Working With Big Logs - Tiki Carving

B Bincho Member Novato, CA Joined: Sep 02, 2006 Posts: 67	B Bincho Posted posted on Wed, Apr 18, 2007 8:03 PM I lucked into an abandoned bark stripped log from work last year- a customer wanted a raw post in their store and then balked at the idea. It was a Doug Fir log and it weighed about 300 lbs-- it was about 15' tall. These are called peeler logs and you can order them up at most decent sized lumber yards-- in California you may be able to get a variety of species too- and since they are "peeled" you get a clean, rounded, and slightly dried log- without any bark. I had a co-worker help me load it into the back of my Dodge dakota witha 6' bed LOL, and drove 20 miles to my house with this thing tied down (Fat end down at the cab) but sticking out in the air behing the truck. Thank goodness no CHP on the way home. Once home, but now alone, I droped my tailgate and hoped to cut it right there, but my chainsaw popped its chain. I switched to a sawzall, which is a GREAT electric tool for people to cut and carve with-- much less dangerous than a chainsaw, relatively inexpensive, and there are a variety of blades to use for all sorts of material. Once purchased, you will be surprised at how many time you use the good ol' reciprocating saw. Finally rotated enough log to have made a 10" plunge all the way around and loped off a nice 6' section. Muscled it via bear hug to yard. Felt like I was on a strange ESPN event. Then I did the same with the next 7' piece- and lastly the 2' but thickest stump section. 6 days later, the lactic acid is just leaving my muscles and I am letting the weather warm up before getting out the mallet and chisel. I hope to get some pictures up soon. PS- a good way to move wood chunks/logs is to get some nylon webbing and wrap it around the log, even nailing it off after making some handhold loops, and then your team of lifters can all get a good grip on it and move it on the horizontal, Think battering ram.

I lucked into an abandoned bark stripped log from work last year- a customer wanted a raw post in their store and then balked at the idea. It was a Doug Fir log and it weighed about 300 lbs-- it was about 15' tall. These are called peeler logs and you can order them up at most decent sized lumber yards-- in California you may be able to get a variety of species too- and since they are "peeled" you get a clean, rounded, and slightly dried log- without any bark. I had a co-worker help me load it into the back of my Dodge dakota witha 6' bed LOL, and drove 20 miles to my house with this thing tied down (Fat end down at the cab) but sticking out in the air behing the truck. Thank goodness no CHP on the way home.

Once home, but now alone, I droped my tailgate and hoped to cut it right there, but my chainsaw popped its chain. I switched to a sawzall, which is a GREAT electric tool for people to cut and carve with-- much less dangerous than a chainsaw, relatively inexpensive, and there are a variety of blades to use for all sorts of material. Once purchased, you will be surprised at how many time you use the good ol' reciprocating saw.
Finally rotated enough log to have made a 10" plunge all the way around and loped off a nice 6' section. Muscled it via bear hug to yard. Felt like I was on a strange ESPN event. Then I did the same with the next 7' piece- and lastly the 2' but thickest stump section.

6 days later, the lactic acid is just leaving my muscles and I am letting the weather warm up before getting out the mallet and chisel. I hope to get some pictures up soon.

PS- a good way to move wood chunks/logs is to get some nylon webbing and wrap it around the log, even nailing it off after making some handhold loops, and then your team of lifters can all get a good grip on it and move it on the horizontal, Think battering ram.

Post #300271 by Bincho on Wed, Apr 18, 2007 8:03 PM