Woodworking - "mill" my own boards?

[WVBill]

Wife wants to replace the kitchen table. I can build one, I say.
I built a pretty nice coffee table and end table set out of Ash several years ago so I figured I'd give the kitchen table a try.

Then, while mowing the grass the other week, I noticed the 4' long X 16" diam log of Black Locust left over from one of the trees that blew down during our "almost tornado" in July.

I have a good 16" chain saw but no Alaskan mill or anything.
I was thinking of spiking a 2X? to the log and using it as a guide for my chain saw to slice the log into, maybe 4" thick boards then re-saw them on my 10" band saw in the shop down to 6/4 to make boards for my table top.

Do I have any chance of success in "freehanding" the milling of the log?

Thoughts?

 

[forgeblast]

Well some issues to think about. you want to free hand a squared cut through black locust thats been on the ground for a while drying out. I would say its going to be a bear. The alaskan mills, and some others are still going to be difficult but you will have a bit more control and be able to end up with some usuable wood.
Mother earth news and arborsite have plans for making mills, even the alaskan mills.
Im just worried that the locust will have started to cure, making the milling difficult, real difficult.

 

[s78wingrider]

Where are you? I have a small band saw mill here. Would be glad to do it for you. Aaron 26845

 

[20 20]

I doubt you'd get it cut the way you'd want it. Dry BL can be a bear when it comes to milling it{and that's on a regular mill}. Not saying it can't be done, if there's a will there's a way, but it would be real tough.

 

[randy41]

see the book Chainsaw Lumbermaking. I milled some pine with a chainsaw. I got a long bar and filed the chain straight across the teeth to help it rip. I drilled holes in the bar and mounted a piece of 2x4 with threaded rod to the bar. Then I nailed a 2x4 to the log and ran the chainsaw 2x4 along the log 2x4. It produced some nice boards but it was a lot of work and lot of breathing saw fumes. Also alot of sawdust...wasted lumber.

 

[sandman2234]

We took cedar fenceposts and cut them into 3.5x .625 lumber on a 10" Craftsman table saw. It wasn't any fun, except the company, and hard on the table saw. My thoughts, find a homeshop bandmill and bribe/pay/sucker/coerce him into cutting it for you. There are a lot of bandmills in your area.
David from jax

 

[Egon]

You can get an attachment that clamps to your bar and uses a 2x4 for a guide for about twenty bucks. Use a rip chain [ some are better than others] and go slowly. Should work.:thumbsup:

My home built chainsaw mill.

 

[Lloyd_E]

There's a reason black locust is not a favourable wood for woodworking. When it is green it is "hard as the hinges" to work with. When it dries it is "harder than the hinges" to work with! Although it has great colour it is a very difficult wood to work with. Also you want it to dry and unless you have a kiln air drying(stickered wood) takes a year per inch(thickness) to dry properly.

Hope this helps...

 

[WVBill]

Thanks for the input, guys - lots to think about.

I didn't realize the drying time for the milled boards would be that long. I don't think SWMBO is willing to wait a year for me to start on the table.

Where are you? I have a small band saw mill here. Would be glad to do it for you. Aaron 26845

. Thanks for the offer Aaron - I'm over in Jefferson county so it wouldn't be that far of a drive. Trouble is, this log is HEAVY. I dragged it with my Kubota but not sure the little B6100 could lift it up into my pickup.

Looks like it might be a trip to the hardwood lumber store for some Ash...

Maybe I can just cut the log into four roughly 4x4 pieces and use them for legs "green"... If they crack/twist while drying, it will just add to the "charm". After all, this is a "Kitchen" table, not a "Dining room" table.

 

[Lloyd_E]

Bill,

My good buddy has been harvesting locust for "projects" and I keep telling him about the challenge to work it. He is adamant to use the stuff. Most of the logs have been sitting for 10+ months. We will A: see if the mill can saw them, B: see if he can wok with the stuff or C: (which I like) firewood for the next 2-4 years. 1st photo shows a bunch of jack pine, second photo show pile of locust to the right in image.