Today's milling

[Mr. Ed]

On 20/09/2023 at 10:44, Johnsond said:

Digital read out for the head height 

Ah, yes. I go gaga after n iterations of “subtract 28 mm plus 3 mm from the number you first thought of”. After many silly mistakes when tired I learnt  to make a test cut then measure it by hand each time. This on my weekend-wannabe Christmas Cracker mill with nothing digital about it 

Edited September 21, 2023 by Mr. Ed

[doobin]

8 hours ago, Mr. Ed said:

Ah, yes. I go gaga after n iterations of “subtract 28 mm plus 3 mm from the number you first thought of”. After many silly mistakes when tired I learnt  to make a test cut then measure it by hand each time. This on my weekend-wannabe Christmas Cracker mill with nothing digital about it 

I'll post some pics in a bit, it's just a basic 600mm DRO slide mounted where the scale was. Sadly 600mm is an inch too short for the full travel of the 130max (so I placed a pair of G clamps to prevent the mill head going to full height) and I can't find anything larger in the UK. It's also started to give me ghost readings so I probably need to spend on something better but the largest DRO specialist in the UK was less than helpful hence just going for Chinese tat off Amazon.

A DRO makes it very easy but you still need to account for kerf. Much simple mental maths tho! If you don't have a DRO, by far the easest way is to place a set square set to the desired measurement on top of the cant and wind the mill up until the blade kisses it. Accounts for kerf too that way.

[Johnsond]

4 hours ago, doobin said:

I'll post some pics in a bit, it's just a basic 600mm DRO slide mounted where the scale was. Sadly 600mm is an inch too short for the full travel of the 130max (so I placed a pair of G clamps to prevent the mill head going to full height) and I can't find anything larger in the UK. It's also started to give me ghost readings so I probably need to spend on something better but the largest DRO specialist in the UK was less than helpful hence just going for Chinese tat off Amazon.

A DRO makes it very easy but you still need to account for kerf. Much simple mental maths tho! If you don't have a DRO, by far the easest way is to place a set square set to the desired measurement on top of the cant and wind the mill up until the blade kisses it. Accounts for kerf too that way.

I’ve a few hardwood blocks made up in common cut sizes with a metal strip on the back to sit on top of the cant that I do pretty much the same thing with, a bit slow but gives good results. Have to work from the top down which is opposite to the Trakmet set works which is programmed with the last cut first but it’s no hassle in reality. 

[AJStrees]

Got the 881 out for milling. First time in some months. It all went pleasantly smooth. 4” oak slabs for some posts in the future possibly. It was an old log but wood was pretty good. 
 

 

[Forest2Furniture]

I don't do much chainsaw milling these days but I got a call last Feb to mill some 5" thick slabs from a 5' diameter 14' long felled Oak stem.

The client wants a full width x length table top finished at 4".

I only got a few planks done, with the weather closing in together with the fading light on the day of milling that and the planks had to be moved from the field where the tree fell and stacked in an old shed that the client had set aside to dry the planks which seemed a good idea, except the internal size of the stone built shed is 14'6" x 9' with a 10' wide entrance. All this meant I only got half the tree done.

 

I went back last week to finish the job only to find the remaining lump had been moved undercover into a large pole barn where the planks were also to be stacked.

 

Slabs that big can't be moved by man power alone no matter how strong you think you are so I had to take along my new toy that I use in the yard.

 

 

 

 

 

[Stihl123]

70x 50x100 rails @ 1.8

 

best £100 ever spent was the lasers 

[Squaredy]

10 hours ago, Stihl123 said:

70x 50x100 rails @ 1.8

 

best £100 ever spent was the lasers 

So is milling strictly a night time affair now?

[Stihl123]

2 hours ago, Squaredy said:

So is milling strictly a night time affair now?

Yeh, out of hours so I can charge more for it now 😁

[trigger_andy]

Just finished 4 days milling for a customer out in Banchory. Had two helpers the first two days then one helper the second two days. Plus the loaders. 
 

Milled an extensive cutting list out of DF & Larch. 
 

95 x 3.6m x 8” x 2”

95 x 3.6m x 6”x2”

60 x 3.6m 4” x 2”

20 x 6” x 6”

65 x 5” x 3”

 

He thought I’d get it all done in a day. 🤣

 

Was down to -4 a couple of the days with heavy snow coming through.

 

 

[doobin]

5 minutes ago, trigger_andy said:

Just finished 4 days milling for a customer out in Banchory. Had two helpers the first two days then one helper the second two days. Plus the loaders. 
 

Milled an extensive cutting list out of DF & Larch. 
 

95 x 3.6m x 8” x 2”

95 x 3.6m x 6”x2”

60 x 3.6m 4” x 2”

20 x 6” x 6”

65 x 5” x 3”

 

He thought I’d get it all done in a day. 🤣

 

Was down to -4 a couple of the days with heavy snow coming through.

 

 

Jesus you’re keen!

 

Gonna need to fit heated handles soon.