“Using your hands,” he said, “As the only support of the stock, you might get you injured in the cutting process.” “But with the right bandsaw jig for cutting logs, you can make the log highly stable and firmly affixed while you let it pass through the bandsaw blade.” In the case of bandsaw jigs for cutting logs, you can create your jigs to allow you to mill round logs into dimensional lumber safely. Use the best bandsaw jigs for cutting logs as recommended above.
First of all, you bandsaw needs to have a miter slot, some don’t and these are more difficult to adapt this jig to, but still possible, you will have to sort that out yourself depending on your bandsaw. The base of the jig needs to be about half the width of your bandsaw top, to this, you will need to install a miter blank, which you can cut yourself or pick one up from Amazon HERE. This plastic material will need to be pre-drilled before you attach it to the base of your jig. I also mark on the edge of the log … where my screws will be embedded in the log so that I don’t inadvertently cut them off with my bandsaw … which is generally not a problem except that it dulls the bandsaw blade instantly.
1) Every log sled relied on the miter slot to make straight cuts. This puts the weight of the log out near the end of the table on an already top heavy band saw. When using my log stabilizer / log sled / log jig, I make my first cut, then flip the log, so the flat side rests on the table.
Bandsaw sled for milling small logs At a wood show, I saw somebody selling a neat metal jig for cutting lumber off small logs on the bandsaw. The picture at left shows the sled having just been used to cut the side off a piece of crabapple lumber that I cut off one of the trees in my yard when I pruned it. So after cutting one side off, rotate the log 90 degrees, make another cut, and then make the rest of the cuts with a regular fence.
bandsaw jig for cutting logs Related Question:
How do you get the most lumber out of a log?
Similar to cant sawing, plain sawing begins with rotating and sawing the outer sides of a log into boards until the center is squared into a four-sided cant. Instead of leaving the cant as is, it is rotated and sawn to produce the maximum amount of lumber.
How thick of wood can a band saw cut?
Band saws are the undisputed champ when it comes to cutting curves and slicing through thick material. Many small band saws can slice though lumber a full four inches thick, and bigger saws handle six-inch cuts.
How do I stop my log slices from splitting?
If your wooden slice was cut and left to dry for longer than a few days, use wood sealer as a soaking solution to help prevent cracks or splits from forming. Fill the container just over halfway so you can submerge the wooden slice without overflowing the container.
Can you cut logs with a miter saw?
To cut your wood slices, we strongly recommend you have either a miter saw or band saw. These are the best saw options to use when cutting log slices, as they can make more precise cuts with the uneven nature of a log. They can also cut thicker pieces of wood than other types of saws.
Will polyurethane keep wood from splitting?
Here’s the equipment you need to have before applying a sealant or stabilizer to keep the wood from splitting. The best sealant for greenwood is anchor seal. For the furniture, woodworks, and all other types of wood stuff can use polyurethane, lacquer type sealant with good waterproofing ability.
Is milling your own lumber worth it?
Milling your own lumber can produce quality material for a fraction of the price of a lumber dealer. In fact, if you purchase your own mill, like I have, you can actually make a profit off of it by selling lumber to other woodworkers and by offering to mill other people’s logs.
How do you split timber logs?
The idea is to swing the ax downward, striking the thin edge of its head into the top surface of the log you’re splitting, with enough power to split the log in two. Next, set up the two halves on their ends, and split each again. Repeat the process until the pieces of split firewood are as fine as you need.