Log too big for chainsaw

Cut from two sides. You can cut 31-32 inches with the bar you have if you cut from both sides. This does mean burying the nose, and if your relationship with your chainsaw is such that this seems a poor idea, well, then, go looking for a 3-1/2 foot handsaw.

If your relationship with your saw does not already involve chaps, hardhat, chainbrake, etc. then you are already being optomistic, regardless of where the saw nose is (hint, gear much cheaper and less painful than emergency room visit). The digits normally remain attached, as they are normally on the handle of the saw. Keeping the arm attached, and the head intact are more common problems.

Hi Dick

I don't know what you want to, or are able to turn from it, so I will pretend that I am cutting it up for me. take one piece and block it up horizontal, so it will not roll, start cutting with the grain so the cut will go through the centre, hold the saw on an angle and cut till the nose will go into the wood, go to the other side and do the same thing, as you are overlapping the cuts you can go down deeper till you again will get the nose buried, switch sides ones more, etc., now if I would want to quarter the piece to make 4 natural edge bowls from it I would flip the piece over and continue to halve it and then do that once more with each halve, however if I would want to make some slabs I would make the other cuts now to, and then flip the piece over to finish the cuts, going from the outside slabs, till the middle as the last cut. All the slabs can be cut up later much easier than when in log form. As long as you angle your saw you won't get it plugged up as easy, if you cut flat with the grain you'll get long stringy shavings that will jam the saw. Don't forget to seal the blanks, or all your work will be for nothing. And KEEP YOUR EYES ON YOUR FRIES, and be careful.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

Hello, Dick.

First, you need to have a real sharp chain, equally sharpened on both sides. This is because you will have to cut from two opposing sides to get to the middle. If there is any tendency for the bar to wander, the wander-error will be at least doubled when you go from the other side. You are in very dangerous territory. A guy once asked my son if he knew how to run a chainsaw. Son said "yes". Guy asked "do you know how to sharpen a chain saw? Son said "no". Guy said "Then you don't know how to run a chain saw". ---My fault!!!

Self inflicted lobotomies (sp?) are more common in the kind of work you have in front of you. The problem is when the tip of the saw bar catches in the log, pivoting the bar upwards at a rapid rate (with your support arm as the fulcrum. This aims the running chain at your forehead. This all happens before you can get your finger off the trigger.

If you happen to have chainsay that has a protector on the end of the bar, you can't bore or go deeper than about 2 inches less than the bar length anyway. You'd have to take that part off to do the job at all, but that adds a lot of danger. An Anti-kickback chain will make the job less hazardous.

Please don't misunderstand me, but just asking this question means that you don't have the experience to do this without some hands-on tutoring. Call up a tree service and ask them to help or go to the place where you bought your saw and ask for lessons. This may sound like an expensive way to utilize a "free" piece of wood, but if you DO learn proper methods, it will stand you for the rest of your life. If you DON'T learn, and miss just one subtle clue that something isn't right, it will also stand you for the rest of your life, but you may not BE standing!

I don't have sycamore around here, but have you considered splitting your chunks to get down to your saw's bar length?

I would have no qualms at all about doing what you suggest, but we have been dropping trees here and sawing wood since 1972. I would still approach the job with a lot of care.

Pete Stanaitis western Wisc> I have a couple of pieces of sycamore that are about 18" long and 24"

SNIP

Dammit Leo, knock it off! I laughed so hard when I got to that I almost fell off my chair.

Good one.

Robert

Thanks to everyone for the advice and concern. I installed a new chain yesterday and took the tip guard off. The cuts went pretty well and I now have a good supply of blanks to work with and share:

Thanks to everyone for the advice and concern. I installed a new chain yesterday and took the tip guard off. The cuts went pretty well and I now have a good supply of blanks to work with and share: