Bandsaw log sled and resaw fence for any bandsaw

This is great Bob. It is a miniature version of some big mills I have seen. I’ll be looking to see some of the finished pieces that started here.

-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3 http://www.portablesawmill.biz/concrete/

Thanks Ron:
I just checked your Website and it looks like you have me beat with that mother of all Wood misers!

I was actually thinking of a smaller rig for retirement to grab up some of the Urban forest here which is currently going to the mulchers.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Bob,

Now you can saw your own logs the way you want. Who knows what “rare jewels” of wood are locked in some of those inconspicuous logs out there.

Way to go!

Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Bob,

Question:

When can you cut a log up like this?

I imagine that they have a lot of water in them when newly cut. Do you have to wait any length of time?

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Bob, that’s pretty cool. The pipe clamp holds the log in place against the front upright and the back upright just aligns the pipe clamp? Is that correct?

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Mot:
You are sharper than me.
It took me a few glances at the jig before I realized I didn’t need big bracing on the ends.
I am going to make up a larger foot for the free end of the clamp with a bit of sponge on it to give a bit more bite where the ends are not flush with the clamp face.
Right now I am making a small outfeed table to carry the log across to my table saw out feed for a bit more stability.

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Tom:
I generally leave my logs whole for at least a year to help prevent cupping . It doesnt stop checking on the ends but it seems to eliminate waney slabs after I cut them. The pros say to get the wood down to 12 % humidity then cut em.
I have sofar just covered my stuf on top with a tarp and let ma nature do the drying.
The boards drop to around 8% when I bring them into the shop for stickering.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

I like it Bob, I’m showing your thread on my Rikon review.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Bob,

Thanks for your reply to my question.

I think I’m going to have to start looking for some downed trees, so I can start cutting my own logs. It seems like it would be fun to mill your own lumber – especially if you could get some rare woods for small projects.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

We have a compost dump in our town, & you can also haul your brush there,. sometimes I pick up some short logs there. I recently brought home some 8 to 10” cedar logs, about 3’ long.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Hi Bob

I do not understand this comment “The pros say to get the wood down to 12 % humidity then cut em”

I cut lumber all the time, and I cut it wet. If you wait for a log to dry out to 12%, depending upon the size of the log you may have to wait longer than your own lifetime.

Bandsaw the logs wet – sticker them (12” apart) and place a concrete block on top. leave them outside until they achieve about 18% (you do not want that moisture in your shop – do you?) then move them inside and nleave them until you get the desired MC (moisture content)

Just for intrest my “Bird Cherry is now down to 12% inside and 25% outside http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/Tikka/blog/1352 I am going to get to use it sooner than I thought

do not forget to clean the saw and blades – wet wood and nice shiny steel = RUST

-- Tony - All things are possible, just some things are more difficult than others! - SKYPE: Heron2005 (http://www.poydatjatuolit.fi)

You could be right Tony.
I am quoting from a Finewoodworking video that I watched this morning.
There is an interview with a professional Sawyer (Dave and Carol Spacht) and those were his recommendations.

I did not know what my wood had as a percentage . I don’t have a moisture meter.

I used to weigh it but now I just do it as I said.

A I said, I leave it under a tarp for a year then cut and sticker it.
So far no problems.
I think it might vary with the density of the wood being dried with pine, spruce etc being faster that say Beech and birch?
I am at the stage in my life where I no longer buy ripe bananas so I guess I’m due for kiln dried wood too . <vbg>

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

That looks to be very usefull, I have a old bandsaw very old I don’t know if I could ever resaw like this but it would be worth a try.

-- Jeff B.

Jeff:
I have and older version of this jig that I used on an import 14”.
If it could help you, I would be happy to post it.
Power is a big factor in smooth cutting but patience got me through many times.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Bob -

Very useful posting . . . I might have to build a smaller version for my saw.

Thanks!

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

Thanks Dave:
I had a smaller version on my 14” import and it worked fine .
I would caution you that you are likely to want/need some 24” rails from some of you stock as well as a few legs so try to make the carriage a long as possible for the event.
p.s. I checked your Website- nice stuff love the cherry.

Jeff: I had pretty good success with and old 1/2 hp 14 incher so don’t be afraid to give it a shot.
You can manage ( just manage) with a 1/2” x3 tooth blade.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

great sled! as soon as i get a bandsaw i’m going to be making one of these. thanks for all the pictures and information.

-- "Who but a fool would discard seeminly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent engineering" -- Aldo Leopold

Favorited… I do a lot of resawing on my old Delta 14” bandsaw and I need one of these. Let me know if you would do anything differently before I start mine. Thanks for the very detailed explanation and photos!

