Getting lumber out of a log: Bandsaw log slicer jig

Cutting logs on a bandsaw without proper support for the log can be very dangerous. If you tried to cut a log to length without proper support. The blade can grab the log and spin it up sending the log flying off the bandsaw. A cradle can be an effective way to support a log. In fact, DMS has a bandsaw specific rule for this: “Use a cradle when sawing logs & limbs to prevent rolling / breaking the blade.”

Here is an example:

These are easy to make - cut a 2x4 in half with a 45 degree cut and screw to a scrap piece of plywood. Make sure the bandsaw blade doesn’t hit a screw!

But what about cutting a log lengthwise (to get dimensional lumber for example)? Not properly supporting the log can result in the log rolling sideways bending oir breaking blade and/or ripping out the blade supports.

To properly support a log for a lengthwise cut, I built a log slicing jig based on a May 2007 Wood Magazine design and tested it today on the laguna bandsaw (with the help of Patrick) on a 21” long, 11” in diameter mesquite log. I made it out of scrap plywood.

The jig has two components: 1) a base made of plywood with a miter guage slot runner and 2) a fence that slides along the base. The log rests on the base and is bolted to the fence with three 2 inch 1/4 -20 stainless steel lag screws. The fence is secured to the base with a star knob and t track bolt.

It works surprisingly well. After each cut the fence is slid forward 1" across the base (the base is painted blue in the pictures) and locked down. The cut is smooth and the thickness only varies by < 1/16 along the boards. Yielded 8 1” boards 9-10” wide and 21” long (about 10 board feet).

The lumber will go into my solar kiln and should be dry in 6 to 10 weeks depending on how sunny it is.

I also tested it on my 1990’s Delta 110v bandsaw at home, but it takes 5 minutes to slice off a board vs about 1 minute on the Laguna. The only downside is that you have to stop slicing the log before you get to the lag bolts (Patrick said it was not a good idea to cut stainless steel with a bandsaw blade) so you end up with a 3" thick board left over with three screw holes.

Video and more info on this at Resawing Bandsaw Jig and Technique | Wood.

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Thanks for sharing this. Is there an alternative captive method to the tooth strippers(lag bolts)?

You could take it off your jig, turn it 90 degrees and make several 3" wide boards for trim or what-not.

Yes. There are a lot of things that can be done with these. Shallow bowls, bottle stoppers, pen blanks, …

I can keep going by trying to trim off the edge of one side, jointing the edge so I have full support on the bandsaw table, then running through the band saw to get 2 more boards.

So much wood, so little time…

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Carter makes a jig for this - [quote=“SWA, post:2, topic:98121, full:true”]
Thanks for sharing this. Is there an alternative captive method to the tooth strippers(lag bolts)?
[/quote]

Carter makes a jig for this purpose - I’d look to them for inspiration. They use end clamps.

https://carterproducts.com/band-saw-products/log-mill-and-miter-mill

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They don’t use the saw’s fence. Maybe better for beginners?

best thing i have read today. great job guys. i will be making one of these.

There is a miter bar attached to the bottom.

The carter jig is interesting. Not a fan of friction holding a log, especially with the aggressive 1.3 TPI blade we use in the Laguna. Would it hold a 12" log while using our big bandsaw or would it slip out?

It give me an idea to make a DIY alternative to the one I made above. Use a piece of metal with two slots and use two 90 degree angle pieces with holes to use screws to hold the log (yeah, I know, screws in end grain…). It eliminates the risk of accidentally hitting the screws in the one I built.

One other thing I observed, the bandsaw blade drift in the laguna is 2 to 3 degrees. What ever is used to cut logs need to have a way to adjust the miter slot runner to match the drift. For what bandsaw blade drift is and now to compensate for it see

Techniques For Resawing On The Band Saw: Setting The Fence To Compensate For Blade Drift | Woodsmith. or

You saw a 2 to 3° shift when cutting a log?

I set the fence for the drift:… when I last repaired the saw…




logs are covered in bark and irregularly shaped… drift should be a expected…
you were cutting on a sled . I think your sled would need to be adjusted for drift, not the fence.

Please don’t touch the fence unless the blade been changed…

I agree - I did adjusted my jig to match the same drift as the fence. I did not change the fence (if it has changed since tuesday, it wasn’t me). As of last tuesday, the fence is correctly set for bandsaw blade drift. I observed the angle and guessed it is about 2-3 degrees off the miter slot (eyeball - no actual measurement).

Making the adjustment to the jig resulted in an amazingly consistent cut down the length of the log. Had I not adjusted the miter slot runner, I would have been fighting the blade and the cut would have wobbled a lot.

@got_tools

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That wasn’t clear to me in your post… I didn’t want a bunch of folks thinking the drift was off on the laguna…