"Bart V" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the pics, nice and clear!
I guess I'm doing it all wrong but... When I try to chainsaw my way
through the log (length wise along the grain) it takes forever and
ever, the chain gets hot & dull real easy. When I resharpen the chain
(18") it flies through it only for an inch and it's back to snail
speed.

Try this method. Mark the heart or where you'll want to cut on the far end
with a timber crayon or some chalk. Do the same on the near end. Notch the
far end lightly, then roll the bar back to make a full mark, ending up with
the bar at about a 15-20 degree up angle, cutting only on the near end on a
slant (\) . Keep the speed up as it goes in, so it'll clear the shavings.
When the far end of the bar is a bit beyond half way, or when you start to
bog down, lift the body of the saw up and cut from the opposite end toward
the middle slanting opposite (/). Tilt and saw your way down with
increasing angles, then take out the small amount left in the middle.

Other thing to remember is to have your chain taut, not slack as you begin.
If you start on the slack side of good, the heat you build up might expand
it into the range where it may tip and start cutting to one side.

Look at the 4th to last picture here
http://www.enter.net/~ultradad/logcutting.html to get an idea of how you can
minimize the amount of bar actually in the cut. Thought Darrell had a
similar picture, but can't find it right now.

For Charlie and for others who value their lathe and their arm, a couple of
suggestions.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...-balance-1.jpg
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...-Balance-2.jpg

It's not as if you were going to use the wood anyway, right? Why let it
hammer you and your bearings. Save that wear and tear for the times you
want something off-center or out of balance. BTW, it's hard maple, and you
can't ask for a nicer salad or popcorn bowl than maple.