Chainsaw sawmills

[Brian Hale]

I'm looking at buying a chainsaw sawmill for use around the house. As an example i've got a nice 18"dia 15' long black walnut tree laying in my back yard that i'd like to cut into boards. I remember seeing one somewhere that used a 2x6 as a guide and was fairly cheap but accurate.

Anyone got any experience?

Thanks
Brian :)

[Dev Emch]

First of all, dont expect a lot from one of the portables. They are used around this neck of the woods to rough cut very thick slabs. I am not impressed.

Second, my chainsaw is the most powerful saw that is still considered portable or carryable. Its the one selected for the hot shot teams and I bought it on recommendation of the Rocky Moutain Hot Shots. When you live in the middle of a moutainous rual ponderosa forrest, your always worried about that tourist with a cigaratte or match!

What I found was that as powerful as my saw is, its not powerful enough. My saw is a Stiel MS 460 Magnum with compression release and a 30 inch bar. And its no way powerful enough to saw planks. Wow! The 088 is often used for this and its too heavy to hump around the rockies with. I would suggest something in the 066 or 077 range. The newer models changed the names from 046 to MS 460. Eventually the 088 will change over to the MS 880 but that may take some time.

Then you need to consider blades. The typical chain saw has a cross cut blade and you need a rip blade. You can buy narrow kef rip chains and bars for saws. But now you need to swap these out each time you go to cut lumber.

I did see the logosol chain saw mill at the woodworking show. ITs built from structual steel tube and welded and bolted together. You attach your chain saw to this rig. For what it is, I was rather impressed. Can it hold its own against a woodmizer? NO WAY! But its a ton cheaper and represents a workable compromise between a woodmizer and an alaskan saw mill jig.

[Ian Abraham]

I agree with what Dev says.
To do any serious chainsaw milling you will want a big saw (90cc+) and ripping chain (the teeth are ground differently for rip cutting). Milling is hard on a saw as you are running it full throttle for several minutes. You could use the Beam Machine type guides to break the log down into managable 'beams' to resaw , but you aren't going to get a precise cut with them. Next step up would be the Alaskan type mill, a bigger guide that bolts to the saw bar and lets you cut accurately (but slowly ) thru a log. After that there are machines like the Logosol, chainsaw on rails. Works OK, but much slower than a bandsaw and again, needs a big chainsaw.
By now you are getting close in price to a small manual band sawmill :eek: .

Can it be done.. Yes.

Can it be done by bolting a homeowner grade chainsaw to a guide.. Nope

My portable sawmill is actually powered by a chainsaw power head, but it drives a big circle blade, so it's a whole other kettle of fish:rolleyes:

Cheers

Ian

[Jim Becker]

In addition to Ian's and Dev's comments, I'll add that you'll want to join the local health club NOW to bulk up...chainsaw mills require a lot of hard work to use. ;)

[Brian Hale]

You guys have lowered my expectations :(

I wasn't expecting sawmill quality boards, but...... Sounds like i should spend the money for a bandsaw mill or take my logs to a real mill.

Thanks for the input, you may have saved me some money!

Brian :)

[Andy London]

Brian, I've been running chainsaws for the past 25 years also, mainly hardwoods...Aside from the comments above, these portable mills are desperate hard on the engines, they are not made to run flat out for hours at a time so you can expect a much shorter life from your saw.

Do they work, yes, given the right saw, blade,bar and operator, I have seen them do some pretty impressive work but IMO, it is not worth the expense or the work, buy, rent or hire a portable mill, you will be in, in the long run.

If you are looking for a chainsaw that I've seen do the job, look at the Husqvarna 3120XP.

Andy

[Mike Holbrook]

I was thinking about doing what you were, everyone told me to just call a Sawyer. Sawyers come to your location with a truck drawn saw mill and saw at your location. Prices run between $30 & $60 per hour. If you can get the logs to them you may get a little better deal.

If you go to Woodweb they have a list of Sawyers by state/city. You can also call Woodmizer they maintain a customer list and will give you the names and phone numbers for people who have their saws in your area.

I have about 20 logs on the ground, some may be a little too small and not the best species. I have the place to put the lumber pretty well set up. I am working on what size, sawing techniques etc. I want for which logs. I am thinking about dropping another tree or two to have a good variety of woods. I am also trying to find someone who has a hydraulic turner on their saw mill. I want some quarter sawn boards and I hear they are much easier with saws equipped with hydraulic turners.

A couple guys gave me lists of things to do to get ready for a sawyer so you may want to check my recent post if you are thinking about going that route.

