# Milling up some cedar 8x8's



## MR4WD (Jan 20, 2010)

Acquired some old poles from work and cut them into 10' lengths. They're mostly 1980 vintage, so they've been well dried.







And I'm turning them into 8x8's, to use to level off a hill as a retaining wall, and whatever's left over I'll use for posts for the roof. It will all be for a firewood shed and I think I'm going ~27'x8'x8' high or so. I'll side 3 sides and roof it. When not full of wood, I'll store my tractor in it as well.

Anyways, here's some milled 8x8's. I'm just using Stihl RSC that I haven't changed the angle on. It sure rips through the wood quick!


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## mtngun (Jan 21, 2010)

MR4WD said:


> Anyways, here's some milled 8x8's. I'm just using Stihl RSC that I haven't changed the angle on. It sure rips through the wood quick!


But, but, but ....... where's the milling pics ? 

I take it those are pressure treated ? Sweet.


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## MR4WD (Jan 21, 2010)

mtngun said:


> But, but, but ....... where's the milling pics ?
> 
> I take it those are pressure treated ? Sweet.



I'll have to find a photographer that can stand the noise and dust from milling  I'm milling it all in my yard, so hopefully it won't be too hard!

I guess I should have specified, the poles are untreated. Meaning if I totally muck things up I can burn it. Most pressure treating is a heck of a carcinogen. I would strongly advise anybody milling any treated wood.

I have heard that people don't like milling old poles due to dirt embedded in them from the wind. I haven't had any problems yet, just took 2 swipes off each cutter to remove the glint after making probably 45-50 cuts. I'm using a 42" bar though, so maybe there's more cutters than people are used to... but so far so good. Mind you this is roughly 10-20" DRY cedar that cuts really easy...


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## MR4WD (Jan 24, 2010)

Mini-Mill with the 372: 8 pin rim, 24" bar, oregon LG. Oiler turned up and over-oiling... I'm impressed with how it worked!


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## Coalsmoke (Jan 24, 2010)

That's some nice wood out of those old poles.


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## MR4WD (Jan 24, 2010)

Here's the 390 with a 36" bar and an 8 pin rim. Stihl full comp converted to 10 degrees. Saw still over oiled and blew through the wood like nobodies business.

You can see though, that some sections are fairly cracked. At least the wood's stable and won't twist or warp anymore;


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## MR4WD (Jan 24, 2010)

Coalsmoke said:


> That's some nice wood out of those old poles.



Thanks. A lot of is is a big learning curve and there are a few cuts that I'm really not happy with. The big plus, is that I plan on burying the wood for a retaining wall and the best two I'll save for gate posts. The wood's free and the experience is priceless. 

I've just got to figure out how to legally get some wood out of the forest around here to mill up some future projects:


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## mtngun (Jan 24, 2010)

Thanks for the milling pics.


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## rarefish383 (Jan 25, 2010)

A friend of mines cousin has a big old circular saw mill run by a 6 cylinder diesel. He mills old phone poles that were creasoted. They are old and dry, when they are cut the wood has the nicest pinkish redish hue to it form the creasote. He uses the lumber to build out buildings, they look nice, Joe.


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## Coalsmoke (Jan 25, 2010)

Last time I was in Salmon Arm, I noticed some chunks of land being cleared (for buildings or farms I suppose) and the trees, while small in diameter were being piled up in burn piles. Do they still do that? If so, it may be worth checking into as a free source of wood. I used to have family there, but the all moved out to Armstrong a few years back.


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## MR4WD (Feb 7, 2010)

I think I've gotten 20 so 10 foot 8x8's under my belt now. Couple more and I should be good. 

The best set up so far is Oregon ripping chain with the rakers at 10 degrees, sharp chain at 10 degrees and an 8 pin rim on both the 3120 and 390. 42" bar on the 3120 and 24" bar on the 390.

On the red cedar, the cuts are SMOOTH. On the yellow cedar, you can see a bump or two.

Here's some vids, pics to follow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8jBfAHNsmI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwjqyzKdUJY

I forgot how to embed!!


