Gonna build a portable chainsaw mill.

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

Has anyone else done this? I know it's not the most efficient type of mill but I have all the stuff I need already so cost should be minimal. I'm not trying to start a full time business or anything. Mostly for personal stock and maybe make a little side money. I several ins with tree surgeons in my area so supply should be no problem. I know just about anything is good for turning and plan to use it to process blanks since 90% of my work is round, but of the following species what would be good for a niche market for flatworkers?
Sassafras
Mulberry
Holly
Persimmon
Cherry
Walnut
Sycamore
Hickory
Ash
I just figured I'd try stuff that is hard to find at the local lumber yard. All will be air dried in a 60' green house with a large fan at one end that I have access to. Here's the plan I'm using. http://www.procutportablesawmills.com/ Any thoughts or insight is welcomed. If anyone would like me to post pictures of the process I'll start a thread. Thanks , Kurt

[Raymond Overman]

No offense but I don't think a chainsaw mill will be profitable due to the waste in kerf of a log. It's also time consuming. I have a $135 G777 Granberg Alaskan Mill (http://www.granberg.com/chainsaw_mills.htm) and it's a lot of fun to use for one off logs, but it's not effecient at all. In concept it looks like a cheap way to get into milling logs but I wouldn't want to do it day in and day out. Plus, it's a lot of wear and tear on a saw.

I think if you are looking at going into production with it a bandsaw mill would pay for itself in effeciency on both the time and waste side of things. The kerf on a bandsaw blade is minimal compared to the chainsaw of course.

Now, if you're looking at taking three cuts per log, making a flat on the top of the log, cutting the log in half at the pith, and making a flat on the bottom of the log in preperation for making turning blanks then it wouldn't be too bad.

Just my .02

Good luck.

[Dick Strauss]

Kurt,
Send Stu Ablett a PM (if he is still a member). Here is an older link with his journey into this chainsaw mill world:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=27490&highlight=chainsaw

Here is a link to his homepage (click on links under "Logging in Tokyo"):

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/[/URL]
[URL="http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/woodlot.htm"] (http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/woodlot.htm)

Good luck,
Dick

[Pete Jordan]

Kurt,

I have the same one Raymond has and he is right on with all of his comments.

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

Wow! A lot of info on his site! I wonder how he is? Haven't herd from him in a while. Hope all is well! Thanks Raymond! Good point on the wide kerf but seeing the wood is free and I have a large supply I'm going to give it a go. It would only get sent to the land fill anyway. I also have an inherited 066 Stihl with a 3' bar that I want to put to work. If it seems like a feasible thing to continue I'll consider a band saw mill in the future. I have been looking for one used on and off for years. I'm gonna start welding it up this weekend. Pictures to follow. Hey! I've done dumber things. Just ask my wife.

[Pete Jordan]

Kurt,
You might want to check into one of these to make it easier.
http://www.granberg.com/ripping_chain.htm

[Jim King]

I have used these several years ago and they worked very well.

http://www.ripsaw.com/

[Kurt Rosenzweig]

Thanks Pete! That clears up a lot! I hear the chain is everything and that link helped a lot! I couldn't understand the 0 degree part but now it's clear.

[Charles McKinley]

Hi Kurt,

Go over to the arborist site and check out the milling forum. Lots of people discussing the use of chain saw mills and making your own bandsawmill. There is a site that specializes in selling used mills too but I can't think of it at the moment.

Stu post at another forum now.

[Jim Becker]

Kurt, you want to do your drying outdoors, not in the green house. You need air flow through your piles to wick off the moisture being released and a fan at the end isn't going to do as well as your prevailing winds. Just do your stacks up off the ground 8-12" and have a weighted sloped cover so there is no standing rain or water on the piles. (Many folks use inexpensive fiberglass or metal corrogated roof panels...my piles were small, so I used old plywood covered with a cheap tarp to keep them from rotting...no tarp hanging down over the sides, however)

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Hi Kurt,

Go over to the arborist site and check out the milling forum. Lots of people discussing the use of chain saw mills and making your own bandsawmill. There is a site that specializes in selling used mills too but I can't think of it at the moment.

Stu post at another forum now.

I'm still around, just busy with lots of things :D

Charles recomondation of the Arborist site is spot on, tons of good info there.

Cheers!

PS Kurt, don't forget the pics!

[David Foshee]

I think the sawmill site is http://www.sawmillexchange.com/ they have many used mills and some info about buying mills.

I have the manual chainsaw mill and agree with all comments it is a hobby use mill at best it is not for any type of production. I think wear and tear on the saw and you will be too much after some extended use and creates a lot of waste.
my .02