Recommendations for a chainsaw mill

[Gav73]

Morning all, I recently got a few pieces of yew that aren’t quite big enough to be worthwhile for someone to come and mill, but I quite fancy having a go myself.

 

I’ve had a look online and have seen several mills that are quite cheap, but because I don’t know much about milling, I’m concerned I might pick one that’s crap.

 

Anyone got any recommendations for a mill that won’t break the bank or itself?

[agg221]

27 minutes ago, Gav73 said:

 

Morning all, I recently got a few pieces of yew that aren’t quite big enough to be worthwhile for someone to come and mill, but I quite fancy having a go myself.

 

I’ve had a look online and have seen several mills that are quite cheap, but because I don’t know much about milling, I’m concerned I might pick one that’s crap.

 

Anyone got any recommendations for a mill that won’t break the bank or itself?

 

I suggest having a look here:

https://www.chainsawbars.co.uk/chainsaw-mills-and-milling-kits/

 

Rob D of this site runs the company. None of the the options are bad, just different prices with different levels of features. I suspect you will be wanting the Ecomill.

 

It's worth buying the longest you can justify - 36" or 48". You can always shorten them up - most ridiculous I have run is lending the mill at 48" to someone with an 18" bar, but it works fine. You can then use it full length in the future if needed.

 

Even if you take the dogs off the saw you will lose about 1.5" of bar length at the powerhead end and about 5" at the nose end as you can't clamp on the sprocket. Bear this in mind when considering the size of the mill and the size of the log. Trimming a few knobbly bits off to get through is OK but constant trimming along the side quickly gets tedious. That determines whether your current bar is long enough.

 

I would say it makes enough difference to performance to justify buying a ripping chain along with the mill. If you are going to have to buy a longer bar anyway, buy the chain to suit it and consider 3/8" lo-pro (does mean you will need to change the drive sprocket). It reduces the kerf by enough to allow a smaller saw not to be stressed and a bigger saw to cut quickly. The exception appears to be if you are running a 100cc+ high torque/low speed saw where it is more likely to break the chain, in which case I would stick with the standard .404 chain.

 

Otherwise, that should be it. You will need a ladder or plank to make the first cut, and a way of holding it on the log, but there are many videos on this on Youtube. You will also need some sticks, bricks and a top cover so you can stack and season the timber without it getting rained on.

 

Be warned, milling is highly addictive!

 

Alec

 

Edited December 31, 2021 by agg221

[Gav73]

@agg221

that’s really helpful advice. Thank you, I’ve had a quick look at the options and yes the Ecomill looks like it would suit what I want to do

 

[AJStrees]

5 hours ago, Gav73 said:

 

Morning all, I recently got a few pieces of yew that aren’t quite big enough to be worthwhile for someone to come and mill, but I quite fancy having a go myself.

 

I’ve had a look online and have seen several mills that are quite cheap, but because I don’t know much about milling, I’m concerned I might pick one that’s crap.

 

Anyone got any recommendations for a mill that won’t break the bank or itself?

 

The mill itself for the chainsaws are all quite similar in function apart from the panther which seems to be top of the line. 

 

What chainsaw and what bar are you using?

 

One can get quite into milling the minute you find out how much fun it is to mill up timber and then realise it could be an endless hobby. 

 

[Gav73]

The mill itself for the chainsaws are all quite similar in function apart from the panther which seems to be top of the line. 
 
What chainsaw and what bar are you using?
 
One can get quite into milling the minute you find out how much fun it is to mill up timber and then realise it could be an endless hobby. 
 

I’m got the choice of a MS181 with a 16” bar and a MS391 with a 20” bar. My instinct was to maybe use the 181 as the chain is smaller and there would be less wastage, but it’s probably underpowered

[AJStrees]

6 minutes ago, Gav73 said:

 

I’m got the choice of a MS181 with a 16” bar and a MS391 with a 20” bar. My instinct was to maybe use the 181 as the chain is smaller and there would be less wastage, but it’s probably underpowered

 

The more power, the better really when milling. Depending on if you intend to do a bit of milling in the future. You might be able to get a lo pro bar and milling chain to put onto your 391 which will give you the option of a longer bar and better chain for milling. I have used a 36" milling bar and chain lo pro from Rob D on a Husky 365 and did quite a bit of milling with that before I got into bigger stuff with bigger saws. But with a 36" bar you will probably be able to mill up a lot of the stuff you will want. 

 

Its a whole new world into chainsaw milling IMO.

 

Good luck!

[Will C]

5 hours ago, Gav73 said:

 

I’m got the choice of a MS181 with a 16” bar and a MS391 with a 20” bar. My instinct was to maybe use the 181 as the chain is smaller and there would be less wastage, but it’s probably underpowered

 

Keep the 181 for trimming up etc, put the bigger saw in the mill 👍

[ucoulddoit]

15 hours ago, Gav73 said:

 

I’m got the choice of a MS181 with a 16” bar and a MS391 with a 20” bar. My instinct was to maybe use the 181 as the chain is smaller and there would be less wastage, but it’s probably underpowered

 

I used a MS391 for milling with a 20 inch bar in the small log mill which was fine but a bit slow and just for a few smallish logs, max size about 18 inches diameter. 
 

As others have said, milling can become addictive and my kit was quickly on the small side for what I then wanted to do. I bought parts from Rob D to convert the small log mill into an ‘Alaskan mill’ and changed to  a 25 inch bar following advice from Alec, to get about 20inches width of cut. Stihl recommend a max bar length of 20 inches, but I was happy to try a longer bar as set up in the mill it can’t cut more than 20 inches. That worked fine for a while and was more accurate than using the small log mill at the limit of it’s capacity. Subsequently upgraded to an MS661 which is just so much better. But still happy to have progressed gradually to this point instead of investing a lot at the start when I really wasn’t sure if I’d have much milling to do.

 

Andrew

[muttley9050]

I certainly wouldn't be putting a 36" bar on my 391. 25 at a push.

[AJStrees]

5 hours ago, muttley9050 said:

I certainly wouldn't be putting a 36" bar on my 391. 25 at a push.

Quite different with a lo pro bar and chain though. 64cc powerhead should do 36" lo pro. Might not be the fastest, but with a husky 365 and 36" lo pro bar, I've milled up a good bit of beech, lime, ash and others. Obviously a bigger saw is bettter.