Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Chain Saw Fine Furniture

3/2/10 We're moving relatively slowly on this project to allow the 2.25" thick slab to acclimate to our heated shop ... It had been stored in a concrete floored, unheated barn until it arrived here last week .. We took a little off both sides last week and we flip it pretty much every day. It has stayed remarkably flat and now we're working to assemble the base ....click the pictures to enlarge them .
The figured are at the crotch end of the slab
looking down from the crotch end
from the stump end
Last week, ready to cut ....

I started my woodworking career in 1974 as a logger for a local timber contractor ... I lasted about 6 months ... After that, I spent the next 23 years cutting and splitting firewood to heat my house and shop in Arlington .... I got back into the wood heat thing last year and I've become pretty good friends with my chain saw again. When we had to cut this slab to size, I thought that my Stihl might be the best tool for the job as the log had already been chain sawn to rough shape before it was milled into slabs .. Ta Dah ... The edges actually will look like before we cut it .... Don't try this at home ....

Click the photos to enlarge them .... Previous post on this table ... It was a bit of a reach
This was actually really fun .....
Cutting to 10'
All done ... ready to smooth ....

4 comments:

Chuck said...

Just curious why you cut with the tip up, as oppsosed to down?

Seems like down might be safe since it would be on the other side of the panel should it kick...

Pretty neat though!

Dorset Custom Furniture said...

Hi Chuck .... I couldn't figure out how to cut with the tip down without standing on a stool or building some kind of low platform ... As I said 'DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME' unless, like me, you've been chainsawing for 37 years and are 110% confident and comfortable regarding your safety chops ... Like Sam Maloof's bandsawing, this technique is not for everyone ... Be Careful !!

Grover said...

Awesome Table.. I would never have tried that with a chainsaw. I don't have near the skill that it must have taken to control that.

--Grover
http://groverwoodworks.blogspot.com

bluechipholidays said...

Nice one! I'm not an expert but I think you're doing good..


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