Hi there, Bryan.

There is an attachment for most chainsaws that lets you rip slabs out of logs. I think it's called a bar mill, and the only one I've ever seen was made in Sweden. It's a pretty nifty gizmo, though it probably costs a couple of hundred dollars, so if this is your only project, the economics maybe won't work for you. Maybe you know someone you can borrow one from.

To rip with a chainsaw, you might consider a chain altered to rip better. It may be called a skip-tooth chain. You can also modify your own 'stock' chain to do so if you have, say, a bench grinder.

In any event, it's a two-man job to do well. You want to cut as thick a slab at a time as you can to reduce the overall loss due to the very wide chainsaw kerf. Then move the pieces to your bandsaw for more better, narrower cuts.

Pete,
in Snohomish