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## Coalsmoke (Feb 7, 2010)

Good video clips. I see you have a walkerized 372, that is one of my favourite saws, perfect for working a lot of the 2nd growth and later stock. Easy to carry in the bush, perfectly balanced with a 28" bar, power to fall with and light enough to be a fast limbing and bucking saw.


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## gr8scott72 (Feb 7, 2010)

MR4WD said:


> I think I've gotten 20 so 10 foot 8x8's under my belt now. Couple more and I should be good.
> 
> The best set up so far is Oregon ripping chain with the rakers at 10 degrees, sharp chain at 10 degrees and an 8 pin rim on both the 3120 and 390. 42" bar on the 3120 and 24" bar on the 390.
> 
> ...



Nice videos. You can't embed them on this forum, only on the chainsaw forum.

From bottom of page:

BB code is On
Smilies are On
code is On
HTML code is Off - this needs to be on to be able to embed videos


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## DRB (Feb 7, 2010)

Nice. Looks like some nice tight grain Cedar there. I use Oregon ripping chain to and been happy with it. It never seems to stretch much and I don't use an aux oiler on my 36" bar. 

Nice not to have snow in the Shuswap this winter eh. Who would have though milling in January and February.


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## MR4WD (Feb 7, 2010)

Coalsmoke said:


> Good video clips. I see you have a walkerized 372, that is one of my favourite saws, perfect for working a lot of the 2nd growth and later stock. Easy to carry in the bush, perfectly balanced with a 28" bar, power to fall with and light enough to be a fast limbing and bucking saw.




Thanks, I'm getting the hang of this milling thing now though. The 372 is one of my favourite saws as well. It's a touch light for milling, but it will work. I use mine with a 30" Oregon bar which is closer to 32", so it's a touch nose heavy, but I'm a bit on the tall side so the extra reach is nice. I run full skip with an 8 pin rim and I flat out love it.

If you ever find yourself wanting more torque, set your self up with a tree sling'r (off this site) 390. It's ridiculous really, but also a touch heavier.



gr8scott72 said:


> Nice videos. You can't embed them on this forum, only on the chainsaw forum.
> 
> From bottom of page:
> 
> ...


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## MR4WD (Feb 7, 2010)

DRB said:


> Nice. Looks like some nice tight grain Cedar there. I use Oregon ripping chain to and been happy with it. It never seems to stretch much and I don't use an aux oiler on my 36" bar.
> 
> Nice not to have snow in the Shuswap this winter eh. Who would have though milling in January and February.




I don't run an aux oiler either, although I haven't milled anything yet to warrant it. That 3120 sure slings the oil. The Oregon chain stretched a bunch at first and I was having problems with it, so I knocked the rakers down a bunch and it seems to work great and run a bit cooler now. This cedar is really soft and dry, so the chain might be too aggressive for wet fir whenever I get some. 

I like not having snow in this particular part of my yard, but in the same capacity, I'm a snow guy. I love the white stuff. I've got a pretty unruly mountain sled parked in the garage. It's not bad, I guess you just have to drive higher to get it.

Where abouts are you at?


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## MR4WD (Feb 7, 2010)

Some of the finished product. Anything with wain will be buried face down or hidden in the retaining wall. 





First slab on a 10x10 gate post with the 3120





Siding it with the 390 and mini-mill





The 10x10 was really dark and one side had no knots in it. It's probably a valueable piece of wood from what I've seen in the stores around here. I just don't understand how come this one was so dark. Pics of the finished product tomorrow.


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## Coalsmoke (Feb 8, 2010)

MR4WD said:


> Thanks, I'm getting the hang of this milling thing now though. The 372 is one of my favourite saws as well. It's a touch light for milling, but it will work. I use mine with a 30" Oregon bar which is closer to 32", so it's a touch nose heavy, but I'm a bit on the tall side so the extra reach is nice. I run full skip with an 8 pin rim and I flat out love it.
> 
> If you ever find yourself wanting more torque, set your self up with a tree sling'r (off this site) 390. It's ridiculous really, but also a touch heavier.
> 
> ...




Good pictures. I have a 395XPG professionally built by a local saw doctor that I use on the large stuff.


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