Milling advice

[Gnomic]

Hi All, I'm after some suggestions.

 

I have a beech log, still green, it broke off a tree last week. I'd like to make a table out of it. The max diameter is 19", length is 8ft. I've painted the ends with PVA so it won't dry out too quickly.

 

I've read the posts about the Arkansas equipment and that seems the way to go. Which Akansas mill would you suggest ?

 

I have a friend with a Stihl chainsaw ( about 50cc) but the bar is too short, so I have to get another one, plus a rip chain. Do I need a more powerful saw ?

 

Is it better to mill the log while it is still green, will it get harder as it dries ?

 

Mike

Rochester, Kent

[agg221]

Hi Mike,

 

I think you mean the Alaskan mill?

 

For what you want to do, the 24" mill will go through and you would need at least a 25" bar, even if you take the dogs off the saw.

 

To do this reasonably you need at least a 70cc saw and preferably 90cc. You will also need a ripping chain. Worth looking at http://www.chainsawbars.co.uk as Rob D on here sells all the equipment you would need (except the saw).

 

You are best off milling it green, but you would ideally not do it yet - if the ends are painted then I would leave it in the shade but off the ground (up on a couple of blocks or similar) until September as it will dry more slowly if you get the first of the seasoning done over winter.

 

If you need to buy the saw, mill and chain, for milling one log this will be rather expensive. Unless you have a burning desire to do the milling yourself it is worth considering having it done. If you want to consider going that way and want a price, drop me a PM as I am often down that way (I grew up in North Kent and still have family in the Medway Towns). I would be able to go through it very quickly with an 076. If you search for the milling pics and vids thread the first post is by Burrell of us both milling some similar sized ash.

 

Alec

[delabodge]

Hi Mike,

 

I think you mean the Alaskan mill?

 

For what you want to do, the 24" mill will go through and you would need at least a 25" bar, even if you take the dogs off the saw.

 

To do this reasonably you need at least a 70cc saw and preferably 90cc. You will also need a ripping chain. Worth looking at Chainsawbars ? chainsaw chains, chainsaw bars and chainsaw accessories as Rob D on here sells all the equipment you would need (except the saw).

 

You are best off milling it green, but you would ideally not do it yet - if the ends are painted then I would leave it in the shade but off the ground (up on a couple of blocks or similar) until September as it will dry more slowly if you get the first of the seasoning done over winter.

 

If you need to buy the saw, mill and chain, for milling one log this will be rather expensive. Unless you have a burning desire to do the milling yourself it is worth considering having it done. If you want to consider going that way and want a price, drop me a PM as I am often down that way (I grew up in North Kent and still have family in the Medway Towns). I would be able to go through it very quickly with an 076. If you search for the milling pics and vids thread the first post is by Burrell of us both milling some similar sized ash.

 

Alec

good advice!!

[Gnomic]

Hi Mike,

 

I think you mean the Alaskan mill?

 

For what you want to do, the 24" mill will go through and you would need at least a 25" bar, even if you take the dogs off the saw.

 

To do this reasonably you need at least a 70cc saw and preferably 90cc. You will also need a ripping chain. Worth looking at Chainsawbars ? chainsaw chains, chainsaw bars and chainsaw accessories as Rob D on here sells all the equipment you would need (except the saw).

 

You are best off milling it green, but you would ideally not do it yet - if the ends are painted then I would leave it in the shade but off the ground (up on a couple of blocks or similar) until September as it will dry more slowly if you get the first of the seasoning done over winter.

 

If you need to buy the saw, mill and chain, for milling one log this will be rather expensive. Unless you have a burning desire to do the milling yourself it is worth considering having it done. If you want to consider going that way and want a price, drop me a PM as I am often down that way (I grew up in North Kent and still have family in the Medway Towns). I would be able to go through it very quickly with an 076. If you search for the milling pics and vids thread the first post is by Burrell of us both milling some similar sized ash.

 

Alec

Hi Alec

Thanks for the response, the advice sounds good. Yes, I meant Alaskan, dunno where I got Arkansas from...I must be in a state...

 

I'm undecided about doing it myself or getting someone such as yourself in. I have access to other logs from time to time including a large fallen oak which is just across the road from me, so it would be nice to have kit of my own. I imagine I'd spend about £150 on the mill and rip chain and I have a couple of possibilities who might lend me a suitable chainsaw.

 

The beech log is about a mile away from the road up a hill, so it would need a 4WD and trailer to recover it. I reckon the weight is about 330kg.

If I had it cut at 50 mm intervals I imagine that 7 passes would give me 6 boards about 40 mm thick plus the remainder would be suitable for legs ?

 

So could you give me an idea of what it would cost to mobilise my house in Strood, do the cutting and recover the timber to my place ? It's only about 10 min to the nearest road access point to the log.

 

Mike

[agg221]

Hi Mike,

 

Is milling on site possible? The beauty of the Alaskan is that it is completely portable and a site a mile off a road is less likely to annoy the neighbours with noise (and you probably don't have the clear up the sawdust either!) The milled boards are then easily extracted.

 

Cutting 40mm thickness boards would work fine. After seasoning shrinkage and planing flat, these would probably finish up around 32mm (ie if you want a finished size of 40mm you need to mill at 50mm). On a log of 19" max. diameter I wouldn't expect to get 7 good boards. That would need 14" of timber, only leaving 2.5" each side as a maximum - it would also require that the log was absolutely dead straight, which they rarely are. The outer boards would also be very likely to cup. I would expect 5 good boards with a 4" slab from each of the outer sides. Each slab could ultimately be cut in half to give two legs. It's good to have a clear idea on milling spec. like this before you start, but also to be ready to adapt if necessary, e.g. if you find rot or cracks when you start milling.

 

Having a mill is very useful, but the key to it not getting frustrating for more than a very small number of logs is a big saw. You would need access to a Stihl MS880 or Husqvarna 3120, or older equivalent, if you want to mill 2'6" or so hardwood. The cheapest of the big saws is usually an 075 or 076, which is still around the £350 mark or more (although there are still bargains to be had). The mill would be around £200-220 (depending on size), bar around £80-100 and chain around £30. You would also need to think about sharpening - you need all the teeth equal in length and even in angle so a grinder really helps.

 

I'll give you a ring when the children have gone to bed

 

Alec

[Gnomic]

Hi Alec

Thanks for that detailed reply and for our long chat. I think I'll roll the log to a suitable position, right side up and see what kit I can borrow or find between now and the end of the summer. Maybe there is someone in North Kent who would be willing to lend me some kit to try out milling....

 

Mike