[thomas prevost]

I have seen a band mill that is under $3 grand. At the show it looked reasonable for the price. Hudon or something similar for the name. It is what you are going to spend for a good chainsaw, a couple of rip blades and some sort of Alaskan or Logosol setup. It appears to be a hobbiest tool but can get the job done. Just a thought.

[Ian Abraham]

Also have to warn you that sawing up logs is VERY addictive :D
If you start with any sort of sawmill you will get hooked (even worse than normal woodworking) . "I'll just cut up one more log, just to see what the grain is like" :D
You have been warned :rolleyes:

Ian

[Dev Emch]

Mike....

The going rate for sawyers with bandmills in my neck of the woods is $75 dollars per hour portal to portal. This is really frustrating as it is effectively a rip off. To make matters worse, the band mills are not woodmizers nor are they hydraulic. About 110 miles from here, there is a gentleman who owns an LT40 hydraulic woodmizer and charges $70 dollars per hour and the clock starts when he drops the mizer. No portal to portal.

Why is all this important? Good Question. First of all, a hydraulic band mill with a much more powerful motor can produce massively more lumber per hour than a 2 banger with manual feed and manual log turners. So unless you get a huge discount on NON-Hydraulic saw mills, dont even consider it. Around here, I have seen 15 HP two cylinder manual hudsons charging the same as LT40 hydraulics. This is insane!

Secondly, you have to look at the design of the mill. If the sawyer begins charging the clock at the time he drops the mill, you have to consider that non mizer type mills have to be perfectly leveled. Most band mills are four post designs and if the two way rails are not leveled, your boards are not true. Woodmizers on the other hand do not have this issue. They use a cantelever band mill which runs along a main body beam made of 4 inch by 8 inch heavy structural steel tube. The band mill always tracks this tube so if I am parked on a slight hill, that will not make a difference. I have heard all the arguments and spent many hours investigating this issue and have actually run both types of mills. My money is on the wood mizer. So a mizer can be ejecting boards within a few minutes of arrival on site whereas the hudson and timber kings and so on are still dialing in the levels at $75 dollars per hour.

If the logs are tapered, then you need to adjust them to level. Hydraulics have hydraulic levelers or toe boards to do this.

So the smallest mill I would hire to cut lumber is the LT-40 hydraulic and I would work on the $75 dollar per hour figure reduced. Also make sure there is no setup fee or portal to portal fees. Also note that if the operator shows up alone, you will want to help him in the role of an offloader. Your job will be to remove the new board and stack it as soon as the head rig clears the log.

As Ian says, running these machines is about as fun as a barrel full of monkeys. Its real easy to get hooked esp. if you get your hands on some good stuff. I was totally bummed out last summer when the huricanes came calling and tore down all those trees. Folks were cutting hardwood logs into firewood. For us cowboys who are hardwood challenged, this was devesitating. Some of the nicest quarter sawn american sycamore that I have had a chance to get my fingers on came from such an urban reject tree.

So one of my projects is building my own band mill. Hopefully this summer I will get some more done on my own creation. As much as I like the woodmizer, they are too expensive and are lacking in a few details. In my case, I am trying to use a 4 cylinder diesel engine along with a rockford clutch and a main beam that is 4 in by 10 in. It would be nice to replace the moving gas motor with a smaller hydraulic motor but that would mean trailing the hoses behind the head rig. All ideas I am still working on. I really wish that there were 48 hours per day and 14 days per week!

Best of luck in your quest...

[Dee Dee Martin]

Get the Logosol.
I did.
Costs about $2,000.

No need to "bulk up", either. I'm only 5' 7", and a computer programmer by day, and sawdust maker on the weekends (in other words, I'm a whimp).

The Logosol only weighs 85 pounds, and so you can take it anywhere. Try that with a band mill.

I use mine with a Stihl 066, and it cuts great, with minimul effort. It's nothing at all like the effort of an Alaskan mill. If you need to make an occasional cross-cut, there's no need to change chains. The ripping chains will cross-cut, absolutly fine. Matter of fact, you'll hardly notice any difference in speed, plus you'll gave greatly reduced kickback.

I've been milling, and milling with mine, with hundreds of logs to go...and loving every minute of it.

If you've got a larger vertical bandsaw, consider using the Logosol to cut very thick boards, and then resaw them in your shop.

[Jim Becker]

Dev, "my local guy" charges $55 hr for his Woodmizer Super Hydaulic Plus 1/2 hr for transport and $25 per blade ruined by embedded metal.

