Rob D

Horse chestnut - I wouldn't worry about milling this... Maple - def worth a shot milling as even if a little soft in places the burrs should still look good. Planked larch - if you have a project in mind great but otherwise you may find it hangs around.... A few things I've learnt about milling (all unfortunately the hard way...) if you're not sure about whether something is worth milling it prob isn't - save those elboes for something that is worth milling! if you're looking to sell the timber softwoods in wide boards are not that popular - it's hardwoods folks want... don't burn yourself out by milling everything that comes your way - the mill will work hard for 3 months then be banished to the back of the shed..... try to have a plan as to what you'll do with the timber. For instance are you going to sell it? make it into something then sell it? make yourself something and keep it? If none of these then don't mill it! if you can sell the wood then sell it - don't keep hold of it for yourself! use the off cuts and pieces that won't sell to use to experiment with as that way as it's good fun and if it ends up as firewood it's no loss watch tying the throttle open - you really need to rest the saw 3 or 4 times down the log on idle to allow it to cool off, also at the end of the log idle it for 2 mins with the odd rev. By tying the throttle (particularly in hot summer) you can score a piston like this (I know ) try and find something that you can make quickly and easily from the wood you plank so you can get some money back in - lean towards items that are cheap if rough and ready rather than expensive and beautifully finished and sanded.

As has been pointed out most of the time it is the manufacturers that charge massively for spares and not the retailers.... comments that are passed on will just be ignored.... I know this is frustrating because who do you speak to if you want to complain directly to the manufacturer? You can't find anyone....! One thing this thread does illustrate well is at least 'these days' with the internet there is far more choice and information out there so a lot of the time you can find a cheaper alternative.

No it won't Would you want anything for it? Or are you open to offers? I'd prob pay £100-00 if it was closer to me... that's not an offer just a ball park of what it may be worth to someone to come over with a mill. Some more pics of the main stem would be handy - but def worth milling!

Very clever - all the shapes are very even.... did you cut them out with a chainsaw or jigsaw?

But that's the tricky thing ain't it - how do you tell the dross from genuine people? It's the dross that knows more about the system and how to play it.... There's no easy solution.... you can get people form filling etc and assess their eligibility and this is what they do now and all this takes time and money.... Maybe the only way is to simplify the system and reduce the payments that are made so there is more incentive to get back to work even for a low wage.... .... not an ideal solution but then there is no ideal solution!

I had a couple out last year -one right at the back was a nightmare... All down to not cleaning between the teeth which causes gum disease.... for me anyway - I use these little brushes now and hopefully won't lose any more... I know what you're going through!

How about getting in there with mobile saw milling equipment, milling the timber, making benches etc? Not an option for Jo public but if you're a pro who already has treework type insurance it's not much to add mobile saw milling as part of your remit. In the summer working with a lad and a trolley you can still get to very hard to reach timber. Also when the council look at the costs of 'not being able to viably move it or do anything with it' that's not necessarily true of other independent set ups.... Most of my timber I get is all 'not viable for anyone to do anything with'....

A more pics would be great..... I've no experience with this sort of mill and they scare me a little.... ok well maybe a lot! How's about getting a vid up of it working?

You've had mine so I won't clutter the thread!

That is a good size lump there Chris. May pinch them pics for when I upgrade the Alaskan site if that's ok? Yep get one of those metal detectors they're a godsend and sort of thing you never knew how you survived without one - esp on this sort of size butt

Nicely done and very original

Excellent

..... spending too much time on arbtalk I reckon

That's a good analogy Jon I reckon - I've been milling some wide old planks recently and not been finding it a chore as the saw is just cutting so nicely.... As you say the difference in milling speed when you get the chain right is just crazy.... The real tricky bit is that there's no real right or wrong answer... if you take the depth guages down and the chain is just a little dull it can cause massive vibration.... if you take the depth guages too low and you're ripping with full chisel chain the same can happen..... if you take the depth guages too low with a smaller saw (even the 90cc saws) it can be very very grabby to the point of not being usable. and finally the type of wood you're cutting also has an impact.... A lot of variables indeedy!

Yes be a little bit careful here as this is worse for your saw than you might think... You need to train yourself to pull that saw back out the cut and sharpen rather than "I'll get this board done then sharpen". I used to always plough on but I think this then causes the saw to start overheating and further down the line you get idling problems and such. Rest the saw 2 or 3 times down the log and let it idle for 30secs (I usally tap the wedges in while this is happening). When you finish the cut let the saw idle upright for 2 or 3 mins with a light rev in between - it just lets that cooling air though the fans and pulls out excess sawdust trapped in the bar. Will be doing a vid on some chainsaw milling tips this summer and this will be one of the main ones (I may do a thread in the meantime...). I have found my 880 runs as sweet as after 2 years and a lot of milling and I think this is down to the above - treating the saw a bit kinder and allowing it to cool itself.

Very nice - really shows off the wood

Oh is this Jim? (Judith?!) - I get confused easily with all the different names etc. ! But yes they should be sent Monday (am away at mo but someone does the packing in my stead).

I'm quite happy with my life and the freedom we currently have.... Ok so things could be better... couldn't they always. Try living in Democratic Republic of Congo or Somalia.... it's all relative... we don't do badly all things considered. Just my opinion mind you.

200 years ago people died of plague, famine, war... there were no proper surgical procedures compared to today. You had little say in your life and what you could do with it... There's a lot wrong with 'today' and it is interesting watching vids like you have here but it's the way it's always been - I can't see it changing.... why worry about it? At least being chipped would mean that you'd never have to worry about losing your credit card... every cloud!

Cool - As you said a heavy beam to get up and into place Looks good.

Ha ha! Yes she's been threatening that for a while Alec!!

Yep taking the depth guages down to far can def cause this. I reckon a filing guide is a must for chains. Depth guages are always a pain to get right - why a good tool has not been developed for depth guages yet is a mystery

The small efcos share the same mount as small huskys so carving bars will fit fine.... just need to make sure the drive sprocket matches the chain you're using.

Pretty much all the carving bars have generic mounts i.e. they fit all the small Stihl, Husky etc. -... So the oregon and cannon carving bars will fit your Husky 440. I think this saw is 40cc so maybe a slightly longer bar i.e. 12" or 14" would be best. Do you want to run 1/4" chain? - Then you need to find out if this Husky can run 1/4" chain. This is determined by the drive sprocket. If you have a rim and sprocket set up I have 1/4" drive rims. If you have a spur sprocket you'll have to see if Husky do a 1/4" drive sprocket. If you're happy to run 3/8 lo pro chain the next size up you'll prob find your Husky may be running .325 chain.... so again you'll need a new rim or drive sprocket. Lastly your first question about kickback - the smaller the nose radius the less chance of kickback. So a wider larger nose will give greater chance of kickback. But the chain also has a large bearing on kickback.... Try not to associate 'Husky bars have lots of kickback and Oregon bars don't' as each manufacturer produces a range of bars in the same length. Some of the Stihl and Oregon bars have larger radius nose sprockets that give better performance cross cutting but much bigger kickback. So you could get a carving set up for your Husky, or a carving bar for your B and Q electric saw? (sorry can't find the mount but should fit), or a new set up altogether. I have the Stihl 192 and it's great - all the more puzzling why Stihl have stopped producing them

I've sold more 8" carving bars than any other.... But I think you use them more as an additional combo i.e. you already have another chainsaw with a 12" or 14" bar.