Homemade Chainsaw Mill

[Big J]

Looks cracking Rob, I could well be interested in one of those too.....

 

Do you think it would work well with one man and your winch system?

 

I find chain milling is always best done with two people regardless as you get less unintended movement in the mill, resulting in a much better finish. My labourer for the day ends up adding a cost of about £1 to each cubic foot, which I think is worth it, especially as he's an extra pair of hands to help move boards with.

 

Jonathan

[Stompy]

I find chain milling is always best done with two people regardless as you get less unintended movement in the mill, resulting in a much better finish. My labourer for the day ends up adding a cost of about £1 to each cubic foot, which I think is worth it, especially as he's an extra pair of hands to help move boards with.

 

Jonathan

 

Cheers Jonathan...... I would usually be have someone with me but every so often a little impromptu or emergency milling is in order when I'm the only one about. Just wondered is there was any sort of limit to milling width anyone would suggest for a one man winch mill operation?

[agg221]

Cheers Jonathan...... I would usually be have someone with me but every so often a little impromptu or emergency milling is in order when I'm the only one about. Just wondered is there was any sort of limit to milling width anyone would suggest for a one man winch mill operation?

 

I normally mill my own stuff on my own, although I completely agree with Jonathan regarding the advantages of working alongside someone else where the opportunity presents itself.

 

The maximum width I can do is 36" and I have done this (including having to trim the odd bit off as I go along to squeeze the mill through ). This is without the winch - with winch fitted I reckon I could do 48" easily, and probably as wide as I can practically go. When I've paid off my current debt to Rob I will be setting up to go to the full 72", as I have some timber to mill at full width, probably working singlehanded so I'll let you know how it goes!

 

Rob - what width was that cut, as there is no sign of sag at all and that mill looks like a modded Alaskan so no bar tensioning.

 

Alec

[Mike Dempsey]

My mate and I often go and do the bigger trees together as he has an 88 compared to my 66. About 4 years ago he went off on a round the world trip with his wife for a year which kind of left me stuck whem I needed a hand to plank up some 30 inch dia beech which I would then have had to carry about 40 metres to my van. Solution, I had to make up a wheeled apparatus which I could bolt to the end of planks that would turn in into a kind of wheelbarrow. I begged, borrowed and stole the wheels and other wee bits and pieces to make OPPRA - one person plank removal apparatus. It works really well and I have shifted some really big and heavy planks since then, even shifting 2.7m long planks of doug fir which were about 24" wide at 2.25 inches thick just recently (100m hike). I made it so I could fit planks up to 5 inches thick, but so far the thickest planks so far have been 4 inches thick. I don't have any photos to hand but I am going back to the workshop tonight and I will take a couple of photos.

[Mike Dempsey]

Here's a quick three pictures of my one person plank removal apparatus or oppra. Its a bit rough and ready but it works and takes out the hard work of lifting heavy planks. I didn't have any large wheels but as the council bin yard was near my workshop at the time a couple of sets of wheel bin wheels was appropriated (legally)! The other bits and pieces was just what I could scrounge or had lying around. The two clamps are just threaded rod with a nut and washer welded on one end and a bit of round bar on the other end. They are spaced about 8 inches apart and I can fit any width of plank on it.

[Rob D]

Looks cracking Rob, I could well be interested in one of those too.....

 

Do you think it would work well with one man and your winch system?

 

 

I think it would be fine with one and a winch - I've been using my Alaskan 56" and on a 59" Stihl bar...

 

 

Winches are the way to go - only a one man operation - and even then it's much easier than 2 men and no winch...

 

 

[Rob D]

 

Rob - what width was that cut, as there is no sign of sag at all and that mill looks like a modded Alaskan so no bar tensioning.

 

Alec

 

 

It was a staight Alaskan mill but all the drive stuff is modded - 72" double ended Granberg bar - they are beasts of things twice as wide in the middle... may have been an 84" double ended...

 

 

Looks like it cuts flater than a normal sprocket nosed bar,

 

 

[Rob D]

OPPRA - one person plank removal apparatus.

 

 

Great idea mike and love the name!

 

 

Would like to see it in action - I'm pretty sure I can see how it works - similar to a sack barrow? Does it still do ok in the wet?

 

 

 

[bella wood]

Ive got to say that hydraulic saw does look good,, would be good to know what type/size of motor it is ,,

 

Im sure it will need a big oil tank a hot hydraulic oil can kill a system

[Mike Dempsey]

Hi Rob

Its works ok in the wet. I put on the double wheels to help it stop sinking but that means it weighs a lot more than if I just used balloon tyres. I will take some photos the next time I am out.

 

Mike