[Andy London]

My guy charges $45.00 an hour Canadian, $35.00 for blades that are ruined, $15.00 per blade used, flat $50.00 to and from running a LT70.

If I make sure everything is properly sorted and stacked before he gets there, between the two of us and my son, we saw on average 600 board feet an hour....depends on the wood and log size, the lowest we have ever done was 300 and the most around 750.....makes very short order of a wood pile. If you have the logs, what an experienced person can do in a day with a little help will give you enough wood to last a very long time. I also have a loader at the woodlot which is a tremendous help and keeps things organized.

Andy

[Dev Emch]

Andy & JIm...

This is what I am talking about! Your prices are more inline with the rest of the world and in Andy's case, the guy is running an LT70 which is the top of the line for woodmizers. This thing most likely has a turbocharged 4 cylinder catapiller motor, remote console and optimizing software. I think its a joke to compare the $75 dollar per hour hudson against your $45 CD per hour LT70. The LT70 will be back on the road by the time the hudson just gets going.

[Donnie Raines]

I won't say what I pay, but it is less them everyone else..... :cool: :D :D

[Ted Christiansen]

Brian,

I got started in this 2 months ago using a Husky 385XP and Logosol TimberJig. Yes, it is hard work, but I dont have to go the gym. An electrical company easement about a mile from my house has produced about $700 worth of cherry, $100 in red oak. And there are still logs on the ground waiting to be cut. Most sawyers wont touch these kind of logs for fear of metal. 1 12"x12" square piece of cherry pays for 3 gallons of gas, which is enough to cut all day.

I plan to build my own mill simliar to the Jonsered 2185 onto which the 385XP will mount. I will be able to store in my garage (standing up against the wall), and still be able to park the cars in there.

There are lots of logs around, but many times only small quantities. Since I cant move them, I find logs in locations that permit cutting them where they lay.

Regards,

Ted

[James Carmichael]

I think Ted makes a good point, most of the other replies seem to compare what Brian is proposing to a commercial sawing operation. I certainly wouldn't want to try and earn a living with a 100cc chainsaw and a TimberJig or Alaskan sawmill, but for occaisional sawing of your own lumber, I think they're fine so long as you know what you're getting into.

I've been looking long and hard at a personal sawmill, and LogoSol looks like the best entry-level option (timberjig + used Stihl 066, around $800). Every owner I've corresponded with loves them. If you're going to go that route, consider some additional items you'll want to look at, like a kiln. I don't know what kiln-drying costs as a service, but as a part of the value-added chain in processing trees to lumber, it is more profitable than sawing. Plus a solar kiln that'll dry close to 500bf of 4/4 hardwood can be built for around $100, there's an abundance of plans but I like the one on WoodWeb's site.

Ted,

I thought LogoSol sold a rail set that let you expand the Timberjig into one of their portable mills?

[Dev Emch]

As I first mentioned, I have seen the logosol mill at work and I think its a good solution for what it is. The down side is that it is relatively expensive for what you get. And you dont get the chain saw with it. Chain saws are always a pain to work on. Every spring we go through the ritual of throwing out the old fuel, mixing new fuel, cleaning off the saws, tuning the motors, adjusting the bars, sharpening the chains and inspecting for damage, etc. And excessive cutting of lumber with a chainsaw is plain hard on the saws. Period. And large bore Stihls and Huskys are not cheap to replace.

If this is the direction you wish to go you may wish to build your own logosol. They are brain dead simple and $150 to $200 dollars worth of structual steel is all that it would take. Granted the logosol is aluminum which makes it lighter to move about. But aluminium is more expensive and harder to weld if welding is needed. If I were to use a chain saw to do this, I would look into this setup. Logosol also has an electrical chainsaw which uses a very powerful 3 phase motor to replace the chain saw. If you cut at home, this would be the way to go. Just hook it up to your phase converter and off you go with none of the issues of running a chain saw.

As I have mentioned, I am building my own band mill. The worst item on my list of parts is the motor. Finding 4 cylinder diesels cheaply is not easy! The second worst problem is the rockford clutch assembly. Also not easy as there are not many used and they are a bit pricey when ordered. The third pain in the posterior part is the main beam. This is a rectangular tube about 25 feet long with 1/4 inch sidewalls. The cross section is at least 4 inches by 8 inches or 4 inches by 10 inches. Its not often something you find in the scrap metal yards! This will have to be a special order. The remaining metal parts are not not that significant. The trailer parts can be bought online or from outfits like redneck trailer supply.

