saw horse for logs with chainsaw clamp

[SimonFisher]

I'm thinking of buying a saw horse for cutting logs to length with an integrated clamp and pivot mechanism to which a chainsaw can be attached. The one that has my attention at the moment is the Portek Log Master Saw Horse PO090. There are others on the market.

Does anyone have any experience of these things, or any recommendations?

[RichardKing]

Bought one a year ago, several problems although they have now redesigned & modified several parts.

However the top guard on the saw appears to be unchanged, This guard is not only badly designed but serves no useful purpose except to bend & snag the chain, blunting it in the process.

I removed the top guard since the only way you could injure yourself on the chain would be to fall on top of the saw when it is mounted. Bear in mind that in any case the guard would not save you if you actually placed your hand under any running chain, but of course you should be wearing chainsaw gloves ! As with any chainsaw.

I see a blogger on "arbtalk" has also reccomended removing the crapoid top guard.

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It works well & can accurately cut logs to length.

Like any of these devices it is more efficient to have a second person loading while you cut.

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At the Weald Woodfair the new improved model was being sold for only £60-

so your ad looks seriously overpriced.

I think the name of the stand was something like "Riko", an agricultural machinery stand, might be in show brochure, if anyone has one.

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If you get one then make sure that it is the model without plastic handles on a couple of tightening bolts.

Just editing this post because looking at you advert I can see that it is the old model with the plastic handles.

[SimonFisher]

Richard, is yours the same make/model (Portek) that I refer to? I can see adverts/listing for others on the web (such as Rocwood at ~£55) but all of the places selling the Portek seem to be pricing it at £100-£120 by the time the VAT is added.

[RichardKing]

Yes mine is the Portek (old model).

Search on Google brings up Riko, lots of wood processing kit on their website, cant see the Portek, but you could phone them & ask about the £60- offer at the Woodfair.

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BUT to be honest, if you simply hammer 2 lines of stakes into the ground. about a foot gap. Tie pairs of stakes on the opposite sides together with cord & then simply stack a pile of logs between, then you can cut logs faster as you cut several at once.

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Portek will not handle large diameter or bent logs.

In any case, large diameter trunks can more simply be cut stacked (as cordwood) and you dont even have to move them.

[SimonFisher]

Thanks for your comments. I am specifically looking for a means of cutting logs which doesn't require holding the full weight of the chainsaw, so it's the comments on the saw horses that I'm interested in rather than other ways of cross-cutting in bulk. We've had a Log-Loc for a few years which is most useful, but does require the chainsaw to be hand-held.

[Bulworthy Project]

We use the portek with the plastic handle. The handle has broken off and a spanner works in it's place just fine. As we process a lot of small diameter wood, the "Logmaster" as I believe it is called is a bit hectic. It tends to push the wood towards you with enough force to dislocate your thumb (trust me), but if you hold it down firmly with your palm it is fine. However, for wood larger than about 3" diameter, it is an extremely fast way to process wood. I would like to find a left handed chainsaw glove that protects your thumb though, rather than just the back of the hand. They make them on the assumption that you need dexterity and you have both hands on the saw.

[Henrietta]

We have stopped using this type of sawbench. If using the type that clamps on to the chainsaw bar, it restricts the freedom of the saw to vibrate, because it's clamped the wrong side of the anti-vibration mountings (springs). We found this caused damage to the chainsaw engine.

[RichardKing]

If it is the case that mounting a chainsaw by its bar causes damage to the engine, then it must also be true for chainsaw mills. Which are mounted in an identical fashion, (& get very much heavier use), yet I have never heard of such a problem, or seen mention of it on other website blogs with threads dedicated to chainsaw mills.

If you can prove that the damage to the chainsaw was caused by the device, then I would suggest that you could claim compensation from the manufacturer.

[Henrietta]

The situation is not quite the same for chainsaw mills, as you only clamp a guide onto the bar which doesn't hold the saw rigid, although it will probably have some effect on the frequency and amplitude of the vibrations. The chains on mills are also sharpened differently to cross cutting chains and this may have an influence on the amplitude of vibrations.

We have not had a problem with the chainsaw mill but that is an approved fitment whereas the log cutting device we used was not approved by the chainsaw manufacturer. We have heard of another person who had broken damper springs on their chainsaw after using it for a long period clamped to a log cutting device.

Chainsaws powered by single cylinder recipricating engines will always produce vibrations but in modern saws these vibrations are isolated from the operator or damped to a safe level in normal use. The Control of Vibration at Work Regs 2005 give a good insight into the subject.

This post comes from my other half, who is interested in this topic.

[RichardKing]

Curious,

can you reference any reports, warnings, or any documentation regarding this ?