getting a cant using small log mill

[duffs]

Ive a wee log mill, alaskan one of course. hwoever, im in the process of value adding to what wud have been firewood, anyway, im tinkering around at the minute - not right now though, but im having a wee bit ofdifficulty cutting cants. no bohter with top and bottom wane obviously but getting an accurate cant is a bithc. mind you i reckon its has something to do with 1 - getting everything level iincluding the guide rail (plank), 2 - measurign the cant required at each end and 3 - the mill itself. now the mill, is it possible to get an accurate cant or is it soley for planks. please.

meantime back at the ranch i'll batter away and bring it to the local timber yard and get them to plane it square.

[Bob Slade]

you should be able to get a cant by making the toe end adjuster longer than the head end. failing that it should tell you how to do it in the instructions you got with the mill. if you have lost them then check out the alasken mill web site.

[duffs]

Naw i can't find that in the instructions at all at all. But c'mere, wheres the toe end adjuster are you sure yer talking about the small log mill?

[Rob D]

Have a look here for the instructions http://www.alaskanmill.co.uk/doc/timber_cutting.pdf

 

The pain is getting the right angle while trying to keep your first cut rails square on the log.

 

Other alternative is to buy a mini mill but maybe keep trying with the small log mill and get some money back first.

[duffs]

Aye, naw, aye, naw....................tis grand with a log that has no taper, howevre, having no machinery im dealng with small logs upto 9' and not to wide(18''). Here, im looking to cut the wanes off and leave the cant, a square in other words. top wane using the rail (plank) - no prob - no real levelling, using that side then to cut bottom wane. but see then when u swing th log over to take the other wanes off, thats where it gets difficult. im guessing its all about maths or something because there's no way of winging it witht he plank as it folows he taper. Or am i using a mill that is solelly for planking. Ive looked at the minimill at it seems, according to the attched literature, that once u've tken the top and bottom wanes, u then unhook outta the small mill and hook up the minimill t do the side (so to speak)?? Is this the bet option? i know use boyos are going to yes as theres something telling me ye want te sell me something...........

[Rob D]

Ho ho! Well for what you want to do - it's what the mini mill is designed to do!

 

And you've tried without it and found it's a pain where it's easy with the mini mill!

 

So I'm offering to sell you something that I can see you need and with what you want to do you should buy because that, my friend, is the facts!!

 

Have a look at this video here [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO7r_1EWT34]YouTube - Granberg Mini-Mill II from baileysonline.com[/ame] it shows how it works - you get 12 ft of 2ft sections of track (you can buy extra if you need but you say you are cutting 9' logs)

[duffs]

aye, i thought so. ure dead right. have to buy it, i did try taking the guie frmae of the small milll an tyring it but poor results so im to busy to carry on writing as i have to go back out in the ark to earn a wee bit more to pay for this new wee thing.

job done, many htanks and good selling !!!

[ecolojim]

Rob, is it feasible to use the mini mill alone to make cants would you say? I can envisage easily how you would do it so long as you can keep your guide plank stabilised for the first cut, and supposing a perfect 90 degree angle between base and guide bar. I just wondered if it's something you've tried

[duffs]

I cant c how you woud be able to on that mini mill, theres no guide thingy to help cut the .... ...........naw howl on a minute ou might be rite.plank on top, cut the side wanes, flip her over and use the previous cuts - getiting the angle rite, to ssquare her off. weel in theory it seems capable, i dont c itmuch use for plnking though. ive got the small mill so no chice but to get the mini to get the cant becasue i cant cant!