Also note that the hydraulic system on a mizer type mill runs only when the head rig is parked at the front of the machine. It is also the only time that you need to maintain hydraulic flow to move logs onto the saw deck or to roll cants on the saw deck or to adjust your toe boards. So I am not really missing out on anything from a hydraulic point of view when the head rig is in motion.

So when all is said and done, I hope to have a bit less than $5000 dollars invested in my saw mill. It will also be comparable to an LT70 type mill whose cost is already above $35,000 to $40,000 dollars. If I purchase a new logosol mill with the required 066 class saw, I am looking at close to $3000 dollars. More if I get the expansion kits needed to allow me to cut a 20 foot log. You also need to consider what your pay back period is going to be like. I would have to cut one serious pile of lumber to payback the cost of an LT70 plus the finace charges associated with doing so. My number one goal to obtain an inhouse, stable supply of beetle kill, blue stain ponderosa and lodge pole tonque and groove lumber. I use a bunch of it and its hard to come by on a steady basis. I know where there are lots of logs but commercial loggers and mill shops dont wish to deal with it. Lastly, this is a fun machine to both build and use. And if this item of entertainment can also provide an adjunct cash flow, so much the better.

[Charlie Jones]

I use a Alasken with my Sthil 066 and a ripping chain. it works great but it is a lot of work. The quality of cut is much better than you would think. I use mine for those special logs that need to be quartersawn etc. Be aware that it is addictive.

Charlie

[Ian Abraham]

Being from NZ we have a different slant on portable sawmills, so I thought I'd do a quick post on my set-up. The Woodmiser type bandsaw is very unusual here. Most portable mills are small circle saws, with either 2 blades or one swinging blade, with varying amounts of automation.
Probably this is more due to the log types than anything else. Mostly big softwood logs in rugged country.
Log handling is another issue again, logs are heavy things;) . Small logs I will drag / roll to the saw, but once they get over 2 ft dia it's simply quicker and easier to move the saw to the log.
I've attached a picture of my mill running, sawing a small Port Orford Cedar log at a friends farm. This is an older model Peterson swingblade mill. Power is from a Stihl 090 chainsaw, newer ones use Honda or Kohler 4 strokes. Construction is all aluminium and stainless steel for durability. We hauled the mill in to this spot on a small trailer behind a quad bike, and took the boards out the same way. The mill is able to handle logs up to 5 ft dia and 20 ft long, which is pretty good for a rig as portable as this.:) Small logs are easy enough to saw, but not as productive as you spend more time setting up logs and less time with the blade in wood.

I do agree with the guys that are using Alaskan type rigs with decent saws, they have their place and they will cut very good quality boards. Great for recovering timber from difficult to access places.

Cheers

Ian

[Shannon Grizzell]

I had several small mesquite logs (10'-12" dia.) that I wanted to turn into lumber for small projects. Since I didn't want to spend a lot of money for an Alaskan mill or Logosol, I opted to make my own using the chainsaw I already had and some aluminum tubing from HD. It's not especially elegant, but it works.

Since the pictures were taken, I've added another cross piece in the center to improve stability. There is plexiglass between the tubes to keep hands away from the blade.

It's difficult work. And it demands a lot of the saw. I did one log in 5/4 slabs. The next few I did much thicker slabs which I can later resaw on the bandsaw.

Someday I'd like to pickup a logosol, but just to give lumber making a try, this was a decent, inexpensive start - at least for me.

Regards,
Shannon

[John Zimmerman]

This won't be much help because I can't remember the name of the company. But 7 or so years ago I took down several trees, when I was living outside of Boston (I had to rake 100 bags of leaves each fall). Anyway, one of the companies that manufactured one of the small chainsaw bandmills was just two towns away, Woburn if I remember right, and they would rent one at a pretty reasonable rate. So I coerced a friend to help me and over the course of a long weekend we sliced 4 pretty good sized trees.

That was the good news! The bad news was it was hardest most painful thing I have ever done. Unless you have a way to roll the tree up to a reasonable height you're working squatted over or on your hands and knees. The designers of this contraption had no concept of ergonomics or human engineering. Every place you could put your hands was either sharp or hot, the exhaust was pointed right at your face. And the vibration was so bad you could get instant carpal tunnel syndrome.

That said, my friend and I split several hundred board feet of maple. Some of it curly!

John Zimmerman

[Greg Tatum]

Hello Brian....I have the Alaskan MKIII and the mini-mill and have found them to be quite valuable around the home, in the neighborhood, or just out and about.....if I see a log that I think will provide good lumber then I have the means to save some money and saw on the spot....I believe it is very economical "IF" you already own a good saw....something at least 70cc....more is better though.

