A question?, My best option for milling Sitka is?

[difflock]

Thank you Jonothan,

I had noted Rob D's enthuastic posting in respect of this "new" mill, an anyways I like the sound of "flip & rip".

Better get the 260 tuned up in readiness:laugh1:

[Big J]

Haha! No MS260 is going to handle any kind of milling. It's amazing just how much quicker a larger saw is - almost disproportionately so.

 

The flip and rip works best with a 20 inch bar or thereabouts, so it will cover any and all sitka you'll have. Obviously running a 20 inch bar on an MS880 is going to result in the quickest cutting, but whether you want to spend that kind of money on a saw you'll only use for milling is your choice. An MS660 would be ideal, I'd say.

 

I can't think whether it comes with it, but if you are going to be using the mill statically with numerous smaller logs, you'll want to build some sort of bed and clamping system. Should be easy enough to fabricate though.

 

Jonathan

[Rob D]

As Big J says you really want at least an 80cc to 90cc saw for the flip and rip... that and a 20" or maybe 22" bar and it'll work very very well....

 

 

The one I currently have will be on sale shortly as I look to take delivery of the first production batch.... but I'm not keen on selling it yet... there's something about this mill and what it'll do and I need to put it through it's paces.

 

 

I'll have some vids in a month or so of just what it is capable of. I want to try lowering the saw down into a log for morticing or cutting sections out of logs etc.

[difflock]

Sigh,

Being resigned to being a stihl man, yes probably a 660, though I have wondered why Logosol offer the 391? is it, the farmers saw, as the basic choice or then the 660 or 880, I take this odd , though perhaps this 391 has more suitable lugging characteristics, than other more professional models from within Stihls range.

 

PS cheers Rob, I `am in no rush, some indication of likely price would be nice to see how it may or may not rate again the 0pposition.

Which to date would most probably be the M8 Logosol, as they have me nicely brainwashed with their regular free newsletter and promo offers:confused1:

cheers

marcus

[agg221]

Hi Marcus,

 

I'll try to find some pictures of the Swedish construction method I mentioned.

 

Regarding saws - if you decide to use a chainsaw mill such as the rip and flip, you could consider an 056 or an 051 as a powerhead. They're a slower chain speed, but the high torque means you can take the rakers down some and they'll pretty much keep up with a 660. My limited experience suggests that slow revving saws may mill best with skip chain - easy for the 051 as the original sprocket fitting is .404". These powerheads are much cheaper, the 051 has good parts availability (don't know for the 056 as I don't have one). Their biggest down side is that they have poorer power to weight ratio, but this doesn't matter if you're bringing logs to the mill.

 

Alec

[Chris Sheppard]

Have you had a look at the Norwood Portmill? Not currently brought into the UK as the Norwood importer also is the Logosol importer and the Portamill would go head to head with the smaller Logosols.

 

Have spoke with Norwood and they seem happy to send individual ones over.

 

i liked the look of it as it seems to be easy to transport and easy to set up. Very close to placing an order as I think it could be a good first step as we get a fair bit of smaller stuff that is quite slow work with an Alaskan due to the set up for each log.

[difflock]

Thanks Alec & Chris, all good stuff.

Cheers

Marcus

[agg221]

I've finally figured out the Swedish construction method I mentioned. It's called board and batten, still in use but much scaled down. The early ones have thick boards 3-4in thick x 8-12in wide.

 

The one I've seen close up is in Linköping which conveniently has Google streetview. I can't figure out how to extract pictures, but to find it, go to Google maps and type in:

 

Agatan 64, Linkoping, Sverige

 

This will put the marker at the junction between Agatan to the East and Apotekaregatan to the South.

 

Heading NW/NNW is Gråbrödragatan.

 

Click on the 'A' marker and click on the picture for streetview.

Head down Gråbrödragatan and you will shortly see a red-oxide painted shed on the left, and a small barn on the right.

 

The shed is relatively modern, with even spaced boards. If you look at the barn though you'll see the boards are random widths of between 8in and 12in.

 

Hope you can find it from this! If not, I'll have another go at describing the location.

 

Alec

[broonie]

zoom in here

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=202454441642390954885.0004cbe374381c8a26a5c&gl=uk&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=19&vpsrc=1&iwloc=0004cbe3743981e87255e&layer=t&lci=com.panoramio.all

[agg221]

zoom in here

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=202454441642390954885.0004cbe374381c8a26a5c&gl=uk&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=19&vpsrc=1&iwloc=0004cbe3743981e87255e&layer=t&lci=com.panoramio.all

 

Yep, that's the spot. I particularly like the front elevation of the barn. The construction technique on the older buildings is a very efficient use of timber and it really lasts well. The paint is called falun red, and it's characteristic of Sweden. It's made from tailings from a copper mine in Falun, boiled with rye flour. It is a very effective preservative for sawn timber and lasts really well (up to 15yrs). I've bought some to do my shed with!

 

Alec

Edited October 12, 2012 by agg221