Slabbin

[Soapandbacon]

Just finished up cutting my first maple slabs. The log came from a tree I cut this year. Each slab is 2"x20"x12' they are lovely! I have 4 more to do before winter sets in. I hope to use them in the new home project next year. I used a logosol basic mill attachment on the granddaddy husky 378

 

[Mudfarmer]

Have done that myself with an alaskan mill attached to my stihl. Quite a work out, way more than going to the gym. I am impressed withyour production.
Mf

 

[Soapandbacon]

Thanks, the biggest difference was the ripping chain. I knew I needed one, but didn't have it, so I started with a regular chain. It went well for the first cut, then forget it. However when I finally got the ripping chain cutting was like night and day.

 

[EddieWalker]

I did it with the regular blade and hated it. Sounds like I should have tried the proper chain!!!!!

Eddie

 

[Soapandbacon]

I did it with the regular blade and hated it. Sounds like I should have tried the proper chain!!!!!

Eddie

next time try the ripping chain, you won't be disappointed, cuts like a hot knife through butter....i got mine here:

Granberg Ripping Chain | Granberg International

 

[newbury]

Granberg Ripping chain is SPECIAL. It's got two different angles on the cutters. Over on Arborist (WHICH IS DOWN DUE TO HACKING ) one of the peeps, (mntgun?) did a lot of time tests and, if I remember correctly, only found a slight improvement with Granberg over regular ripping chain.

If you only have a few regular chains many guys just use a regular chain (cutter with about a 35 degree angle) and just gradually sharpen it down to a 10 to 15 degree angle.

Big things are to keep your rakers down and your chain sharp. On a 10' cut of 20" maple I usually took a break each pass and hand filed the cutters. Only a few swipes were needed but it made a big difference.

Soap - those slabs look GOOD. Be sure to sticker and paint the ends. Are you going to plane them?

 

[Soapandbacon]

Granberg Ripping chain is SPECIAL. It's got two different angles on the cutters. Over on Arborist (WHICH IS DOWN DUE TO HACKING ) one of the peeps, (mntgun?) did a lot of time tests and, if I remember correctly, only found a slight improvement with Granberg over regular ripping chain.

If you only have a few regular chains many guys just use a regular chain (cutter with about a 35 degree angle) and just gradually sharpen it down to a 10 to 15 degree angle.

Big things are to keep your rakers down and your chain sharp. On a 10' cut of 20" maple I usually took a break each pass and hand filed the cutters. Only a few swipes were needed but it made a big difference.

Soap - those slabs look GOOD. Be sure to sticker and paint the ends. Are you going to plane them?

Im planning to plane them by hand when they get used, most likely a table and built in benches etc. right now they are stacked outside with spacers between them, the ends are showing some splitting... tell me more about "sticker and paint the ends" i'm new to this....
thanks in advance.

 

[Daver1963]

For sawing with a chainsaw those are some good looking boards.:thumbsup: Depending on the look you want I don't know that I'd plane them too hard. Maybe just enough to remove the threat of splinters and some of that could be taken care of with a poly coating over whatever you stain it with, if staining at all. The cutting marks made by the chain would add character to any piece that could not be artificially reproduced. Just my :2cents:

 

[Egon]

Paint the ends so they don't dry out to quickly and split.

Stikkering: laying narrow pieces of wood across a layer of planks before the next layer
Of planks is laid down. Allows for air circulation.

Google it.