Our Alaskan Chainsaw Sawmill

With all the lumber on our property and the extra logs that were not long enough for the real lumber mill we decided to get an "Alaskan chainsaw sawmill". Basically it's a contraption that you fit your chainsaw into and it cuts slabs out of your logs.

You're supposed to measure from the center of the log on both sides and do some calculations on where to place the guide for your first cut.

But we are too lazy to work our brains that hard so we just put the guide on top and cut as little as we can get away with without making the first slab too skinny.

It takes about five or so minutes to get through our 9.5 feet length logs. A more powerful chainsaw (more expensive) could probably do it faster.  After making the first cut the guide is removed and the flat top is then the new "guide".  Nowadays 2"x4" boards are actually 1.5"x 3.5".  We have our boards at the actual 2" mark.

Our very first slab. Notice it still has the "live edges".

In the shop we make a chalk line on the straightest edge and cut with a circular saw.

Then we measure the narrowest part of the board. We make a mark at both ends of the board using that measurement, make a chalk line and cut. Voila! A real board!

 The finished boards are on the left, the unfinished are the two right stacks. 

The boards we are making now are for a small bridge to go over a seasonal creek in the back of the property. That's another head scratcher, but we'll get it figured out.