starting splits w/powersaws

[Postman]

read in "Hunting the Osage Bow" that he uses a circular saw to start his splits - anybody try this?  Whaddaya think about a sawzall? might that be safer as far as kickback? (I use a 3 finger draw but am fond of all 5)

 Also, what blade types worked the best if you tried a circular or reciprocating saw. I was thinking some of the longer wood blades for a sawzall might bog down  or bend in a green osage log.

Still ain't got my logs, but gettin' ready .

[tom sawyer]

I don't see how you could use a sawzall, you are wanting to cut a 1" kerf and I think the tip of the blade would always be sticking into the log and you couldn't get a shallow enough angle to keep it out.

My friend has used a circular saw to kerf some logs.  Worked well enough, although if the grain runss off at all you are left cutting a ton of "hairs" holding the log together.  I don't recall exactly what blade he used, just a standard rip blade I guess.  The saw got hot as heck, you want to watch that you don't burn it up.  And you REALLY want to stand to the side to avoid possible kickback.

Personally, I see no real reason to kerf a log first.  I'd rather know how the grain runs, and a plain split will do that.  Granted, you lose a little bit of width in how coarse the split is, but its worth it.

[Hillbilly]

Personally, I see no real reason to kerf a log first.  I'd rather know how the grain runs, and a plain split will do that.

Lennie, I agree completely. I don't want a straight stave from a crooked log with the grain violated. Just pound a wedge or axehead in the end of the log to start it splitting.

[Tom B]

There has been some hickory i wished i used it on.Used a rip blade on some small diameter elm and was glad i did.Relatively clean.One promised to Steve P..Dont need to on sage or locust.My humble opinion. tom

[Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive]

i have done it on small diameter logs to get more staves out of them.  i use a regular framing blade and stand to the side and go slow and steady to avoid kickback. i go down as far as the blade will let me. i have sometimes flipped the log and carefully done the other side until its completely sawn in half. i think it works well as long as you leave enough meat to watch and avoid grain run out. my sawn gets  real hot, but i use an old junky $35 saw and it hasnt burned out yet. 

i wouldnt use a sawzall. i dont think the blade would be long enough to go all the way through, because you would have to cut it completely in half in one swipe.....that may take a while

[George Tsoukalas]

Table saws were created for dimension lumber. I wouldn't think of using one to kerf a log. I think it is dangerous. I wouldn't use a reciprocating saw either. Then again I wouldn't use a screwdriver as a chisel either. LOL. I have used a hatchet to kerf the length of a log. Works sometimes. Sometimes not. As far as following the vertical grain, one can still do that even on a bandsawed stave. That's not the issue. The issue is safety. Jawge

[mullet]

  Like Jawge said,Put on some Kevlar chaps,it can get exciting.

[cowboy]

I kerfed a quarter log not long ago - wish I hadn't now, it has the most beautiful snaky grain in it that a split follows but the kerf violated severely, may not be able to get a good bow out of them - don't know. It is osage so I'll be finding out soon enough if it was a mistake, two more cents worth .

[George Tsoukalas]

cowboy, look at the length of the stave; you should be able to see the vertical grain. Free hand draw a line along the middle following the vertical grain. The snaky grain should be intact. Jawge

[cowboy]

Thanks Jawge - I'll take a look after I chase a ring .

[Slivershooter]

I kerf about 80% of my logs with a circular saw before splitting, taking the time and read the pattern of the bark/grain then lay out the cut line with keel.  Being form a bow desert, I try to save/get as many staves as possible from each log and kerfing them minimizes the amount of side tear-out.  I get 1-2 extra staves out of each log.  As for safety, use a good saw (preferably a worm drive), sharp blade, have the log held securely, use both hands, and stand to the side while cutting.  Do not try and make turns with the blade in the log, stop the blade, raise it up and make several new cuts with the toe of the plate on the log.  I spray my blade with WD-40 after each kerf to minimize sap build up and extend the blade live.   

[DanaM]

I've never split osage(none up here) but I have kerfed with my chainsaw on big black cherry and hard maple logs
but they were nice straight grain. Sure made it go faster.

[Justin Snyder]

I kerfed a couple with the chain saw also, but I will admit it's probably not so smart.  I had large knot holes I wanted to go around and between and not have any chance of splitting them out in their weekend state.  It worked great but I had drawn a line out on the grain with a magic marker.  If you don't have knots to get around I don't think it would be a huge deal. I also live in a bow wood desert, well I live in an actual desert, but I quit trying to get one extra stave from a piece of wood.  It is still hard to not try to get extra staves from a piece, but you ruin a lot of staves getting greedy. Justin

[Sidewinder]

Cowboy,
 When in doubt just back it. Least thats what I have heard. Jeremy and I kerfed ours with a chainsaw  because we were too far into the woods to use a circular saw and were running out of daylight .There was some violation but all and all it came out alright. It probabely did cost us a stave or two but you learn more everytime you do something and this is no exception. Danny

[tom sawyer]

Just for the record, when we talk about a kerf we are referring to a shallow cut in a log that will be a weak place that the split will follow as you break it open with maul and wedges.  We usually aren't talking about cutting a log in half with a saw.

I could certainly see the utility of kerfing a small log, those splits tend to run off in funny directions in my limited experience.  A kerf would at least enure you stayed down the center.  You could also use a froe on those, you can direct the split better with a froe.

You'll know if your kerf isn't running with the grain, because when you split you'll see a large number of splinters/fibers that you'll have to chop off with a hatchet to get the pieces apart.  But I would admit that it does make for much cleaner edges of staves and I could see where you might get an extra stave out of a log by going this route.