First go on the mill...

[LeBucheron]

it all takes time I hate setting up it gets easier and quicker

the more u do the better/ quicker u get

another good bit of kit and I wont leave home with out it when milling is

Products for the category: 12 volt grinders

 

Just ordered goodies off Rob's website. Extra chain, grinder, helper handle (in case I lack a camera-shy helper) and a few plastic wedges.

 

I had replied to Big J but the post disappeared after initially appearing quoting a post from another thread. Basically I fixed the ladder by clamping it with three strips of ply as I had to borrow it and the owner obviously did not want me to drill through his rungs! It was nice and solid and didn't move so that was good, although I had to get new screws as the coach screws I had would have popped out over the heigh of the ladder.

 

Regarding the see-saw, I had to finish that top cut event though the chain really was way below the sharpness required. The only saving grace was the sheer power of the two 76's driving it. I would have preferred to take the saw out, resharpen and come back today to finish but as I said, the ladder was borrowed so needed to come back. The see-saw was the only way to get it to bite but obviously the finish is a bit poor as a result. Will plane ok I'm sure and I hope the next cut will be much smoother once I have three fully sharpened chains.

 

With regards to metal, if you check the whole log and get a result with a detector somewhere in the middle, what can be done? Do you just abandoned the job as how can you now exactly where it is? Obviously I've learned the hard way 5cms into my first cut what metal does to a chain and with 135 links that's a whole lot of cutters to resharpen!

 

Thanks for all the feedback, will post pictures of the next boards, which hopefully will improved. I plan to stack them without batons and fully strapped to avoid too much warping.

[burrell_]

ROB D has all the answers

if u find it on the end of the log like urs just ring the end off

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1becny_q1Y]Milling a walnut tree with metal using Alistec SC250 metal detector - YouTube[/ame]

[agg221]

Thanks for all the feedback, will post pictures of the next boards, which hopefully will improved. I plan to stack them without batons and fully strapped to avoid too much warping.

 

You will need to use battens - they create the air gaps that let the moisture out so that the timber dries.

 

Unlike Burrell, I actually enjoy setting up and taking the first cut. I find something satisfying in the precision of aligning it - I try to take it dead down the middle, taking out the pith end to end if the log is straight, so that it gets rid of it, and takes the maximum possible amount of stress out.

 

Alec

[burrell_]

un like agg221 I don't have as much patience:001_tt2::lol:

bin tryin to get hold of u

(we have worked together)

I do like agg221 way of splitting the trunk down the middle (I do this now) when I can

the only thing I like about setting up is after that first cut and opening the trunk open to see what colours are in the wood

[ucoulddoit]

A slight variation to taking the first cut through the pith is to make cuts 1 1/2 to 2 inches above and below it then split the plank in half with a couple of cuts, again either side of the pith. So a small square of timber containing the pith is completely removed to minimise the risk of cracks developing. I often do this to get a couple of thick quarter sawn planks, then through and through planks for the rest. But I only mill timber for my own use so the extra time taken isn't an issue.

 

Andrew

[LeBucheron]

You will need to use battens - they create the air gaps that let the moisture out so that the timber dries.

 

Unlike Burrell, I actually enjoy setting up and taking the first cut. I find something satisfying in the precision of aligning it - I try to take it dead down the middle, taking out the pith end to end if the log is straight, so that it gets rid of it, and takes the maximum possible amount of stress out.

 

Alec

 

Aren't they going to warp like mad if I use batons? Or will straps keep it together ok? Just thinking until september as the tree was felled in october.

[Rob D]

 

With regards to metal, if you check the whole log and get a result with a detector somewhere in the middle, what can be done? Do you just abandoned the job as how can you now exactly where it is? Obviously I've learned the hard way 5cms into my first cut what metal does to a chain and with 135 links that's a whole lot of cutters to resharpen!

.

 

 

All good and thanks for the order - good vid here on the grinder [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEdu4u6dnGA&feature=c4-overview&list=UU9K0KfLNH84tuWi2VjlSlCg]Granberg precision grinder and accurate depth guage raker setting for chainsaw chain - YouTube[/ame]

 

 

Neat stacking and stickering of boards is a must and I've learnt the hard way to use even stickers

[agg221]

A slight variation to taking the first cut through the pith is to make cuts 1 1/2 to 2 inches above and below it then split the plank in half with a couple of cuts, again either side of the pith. So a small square of timber containing the pith is completely removed to minimise the risk of cracks developing. I often do this to get a couple of thick quarter sawn planks, then through and through planks for the rest. But I only mill timber for my own use so the extra time taken isn't an issue.

 

Andrew

 

I've done this, and it works well, but you sometimes get a butt with a lot of stress in it which opens up like a banana when you mill it. A cut dead up the centre takes most of the stress out. If it stays flat, I can then carry on and mill boards, if it doesn't I stand it on edge and do the same again up the middle and the quarters then stay stable so that I can mill boards off them.

 

Alec

[muttley9050]

What do you use to hold the half up in such a way that you cab still mill most of it, without lots of rejigging. Also interested in others techniques for stabilizing small logs for millling without fouling mill too soon.

[ucoulddoit]

I've done this, and it works well, but you sometimes get a butt with a lot of stress in it which opens up like a banana when you mill it. Alec

 

 

Re the problem of stresses in a butt, I should probably have mentioned in my earlier post that I tend to mill relatively short logs so they are probably less prone to distortion if there is stress in them. 7 to 8 feet long is the max length I tend to use which will yield planks long enough for almost any type of furniture, but I've milled quite a few logs only 3 to 4 feet long. These are fine for my own use and can yield some terrific timber, but probably a waste of time if you want to sell it. The thick quarter sawn planks I mentioned are then resawn into thinner boards once the timber is dry and I've decided what to do with it.

 

James asked for comments about milling small logs. Before I had an Alaskan mill, a few times I chainsawed logs free hand lengthwise into smaller sections then had the pieces milled into thin planks on a woodmiser. Instead of quartering the logs. I cut them into three sections as sketched below so that I could still get reasonable width planks. Quite easy to breakdown a log 20inches diameter by 6 feet long so that it can be moved in the back of an estate car by this method. But there is quite a bit of waste if chainsawing freehand.

 

Andrew