Posted by c sanderson on May 07, 19102 at 11:18:48:
In Reply to: basement log poles posted by duane on May 05, 19102 at 10:05:32:
I cut several (3) 10 foot slabs from an 8 inch log for a project I did last summer. The hardest part was finding a straight log that was dry enough not to warp later on. First I used a draw knife to peal the log. Next I secured the log approximately horizontal on saw horses. The third step was to position 2 12 foot 2x4s roughly horizontal, one on each side of the log using the growth rings to determine the center and adjusting the 2x4 guides the same distance from the center. You will need to support the 2x4s in the middle to prevent them from sagging and causing your cut to be crooked (bowed) Using a Sawzall and the 2x4s for a blade guide I cut my slabs. For your application just determine the log's center and set the 2x4 guides parallel to the center. Keep each end of the saw blade lightly touching the guides as you make your cut. It worked well for me. It would have been much faster with a 2 man buck saw but I couldn't find one Finally use a gouge of some sort to hollow out the center of the log.