Rob D

Was chatting to Andy yesterday and confirms exactly what you're saying Jon - you need to saw off each face to get the full benefits of burring - glad you mentioned it before I started sawing that log I have! I was going to quarter it!

Here's part 2 of quarter sawing with chainsaw mills. This is really to show that it can be done although it's a tough workout pushing the mini mill up the log so many times! I tend to like the mini mill for maybe 2 cuts max in a day. It doesn't help that my rail set up is desperately in need of a rebuild. For the other half of the log left on the ground - not sure if this is possible to do. You could take another plank with the Alaskan and then firewood the rest. Or cut down the middle with the mini mill and split, then lift the quarters onto a couple of trestles. Then re saw with a small log mill (I'll be doing this in part 4). Part 3 will be quarter sawing with the new Granberg mill which I have set up again with a log ready to go. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzVhTvU4FCE&feature=youtube_gdata]Quarter sawing with chainsaws part 2 - YouTube[/ame]

Glad you're liking it! I've started using it on my other saws now a lot more..... had a chain on Husky 346 that had 25% left in it. Hand sharpened and was cutting like a dull chain so used the precision grinder to get the teeth consistent and then used a 5/16" stone to do the depth guages all the same height. It doesn't give the depth guages a great shape but it's not bad and was very quick to do. Result - chain cutting perfectly again. Got a bit of confession to make as until recently I'd not been lining up the chain 'holders' correctly - I'd always had them below the rivets when they should be just above. This meant the chain was pulling up as it was sharpened. Now it stays firmly in position.

Chainsaw mill into planks and make rustic furniture. You already have the wood and the chainsaw so easy enough to buy a mill. Loads of info on the Alaskan sub forum here: Alaskan Mill - Arbtalk.co.uk | Discussion Forum for Arborists Best way to convert logs into cash. Vids here alaskanmilluk - YouTube Be selective in what you plank. Best things to start with oak and cedar which are good for indoors and outdoors.

I'd maybe cut off the largest burrs then mill the rest as planks are not too bad to carry between 2.... sort of! Nice looking bit of wood though.

Really? I never realised that. I'll have a play and see the difference as I have a good size burr oak I've been meaning to mill for a while.

Ok ok! I'm in! BUT - please tell me that this 007 film is 5000000% better than the 'Quantum of unspeakableness' that I almost walked out from!!!! Loved Casino Royal - hated the above unmentionable film so much words don't do justice

It should make it a lot easier..... the only thing I can see being a problem quarter sawing a large log with the flip and rip will be lining up the log with the frame.... That will come in part 3 - I wanted to start off just covering how you could do it with the handheld mills first and then build up to the f&r!

Yep - actually that's a very good point Bob. Before moving the quarters as shown I should really mill another plank with the Alaskan 2" above the mid cut to produce these boards and also reduce the weight of the remaining quarters. That will be the first part in 'Part 2'! In fact I may just quarter saw in situ using a combo of Alaskan and mini mill - this can then be 'Method 1' although I never look forward to using the mini mill more than once or twice on a log!

I made a 'marketing mistake' getting full cube vented bags. I should also have got half cubic meter bags as well. Currently I charge: £85-00 per cube delivered mixed wood (hard and soft) £100-00 per cube delivered hardwood only (mixture of hardwood) £120-00 per cub delivered oak only (just oak!) Buy x2 bags get £10-00 off total. Free delivery within 10 miles. All seasoned in a polytunnel for 9 months min. But you compare any of these prices to £50-00 a load and they look expensive. So this year I'm getting some half cube vented bags and will re bag some of logs so my prices per 'load' will then start at £50-00 for 1/2 cube mixed wood £65-00 hardwood only. I've tried hard educating people about loads and volumes and what's what but have now reached the conclusion you can't beat the 'how much for a load' mindset.... so we'll see!

I've had a look at that - I think that method is more suitable for bandsaws as you don't have to flip from one side to another i.e. less moving of the 'quarter' I dunno if you'd lose the burring as a result - although in a slightly burry log it would push the burring to the edges... but you could always through saw the burr area and then quarter saw the rest... I know - it wouldn't be for every log but I think I'll be milling at least half of my wood by quarter sawing from now on. More for stability reasons rather than the figuring.

Now that the weather is getting colder it's the best time to start milling wood (doesn't dry so quickly initially which is one of the main causes of defects). I've been through and through sawing for years but now I can see the value of quarter sawing timber. What's quarter sawing? - this is the process of milling a log to get the growth rings running perpendicular to a board = less cupping and movement and warping. You also get more 'figuring on the board' i.e. in oak and beach you get attractive 'rays' in the wood. Great demo vid here that shows this: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVBsA1KbfY8]Plain Sawn vs Quarter Sawn - YouTube[/ame] In this vid I'm having a go at a largish piece of beech. It's not an ideal candidate as it's not a clean log but a good way to practice. For the first cut you want to be milling exactly in parallel with the log so you're not coming across the grain - hence the funny wooden shaped things for the ladder to rest on! These have been lined up with the center of the log. Do the horizontal cut first then try and set the mini mill so the tip of the saw is in the small gap (I had to long a bar to do this here). It's a good use of the mini mill. Part 2 will be looking at then re sawing the quarters in various ways to get quarter sawn boards. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXyZxnKyiyM&list=UU9eV7377LRZ9H98BQowuSbQ&index=1&feature=plcp]Quarter sawing using alaskan mill and mini mill - YouTube[/ame] And you can see a great animation of quarter sawing here. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQOLdlavAWA&feature=related]The Frank Miller Lumber Quartersawing Process - YouTube[/ame]

It's a tricky question to answer - but could be answered accurately and quickly if you posted a video up of what's happening.

