There are also highly specialized machines that are used only in certain branches of woodworking.
Main types and methods of cutting wood
The method of sawing logs is chosen depending on the type of wood and what kind of workpiece should be obtained in the end.
Take into account:
- parameters that determine the size;
- shape;
- surface quality;
- requirements.
Logs can be sawn relative to the location of the growth rings.
There are three types of sawing in total:
- Radial - along the radius of the growth rings, and the work is carried out with particular precision.
- Tangential - the log is sawn tangentially to the growth rings, parallel to one of the radii.
- Parallel-forming - cutting occurs parallel to the direction of the fibers.
Depending on the direction in which the logs are sawn, the methods of sawing them are also divided:
- In the collapse - involves sawing the log in several places along its entire plane. They must be located parallel to each other. This is the simplest processing method, allowing you to ultimately get a pair of slabs and an unedged board.
- With lumber, you can first obtain side boards and beams, which, if necessary, are sawn into identical edged boards. This method allows you to cut a little more than half of all raw materials. Disadvantage: processing round timber requires the use of two sawmills.
- Segmental - a beam will be cut from the center of the log. This name is due to the fact that two segments remain on the sides of the log, which are subsequently cut into tangential boards.
- Sector - in this case, the round timber is cut into sectors. Moreover, their number depends on the diameter of the log and varies from 4 to 8. Next, the resulting fragments are sawn into radial or tangential boards.
- Circular - designed for individual cutting of logs. This involves separating healthy wood from damaged wood.
Tip: when sawing off the next board, the barrel must be rotated 90˚ around the longitudinal axis.
It should be noted that the last three methods, unlike the previous two main ones, are used quite rarely.
Sawing at home
Purchasing sawmills for use at home is unprofitable both from an economic point of view, the price is quite high, and from a practical point of view. For these purposes, a regular chainsaw is quite suitable.
However, you can also use an electric one, but a gasoline one is much more powerful and does not require electricity, which is very useful when carrying out work far from civilization. Despite the labor-intensive nature of this process, if you have certain skills, the labor costs can be justified.
All work related to cutting requires special equipment:
- a device that secures the log in a stationary state;
- a frame-attachment designed for a chainsaw - if it is necessary to obtain boards of different thicknesses, they are fixed to the tool bar, but in such a way as to be able to adjust the distance remaining between the attachment and the chain;
- ruler-guide. It can be successfully replaced with a metal profile or a regular board of the required length, the main thing is that it is smooth and rigid.
Tip: for a chainsaw you need to purchase a special chain that allows you to make longitudinal cuts. Its distinctive feature is the special sharpening angle of the teeth.
Process
The operating instructions will be as follows:
- Free the logs from bark and branches. The less waste there is, the more finished material there will be.
- Determine the cutting pattern that will be most optimal. Why inspect the log for possible defects.
- Carry out cutting in the direction from east to west or vice versa. This is due to the fact that obtaining high-quality material is only possible if the density of the boards is the same across the entire width. Please note that the density of a tree trunk on the north side is much higher than on the south.
- Remove the slabs located opposite each other.
- Saw the double-edged timber formed as a result of this operation into lumber.
- Remove the edges from the resulting one.
Advice: if any defects are detected in the log, for example, a false core, it can be rotated by 90 and 180˚ as with circular sawing.
Conclusion
If you decide to cut the log at home, you will have to use a sawmill, chainsaw or regular saw. The first two options will show the best results, and the process will happen much faster and with better quality.
Before starting work, it is advisable to draw a diagram of sawing round timber. The video in this article will give you the opportunity to find additional information on the above topic.