While some may point out a few hidden costs' as a reason against it, I think the cost is the very reason we chainsawyers start this way

...I started with a used Husqy 394XP that I got for $350.00. I had 5 treed acres so I needed a saw anyway...the Alaskan was $140 for the 24".....all the other accessories I pretty much had...angle iron from an old bed frame and a 2x8x10 plank as a slabing rail. A modified ripping chain is easy to make....All under $500 and the first day I went out and cut a Doug fir that had fallen in my back yard....It was 60+ ft before there were any branches.....I bucked it to managable sizes and was able to mill over 300bf before I was too hot and sweaty and tired, very tired, to continue. The rest I left for another day. That is something you can do with your own little mill...do a little now, do a little later...your own schedule.

As a hobbiest, I would say that a chainsaw mill attachment is worth having if you have access to a variety of tree spieces, you already have, or can get cheaply, a good saw and you "Want" to mill some lumber not "Have" to mill....that DF yielded almost all clear lumber...even with plain sawing as I did, there is some very straight vertical grain that is quite expensive if I had to buy it....by the time I finished that tree and moved on to a small stump of Big leaf maple I know I had more value in lumber than I spent in equiptment....but the time and effort?....since it was my day off I was still ahead....the maple turned out to be spalted and just slightly quilted as well....how much is walnut worth to you?...downside is having to wait to use the wood if you don't have a way to dry it....I took the maple to a local sawyer and he charged me .50 bf to add it to his next kiln load. Some of it I just traded to him for some dry and ready stock (a deal I still make with him when I mill something quick and thick).

Here are some websites to look at that will help you make an informed descision
http://home.nc.rr.com/cquade/milling.htm

http://www.procutportablesawmills.com/index.html

As far as paying for a bandmill to come out for one log, where's the fun in that? :D

By the way..what they say about it beng addictive? it is so true...I have since bought a 36" Alaskan, the mini mill and just as I was going to start to build my own I lucked into a Jonsered chainsaw mill on a trailer (without saw) for $500 !!!! Local equipment rental bought by a national chain and told the boys to get rid of anything that wasn't available /common to all stores in the chain....managment can be so dumb at times :cool: ....anyway, the one Shannon made is just right for the occassional user....try it out with a rented saw and you'll know if milling your own is right for you.

Best of luck,
Greg

[Ted Christiansen]

James,

Yes Logosol does sell a TimberJig rail kit called the Big Mill. It costs $595. It think it would minimize the setup time required for 1st and 2nd cuts, but doesnt really address the problem of having to push the saw the entire time, and being bent over. The Logosol Woodworkers Mill (expensive) and a Jonsered/Procut style frame with carriage addresses these issues. I think the ticket would be a Jonsered style mill that is light enough to move to the logs, quickly level, and roll the logs onto it and cut away.

[Brian Hale]

You folks have given me a lot to consider and i thank you!

At this point i have no plans to saw logs for money, rather i'd like to try and get a bit of usable wood out the stuff laying in the woods that surround my home. I have a respectable 18" chainsaw that's in great shape and it may be able to handle some light milling for a short time. That should show me if i want to keep cutting or not.

As for drying, there's still a bit of room in my basement shop and i've got a good sized 3 walled shed outside that can be used for a couple hundred board feet if needed. My only concern with that are the wasps and such that seem to thrive in great numbers around here. Not to mention those darn wood borer bees which are currently eating the cedar siding on my house. :eek: I guess if i cover it well and check on it from time to time it would be fine.

Anyway, i'll do a bit more shopping around to see what my options are and then make a purchase. Who knows, i could get hooked! :D

Thanks again!!
Brian :)

[Ted Christiansen]

Lumber milled with chainsaw

[jerry cousins]

i think most points have been covered - yes the bandsaw mills are more efficient, if the price is right then chainsawing just isn't worth it, really can't make money doing it, but you can make beautiful lumber. chain sawing is a lot of work - but it is pretty fun. i've cut 1000's of feet with an alaskan mill - could make a 36" slab with double ended stihl 090's. that was plenty of power and did use a rip chain. the one good thing about the mills is that they can go where the log is - if it's unaccessable by truck.
rather than sawing each board we ended up cutting cants and hauling them out for resaw on a bandsaw.
if you do get one - i have a great technique for truing up the 1st cut - no matter how long the log is - send me an email.

jerry

[Tom Andersen]

if you do get one - i have a great technique for truing up the 1st cut - no matter how long the log is - send me an email.
jerry

I run an Alaskan too and I am interested in knowing how to true up the first cut. Couldn't you post it here? There is also a procedure in an old issue of fine woodworking.

