Double ended chainsaw milling

[AHPP]

I've got a 500i and a 661 that I want to buy a double ended bar for for milling. I'll also need to to either buy or make a mill. I want to get a big enough bar that I don't keep finding trees I can't do (without having to halve, skim and roll etc) but I don't want so big that it's either unreasonably unwieldy or it sags/flexes excessively.

 

DOUBLE ENDED MILLING BARS - Chainsawbars

WWW.CHAINSAWBARS.CO.UK

 

What have people got and how are you finding them?

Do the proper mills keep the bar tensioned better than a DIY mill made from plywood and threaded rod?

At what length do you run into diminishing returns with bigger bars? 

What in your opinion is a nice compromise, all rounder size?

And I'd welcome any other input you think is relevant.

 

Thanks in advance.

[topchippyles]

32 minutes ago, AHPP said:

I've got a 500i and a 661 that I want to buy a double ended bar for for milling. I'll also need to to either buy or make a mill. I want to get a big enough bar that I don't keep finding trees I can't do (without having to halve, skim and roll etc) but I don't want so big that it's either unreasonably unwieldy or it sags/flexes excessively.

 

DOUBLE ENDED MILLING BARS - Chainsawbars

WWW.CHAINSAWBARS.CO.UK

 

What have people got and how are you finding them?

Do the proper mills keep the bar tensioned better than a DIY mill made from plywood and threaded rod?

At what length do you run into diminishing returns with bigger bars? 

What in your opinion is a nice compromise, all rounder size?

And I'd welcome any other input you think is relevant.

 

Thanks in advance.

Message rob D at chinsawbars or he is on here a fair bit

[Rough Hewn]

Plywood and threaded bar gives as good a cut as any pro mill if the bar and chain is right.
It is much slower to adjust to accurate increments quickly though.
Also they don’t last very long.
Chinese Alaskan copies are ok for mid range saws and bars, but only up to 48”.
If you regularly need to mill medium trees 18-42” diameter
I’d recommend the 60” panther mill and 54/56” GB bar.
It’s my go to mill for medium timber slabs.
If you want to make dimensional timber ie: beams, lintels, mantels and square edged planks a Logosol F2+ is ideal.
I’ve got all of them and others but those are the 2 we use weekly.
[emoji106]

[AHPP]

Plywood and threaded bar gives as good a cut as any pro mill if the bar and chain is right.
It is much slower to adjust to accurate increments quickly though.
Also they don’t last very long.
Chinese Alaskan copies are ok for mid range saws and bars, but only up to 48”.
If you regularly need to mill medium trees 18-42” diameter
I’d recommend the 60” panther mill and 54/56” GB bar.
It’s my go to mill for medium timber slabs.
If you want to make dimensional timber ie: beams, lintels, mantels and square edged planks a Logosol F2+ is ideal.
I’ve got all of them and others but those are the 2 we use weekly.
[emoji106]

Do you double end, Saul?

[Rough Hewn]

Do you double end, Saul?

No, I don’t see the point.
The cutting speed is almost irrelevant.
It’s log and board handling that take up 95% of my time.
Whether a board takes 15 mins or ten.
It’ll take us 40 mins to move the log into position and set it up sometimes.
Unless you’re cutting over 2 metres diameter, one 880 is plenty,
And now with hyper skip chains, sharpening an 84” chain takes under 5 minutes.
[emoji106]

[Rough Hewn]

You’ll find slabs over 3’ wide and 10’ long are stupidly heavy.
A 4’ duromatic bar on an 880 gives a 100cm cut max.
Over that’s size a bigger mill is unbalanced on a log under 4’.
I can manage a 60” mill with a 56” bar gives me about 105-110cm on my own.
But I can’t even lift the 80” mill.
So it then becomes a two man job.
Best setup I’ve found is an 880 with a 60” panther.
But your 661 should cut up to 28-30” on a mill.
Maybe get a cheap eco mill off Rob.D and try that.
Takes a while to get your head around the theory of pith to pith and ladder set up with a first cut etc.
But it’s so much fun.
[emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

[topchippyles]

1 hour ago, Rough Hewn said:

You’ll find slabs over 3’ wide and 10’ long are stupidly heavy.
A 4’ duromatic bar on an 880 gives a 100cm cut max.
Over that’s size a bigger mill is unbalanced on a log under 4’.
I can manage a 60” mill with a 56” bar gives me about 105-110cm on my own.
But I can’t even lift the 80” mill.
So it then becomes a two man job.
Best setup I’ve found is an 880 with a 60” panther.
But your 661 should cut up to 28-30” on a mill.
Maybe get a cheap eco mill off Rob.D and try that.
Takes a while to get your head around the theory of pith to pith and ladder set up with a first cut etc.
But it’s so much fun.

Get a bandsaw mill and your in dreamland ???

[AHPP]

Any double enders care to chime in with what they use and how they get on?

[trigger_andy]

1 hour ago, AHPP said:

Any double enders care to chime in with what they use and how they get on?

Not sure how many lesbians follow this sub-forum.  

[AHPP]

Not sure how many lesbians follow this sub-forum. [emoji3] 

I’d put Bolam down for that particular quip but appreciated nevertheless.