I came across this on a pond I'll be setting and I thought it might make for an interesting countertop pedestal for my cabin. There's a lot more gnawing on it than what the one pic shows and there are also three separate roots going into the ground, you can only see two in the pic.

My question is how would you go about sawing this to make all three legs mate flat to the floor and have the thing come out relatively plumb. I'm going to have to take a chainsaw to it to get it back to civilization so the initial cuts will be rough.

Clear out some of the soil around the roots, set up a laser level as low as possible and mark the positions of your cuts.

That's a good idea and would get me a lot closer than trying to eyeball it but I'm not sure it would be precise enough to mate flat with the floor. I was wondering about a jig of some sort and running it through a bandsaw. I'm going to have to scratch me head about this one.

Posco,
I would cut the tree tops off first and then if you have a battery operated sawzall, get some demolition blades and you can cut the three roots off without digging all the dirt first. Your chainsaw will dull quickly with the dirt. Once you get it home you can prop it up in the garage with blocking to get it level and the mark it all around to level it for the cuts that sit on the floor. Also I would paint the ends right away to reduce splitting when drying out.
My 2 cents worth,
Gary

Yup, rough cut it on site, precision cuts in the shop.

You should get three beavers large, med and small done by a taxidermist all perched on each other's backs.

Build a square box out of 2x4s large enough to frame the area that you want you keep inside of the square. Make sure the box is square attach to the tree and cut around the edges of the frame with your chainsaw blade flat on the frame. I would recommend topping the tree before you cut the section out, so things stay square and true, find three points of attachment for your box and all your cuts will be on the same plane.

The back section will very likely break and the front section is likely to break, when you top it.

Keith

Personally I would just rough cut it in the woods, haul it home and set it on the shop floor. Shim it up the way you want it to sit, then scribe it all the way around with your laser level. Flip it over and cut with chainsaw or sawzall depending on how deep, then do the fine adjustment with power plane and belt sander. Leave extra length and get the bottom done first. Then set your laser at the height you want to cut the top.
I love my laser!

You probably know this, but make sure you have a straight bar with even rails and an evenly sharp chain for slabbing with a chainsaw to avoid spiral cuts

Cut it as strait as you can in the field. Bring home and let it dry then true it up with a belt sander.

rough cut it at home. Stand it on your work bench using cribbing or shims to get it leveled to your satisfaction. Use a compass, dividers, or just a block of wood with a pencil to scribe a line around everything that's the same distance from the top of the work bench.

I don't know what kind of saw I would use but I might make the final cuts with a chainsaw too and plan to clean it up with a belt sander to the lines.

I agree. A lot of force happens at the base of a tree when the top is falling over. The more weight you can remove from the tree before felling it, the better.

I recommend taking it quickly before the beavers finish the job.

Keith

I have no advice but that is super cool and I bet it turns out gorgeous. Please post pictures when you finish.

I'd put blocks between the large branches and use ratchet straps around them. I'd them make a series of relief cuts and cut off the tops. Might even use a little giant ladder.

What a conversation piece.

I have no advise but would like to see picture of finished table

X3

I have a walking stick that beavers made for me but this is cooler.

Laser level is the right idea. They are precision within a gnats arse.

I would have the top ready, attach the chewed legs you want, flip the table over and scribe to the floor at the height you want the table.