Thanks
Tom

[Travis Porter]

I paid around 30 cents a bd ft for about 8000 bd ft of white oak, and have no regrets. The only thing I didn't like was that at knotty areas the blades that were being used "glanced" around the knots so those areas were much thicker in many instances making it hard to true the boards up. Was this due to not enough tension, improper blade, or is this normal?

[Scott Banbury]

I paid around 30 cents a bd ft for about 8000 bd ft of white oak, and have no regrets. The only thing I didn't like was that at knotty areas the blades that were being used "glanced" around the knots so those areas were much thicker in many instances making it hard to true the boards up. Was this due to not enough tension, improper blade, or is this normal?

Riding up over knots can be an issue of a dulling blade or it could be a matter of feeding too rapidly. A good sawyer will either adjust the feed rate or change blades.

[jerry cousins]

Here’s a go at describing the setup for the 1st cut with a chainsaw mill. Once the log is secure put 2 nails in the top at one end – make sure these nails are level to each other. I usually use 20d nails cause there will be some torque on them. Then do the same at the other end of the log – making sure those nails are level to each other. (The 2 sets of nails do not have to be level). Then put 2 nails in each end of the log – in line with the nails you put on the top. So right now you have put in 8 nails – 2 in each end and 2 on the top of the log at each end (these being level). Take a string and tie it to one of the nails in the log end. Then stretch the string over the top of the nail in the top of the log and run it all the way down to the nail at the other end of the log – over the top of it and then wrap it a few times around the nail sticking in the end of the log – keeping the string taut. Then wrap the string around the other nail in the end of the log and up and over the next nail in the top and all the way back down to where you started – over the top of the last top nail and then tie it off on the remaining end nail.
Now you have 2 parallel strings running the full length of the log. Put more nails in the full length of the log – bringing the top of the nail to the string line – both sides (alongr each string line running the length of the log) . I usually do it about every 15” or so. Now you should have to parallel rows of nails along the length of the log. Remove the string – take out the nails sticking out of the log ends. Set a clean and straight timber (maybe a 2x12 or 2x10 – depends on the diameter of the log) on top of the nails at 1 end of the log – with a little hanging over to make a clean start - so you can set the carriage/rollers true before you start cutting into the log. Set the saw cut depth to the length of the nails plus the board (and a little more to be safe – don’t want to be clipping off any nail points - that's a lot of chain to sharpen). If the log is longer than the board – just cut down near the end of the board – take a break – slide the board down for the next section - then resume cutting. This can be repeated for the full length of the log. Just be careful when you slide the board down not to “tweak” any of the nails.

let me know if this makes any sense - i tried drawing a picture but it would not import into the message.

if it would help i could set something up and take some photos to post.

jerry

[Mike Deschler]

Last October I called Woodmizer for a local contact and was referred to three sawyers. I contacted the local guy, made an appointment and he showed up the following week with a brand new computer controlled hydralic Mizer. A few hours later he had cut over 300 bd ft of walnut and cherry out of many logs and charged me $163 for everything. It was a great show watching him and his dad do their thing. Now to wait a year for the goodies.

[Boyd Gathwright]

Brian,

.... At one time I was interested in the Norwood bandsaw. But, what stopped me was the cost and running of the kiln, unless you intend on air drying.

.... Just some thoughts to consider :).

Boyd




I'm looking at buying a chainsaw sawmill for use around the house. As an example i've got a nice 18"dia 15' long black walnut tree laying in my back yard that i'd like to cut into boards. I remember seeing one somewhere that used a 2x6 as a guide and was fairly cheap but accurate.

Anyone got any experience?

Thanks
Brian :)

[Mike Glaze]

I'm looking at buying a chainsaw sawmill for use around the house. As an example i've got a nice 18"dia 15' long black walnut tree laying in my back yard that i'd like to cut into boards. I remember seeing one somewhere that used a 2x6 as a guide and was fairly cheap but accurate.

Anyone got any experience?

Thanks
Brian :)

Brian Hale

Everyone has mentioned pretty much every chainsaw mill on the market except one. Go to www.forestryforum.com (http://www.forestryforum.com) and search for the GB chainsaw mill posts. A few of the guy's over there prefer it over the Granberg Alaskan mills and it's priced about the same. Most of the guy's on the forestry forum are using the Wood Mizer mills, but there are many posts about the chainsaw mills also. The negative of a Wood Mizer mill is cost, but like many have said: You can hire a sawyer.

