# First go round the jimmy-do with homemade CSM



## 4x4American (Nov 4, 2013)

Welp a while ago i seen an idea on here that inspired me to make my own csm. I added my own little twist to it, and I made my first cut with it this past weekend. The nice clear pictures are taken from my fathers smart phone, and the not as nice ones are taken with my not so smart camera phone.













Not sure why the not as clear pics came out as duplicates but cant figure out how to get them to go away.


After I made the first cut, I realized that the 2x4 wouldnt work for me, cause then i'd have to use a guide rail the whole time. So I now made a whole new design on a 2x8. With the 2x8 I figure I'll have enough meat to start the next cut. I added a handle on it to help push, I mounted the aux oiler better with a valve protector, I notched the squares where the chain rivets were hitting, I notched the other blocks to make for quicker adding or subtracting to the setup, I ground the chain that I was using from 30 degree top plate angle to 10 degree top plate angle, set rakers a little more than .025", not sure what the wood is, really would like to identify it...but I have some pics of how I got it out of the woods without skidding it, whilst using only a pickup, a peavey and some 3x10's. Will post those pics later. Anyways...


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## BobL (Nov 4, 2013)

Great start 4X4! It shows you don't need a lot of $ to get started

FWIW I use log rails for nearly every cut. 
It means you can start the saw while the saw is perched on the rails at the start and let it cool off at the end of long/wide cuts and then there is no need to carry a mill with a running saw.
The log rails also enable any small twists to be removed and wil also reduce the transference of cutting irregularities from one surface to the next.


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## 4x4American (Nov 6, 2013)

thanks for the wise words of wisdo


BobL said:


> Great start 4X4! It shows you don't need a lot of $ to get started
> 
> FWIW I use log rails for nearly every cut.
> It means you can start the saw while the saw is perched on the rails at the start and let it cool off at the end of long/wide cuts and then there is no need to carry a mill with a running saw.
> The log rails also enable any small twists to be removed and wil also reduce the transference of cutting irregularities from one surface to the next.


Thank ya for the wise words!


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## woodchuck357 (Nov 7, 2013)

Lens needs cleaning, a common problem with phone cams. 
Unless I'm sawing freehand, I use guide rails for every cut, also.
Just guessing, but the log looks ash to me.


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## 4x4American (Nov 8, 2013)

woodchuck357 said:


> Lens needs cleaning, a common problem with phone cams.
> Unless I'm sawing freehand, I use guide rails for every cut, also.
> Just guessing, but the log looks ash to me.


yes lens is very scratched up on my camera phone. it used to take decent pictures. Would be nice to have a cover over the lens like some of the older camera phones did. I should have put some sort of clear cover over it too. oh well. Phones on it's last legs now. The only thing I dont like about using a guide rail on every cut is the setup time. but when I look at it, my whole setup I have going anyways is very slow. I will try and post a few more pics of log. on the inside of it, its reddish and stringy if that helps any.


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## 4x4American (Nov 9, 2013)




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## 4x4American (Nov 9, 2013)

So that above is how i got the log into the truck. I cut it all up today made 5 2x12's out of it


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## 4x4American (Nov 9, 2013)

Here's how I got the log up to working level


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## 4x4American (Nov 9, 2013)




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## 4x4American (Nov 9, 2013)

That wedge I have in there is so that I can turn the cant without it rolling off the stands.


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## 4x4American (Nov 9, 2013)

I screwed in the piece there to act as a dog. It was a piece of slab from the first cut. 
Anyone know what kinda log this is?


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## 4x4American (Nov 9, 2013)




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## 4x4American (Nov 9, 2013)

I accidentally hit the chain brake on the 066 with my foot when it was on the ground... and when I switched the handle bar to the wrap handle you have to change the chain brake handle to the R model one but I haven't switched it yet. So I had to put my backup saw on it. 461. I got to add, I wouldn't go any smaller than that 461 on a CSM. It's wearing a 36" bar, pulling full comp .050 round ground chisel chain ground to 10 degrees top plate angle, rakers set to .025" and in small wood the 461 was having a time pulling that chain.


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## 4x4American (Nov 9, 2013)

Didn't really take enough of a bite on the right side rip, I told myself after I ripped it that from now on I really gotta start at the narrow butt and rip towards the wide end of the log. Oh well, learn and live...You know what they say, Rome was built in a day.






Ok now after too many hours trying to finger out the computey box I'm goin to sleep, got huntin to do in the am.


