Anyone have experience with a beam machine?

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I'm looking for something to square logs with and possibly make some rough cut lumber too. I ran across something called a beam machine. It looks like it will fit the bill. It's even affordable....$39.95 + $10 shipping. Even I can come up with that! It appears that you nail a 2x4 onto the log to be cut and then the attachment(goes on a chainsaw) slides along the board. Needless to say you would need to take some pains to have the guide board straight. Please tell me if anyone has any experience with this tool...or if you know anyone who might. I'm hoping this is fairly straight-forward and works the way the manufacturer claims. John 3:16

-- Amanda in Mo (mrsgunsmyth@hotmail.com), August 03, 2001

Answers

Amanda, did you get one of these?

-- Rick (Southwest WV) (Rick_122@hotmail.com), February 02, 2002.

I haven't used one of these mills but think that would besome real Work. A chainsaw is designed to cut across the grain and with this unit you cut with the grain so there will be a lot of heat. If you have a chainsaw I could see using it to make many cuts then an axe to knock off the chunks to make a kind of rustic bean.

Good luck,Stuart

-- Stuart Hall (stuarthall@farmerstel.com), February 15, 2002.


Yes, I used one called a Haddon Beammaker. You can even get a special type of chain for ripping with the grain instead of crosscutting. For the price you listed, the tool is probably a clamp on a pivot mounted on a wide channel to accept a standard 2x6. If it uses a 2x4 like you said, it wouldn't work straight enough for any but the roughest uses.

You have to use the straightest guide you can get. You have to keep the saw pushed down as firm as you can. The saw has to be wickedly sharp and it gets dull fast. You need a long bar to reach through much of a tree. You are pretty much limited to soft wood--pine, poplar, spruce. No matter how careful you are the resulting board will not be square or true and it way have walk or camber. (By the way, if you plan on loading the beams across a span, they SHOULD have a little camber or crown).

If all of this sounds like your bag, well, $40. is $40. But I don't think you would be pleased with the difficuly of using one or its results.

-- Rags (RaggedReb@aol.com), February 15, 2002.


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