Chainsaw Mill

[walhondingnashua]

I have a few small projects to do around my place and rough cut is perfect for most of them. I also have no problem finding wood of most Ohio varieties. I am cosidering buying a chainsaw mill (like an Alaskan type). I am finding those that slide on a single beam like a 2x4 or 2x6. I am also finding those that slide along once you have a flat edge. I didn’t want to spend much more then $100 and I Iike the one pictured below. Mostly cutting 2x’s and some 1x boards. Just looking for opinions. Thanks

 

[SeanBB]

I think most users make the first cut using an aluminium ladder as the flat edge, fixed (screwed?) on top of the log.

 

[lindnova]

An aluminum ladder works great for beginners. I have a 2x12 board with steel angle edges - use wood blocks screwed to the ends of the board to level my cut the way I want it and can use lag bolts to slide the board if the log is too long. I have Will Malloff's book "Chainsaw Lumbermilling" and it was a great help.

It is hard to lead in and out of the cut perfect and takes some practice to get good at. I was proud of what I did at first, but had a lot of not so straight boards that were hard to work with. A chainsaw mill is a great tool, but don't expect perfect results. The one you listed holds one side of the bar and would be ok for small cuts. I have the one that bolts to both sides of the bar and is more stable. The ones that ride on a 2x4 are good for slabbing the sides, but take some careful precision to cut straight slabs.

What saw do you have? Never enough horsepower when milling.

I started just to do a few boards 3 years ago with an Grandberg 36" mill . Then I had to buy a bigger saw, then a planer, a roof only shed for the drying area and now I have stacks of boards drying for upcoming project I hope to get to someday. I already made a cherry headboard and am now ripping and planning some oak for the basement trim. Cool thing is I have 2" slabs of cherry and elm for future tables or whatever I end up doing with it. Pretty cool to have unique wood slabs you can't buy.

 

[EG GREV NED MIN ELD]

I'll be following this, nice write-up lindnova. I hope to get into milling at some point in my lifetime.

 

[walhondingnashua]

Great info. As of right now, I mostly just want rough cut to build a wood shed, tree house for my son, and some planks for a trailer floor. It would cost me twice as much for standard 2x4s or 2x8s to just make a wood shed then it will cost for the mill.
I have a husky 562xp with 20” bar and a ripping chain.
For the types of projects I have, it just seems to hard to pass on at least trying.

 

[lindnova]

I say go for it! Your 562 is a nice saw and should work. Take it slow so you don't burn it up. It is on the small side for anything larger than 12".

How are you at sharpening chains? They need sharpening after every 1-2 cuts when milling. Milling with a dull chain is like pissing up a rope. I file mine on the mill (kind of hard to get the saw upside down and held in place) then run the chain on the bench sharpener to true up at the end of the day.

 

[walhondingnashua]

I don’t have plans to go beyond 12” anyway and I am the type that takes it easy on my saw. I also want to purchase a bench sharpener so that should help my chain. I’m not bad with a file but I do have stones for my dremel. It seems to be ok.
For now I don’t plan on milling through anything harder then tulip poplar or pine, maybe an oak or ash here or there.