Anybody use a chainsaw mill?

[jeffesonm]

There are a bunch of down oaks behind the house, 12-24" DBH with long, straight trunks, so I thought it would be fun cut a few timbers to make a wood shed. Thinking some 4x10 beams to use as headers. Not looking to start a lumber factory, just cut a handful of timbers.

I've got an MS660 for the job... any recommendations on a chainsaw mill? I see the full frame Alaskan/Granberg design and also the more simple lumbermaker jig.

 

[lindnova]

I have the one like the lower picture. Haven't used it yet, but I think based on youtube videos that it is what you want for the occasional user. I need to get out and try it out on a couple cherry logs. I got the one that has 2 holders and can go up to 36"

You have a 660 - nice. I am going to see how my 362 can handle milling, but am thinking I need at least a 461. I know a 461 would fit into my program and be good for bucking large trees, but a 660 weight and cost are possibly more than I want.

 

[Jon1270]

Haven't done it either, but from what I've read the ones that attach to both ends of the bar have less of a tendency to wander, and produce flatter boards. For rough timbers the more compact, cheaper type is probably fine.

 

[Clarkbug]

Havent used the jigs, but have worked with some folks that have. Definitely get a milling/ripping chain, and have the oiler turned up on your saw. Also make sure to let it idle after you make a cut to cool down. Milling can be hard on a saw.

 

[fivesap's]

i have done, and still do, a lot of chainsaw millling. to be honest, you want both mills. the alaskan mill makes great parallel cuts with little wandering of the bar/chain. the mini-mill makes it much easier to make the timber size you want.

for example, slab a tree to 4" thick with the alaskan, then use the mini-mill to make them 10" wide.

ripping chain gives you a smoother finish (more like a band saw mill) but you sacrifice a little bit of ft/min in your cut time. regular cross cut chain works fine, but will leave a rougher finish.

the 362 will not like milling very much oover a 10" tree. milling is very hard on a saw, most people recommend at least a 90cc saw for any real milling. i have used a 372 xp, however, i usually use a 394xp.

 

[jeffesonm]

Thanks for the feedback folks... I think I will go with the mini-mill for now. It is less than half the price and should be sufficient for this project. If I decide to do more milling in the future and spring for the Alaskan, it sounds like they work well in tandem.

 

[rickoleum]

I have the one in the lower picture. I have used it with my MS 390 for to mill slabs from downed pine trees. It works great for making slabs. (I have not tried it on anything harder than pine -- the 390 is probably underpowered for anything much harder.)

I also have a crappier, less solid version of the item in your first picture. I used that to cut slabs to width. It worked ok so the one you have pictured should work better.

Frankly, I was surprised at the quality of the beams that I was able to make with these tools. I made some 6 x 10 pine beams to replace rotted porch railings at our cabin and they look great.

Other thoughts:

-I would recommend the ripping chain.
-Ripping this way takes a lot of time -- anything more than a handful and you may want to find someone with a real portable mill to help out.
-If you get the alaskan you may want to build a "ladder" from 2x4's that you can screw to the top of the log to act as a fence to guide your cuts. (They sell metal fences but those are expensive.)

 

[jeffesonm]

Bought the Haddon Lumbermaker for $90 shipped off Amazon, and today I took it out for a spin.

First I cut a 4x4 test beam from a oak limb using the 036/20" and a 4' 2x4 as a guide.



That went pretty well so next cut a real beam. Used the 660/32" and a 16' 2x4 as a guide. Cut a reasonably straight section of ash and final beam is 4x11x16'.



So far I am liking this thing... easy to use and cuts a surprisingly straight beam. Sure is hard work though.

 

[adam6979]

I have wanted one of them but figured it was hellish on a saw, I could be mistaken though. I agree the labor aspect must be hard. After seeing this post though maybe I need to give it a go. That looks like some nice beams. Most wood here is softwood, not sure how the saw will like the pitch, but inspiring just the same.

 

[gzecc]

You can't beat pressure treated for a shed. Wait for the spring, you'll be able to pick up a lot of free pressure treated lumber from projects.
Cut up the oak, but don't use it for a shed.

 

[adam6979]

In my opinion PT is terrible and I have seen oak out last it hands down. With all the sealers we have access to today put on a nice finish and oak will outlast most people.

 

[DougA]

I would check your area to see if anyone has a portable band saw mill. I'm looking at getting one and they are $3K for the full set-up w/o the trailer. Very slick. I took a brief look at the chainsaw option and there is no way I would go that way.

