Better method of chainsaw milling

[delabodge]

most people dont have a option of chainsawing milling first,then if there lucky will have a bandmill, a forklift/telehandler,,etc,,,, so thats why most mill through and through,,and take there chances,,,,>?

[delabodge]

as we get wiser ,we quatersaw,see the results and offer better stabilised timber,but its not everybodys bag as they dont have the resourses to be able to offer it,,,but great to be able to explain why we do it,,,if you want through and through for benches etc,carry on,,,,

[gensetsteve]

I have got some nice big butts of poplar some are nearly 30" across. The 20" stuff is great through my woodmizer but over that it dont fit I am only reducing to 250x75mm for cross cutting then kindling. I am thinking I may be better with a lucas mill.

[Pan]

Just to expand this idea further Rob - have you thought of sawing the initial butt into three pieces instead of in half?

 

If you take the oak butt in your photo and you saw two vertical cuts say 6 -8" each side of the pith - this middle section could then be planked into 12 boards, turned again and ripped through the pith to give you 24 true quarter planks.

 

You have then still got the remaining two halves to plank as you wish to give you your crown cuts or more quarter boards.

 

Just an idea - what do you think?

[Rob D]

how much do you charge?

by the hour?

 

 

Don't tend to do much contract sawing these days unless is very close by...

 

 

But if I do it is £400-00+vat a day - includes combo of Peterson and chainsaw milling.

 

 

 

[Rob D]

as we get wiser ,we quatersaw,see the results and offer better stabilised timber,but its not everybodys bag as they dont have the resourses to be able to offer it,,,but great to be able to explain why we do it,,,if you want through and through for benches etc,carry on,,,,

 

 

The only tricky bit with this method is the rolling of the half log up - but the idea is then you can offer quartersawn/rift sawn boards using a chainsaw mill..... with this one I am using the bandsaw but you could quite easily just now work your way down that half log with the Alaskan.

 

 

 

[Rob D]

Just to expand this idea further Rob - have you thought of sawing the initial butt into three pieces instead of in half?

 

If you take the oak butt in your photo and you saw two vertical cuts say 6 -8" each side of the pith - this middle section could then be planked into 12 boards, turned again and ripped through the pith to give you 24 true quarter planks.

 

You have then still got the remaining two halves to plank as you wish to give you your crown cuts or more quarter boards.

 

Just an idea - what do you think?

 

 

Yep that would work well too - although then I think you would prob def need a forklift or similar to move it around and re saw...

 

 

But yep good idea.

[Rob D]

I have got some nice big butts of poplar some are nearly 30" across. The 20" stuff is great through my woodmizer but over that it dont fit I am only reducing to 250x75mm for cross cutting then kindling. I am thinking I may be better with a lucas mill.

 

I have a peterson - they are very good - harder to set up than a bandsaw IMO.... but on large logs they are quicker if you want dimensional timber.

[gensetsteve]

I have a peterson - they are very good - harder to set up than a bandsaw IMO.... but on large logs they are quicker if you want dimensional timber.

 

A big pile of 3x3 are ideal to cross but for the kindlet. Bit of twist, corkscrewed or warped not a problem as we cut them down to 6"

[Rob D]

Update to this thread.... never seem to be able to get stuck into milling for a whole day but a couple of hours at a time only