Westford Rail Mill?

[Bosun]

Good afternoon,

 

I'm a volunteer at our local Country Park and we were discussing milling fallen logs for sale.  Then someone said "we have a portable Chainsaw Mill somewhere".  After some searching, I came across a brand new Westford Rail Mill, comprising the milling carriage and four (two short and two long) rails.  However, at this point, I don't know whether it's complete, and any small sundry parts could be anywhere.  I'm also not sure at this point about a suitable Chainsaw, although I've located a 30" bar.  I understand we'd ideally need a ripping chain and something around 90cc.

 

My question is:  Is it worth pursuing, or would a "slab mill" be a better option?  I do have reservations about the accuracy (uniform slab thickness), as the Chainsaw is only clamped to the carriage at the power unit, and hangs off to one side.

[Decro]

Westford

WWW.WESTFORDMILLS.COM.AU

Their website might help.

[Johnsond]

2 hours ago, Bosun said:

Good afternoon,

 

I'm a volunteer at our local Country Park and we were discussing milling fallen logs for sale.  Then someone said "we have a portable Chainsaw Mill somewhere".  After some searching, I came across a brand new Westford Rail Mill, comprising the milling carriage and four (two short and two long) rails.  However, at this point, I don't know whether it's complete, and any small sundry parts could be anywhere.  I'm also not sure at this point about a suitable Chainsaw, although I've located a 30" bar.  I understand we'd ideally need a ripping chain and something around 90cc.

 

My question is:  Is it worth pursuing, or would a "slab mill" be a better option?  I do have reservations about the accuracy (uniform slab thickness), as the Chainsaw is only clamped to the carriage at the power unit, and hangs off to one side.

Is it not worth budgeting to bring in a decent mobile mill occasionally, cost  of a decent sawhead etc to mill with would probably get you a couple of days milling. Far less waste and much much quicker. What type of timber and sizes are you looking at milling up ?. Where you based ?. 
 

[Bosun]

Hello,

Thank you, we had also discussed the use of a mobile mill (and operator), which may at the end of the day be our best bet, as milling is likely to be only "as and when" we get fallen trees.  It's only that we have a mill, so why not see if we can use it.  It would also be a good reason to commission  a new forestry trailer that's sat unused for several years.

Timber would be mainly oak, ash and a little beech up to around 500mm dia.  We are in Essex.

[Johnsond]

1 hour ago, Bosun said:

Hello,

Thank you, we had also discussed the use of a mobile mill (and operator), which may at the end of the day be our best bet, as milling is likely to be only "as and when" we get fallen trees.  It's only that we have a mill, so why not see if we can use it.  It would also be a good reason to commission  a new forestry trailer that's sat unused for several years.

Timber would be mainly oak, ash and a little beech up to around 500mm dia.  We are in Essex.

I see where you are coming from with the desire to use the chainsaw mill, but from my experience I’d say a mobile mill and a good operator will give you ten times the output in a day that you will ever achieve with any chainsaw mill set up. Logs around that size ain’t that big and will be well within the capacity of most mobile mills and as I say production will suprise you,kerf on a sawmill is only 2.2-2.3mm too so far less waste and mess. 
I use an 880 granberg set up with a 59” bar but restrict the chainsaw mill usage to breaking down logs too big for the sawmill ie anything over 1.2m diameter, they definitely have a use but it’s a hard laborious slow process. You can still sort the trailer, get  the logs out and store them off the ground until a worthwhile quantity is available to mill. There’s a directory on here to locate a sawmill op near you. Or just ask for a mobile milling service in Essex. After all that I do still get where you are coming from wanting to do it yourselves. Maybe try one day with a hired in mill, the more help you can give the operator the better so he actually keeps cutting rather than labouring, a good telehandler or tractor loader on site increases efficiency big time. 
Earlier this year I did a day  for a local community trust and they were drowning in milled timber by the end of it.

Good luck 👍

[Bosun]

Thank you, that does sound like a more viable solution.

[roys]

42 minutes ago, Johnsond said:

I see where you are coming from with the desire to use the chainsaw mill, but from my experience I’d say a mobile mill and a good operator will give you ten times the output in a day that you will ever achieve with any chainsaw mill set up. Logs around that size ain’t that big and will be well within the capacity of most mobile mills and as I say production will suprise you,kerf on a sawmill is only 2.2-2.3mm too so far less waste and mess. 
I use an 880 granberg set up with a 59” bar but restrict the chainsaw mill usage to breaking down logs too big for the sawmill ie anything over 1.2m diameter, they definitely have a use but it’s a hard laborious slow process. You can still sort the trailer, get  the logs out and store them off the ground until a worthwhile quantity is available to mill. There’s a directory on here to locate a sawmill op near you. Or just ask for a mobile milling service in Essex. After all that I do still get where you are coming from wanting to do it yourselves. Maybe try one day with a hired in mill, the more help you can give the operator the better so he actually keeps cutting rather than labouring, a good telehandler or tractor loader on site increases efficiency big time. 
Earlier this year I did a day  for a local community trust and they were drowning in milled timber by the end of it.

Good luck 👍

Just out of interest how do you power your mill, I see it is 3 phase do you bring your own generator or do you need a 3 phase supply wher3 you set up.

[Johnsond]

2 minutes ago, roys said:

Just out of interest how do you power your mill, I see it is 3 phase do you bring your own generator or do you need a 3 phase supply wher3 you set up.

Couple of guys I cut for have 3 phase, but normally a 60kva generator ((probably a bit excessive) currently on a trailer but in process of getting it mounted onto an urban tractor unit that will tow the mill, behind schedule with that job due to day job commitments this year. I’ll stick a few pics up when the whole thing is done.