 

[adam6979]

I would check your area to see if anyone has a portable band saw mill. I'm looking at getting one and they are $3K for the full set-up w/o the trailer. Very slick. I took a brief look at the chainsaw option and there is no way I would go that way.

My thoughts exactly. Maybe if I was 20 years younger and had about 100 # more muscle, then I would go the chainsaw route.

 

[jeffesonm]

If you wanted to cut slabs the Alaskan mill would be a better choice, and for lots of lumber the bandsaw mill would be better yet. But now you're talking thousands of dollars, or hundreds to rent one, not to mention you need to get the mill to the logs or the logs to the mill. For cutting beams and posts this does a great job, is <$100 and you only need your chainsaw and a 2x4 so you can cut just about anywhere. I've since cut a few more beams and an 8x8 locust post... will get some more pics up here shortly.

 

[adam6979]

That is a good point you make. I'd be looking more for doing planks ... but for beams I bet that chainsaw setup works great.

 

[jeffesonm]

Here is a step-by-step of a locust beam I cut this weekend. On my commute to work I pass by this house with a big old locust tree on the corner of the property. A few months back the power company came through and chopped the top off it, as I guess it was growing too close to the lines. There was about 25' of trunk left looking all haggard, so I stopped and left a note one day asking if I could cut it down. Got a call a few days later and the homeowner said 'have at it."

Dropped the tree. It actually didn't want to go down, I think because there were no branches left to help pull it over. About 24" across at the base in a weird clover leaf shape.



It was a little tough to cut given the odd shape of tree, but took my best guess on how I might get a 8x8 section around the center. Guide is a 2x4 screwed to a 2x8 for stability, which is screwed to the tree. MS660 with 32" bar.



First face cut. Probably could have kept a bit more on the one side, but oh well.... it's for a wood shed so close enough is good enough.



I must have missed one pic in the sequence but I rolled the log so the cut face was on top, then cut the two sides. With the top being flat I can ditch the 2x8 and just screw the 2x4 to the log. One of these days I plan to buy a 16' piece of 5.5" wide PVC decking... wider board would be more stable and I think the jig would slide more easily on the plastic. I also need a peavey or cant hook to help with the log rolling.



Rolled it again and cut the last face. Final size 8x8x11'.

 

[jeffesonm]

Cut one of the big slabs in half and plan to make a pair of benches out of it. The others were cut up into firewood. There was a huge crotch section at the top that I sliced into thick cookies and plan to use them as steps in a path across the back yard.

 

[Oldman47]

It looks to me like you have at least 4 pieces you could use to build a shed. The squared off piece in the middle is obvious but the one almost the same size with some bark still on it is darned near as strong in use and you could split that first large slab for 2 more good pieces. Lumber does not need to be square or rectangular.
Edfit: I see you already decided to split that large slab in half.

 

[adam6979]

Cut one of the big slabs in half and plan to make a pair of benches out of it. The others were cut up into firewood. There was a huge crotch section at the top that I sliced into thick cookies and plan to use them as steps in a path across the back yard.

That looks awesome. Very nice job and great pics. I could see that working well for fence posts as well. Square certainly would be easier to attach panels to. I love that piece of wood for your stepping stones. Wish we had some nice straight trees like that up here. Everything left now is mostly softwood and really young. You post makes me really consider the jig. I just got to get a better chainsaw. I am still running my grandfathers Homelite - you know the old school kind that burns more oil than fuel and doesn't stop if you hit your leg.... Just might be time to upgrade, especially now that I have a wood furnace en route.

 

[gzecc]

In my opinion PT is terrible and I have seen oak out last it hands down. With all the sealers we have access to today put on a nice finish and oak will outlast most people.

Never heard this opinion. Do the termites and carpenter ants agree?

 

[jeffesonm]

It looks to me like you have at least 4 pieces you could use to build a shed. The squared off piece in the middle is obvious but the one almost the same size with some bark still on it is darned near as strong in use and you could split that first large slab for 2 more good pieces. Lumber does not need to be square or rectangular.
Edfit: I see you already decided to split that large slab in half.

The pics are a bit deceiving... that last slab that came off looks to be about 6x8 on the end, but in the middle it's no more than an inch or two thick. You can see where it's just bark half way down towards the bottom. Just getting one 8x8 out of this was tough because the tree was so gnarled and uneven.

 

[smokinj]

Best to have both mills.

 

[iron]

here's a homemade mill: