Oak milling questions

[Pltreesurgery]

Hi all

I have a section of oak here on the local estate I do maintenance work for ,

Interested in getting into Alaskan milling and looking for advice ,

The oak limb blew of in the high winds we had early last year feb or march I think , and has been lying semi attached since then , I have just been given permission to take it and was looking for thoughts or suggestions ,

How does the process go ? Mill it then season or vice versa ? I have a feeling it would be the later so go easy as the whole milling thing is foreign to me at the moment but I would say I understand the basics ,

Would a stihl 066 be a suitable milling saw or would it be a but wee ?

The straightest part of the section is about 3 to 4 meters long before going into a 2 meter bend , please find photos attached , girth approx 2 feet at butt end

Paul

[agg221]

Looks a good bit to have a first go at.

 

Mill first, then season. Firstly you'd be waiting ages (decades) to season something that big in the round; secondly, milling seasoned oak is very hard work. Before you start, you need to decide where you're going to season it and get the area laid out - somewhere out of direct sunlight with good air flow through. You will also ideally want to stop rain running directly onto it, although with careful stacking you can make sure that it runs off the boards and put the remaining slab on the top, upside down, for protection. You will also need plenty of sticks to place between the boards, every couple of feet, vertically above one another. Old bits of pallet are what I find most convenient. This lets the air flow through.

 

The other thing you need to decide before milling is what you want to make. This decides the lengths and thicknesses you need to mill to. If you're making something where dimension matters, allow for significant (20%) shrinkage, and some cupping, when you cut the boards, so make them plenty over-thickness. If it's outdoor furniture, this doesn't matter usually.

 

This is a good time of year to mill - you'll get the worst of the water out while it's still not too hot and dry, so the surface won't dry faster than the middle. With air drying only, I prefer to mill between September and March given the choice.

 

2ft diameter can be handled with an 066 - it's what I used to use. Make sure you get a ripping chain, and I would strongly advise getting the electric grinder from Rob D too. In milling, it's not just about the sharpness of the teeth but also about the absolute uniformity which is far harder to achieve (probably impossible?) purely by hand. Try timing the first cut, then time subsequent cuts. An 066 doesn't give you a lot of spare power and you'll really feel the slowing down. Touch up the teeth by hand and it will get better. Touch up the teeth with an indexing grinder and you'll find you're back to original speed.

 

With the bend part - if you want to make something from it, like a curved seat top, then the Alaskan will comfortably do this. If you don't, it's worth seeing if it's a useful shape to anyone.

 

Alec

[Pltreesurgery]

Thank you very much for you reply mate , which size mill would you recommend for the 066 ? would I order direct from the website ?

Your advice is gratefully appreciated !

Paul

[ucoulddoit]

It's a bit difficult to see from the pictures but if the 'limb' was a branch, boards milled from it are likely to have areas of reaction wood which will twist/bend significantly as they dry. If the pith is close to the centre it might be OK. Pretty sure most people only use the main butt on a tree for milling.

 

Andrew

[Big J]

Whilst it's always very good to have timber to practice milling on in the early days, I wouldn't both milling that particular stem.

 

Stick to a main trunk and you will have far fewer problems. Mill first, then season. It's just not possible the other way around. My chainsaw milling experience has been virtually exclusively with an 088, so I cannot comment on an 066.

 

If the heart is centrally located within the branch, it might be worth milling to practice, but still expect much more movement than you would get with a main stem.

 

Keep us in the loop!

[Pltreesurgery]

Cheers everyone , anybody doing milling in scotland ? I'm in Perth would be good to see a setup in action

Cheers

Paul

[Big J]

I am just the other side of the Forth Road Bridge, otherwise there is Pol Bergius (Black Dog Timber) in Forteviot.

 

You are always welcome to come down here. If you want to lend your services as a labourer for a day, we can do a bit of milling, stacking and I can tell you as much or as little as you like about sawing wood!

[delabodge]

:thumbup1:thats a great offer Big J!!!

[Rob D]

You can order a mill of the website - but register on there first, then tell me and I can set a 10% discount on your account then.

 

 

I'd go for a 36" Alaskan mill, ripping chain and precision grinder and stones - sharp chain is everything with chainsaw milling.

 

 

You could have a go milling that branch but if I were you go and see Big J - he'll no doubt have some timber there you can practice on and the experience and info you'll get off him will be invaluable.

[Pltreesurgery]

I will take you up on that big j , much appreciated ! Would weekends suit as I am pretty tied up in tree work and estate maintenance during the week

Cheers again

Paul