first time milling suggestions
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you will want a resaw sled
Logs are big, heavy and round.... usually. You need to support the weight and keep them from turning as you saw, so a sled is the best way. There are several here:
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f27/resaw-sled-7552/
Logs are big, heavy and round.... usually. You need to support the weight and keep them from turning as you saw, so a sled is the best way. There are several here:
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f27/resaw-sled-7552/
I'd suggest you build or fashion an auxiliary infeed and outfeed table for the bandsaw first. Keep your logs 4' long or shorter. A sled makes the task easier but I milled quite a few logs on my bandsaw just by finding the flattest area on the log and placing it down on the table. Pop a line along one side and take off a slab. After that, you have a good flat side to rest on the table and resist turning while you saw it into a cant or saw NE slabs. Use the widest, coarsest-tooth blade your saw will tension adequately. For a 14" saw, that's probably a 1/2", 3-tpi blade.
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32,998 Posts
find the flattest area or make one...
You need to have a flat surface on the table to make any sort of accurate cuts. I found the easiest way is to use a power planer to quickly remove the bark and make a straight, flat area for the sled.
The first cut should be 90 degrees to the flat and by using a jig riding on the table edge you'll get a pretty straight cut. Here's the power planer in action;
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You need to have a flat surface on the table to make any sort of accurate cuts. I found the easiest way is to use a power planer to quickly remove the bark and make a straight, flat area for the sled.
The first cut should be 90 degrees to the flat and by using a jig riding on the table edge you'll get a pretty straight cut. Here's the power planer in action;
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