# Millin' again vol.2



## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 8, 2007)

I couldn't stand it any longer so I pulled the mill out yesterday evening, tuned things up and got after it. The saw ran and cut great, the oiler worked perfectly but the mill had some problems (probably my fault). I got the top slab off and plan to finish later today.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 8, 2007)

More pics.

I rigged a device to support the bar while starting the cut last night too. I'll get pics of that up soon.


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## wdchuck (Jan 8, 2007)

Nice work, big log.

Does your mill clamp on or mount directly to the powerhead?
Does that long-a$$ bar sag/bow and have an effect on the biard geometry?
What size powerhead?
What type of chain, and how long does it take to file it?
How hard is that to push through the wood? Will you be ready for a lineman's position on the cowboy's?


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## flht01 (Jan 8, 2007)

That's one big mill, Texas style  . 
Big mill = big slabs. Got any pictures of the finished products from big slabs.

That log in the pictures sure has a lot of nice figure, good work. Keep them pict's coming.


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## Adkpk (Jan 8, 2007)

:hmm3grin2orange: Texas style.:hmm3grin2orange: You boys do like it big. 
Nice set up, aggie. What kind of wood?


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## CaseyForrest (Jan 8, 2007)

Aggie, you make it look so easy!


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 8, 2007)

wdchuck said:


> Does your mill clamp on or mount directly to the powerhead?
> Does that long-a$$ bar sag/bow and have an effect on the biard geometry?
> What size powerhead?
> What type of chain, and how long does it take to file it?
> How hard is that to push through the wood? Will you be ready for a lineman's position on the cowboy's?



1- It started as a factory GB mill. It bolts to the powerhead and clamps the bar tip. (pics here- http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=37090&highlight=GB and here http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=34949&highlight=GB)
2- Yes- more on this in a few minutes
3- 084
4-Bailey's ripping chain- .404 .063, about 20 minutes on a Max grinder.
5- Not terribly difficult, just don't expect to fly through a 42"+ wide slab
6-  
I don't think the Cowboy's will be calling me... *ever.* I'm only 5'7"- 170 but extremely stubborn... and a bit OCD.


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## Trigger-Time (Jan 8, 2007)

Aggie, I don't know what to say but.............


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 8, 2007)

I couldn't stand sitting at my desk on one of the nicest days we've had in a month so I did some more whittling.

This is water oak (failed to specify earlier) and has been down since mid summer.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 8, 2007)

Here's a couple more of the setup











Here's the device I banged together to support the bar until the kerf gets established. Actually worked pretty good. Once the bar is buried to the j-hook, I loosen the top nut and remove it.

Sag





No sag


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## wdchuck (Jan 8, 2007)

That's beautiful Aggie, now I've really got the bug to get out and mill my 50"+ burr oak. Maybe this weekend.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 8, 2007)

flht01 said:


> That's one big mill, Texas style  .
> Big mill = big slabs. Got any pictures of the finished products from big slabs.
> 
> That log in the pictures sure has a lot of nice figure, good work. Keep them pict's coming.



Thanks-
No projects using the big ones yet but I'm designing a desk that will incorporate one of the 50" pecan slabs I milled a year ago. They're pretty close to EMC now but I might have them finished off in a kiln if necessary. I hope to start on that one in a month or so.


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## flht01 (Jan 8, 2007)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> ... but extremely stubborn... and a bit OCD.



I think there's a lot of us in this forum that fall in the stubborn OCD catagory  



aggiewoodbutchr said:


> ...
> 
> This is water oak (failed to specify earlier) and has been down since mid summer.



That's about as good as it gets. Thanks for the pictures.


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## OZDOG (Jan 9, 2007)

AGGIE _   :hmm3grin2orange: what can i say , thats AWESOME ! you have inspired me to make something similar to your mill !:hmm3grin2orange: and such beautifull wood !!


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## oneadam12 (Jan 9, 2007)

Wow! Nice rig and nice slab!


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## dustytools (Jan 9, 2007)

WOW. This kinda stuff is what makes me park my tail at this computer every night. That grain is unbelievable Aggie. AWESOME job!


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## lumberjackchef (Jan 10, 2007)

Ditto! Gorgeous slab and a very impressive mill. What is the maximum width that you can cut with that thing?


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 10, 2007)

lumberjackchef said:


> Ditto! Gorgeous slab and a very impressive mill. What is the maximum width that you can cut with that thing?



Thanks.

Just a hair over 64".


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## Booshcat (Jan 10, 2007)

Nice Work with some beautiful wood.
Thanks for sharing these photos...


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## aquan8tor (Jan 10, 2007)

is water oak a regional name, or just something we don't have in virginia?? I'm familiar with live oak, but not water oak. We have willow oak here, which only grows in wet soil--its a good indicator of where you can't put a drain field...


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 10, 2007)

aquan8tor said:


> is water oak a regional name, or just something we don't have in virginia?? I'm familiar with live oak, but not water oak. We have willow oak here, which only grows in wet soil--its a good indicator of where you can't put a drain field...



