want to start doing some of my own saw milling

[Zack Teal]

HI everyone
i have been thinking about trying to start doing some of my own milling and i was wondering if any one has experience with small chain saw jigs like this http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200316891_200316891
if any one has any suggestions it would be much appreciated. i also would like to get a small planner if anyone has any suggestions on that please tell as-well
thanks zack

[Henry Ambrose]

Yes, this can be a great way to get wood for your projects. Its a lot of work and it takes some time but it has its rewards. After you gear up you get almost free wood! And if you have access to the right trees or logs you can cut lumber that you can't buy. Non-commercial species, wide boards, figured crotches, quarter sawn, the list goes on and on.

Here is a forum for chain saw milling --

http://www.arboristsite.com/forumdisplay.php?f=62

There is loads of good information there and many helpful people.

[Josiah Bartlett]

I've had experience with a couple of these- a big Alaskan Sawmill run by a monster Stihl with a 38" bar, and a small one run by a Husqvarna 55 rancher with a 22" bar. The degree of success or frustration depends highly on the chain and the amount of horsepower the saw has. You NEED a ripping chain, or you are going to overheat the saw eventually and you won't be able to keep it in a straight line once the chain gets a bit dull. Ripping chains have a different grind on the teeth and fewer teeth so the rakers and teeth don't get clogged up halfway through the cut.

If you have a good saw and chain, and are meticulous with setup, you can get really nice results. Its a good step on the way to something like a Woodmizer, but it isn't nearly as fast.

[Scott T Smith]

Zack, I have a 36" Alaskan mill for sale in the classifieds. It's larger than the one that you looked at, for about the same price. It is in as-new condition.

I upgraded to a much larger sawmill before I used it.

As Josia indicated, you will want to use a good ripping chain, as well as a powerfull chainsaw. I would recommend at least a Stihl '044 or larger, or a Husky equivalent.

Lots of folks use these are are very pleased with them. Send me a PM if you're interested in mine; I can discount it a little bit further for you.

Scott

[Rick Prosser]

I went thru this recently, and I decided on a band sawmill (EZ Boardwalk) instead of chainsaw mill.

What I got from my Chainsaw mill vs band saw mill research was:

Chainsaw mill can cut smoother surface
Chainsaw mill takes up less space
Chainsaw mill is more/easy portable
Chainsaw mill needs big chainsaw for best performance
Chainsaw needs rip chain for best performance
Chainsaw mill is slower cutting
Chainsaw mill is more "finicky" to get consistent cuts
Chainsaw wastes more wood with larger kerf.
Chainsaw mill takes more energy/effort to cut (push thru the log)

Both types of mill have a place, and both are used successfully. For my situation, the band sawmill was the better solution - but it was not the obvious winner from the beginning.

[Henry Ambrose]

I went thru this recently, and I decided on a band sawmill (EZ Boardwalk) instead of chainsaw mill.

snipped a whole bunch.......

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Please tell us about the EZ Boardwalk - how is it in use?
They look pretty nice to me.

[Jim Andrew]

You need to check out the Forestry Forum. They have lots of discussion on different saw mills.

[Rick Prosser]

Please tell us about the EZ Boardwalk - how is it in use?
They look pretty nice to me.

Don't want to hijack this thread, so I will post a review in a new topic.

[Zack Teal]

Zack, I have a 36" Alaskan mill for sale in the classifieds. It's larger than the one that you looked at, for about the same price. It is in as-new condition.

I upgraded to a much larger sawmill before I used it.

As Josia indicated, you will want to use a good ripping chain, as well as a powerfull chainsaw. I would recommend at least a Stihl '044 or larger, or a Husky equivalent.

Lots of folks use these are are very pleased with them. Send me a PM if you're interested in mine; I can discount it a little bit further for you.

Scott
thanks scott for your offer but that is bigger then i am able to have right now
thanks for all the advice guys