Short Sawbucks Anyone?

[Wood Doctor]

I have available a bunch of 27" long boards from a sawmill, all about 2 full inches thick and 2-1/2" to 3" wide. These were cut from left over short stock but it really isn't waste--its all white and red oak, virtually knot free. I'm not sure exactly what to do with them, but burning them in the stove seems like a pity. So, here's what I thought:

What about short sawbucks? If you think about it, the idea of a sawbuck is to get logs off the ground. The higher the sawbuck is, the more work you have to do to lift it the long log on board, and the heavier the log, the worse it gets. Even if the log were only 14" off the ground, it seems like a short sawbuck would do the trick, especially for big logs.

I could actually make one short sawbuck with 6 pieces: four identical 27" long uprights and two horizontal rails--all joined with lap joints for strength. Or I could add two more uprights and use the full 27" widths for the rails. WDYT?

Any other suggestions on what I could make with this good rough sawn hardwood? I can't bear seeing it go up the chimney.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Here's my temporary plan for making a sawbuck with 6 legs:

When it's built, I'll take a Pic for you. Remember, my constraint is that all the available pieces are already cut to 27" lengths. It's a salvage mission.

 

[Wood Doctor]

OK, on the basis of zogger's like, I will continue. Nobody else seems to have any advice.

BTW, each of those 27" lengths from the local sawmill here are worth about $5 apiece based on $4 per bd ft. Is that about what each of your firewood oak logs are worth? I have to wonder.

 

[Erik B]

Good to have a pic and also have your personal experience using the sawbuck.

 

[Philbert]

Here is a small one I made out of 2X4 and scrap plywood (posted before). I think that the legs are about 24 inches? Handy to get a log up off the ground for cutting. With the short length, you either have to keep shifting it, or cut one end, then the other, . . . Three sets of legs would support more. This one is conveniently small to store, throw in the back of my car, etc.





I am sure that some woodworkers could come up with projects if dried and planed, but that is a different matter. Could always make really sturdy shelves with them.

Philbert

 

[Wood Doctor]

Very good, Philbert. I recall an earlier Pic that you posted of these. The folding idea makes them portable. I thought that precise joinery would add strength and allow using more of the pre-cut stock without bringing plywood on board.

The cross-lap joints and dadoes that I propose are very strong and require precise cutting. I have a table saw for that. In addition, the inside tapers near the inside top of the legs will increase the capacity a twinge. Having three sets of legs does have some advantage. The log could first be rough bucked to 36" or 54" lengths and then cut in half or thirds for 18" lengths with the cuts taking place at the narrow section.

It looks like your sawbuck's legs are about 24" long, so the 27" lengths I have would add some height, but not a lot. I'm proposing a 60-degree cross angle, and it looks like you are at 75 degrees. I'm not sure what the ideal angle is, but in the past I have used 60 degrees.

 

[Philbert]

Mine were based on materials available - not any special dimensions.

Advantage of higher sawbuck: less bending over to cut.

Advantage of lower sawbuck; less lifting of larger logs.

Philbert

 

[roddog]

I Like the short sawbuck idea and the folding more portable looks to be pretty convenient . I have a tall set my self and use a timber jack in the field . I use mine for 6" and smaller limbs. My legs are spaced at 18" so I just cut next to them for perfect length firewood.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I Like the short sawbuck idea and the folding more portable looks to be pretty convenient . I have a tall set my self and use a timber jack in the field . I use mine for 6" and smaller limbs. My legs are spaced at 18" so I just cut next to them for perfect length firewood.

Agreed. Yes, I also cut logs at 18" lengths average. The Timberjack log lifter makes a lot of sense. $90 will get you one these days. I would have bought one yesterday if the 27" lengths of oak were not available for zero cost. Dang, I still may do it. Reddog, you may have talked me into it. Think of the number of picture frames, mirror frames, clocks, and cutting boards that I could make with those short lengths of oak from the sawmill.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200612321_200612321

 

[Beefie]

I would still like to see a saw buck built. It seams to me I would use the free sawbuck more and keep the 90 in my pocket for something else. Plus I like pictures, so lets see you build these in your shop. You would be amazed at all the short cutoffs I have stored away. They just keep coming in handy.

Beefie

 

[Wood Doctor]

I would still like to see a saw buck built. It seams to me I would use the free sawbuck more and keep the 90 in my pocket for something else. Plus I like pictures, so lets see you build these in your shop. You would be amazed at all the short cutoffs I have stored away. They just keep coming in handy.

Beefie

I have the parts for it made and will be assembling it tomorrow. The only thing I changed at the last minute was the cross lap angle. I increased it to 67.5 degrees to allow a larger opening at the top. Philbert's little sawbuck helped convince me to do that. Plus, I have quite a few cottonwood and elm logs to work with, and these tend to get big. That also changes the slant angle on the bottom of the legs to 33.75 degrees. It took a little geometry to figure that one out.

One of my buddies wants to help split the cost of the Timberjack log lifter, so I may be getting one of those also. I figure I can use them both. The logs I am playing with are about 9' long apiece and there could be 20 truckloads in the pile.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I would still like to see a saw buck built. It seams to me I would use the free sawbuck more and keep the 90 in my pocket for something else. Plus I like pictures, so lets see you build these in your shop. You would be amazed at all the short cutoffs I have stored away. They just keep coming in handy.

