advise on a chain saw mill

[roglog]

Im thinking of purchasing a chainsaw mill for milling some pine to use for the roof in a pole barn im building this summer.

never had any experience or even seen one of these! any one recomend anything and are they simple to use, i think im looking to make 8x4 planks around 18' long idealy

[agg221]

Chainsaw mills are very simple to use. It depends on the power of your saw and the size of your logs as to which way to go, coupled with the how much else you might want to use it for.

 

If you have a 90+cc saw, with logs of 18" and upwards, I would go for a Granberg Alaskan MkIII. You will need a bar about 6" longer than the width you want to cut, and a ripping chain to go with it.

 

If you have a smaller saw, say 60cc and up, I would go with a mini-mill.

 

The biggest issue you will have is setting up a rail long enough to take the first cut off straight on an 18' length. Most people mill using a ladder as a rail, and an 18' single length is going some. Unfortunately the Ripsaw system is, whilst excellent, extremely hard to get hold of.

 

There is a technique for taking a first cut, where you take a load of coach screws of various lengths and a piece of 6"x2" or 8"x2" plank (or a decent length scaffold board). You screw the first pair of coach screws into the top of the log at one end and another pair at the other end, checking with a spirit level over the tops that each pair is horizontal. You then stringline down the log, and screw in pairs of coach screws so that the tops are just at the stringline. This gives you two straight lines (you need the various lengths of coach screws to account for the differences in dips and bumps in the log).

 

You can now rest the plank on the heads of the coach screws and either screw it down or have a second person to hold it. Mill from one end, reach the end and then slide the board down; repeat until you're out of the log. Take a second cut, and you now have a nice long, straight flat bit to use for any subsequent logs. I have done this for milling 20' oak planks x about 14" wide, 2" thick, out in the middle of nowhere and extracting them on a wheelbarrow!

 

Mills - have a look on chainsawbars.co.uk and drop Rob D a pm for your Arbtalk discount.

 

Alec

[Rhob the Log]

I'm going to try a new rail method, maybe tomorrow. Will post pics if it works. It's using 6m metal roof supports; fairly light, round and straight as an arrow with brackets on the ends...I say light, we'll see.

[agrimog]

the length of beam your looking for, and the quantity your going to require, I would sugest you get all your stock into one place and look at contracting someone in with a bandsaw, or a lucas/peterson swing mill, your going to have problems on that length with an alaskan unless your guide rail is very "stiff", to guarantee straight boards you really need to be looking at something like a logosol timberjig or even an m7 or m8 mill, not saying you cant do it with an alaskan, but your going to spend a lot of time setting your first cuts up, for what you want I personally would look at a swing mill, but each to there own

[delabodge]

If Im honest,,take away the sheer delight and satifaction of milling your own timber,,,but having spent money on a big saw,,the cost of the alaskan, fuel,chain costs,etc,,sometimes wonder if its better (less rsi)to buy softwood beams?

Now if your milling a lovely piece of yew in the middle of nowhere and have an arbtrolley to remove it,,,,different story,,,

[Paul Smith]

Agg221, like your idea, its a bit like using the Alaskan bracket system with out the brackets. I did see some made from galvanised trunking bolted together but I can't remember where!

[RDB logs]

I'm going to try a new rail method, maybe tomorrow. Will post pics if it works. It's using 6m metal roof supports; fairly light, round and straight as an arrow with brackets on the ends...I say light, we'll see.

 

im looking forward to this- please post some photos even if it fails so we can all avoid it:001_tt2:

 

as for the pole barn i will be building one this summer with mine when it arrives, i have the poles and the wood just need mill and time! will post pics when i start

[difflock]

I take it that is a reference to "Z" purlions, folded from relatively light gauge galv steel.

Certainly span a min of 6m/20ft (standard I think) and no doubt longer (but heavier ) ones are readily available.

But they need to be "edge on" for to be stiff.

Make up a ladder with 2 of them connected with threaded rod perhaps.

Well Derp!

Reread the post and spotted "round", so not "Z" purlions then:blushing:

I suspect my "Z" purloins would be better:001_tt2: as those round sections strike me as wind bracing therefore stiffer/stronger and therefore heavier per m/run

Edited April 16, 2013 by difflock

[broonie]

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[agg221]

Agg221, like your idea, its a bit like using the Alaskan bracket system with out the brackets. I did see some made from galvanised trunking bolted together but I can't remember where!

 

I can't remember where I got it from - might have been Chainsaw Lumbermaking. I used it successfully to mill up several oaks about half a mile down a canal. The key thing is to set it all up perfectly on the first one to get a perfect face. You can then cut off a perfect plank on the second cut, and then use that plank as the guide for all subsequent butts.

 

Alec