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## marti384 (Nov 10, 2013)

4x4American said:


> View attachment 318041
> I screwed in the piece there to act as a dog. It was a piece of slab from the first cut. View attachment 318042
> Anyone know what kinda log this is?


Looks like red oak


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## 4x4American (Nov 10, 2013)

So I ran into a problem...I don't have any stickers..I've got it figured that I'lll need roughly 30. I don't have a kiln, but I worked for a guy for awhile who does have a kiln, I was thinking to ask him if I could stick them in. I also just went and talked to my neighbor, he has a large tulip (yellow poplar) that blew down from sandy, he said I can take it and do what I want with it. I haven't measured it yet but it looks to be over 36" dbh. I'm going to have to do some finagling to get it to fit on my setup. It had leaves on it so I know it's still alive and not rotting away quite yet. So I have some time.


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## betterbuilt (Nov 11, 2013)

I'm going to guess oak. I love the low tech mill. very cool.


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## Old Blue (Nov 11, 2013)

The Jimmy do is clearly working out and finishing up in the dark has a way of happening. That's nice looking wood and you ripped yourself out a beautiful cant. if ya got a table saw handy take a chunk of that oak and rip yourself some 3/4 X 3/4 green stock for your stickers. 

Old Blue
Suffering under tyrannical taxation with no representation in ..........
Kali-bone-ya


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## 4x4American (Nov 12, 2013)

That is a good idea. I don't have a table saw, but I do have a regular circular saw and a vise....so I reckon i'll be able to make something work. That is a great idea, I think there's about enough on the log to get a 3/4" slab. only thing i'll have to do now is make my setup able to cut that thin, right now the thinnest it can cut is 1-1/2" but I can figure something out. I have them dead stacked and covered with plywood on top of my trailer which happens to be up on jack stands waiting on parts right now. I think that I am going to try and make some stickers quick as I can so they're not dead stacked and I'll let them air dry for a while. I've heard that you can check moisture with an ohm meter somehow, can anyone shed any light?


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## 4x4American (Nov 12, 2013)

I just had an idea that i'm going to put to the test. Why do I even have 2x4's there to set the depth of the cut? it takes a long time to adjust and it is just a waste. All I need is some more nuts and washers! then i can cut slices as thin as the nut and washer. I can adjust the depth without adding and removing tiny 2x4's...and i can be more precise with my cuts!


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## BobL (Nov 13, 2013)

4x4American said:


> I just had an idea that i'm going to put to the test. Why do I even have 2x4's there to set the depth of the cut? it takes a long time to adjust and it is just a waste. All I need is some more nuts and washers! then i can cut slices as thin as the nut and washer. I can adjust the depth without adding and removing tiny 2x4's...and i can be more precise with my cuts!


You can also always throw different thickness boards down on the cut face of the log and mill over the top of these.


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## betterbuilt (Nov 13, 2013)

Removing the 2x4 for the one cut would be fine. I wouldn't think the all-thread would hold up very well if it was flexing a bunch. I would think you could make a bunch of different size shims out of plywood and such for different situations. I remember Danivan had big wooden knobs on his mill for easy changes.


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## GrassGuerilla (Nov 13, 2013)

Props on the home spun mill. Subscribed. Thanks for the thread and pics. Some folks talk, some folks plan and plan. Jimmy Do. ;-) nice work!


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## 4x4American (Nov 13, 2013)

BobL said:


> You can also always throw different thickness boards down on the cut face of the log and mill over the top of these.


for sure that's a good idea, thanks for sharing


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## 4x4American (Nov 13, 2013)

betterbuilt said:


> Removing the 2x4 for the one cut would be fine. I wouldn't think the all-thread would hold up very well if it was flexing a bunch. I would think you could make a bunch of different size shims out of plywood and such for different situations. I remember Danivan had big wooden knobs on his mill for easy changes.


ehh! I'm gonna test it out. maybe i'll use nylock nuts or some lock warshers. wish i could get to it this weekend but cant.


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## 4x4American (Nov 13, 2013)

GrassGuerilla said:


> Props on the home spun mill. Subscribed. Thanks for the thread and pics. Some folks talk, some folks plan and plan. Jimmy Do. ;-) nice work!


thank you for the positive feedback, surely will keep posting progress.


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## nk14zp (Feb 16, 2014)

Any updates. I too think I will build a mill a lot like yours.


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## 4x4American (Feb 19, 2014)

negatory, got busy then got snow...everythings buried under a foot and a half of snow. keeps snowing here too. once it thaws out i have a lot of yellow poplar to mill, but hopefully it'll be did with a woodmizer!


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