Personally I don't want to hire anyone. I want a chainsaw mill that can mill anywhere because I will only be doing this part time when I want to do it and I would only be cutting up one log once in awhile. You need a big chainsaw with the chainsaw mills. Atleast the two biggest models of Stihl or Husky saws made. It is hard on the saws because they are not made to run full out constantly cutting a 15 foot long log. It's hard work, but I'm used to that and I won't be doing it all the time. If you are going to be cutting logs day in day out then you need a Wood Mizer.

Mike

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Well Gents, if you don't mind me adding my two yen to this thread I will.

I just made a Chainsaw mill (http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/csm.htm), and today I took it out of the Dungeon (http://www.ablett.jp/workshop)to the Woodlot (http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/woodlot.htm)and got some wood cut.

It is HARD work, for sure, but I'm getting some AMAZING wood for VERY little money.

I bought a used Husky (OK it is OLD circa 1976) 185 CD, this is an 85cc machine, I've had a few troubles with it, but today, when it counted, it ran like a champ!

If you have access to a welder you can build your own mill, I just use a 2x8 for my starter board, and I'm getting good results.

Don't want to start nothing here, but if your saw is tuned and set up right, you keep your chain sharp, and you run the right mix ratio for the gas and oil, your saw should give you no troubles at all.

I know a number of guys who have milled thousands and thousands of BF of wood on a chainsaw mill and never had a problem, their saws are still running flawlessly. It is a 2-smoke engine, they are designed to run WOT (Wide Open Throttle) as that is where the produce the most POWER!! If your saw can't handle WOT for 5 or 10 minutes, you have a problem with how it is set up, IMHO.

Chainsaw mills are great, they are cheap and the do the job.

I just mill the wood where I find it..........

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/jackpot/job_site/going_for_big_oak_side_view.jpg

Heck they make good chairs too....

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/jackpot/job_site/weapon_of_choice.jpg

I say buy or make your own, it will pay for itself the first time you use it.

Buy a good old saw, a Husky or a Sthil, tune it up, rebuild the carb, and you have a system to make lumber, now THAT is recycling!!

Cheers!

[Ted Christiansen]

Brian,

The quality of lumber (4/4, 5/4 boards) you get from a Logosol Woodworkers Mill is just as smooth as a large bandmill. It is most likely better than small bandmills (Woodmizer LT10, etc).

A large saw (85cc) with a 16" bar and pico rip chain on the WW Mill will cut 8' long lumber pretty quickly. I have been very happy with mine

Visit the Logosol website to order a DVD.

Ted

[everett lowell]

Brian, I spent about $140 bucks on an alasken sawmill attachment, and slapped it on my dads 15 year old Stihl 026 and and got two ripping chains, and cut up a cherry tree we dropped in his yard.( he now has a maple and another cherry on the ground waiting for me!):) I air dried my lumber outside for a year then put it in my basement shop and let it set for another year before I used it. you can see in my pics I have alittle bit left in my wood rack and a table I made my mom out of the tree I used to play in when I was a kid, she loved that I saved part of that old tree! My point is for a small investment you can get your feet wet,with alittle hard work,and taking your time its not bad for occational use like I do. just my 2 cents!:rolleyes:

[Roger Bell]

I have used Alaska mills for many years in backcountry settings, so I speak from experience. This is why the Alaska mill was invented...for those situations where you hand-carry the tool to the log and then use the milled material on site. For the "occasional" log that comes your way, it is a relatively economical way to go compared to contracting out. For $150 bucks or so you can get one. If you want a rip chain, that's another $25 or so apiece. Not a lot of investment really.

Yes, it is a lot of work. Yes, it is hard on the saw. Yes, there is a lot of keft waste. Yes, it is a relatively crappy cut compared to a pricier bandsaw mill. Yes, you are better off with the biggest, baddest powerhead ever made. Yes, you may be better off paying someone else to do it entirely, depending on the volume of work and your situation. This is all true.

However, you rest when you are tired. No one dictates that you must mill till U drop. You let the the saw and the chain do the work (just like anything else) and have several sharp chains at the ready. You take your time. If you insist on pushing a smaller saw and/or a dulling chain you may burn up a saw. You can slab off logs with a saw as picayune as 50cc.....but you just take your time, take your time, and don't push it. Use the shortest bar that will get the job done. A powerful powerhead/short bar ratio is what to shoot for insofar as practical. You can clean up a rough-crappy finish with your WW tools after drying.