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

kb here you guys talking about getting the moisture down to 12% which is correct for the minwest but you are not talking about dry kiln down to 12 % just airdry and that in my judgment that is not the thing to do the only wood i have been told that will air dry and stay there is cedar and if not kiln dryed to kill the molicules it will take moisture back and you will have a mess, cracks, swelling couping etc. a’m i wrong kb

-- ken kindle

That was one interesting report. .. Nicly explained. I have a 15 General bandsaw and have been playing with ideas like this in my head for a while now. After seeing this post it all come clear…. Thanks for sharing and the inspiration.

-- Brian's Table Top Toys http://home.mountaincable.net/~bgraham/

Hi Blake there are always situation tht might need a different jig but this on one is doing about 9% of what I need right now. You may have to put a wedge under you table on the 14” saw as the logs will want ot move the table off square

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

KB, where I live its drier than a popcorn fart for 5 months of the year so we have atendency to air dry local cut logs. I fully agree that material “moved in” should be kiln dried to set the lignins.
Is that what you were asking?

Regards
Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

bob kb here i must be mistaken about this thing kiln dry. around here we all kiln dry our wood which where i live we have about 90% of all the different species that we would woodwork with. no exodict woods. like i have said we have been told to kiln dry all wood not just air dry. like i stated here in the midwest we go for 12% moisture if you live a dry part you may kild dry wood to 24% or wet part of usa 6% moisture. i have made furniture from air dry wood from local trees and have a lot of problems with it taking on moisture or not having enough but if i kiln dry the wood it does not take on moisture or does it dry out. one of my fellow woodworking buddys built a home made kiln that he can kiln dry abou 500 bd ft at a time. its not a big cost to do so kiln is about 4’high 4’ wide and 12 ‘long. and like green oak in a log is about free around here some get blown over or some one wants a tree removed. and kild dry red oak here at a lumber YARD is about $6.00 bd ft kb

-- ken kindle

Spotless sled. Thanks for sharing.

-- Jiri

Great jigs Bob. just happened to find you on roll the dice. Lucky I did.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

Hi Grump.
Glad this stuf can help you.
We are getting so big electoronically that we probably need a bubble sort index like Google now.
Theres’ a wealth of info here if you can just find it.

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Many thanks for posting AND the extra hints and tips. I will be buying a 12” bandsaw in the near future so very useful.

What is your min reconmended motor size for this type of work?

-- Keep your tools sharp, your mind sharper and the coffee hot

Good morning Yettiman:
Glad you liked my bandsaw sled blog.
I started witha 14” band saw with a 1/2 hp motor and made a similar device to the one shown to slice up small logs up to 8” wide. Beyond that, the little motor had trouble and the cuts were difficult.
I used a 3 tooth x 1/2” saw blade for that machine to resaw. I have move up to an 18” now with a 2hp motor so I can cut up to 12” slabs without difficulty.
If I were just starting like you I would look for a decent bandsaw with a 3/4 hp engine .
Also make sure that the saw you buy will accomodate a riser block should you want to cut wider stock in the future.

Regards
Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Many Many thanks Bob, REALLY appreciate the advice.

I have the chance to get some wood in the round from a local famer, so am hoping this will be a workable process. Guess I am looking at 6” – 9” pieces, with the possiblity of the odd piece (2 – 3 times a year) of up to 10”. I could always reduce some of the wastage with a chainsaw before bringing into the shop, this will keep some of the weight down.

-- Keep your tools sharp, your mind sharper and the coffee hot

The small logs can yeild some interesting grain so don’t be shy about accepting them.
The worst fate is only a fireplace away. <g>
Once you get resawing undr control youwill see real savings in fancy wood purchases.
Dont overlook crotchwood that turner love. Makes for gret trades.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Bob, this is great. Thanks for the ideas. I’ve got 30 acres of all varieties of oak and hickory, and they are wasting away on the forest floor and in my fireplace. I’d like to have a mill, but too much $$. I’m getting ready to buy a Rikon bandsaw, so I’ll be building your sled in the month or so to come. THANK YOU VERY MUCH for the post…

Steve

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †

Always glad to share Steve.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

way cool Bob !

Where did you find the led light ?

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

Hi Dan: the light ws from one of those import stores for a buck
I got half a dozen for thsi and that.
They are really quite handy.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

what size blade did you use. i have a 14 inch bandsaw. think i will try this.

-- dion trinity east

Hi Dion:
I had a 14” band saw before this and I used a 1/2” blade 3 TPI . It’s slow going with a fractional motor.
Mine had a 3/4.
If you take your time and get a good blade you can do it however.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner