Idea for making chainsawmilling easier...

[18 stoner]

Cheers Rob, i can feel a days milling coming on next week now, even if its just to try that little tip!

[dylan]

you could get two pieces of uni strut and two pieces of angle iron to make a rail system

simplly fasten a piece of angle between the two lengths of uni stut at each end to suit log length and secure with screws into the end grain

have got all the bits but not got round to making it yet will post pics when i do

[Bob Slade]

i think i mentioned this before, i find the best way to stop the bar dropping is to stop about 12" from the end and then push the far end of the bar round till it is about half way out of the top, then pull it back and push the head end round to meet the cut, square the bar and put two wedges behind the bar. if you are using a long bar and big drive head this is the time to turn it off then move round to the front of the mill and then draw the mill out. this way you will always keep two rails on the wood and stop drop off. try it and see that you dont need loads of unnessessary gear.

[Rob D]

Good tip Bob

[Buzzsurgeon]

Got an idea to of how to make chainsaw milling easier although not sure how careful I have to be suggesting things not recommended by the manufacturer

 

I'm thinking a lightweight stand at the end of the log you're milling with a pendulum weight that you attach through a pulley that runs parallel to log onto somewhere on the mill. This should give a constant pull on the mill which saves you pushing it.

 

 

Another good site I've started to look at is the The Carpenters Fellowship

 

as they specialise in timber framed buildings. There could be a good market here for us chainsaw millers in that they are often looking for curved elbows and braces - difficult for other set ups but easy with a chainsaw mill once you have the first flat edge. Also they like 4" boards which means less milling.

 

 

I'm hoping to attend there show this year and do a talk on chainsaw milling but I'm also toying with the idea of doing a short course on timber framing. What could be better than being able to mill your own wood then build a proper timber frame!

 

 

Another place to watch is here http://www.arboristsite.com/forumdisplay.php?f=62 where there are a few dedicated chainsaw millers and in particular a fellow called BobL who has probably forgotten more than I know!!

 

Could you use a simple hand winch attached near the saw :confused1:to pull the saw along?

[openboater]

To hold down my ladder for the first cut I use lengths of seat belt. Cut to about 18" lengths, doubled over and screwed into the wood with 2 screws each side of the rung (4 per strap). I use 6mm hex head coach screws, either 25mm or 50mm long depending on bark thickness or the unevenness of the timber.