This might help...

http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/Water_oak/wateroak.htm


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## olyman (Jan 10, 2007)

aggie--jhook--neat idea--but going down the log--doesnt the weight of the bar make it slowly dip???? oly


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## amdburner (Jan 10, 2007)

Oly,
I believe that the momentum of the chain in combination of the fact that the bar is supported the full width of the log once in the cut keeps the cut fairly level. The remaining bar exposed outside of the cutting width shouldn't be sufficiant enough to cause dipping since it is supported on the end. Also, the GB mill has a support for the powerhead which I imagine helps greatly with a wide setup like Aggies. 

Dave


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 10, 2007)

olyman said:


> aggie--jhook--neat idea--but going down the log--doesnt the weight of the bar make it slowly dip???? oly



AMD got it pretty much on the button. As long as the mill tracks on the rails properly and the chain is symetrical and sharp, the bar holds the line in which it was started pretty well.


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## OZDOG (Jan 11, 2007)

*just a thought*



aggiewoodbutchr said:


> AMD got it pretty much on the button. As long as the mill tracks on the rails properly and the chain is symetrical and sharp, the bar holds the line in which it was started pretty well.



i was thinking about the sag in the bar today and it got my mind ticking over. maybe the diagram will explain what i mean but i've never used one of those mills so i might not be on the right track....
(amendment to the text on diagram, should read; '90 degrees or less to keep bar tensioned. it may stop bar sag')


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 11, 2007)

OZDOG said:


> i was thinking about the sag in the bar today and it got my mind ticking over. maybe the diagram will explain what i mean but i've never used one of those mills so i might not be on the right track....
> (amendment to the text on diagram, should read; '90 degrees or less to keep bar tensioned. it may stop bar sag')



That's exactly what I used to do before I modified the bar nose mount. I can still tweak out some of the sag using this method but not all without putting an excessive amount of torque on the bar tip. Basically, I traded having to use the J hook for absolute maximum cut capacity.

Nice sketch BTW.


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## aquan8tor (Jan 11, 2007)

Have you ever used a hardnose bar on a mill before? I got a 42"--CHEAP on ebay a while back, with the idea of drilling out a semicircular section of the tip and putting in a helperhandle/tensioner on the end. I was going to try to put a larger sprocket on the granberg helper handle and use that as a functional "sprocket nose" for the bar. Its a project for later in the winter, but anyone done this?


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 12, 2007)

aquan8tor said:


> Have you ever used a hardnose bar on a mill before? I got a 42"--CHEAP on ebay a while back, with the idea of drilling out a semicircular section of the tip and putting in a helperhandle/tensioner on the end. I was going to try to put a larger sprocket on the granberg helper handle and use that as a functional "sprocket nose" for the bar. Its a project for later in the winter, but anyone done this?



Sorry, can't help you on that one. Sound's interesting though.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 15, 2007)

I was delayed for a couple of days due to a blown crank case seal but I was able to finish this log yesterday.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 15, 2007)

More pics. All that's left to do now is move it into shelter, sticker it and wait...


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## flht01 (Jan 15, 2007)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> More pics. All that's left to do now is move it into shelter, sticker it and wait...



How thick did you cut those?


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 15, 2007)

flht01 said:


> How thick did you cut those?



2 1/4"


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## wdchuck (Jan 15, 2007)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> I was delayed for a couple of days due to a blown crank case seal but I was able to finish this log yesterday.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Canyon Angler (Jan 17, 2007)

Hey, Aggie, great pics and great saw setup, thanks for posting.

Question: You said that water oak has been down since last summer. After you slab that stuff out, do you paint it or coat it with anything to slow down the drying process and (hopefully) prevent really radical warping/twisting/cupping/checking?

That looks like some real nice wood. I'm envious and would love to see some after it's sanded and finished!


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jan 17, 2007)

Canyon Angler said:


> Hey, Aggie, great pics and great saw setup, thanks for posting.
> 
> Question: You said that water oak has been down since last summer. After you slab that stuff out, do you paint it or coat it with anything to slow down the drying process and (hopefully) prevent really radical warping/twisting/cupping/checking?
> 
> That looks like some real nice wood. I'm envious and would love to see some after it's sanded and finished!



Thanks.

I stack and sticker slabs back in order and then _slowly_ dry them in a barn. Figured wood like this is nearly impossible to dry perfectly. I do as much as I can to prevent checking, etc. and hope for the best. 

I have looked into PEG stabilization but acquiring enough of the chemical to treat slabs of this size is expensive.


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## cbfarmall (Jan 17, 2007)

aquan8tor said:


> Have you ever used a hardnose bar on a mill before?



When I first got my GB mill, I tried it with a 30" Stihl hardnose on my 075. I think I made it all of all about 12" into the first cut and the chain locked up tight. I had to pry it out of the bar tip. Spread the rails a bit and tried again. The chain had, if possible, nearly melted the tip. I had the auto oiler turned all the way up and had given it a squirt with the manual oiler. Anyway, the bar was junk (I still have it somewhere). Picked up a GB 36" protop sprocketnose, and never looked back.

Next time I mill, I have plenty of different options for a powerhead other than the 075--084 or 088 or 090. Probably I'll use the 088, but I need to find a 1/2 wrap handlebar.

Chris B.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=16799&highlight=075+GB+mill


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