Shopsmith Forums

I have a friend who has a log 4ft long and 7 in dia, and want to use my band saw with a rip blade to make useable wood. Has any one tried doing this?

I have not tried it but keep in mind that the maximum height the Shopsmith bandsaw can accommodate is 6 inches (i think there's a sawdust session showing how to file away some casting bits on the upper guide to get 6.25 or so). So a 7 inch diameter log won't work when you get the bits toward the middle.

I think it can be done, but you will need infeed/outfeed supports for stock that long and, as algale pointed out you will need to reduce the height of the stock. You will need to create a flat on one side of the log to start and if you do that by hand, with handsaw, chainsaw, slick, drawknife, chisel, plane or some combination, just be sure to take off enough material that you get the height down to under 6 inches.

Somebody say sawdust session?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2muM2mgnSZM

Yes it can be done and easily.
First you need to nail a board to the log. Then using that board as an edge pass the log through the bandsaw. You will need to keep the highest part of the log out from under the guide.
Once you have that cut made turn the log to the flat it should be low enough now to pass under the BS guide.
Remove the board and nail it again to the log to use against the fence.

Start cutting off slabs. Remember the nails holding the board on don't cut them.

I once cut about a 10 inch diameter log I just cut the flat then turned the log and cut another flat. Soon the log was about 6x8 and I could easily cut it then.

Ed in Tampa wrote:Yes it can be done and easily.
First you need to nail a board to the log. Then using that board as an edge pass the log through the bandsaw. You will need to keep the highest part of the log out from under the guide.
Once you have that cut made turn the log to the flat it should be low enough now to pass under the BS guide.
Remove the board and nail it again to the log to use against the fence.

Start cutting off slabs. Remember the nails holding the board on don't cut them.

I once cut about a 10 inch diameter log I just cut the flat then turned the log and cut another flat. Soon the log was about 6x8 and I could easily cut it then.

Don't worry! You won't hurt the nails.:mad:

Here's a link to a blog post about cutting thin veneer with a SS bandsaw.
Cutting boards is the same but a little easier. The jig can be very simple and the blade needn't be expensive. This was VERY hard pepperwood.

Ed in Tampa wrote:Yes it can be done and easily.
First you need to nail a board to the log. Then using that board as an edge pass the log through the bandsaw.

Here is another way to get the log fixed to the guide board, using mini pinch dogs. Think I found them in the Veritas catalog a while back. The "log" in the picture is a piece of eucalyptus my bil gave me last month. the plan is to mill some 1/4 inch boards and make a little box.

edflorence wrote:Here is another way to get the log fixed to the guide board, using mini pinch dogs. Think I found them in the Veritas catalog a while back. The "log" in the picture is a piece of eucalyptus my bil gave me last month. the plan is to mill some 1/4 inch boards and make a little box.

Thank you, thank you. I've got some of those and never knew what they were. I don't even know how or when I came to possess them. I still have them because I discard very little.

They look handy. Found them at Lee Valley. Woodcraft has 10 of them for the same price Lee Valley has an 18 piece set for.