For production work, the Alaska mill is a bad idea. A poor application outside the design parameters of the tool. For the one-off situation such as yours, it is not a bad idea at all. Really.

[Tim Gruss]

Brian, I own a one man cabinet shop. I have a Stihl MS310 and the Alaskan small log mill. The main thing that inexperenced users forget is chain and drive system maintenance. With a properly maintained cutting system my 9 year old could easily cut that walnut. I have found that bar groove wear and proper chain sharpening to be the most important aspects of my system. I have cut about 4000 board feet of Red Oak, Slippery Elm, Maple, Butternut, Poplar, Sycamore,Spruce, White Ash, Shagbark Hickory, Northern White Cedar, Red Cedar so far this year part time. The system is only as good as the operator is willing to make it. I also have a Solor Kiln the will dry around 800 bf per charge. Good luck with all your future woodworking endeavors. Tim,Treasurewoodworking.com

[Jim Becker]

Just a note about this discussion...which is very good, by the way. Brian started this thread back in May of 2005. ;) It was "resurrected" on 23 December by a new post.

Jim
SMC Moderator

[Billy Chambless]

Just a note about this discussion...which is very good, by the way. Brian started this thread back in May of 2005. ;) It was "resurrected" on 23 December by a new post.

Jim
SMC Moderator

And I've been glad to see it; I've been trying to decide how best to deal with a bunch of downed trees on my property (Katrina fallout). A little freehand milling has convinced me that

1. My Stihl 290 is up to the job
and
2. I need some sort of mill to keep things under control.

I have talked to a couple of sawyers, but more than half of the trees are so deep in the woods that moving them all to a mill setup isn't realistic. I'm thinking that with an Alaskan or Timberjig, I can mill one log at a time, in place and start air drying.

Once again, SMC ends up being a handy resource.

[Ted Christiansen]

Billy,

A Logosol Timberjig, Logosol 16" bar and ripping chain will work ok with that saw. Of course a larger saw would be better, but yours will get the job done. Dont use 3/8" ripping chain - it will be a frustrating experience as it will be much slower and with a poorer surface finish.

Tim is right - bar, chain and drive system (sprocket) maintenence is key. I have learned more about chainsaws in the last 1-1/2 years than I ever thought I would know. Chainsaw mills are much more sensitive to properly sharpened chain, a bar that is tuned (filed regularly) than when crosscutting.

Ted

[Brian Hale]

Lots of good information folks, Thanks!! :cool:

I've still got that walnut tree in the back yard :rolleyes: , 2 poplars in the woods and a very large sycamore my neighbor wants to get rid of (he's afraid it'll fall on his house). The sycamore and walnut is easy to get to with woodmizer type bandmill but the poplars need to be cut where they fall so i'm still tossing around the chainsaww mill. If i go that route i'll do all 4 with the chainsaw. My son has a few friends that seem to think it'll be fun and all i need to do is supply pizza and adult beverages.....

Brian :)

[Leonard Clark]

I have a chainsaw mill. When I use it the chain gets very hot, plus it makes dust not chips. I do use a rip chain and it was new. And how much of the bar should be sticking out of the log?

[Peter Kelly]

Just a note about this discussion...which is very good, by the way. Brian started this thread back in May of 2005. ;) It was "resurrected" on 23 December by a new post.

Jim
SMC ModeratorStill going 10 years on...

[Jesse Busenitz]

Ok, just read through this whole thread, and there is a lot of good info. I've live on a farm and have had a fair amount of timber cut from the creek. I've alway took it to someone else to saw or have them come out and I'm happy with that. The thing is I have trees in the 10-14" range that aren't going to make very good saw logs but I'm interested in maybe just slabbing/turning them into beams(would like to save up for a future timber frame project), but not 4/4 stuff. Would a chainsaw mill be worth it then even if you're counting your time? It's just hard to see that wood go up in smoke.

[Tom Hogard]

Jesse,
IMO, stick with what has been working for you. You certainly can make beams with a chainsaw mill but they'll be more precise (especially the 90 degree corners), and much more quickly made with the bandsaw providers you have been using. You can get a lot of milling done for the cost of the CS mill attachment. I have milled for quite a few clients who started with a chainsaw mill. Extra wide cuts, difficult terrain, they are the go-to choice but milling beams from 10-14" logs probably takes less time that a single pass with the chainsaw mill - not counting setup time.