Dedicated Slabber Performance
A dedicated chain-saw slabber is slow and requires frequent sharpening, but produces nice slabs. October 15, 2010
Question
I would like to hear from folks who have a Lucas dedicated slabber and what they think about it. I am thinking of purchasing one as I have access to large logs that are too big to saw in a bandmill.
Forum Responses
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From contributor E:
You might want to check with Bailey's (the U.S. dealer) and see if they have a reference for you to talk to.
From contributor L:
We have a slabbing attachment for our 825. It works fine, but is a lot slower that the blade with a double cut. We have cut lots of slabs with it though. Patience is a virtue is a good phrase to remember with this however. We even cut some burr oak that we had to trim down to five feet wide to fit in the slabber that was 11 foot long. If you think white oak is hard, try sawing burr oak. Some of the figure it produces in quarter sawn lumber is unbelievable. It has more of a yellow color that white oak though. The only thing about the slabber I don't like is sharpening the chain. On a four to five foot diameter burr oak 10-14 feet long, I might have to sharpen the chain 2-3 times cutting 4-5 inch slabs and use the Ford 550 Loader to move the slabs off prior to pulling the head back for the next cut and take two hours to cut the one log. It is a good setup though. I would like to find a market for some of the quartersawn slabs that thick with the figure in them instead of storing them in the barn stickered.
From contributor K:
My slabber is for the 825 Lucas, and my biggest frustration is sharpening the chain (use the sharpening guide). I find that the urban lumber that I mill has lots of metal and some rocks, so I spend more time sharpening chain than i would if I were just cutting lumber. I use wedges to support the cut slab, and keep the chain well lubed, and lots of strong backs around to lift the slab. If I could afford it I would run carbide chain. But it makes wonderful slabs. Call Baileys, they can tell you if someone in your area has one and can show you how it works. Baileys is top shelf.