It does depend on where you are and who you know.... I took a fair bit to a woodturners quarterly meeting - was selling for £1-00 to £2-00 per foot length (6" to 8" diameter) and came back with most of it.

Well done for pushing the site on and improving things Steve

It's a combo of both I'd say - Stihl have some blurb to the effect they are the only manufaturuer to pre stretch their chain to lessen the effect on initial fitting. "Pre-stretched Chain All STIHL OILOMATIC® saw chain is pre-stretched before leaving the factory. This helps eliminate excessive chain stretching during break-in period, and reduces maintenance time and component wear." Learn Why STIHL Produces Its Own Saw Chain | STIHL USA Mobile And I would say that as far as chain goes they do produce the best in the world.

Many thanks all... I have had to increase the prices slightly (although not and the bars or chains) and postage - but you do now get 10% discount (instead of the previous 4%) as arbtalkers so should balance out!

Great work and thanks for updating the pics James.... Although of course now you'll have to update this thread when you've finished and installed it all!

Nice one Andy. Get a plan in your mind of what you're going to do with the wood. I have to say one of the best sellers I've got into is chopping boards. You'll need: someone with a good size planer/thicknesser dry planks a good sanding tool with grits from 80g to 400g walnut oil to finish I'm aiming to do more vids through Nov hopefully showing more about how to turn those planks into cash!

It can be very tough running your own business - as said read the stress thread from start to finish. There's plenty of people have been/are in your situation.

Thanks Andy - and there's a pretty good set up vid here if you need:

Liked it and a new one for me. It does look useful for smaller chogs as it seems like it's easier to push over and snap...

Thanks and if you're already signed up the 10% discount will come off at checkout.

I doth challenge yee ..... yep I reckon ya can't say fairer than that!

It's coming up to 10 months since the chainsawbars website was launched and thanks very much to the people who have bought off the site.... In brief: Delivery - no longer will be free delivery on smaller orders or over £100. Price increases - will be some price increases on the site average 5% but not on bars or chain Artalker discount - raised to 10% to mitigate the above Save Edge Files - now found here Products for the category: Round files Sugihara bars - new order for 4 months time will include all the shorter bars in the full pro solid silver version Cheap carving bars - £20+ vat each (-£2 after arb disc). Several of these came without the oiler holes drilled.... They are ok bars but I'd rather just sell the best and these are average. Carving bars In detail: Delivery - On a small parcel the delivery cost is not the problem - it's the wrapping, doing the invoice and then going to the post office that takes time and I have to pay someone to do this. So am quite happy to do small orders but delivery will be minimum £4.95+vat - that said if I feel someone has paid way over the odds then I usually put in a few freebies to make it fairer. For the website it would cost too much and be too time consuming to put in a weight for each product, then balance this weight against the destination address.... similarly there will be no free delivery over £100, I just don't send the volume at the moment to get the rates where I can do this. Prices - several costs have gone up recently and so some of the prices on the site will go up - this will be over the next 3 weeks.... not massively but on average 4 to 5%. Bars and chains will stay the same. 10% discount for arbtalkers - to balance the increases for people on here I've put all the arbtalkers who have signed up on the site to 10% rather than 4%. And this applies to arbtalkers who sign up in the future - but I'm no longer advertising the fact.... Quite a few people browse arbtalk, see I do a discount and then ask for it.... so if you want it sign up first then PM me and I can put it on your account. A lot of the prices won't be live on the site for a while so if you buy sooner rather than later you'll get the 10% off the older cheaper prices. Save Edge files - I'm the only supplier in the UK for these files and they are now on the site Products for the category: Round files Also in most of the chain sharpening tools when you open the window to look at the product detail the links to the appropriate video that show you how to use that tool are built into the description. Sugihara bars - Now looking to get the next shipment organised - this will have all the shorter bars as the solid replaceable sprocket i.e. 13" to 20" inclusive. Also there will be a 14" light type bar (solid bar but with areas of the bar removed and replaced with resin) with replaceable nose sprocket for the MS200T (or MS201T etc). This will have much greater durability than the existing laminated bars on the market as well as having better build quality and tolerances. Also getting a 12" carving bar as well. Zebra carving bars - Quite a few of these bars came without the oiler holes drilled due to a mistake at the factory (not sure exactly where they are produced). I had Nick Speakman use one for a couple of days hard carving and he reckoned they stand around 40% of the same use as say a Cannon or Oregon bar. These I am selling for £20-00+vat each (or £18 inc arbtalk disc) but you will have to sort out drilling the oiler holes yourself! I'm getting some Sugihara carving bars in a few months - I'd rather stock just the high end bars. To buy just put in Stihl 018 into the selector here Carving bars