Beefie

Well, here it is, and I built two of them. First, take a look at the pile of wood that I need to process. My logger buddy collected these last fall and cut almost all of them between 8' and 9' long from tree tops too small for the sawmill. He used his big truck picker to lay out the pile. I estimate about 20 pickup truckloads:


So, here is one of the lengths that I positioned on top of the new sawbuck that I made, waiting to be cut.


I started by setting the log on the sawbuck almost dead center. The short height made this a piece of cake. I cut the heavier side off first and then the lighter side, thus producing this position:


Then I made two more cuts to complete the job, all firewood logs about 18" to 19" in length:


I found that it was really easy to load the big log on board by positioning the sawbuck at about a 30-degree angle to the long log before I lifted the lighter end. The short height of the sawbuck made it all possible. And, being made out of oak boards about 27" long, 2" thick, and 2-1/2" wide, this baby will last forever. I painted it with two coats of exterior enamel. Believe me, it's a keeper.

 

[Philbert]

Looks really nice!

Philbert

 

[KiwiBro]

Anything wrong with bucking logs on the ground, not going 100% through, rolling and finishing off? Can stay on one knee and kinda inch-worm your way along, bucking. I bucked about 800 rather tall pines into firewood length like this. Trick was to have a long bar for the final cuts rather than leaning over too much.

Saves lifting them onto sawbucks when no machine available, or cutting them into liftable lengths. For small stuff and lots of it, I can see the advantages of a sawbuck or bucking bunks, but some of the wood I see here I just can't see the point. One soon learns how low to make the first bucks without the bar kissing dirt.

 

[tla100]

Nice work! Although lifting them big logs could get the back sore. I cut half way thru, jam a twig or wood chunk in and leave about 2" connected on bottom, or depending on ground type - rocky/gravel leave plenty . I figure what I can roll over and I will go thru, throttle way down on last cut. Roll over and finish on the upswing. Love my 28" bar like KiwiBro said. I do touch up every other tank or when can tell not cutting right, don't take long with skip chain.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Anything wrong with bucking logs on the ground, not going 100% through, rolling and finishing off? Can stay on one knee and kinda inch-worm your way along, bucking. I bucked about 800 rather tall pines into firewood length like this. Trick was to have a long bar for the final cuts rather than leaning over too much.

Saves lifting them onto sawbucks when no machine available, or cutting them into liftable lengths. For small stuff and lots of it, I can see the advantages of a sawbuck or bucking bunks, but some of the wood I see here I just can't see the point. One soon learns how low to make the first bucks without the bar kissing dirt.

That's how I have been doing all of them until this idea came to me for small- to medium-size logs. The big logs, say 14" dia. and over will still be done as you describe. For the big logs I carry a light wedge that I often drive into the kerf if it starts to squeeze together. That holds it apart so that I can then usually complete the cut all the way to the bottom. However, you always run the risk of hitting the ground whenever you do that. Now and then I encounter logs so big and heavy that they cannot be rolled over by one man, so I welcome thick bark for full-through bucking cuts.

The 8' lengths of logs that the logger supplied in this pile are really convenient. For campfire wood, the 19" lengths are just right, and if I run into some really good hardwood, I may drop down to 16" lengths and cut 6 logs out instead of five. The idea is to minimize the number of cookies to deal with. I can't bundle those.

BTW, all the cuts shown in this picture were made with my favorite firewood saw--a Stihl 026 PRO. It's light, has plenty of power, and cuts really smoothly when equipped with .325 semi-chisel chain. It also tends to be very fuel efficient so that I can let it idle between logs. When you cut for two or three hours, those become nice features.

 

[Philbert]

Anything wrong with bucking logs on the ground, not going 100% through, rolling and finishing off?

That's how I have been doing all of them until this idea came to me for small- to medium-size logs.

Nice to have different options for different situations.

If Wood Doctor regularly gets loads like those in Post #13, that would be more like a production environment. I might recommend railroad ties, or logs, raised above the ground, where the logs could be rolled on and cut through for that. His sawbuck can be used for lots of things, including wood that is not straight, and doe not roll easily.

Philbert

 

[Wood Doctor]

Nice to have different options for different situations.

If Wood Doctor regularly gets loads like those in Post #13, that would be more like a production environment. I might recommend railroad ties, or logs, raised above the ground, where the logs could be rolled on and cut through for that. His sawbuck can be used for lots of things, including wood that is not straight, and does not roll easily.

Philbert

The idea of a floor with rail ties makes good sense. I'll discuss this with the property owner (who is also my logger buddy). We could also use some waste slab wood for this from the sawmill. When the mulching season dies down, they often have leftover hardwood slabs. Pallets could also work if we can find enough used ones, but I have occasionally banged the chain into a pallet nail or two while cutting. Maybe lay them flat side down?

The sawbuck does work well on curved wood as you mention. Several of the logs I just cut up were anything but straight. Tree branches are typically not as straight as trunks that the mill uses for pallets. The Pics above show a rather straight log, but many are not. Last year I actually ran out of dry wood for campfires, but this year there will not be any supply shortage. Once cut to short lengths, the green logs dry much faster.

 

[Beefie]

That turned out great, I might have to copy it and build one for myself. Very handy.

Beefie

 

[Wood Doctor]

That turned out great, I might have to copy it and build one for myself. Very handy.

Beefie

Feel free to do so, and note that I increased the cross angle on the plans from 60 to 67.5 degrees. That's an angle that has a detent on my table saw's miter gauge, so I used it. The larger crossing angle gives you a wider gap to hold larger logs, and that's rather important for a short sawbuck like this one.