Hud-Son portable saw mills

We had to do that a couple times. It worked, but it's not something I would do again (I find the AK-type mills a PITA...but that's just me).

Got to get the bigger logs to fit some how or curved...And it depends what saw your running as well, great chains and lots of horse power you get through pretty quick. There's just not a perfect answer with logs.

So what's the idea? Knock them down to less than 18 with the AK and then use the bandsaw for the finish cuts?

Admittedly, we were using an AK mill with a Stihl 460, 36" bar, and questionably sharpened milling chains (I know alot more about chainsaw sharpening now). The main issue we had was the cut would START reasonably quick, but after a couple feet, we were struggling to push it along. Not to mention all those all that exhaust right in your face. But it does leverage one's chainsaw investment.

Yup.

My 460 has a ported muffler pointed away from the op. 36in on a 460 is way to much bar, milling with a 36 in. bar you would need at-least 100cc. Chain sharpening for mills is a little different with raker you want to aggressively file the raker more eveytime you sharpen the chains. There is a lot involved but you get the hang of it quick enough. I see that band mill working out very well if you can over come the short comings of it. Now around here I see most tree's would come in well over 20+ inchs. If you could break them down into can'ts to fit you would have a very Impressive kit if you where good at each mill.

And a mini mill is much differnt than a alaskan mill.









This will bust your big logs up quick.

If anyone wants to see the barn building pics and all the milling/construction we did, visit http://s123.photobucket.com/albums/o317/Donnaturns/

I'm the heavy guy always wearing a bandana and supplier of most of the tools (I'm a firm believer in "He who dies with the most tools, wins.")

Very cool. How do you get that many people together at one time? I am a beliver in he who masters hes tools wins!

That was only for ONE day to do the raising of the main frame and one other day for the roof trusses. They are all members of a local woodturning club.

Tim the toolman has less tools, very nice.

zap

You got one of these?

They have a carbide blade version of that as well. And the mini mill is that tool you just use a chainsaw as power head.

Got me on that one. Nope. My MS170 does those tasks.

Yea, we used that during the barn milling too. Too much pulling and having that spinning chain THAT close to my hand made me very uncomfortable. But it did accomplish what we needed.

Pete did you ever look at the wood mizer L10 and if so what did you think?

zap

Briefly, but the Oscar with the 2 extra 6ft extensions was $700 cheaper.

When you say "we" does that meen the people that are watching thinks its to close, because an operator would say they hate the stance not chain the location?

I mean ME and MY hand (or yours in the picture) when I was using it. A few inches from the chain with nothing inbetween. Gives me the willys. I did one cut and let my friend do the rest. I know that's how it's used, but it doesn't make me feel any more comfortable.

Does your MS170 cut curves like this? :coolsmile:

You can also cut 45º angles on beams up to about 8", and the rip and crosscut capacity is 12" - nearly twice that of that big 16" Makita. Only thing missing is a manual oiler. Cheap, too. About a buck and a quarter if you have a saw it will fit on.

Only when the chain is dull.

:lol:

Well, I plan on winning the tool contest, so I'm getting one before I die. ;-P

Zap the best thing to do would be find someone who has one and work with them for a day and see how you like it. There's a lot more to it than just throwing a log up there and cutting. When I have time I am going over to a friends and help out just to learn how to use mine better. Don't go with two small of a mill. Bows and taper will eat up a lot of log. The 16' foot boards I cut I started with a 16.5' log 20" dia on the small side. By time I got the bow out and squared up I ended up with 12 3/4" boards.



I don't have a log loader. I loaded the logs right on the mill a few times. But it was a pain making sure I did not hit the mill head or have my chains end up on a log pad. Now I have the mill set on the side of a hill and can roll the logs flat onto the mill. I used bank run gravel for my pad. But the vibration of the mill would sink and loosen up some of the jack pads. I ended up having to cut plywood squares out and put them under the jack pads to spread the weight out and keep them from sinking in the gravel.

Billy

How wide of a log will that one cut Billy?

Nice setup, we can only spend so much so we have to stay in a certain range and that beast is out of our range! :zip:

zap

lol Billy brings the Big Toys! Wow just looks like a great place to spend a couple weeks.