# Quick and simple milling rails



## BobL (Jan 12, 2009)

On my milling holiday I helped my host set up some basic milling rails using an aluminum ladder. We started with an ally extension ladder the two individual ladders being of equal width.




The 2 ladders were joined using a 3/16" x 2" steel strap like this.


The strap sits in the ladder C-channel very neatly.

The ends connect to the log using the commonly used angle iron method. 2" angle was used



Here is a close up of the way the angle is gripped to the ladder. A 3/8" bolt is welded to a short piece of angle and clips on as shown.



While we were at it we drilled a hole in the skid of my hosts mill so he can more easily adjust the chain tension on his 3120XP.


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## irishcountry (Jan 12, 2009)

Hey looks sturdy!! How many cutters are on that chain on the saw?? seen a couple on the bottom. Good job take care. irishcountry


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## BobL (Jan 12, 2009)

irishcountry said:


> How many cutters are on that chain on the saw?? seen a couple on the bottom.



5 skip chain - He's using a 3120 on a 60" mill/bar.


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## dustytools (Jan 12, 2009)

Nice work Bob. I have an 18' +/- section of aluminum extension ladder with the same angle iron set up as you have used. Im gonna re-work the way that the angles mount to the ladder to your idea, Im currently just clamping it with small cee clamps that are a PITA to use and adjust.


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## dancan (Jan 17, 2009)

+1 for pointing out simple but effective mods .


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## MR4WD (Jan 24, 2009)

I'm going to steal your idea and claim it as my own around here 

Brilliant, actually. Just curious, if you had thought of any way to set up the clamps, in terms of adjustment so you could mill along the pith line of the tree, say for slabbing out a set of beams or what have you.

I went with 1/2" hardware, so I didn't have to carry extra tools. The spark plug end of my scrench fits on the nuts just fine and the bolts pass through the barrel.

Nice work!
Chad.


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## BobL (Jan 26, 2009)

MR4WD said:


> Brilliant, actually. Just curious, if you had thought of any way to set up the clamps, in terms of adjustment so you could mill along the pith line of the tree, say for slabbing out a set of beams or what have you.



Stay tuned - it's got to happen this year ;-)



> I went with 1/2" hardware, so I didn't have to carry extra tools. The spark plug end of my scrench fits on the nuts just fine and the bolts pass through the barrel.


Good Idea - I wish I had done that. I have 5/16 nippers and 10 mm on the cross angle iron!


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## angstboater (Jan 31, 2009)

*nicely done*

looks like a great design, trying to do the same for my mill.


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## bkn49 (Jan 11, 2014)

BobL said:


> On my milling holiday I helped my host set up some basic milling rails using an aluminum ladder. We started with an ally extension ladder the two individual ladders being of equal width.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


why cant i see the images?..i used to be able to


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## MarcusB (Jan 11, 2014)

Site got hacked bud.


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## BobL (Jan 11, 2014)

Darrin has kindly given me the editing capability to repost my pics - I will repost them. They may not necessarily be in the right order as I can't always remember what is what.

[EDIT] OK I think I got these right.


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## betterbuilt (Jan 12, 2014)

Actually everyone can edit their own posts. I was adding pictures back the other day. The only issue I had was the pictures had to be put in at the end of the post. For some reason I was having trouble adding them in the body of the post.


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## betterbuilt (Jan 12, 2014)

betterbuilt said:


> Actually everyone can edit their own posts. I was adding pictures back the other day. The only issue I had was the pictures had to be put in at the end of the post. For some reason I was having trouble adding them in the body of the post.



Edit. I just looked back and it didn't work. I tried again and it seems to have worked. I might have tried too many pics at once.


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## bkn49 (Jan 12, 2014)

BobL said:


> On my milling holiday I helped my host set up some basic milling rails using an aluminum ladder. We started with an ally extension ladder the two individual ladders being of equal width.
> 
> View attachment 327135
> 
> ...


thanks... i really appreciate the the reposting...going to do my first milling this week with any luck


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## BobL (Jan 12, 2014)

betterbuilt said:


> Actually everyone can edit their own posts. I was adding pictures back the other day.


That's great!


> * The only issue I had was the pictures had to be put in at the end of the post. * For some reason I was having trouble adding them in the body of the post.


I found if you park the cursor at the spot where you want the newly updated photo inserted then hit the thumbnail or full image buttons and it inserts the pics where the cursor is located.


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## betterbuilt (Jan 13, 2014)

BobL said:


> That's great!
> 
> I found if you park the cursor at the spot where you want the newly updated photo inserted then hit the thumbnail or full image buttons and it inserts the pics where the cursor is located.


I'll give that a shot. Thanks BobL. Cheers.


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## groundup (Jan 14, 2014)

5 skip chain

Where'd you find such an exotic chain?


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## BobL (Jan 14, 2014)

groundup said:


> 5 skip chain
> Where'd you find such an exotic chain?



I don't know where he got it from. My mate got it when he got his CS milling gear which I think he got from a local Husky dealer. 3 and 5 skip is not that exotic around these parts because the wood is so hard.


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## groundup (Jan 14, 2014)

How does it perform in the mill?

Quicker, slower?

Smoother or more rough cut?


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## BobL (Jan 14, 2014)

groundup said:


> How does it perform in the mill?
> Quicker, slower?
> Smoother or more rough cut?


I didn't notice any difference in cutting speed or cut smoothness over full comp chain. 
I think it would come into its own on really wide cuts in hard wood as it would ease the load on the saw.
Its very quick to sharpen but then I also reckon it goes blunter quicker than full comp. 
I used regular skip chain for about 30 logs but since then I have stuck with full comp


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## groundup (Jan 14, 2014)

Yeah I run full comp for the same reasons you stated.

However, I have a 660 on the way and may be using it for milling some hard 30+ inch slabs and am considering using a skip


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## SierraMtns (May 17, 2020)

I know this is a old thread. But do you have any pictures of the rail on the log? Would like to see how you level and mount it. Thanks


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## BobL (May 18, 2020)

When using the ladder type rails I tekscrew a board onto one end of the log and lay the frame onto the log/board and then use wedges to level the ladder using a a DAF (see below) and then TekScrew the other board on the other end.




This are my HD unistrut rails - same method but don't worry about the end boards, the pointed bolts in the cross angle bite straight into the end of the log.







I level the rails using a digital angle finder (DAF).
Set zero at one end and then make sure its zero at the other - use wedges to lift the low side and then tighten th spouted bolts up.
I used to use a pice of Al across the rails but now I just place the DAF on the Cross Angle.

I use the rails on most cuts as my mill rails are HDPE lined and slide real nicel on the Unistrut. 
That ws I can correct for any slight twis caused from the previous cut.


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## moresnow (May 18, 2020)

BobL said:


> When using the ladder type rails I tekscrew a board onto one end of the log and lay the frame onto the log/board and then use wedges to level the ladder using a a DAF (see below) and then TekScrew the other board on the other end.
> View attachment 828575
> 
> View attachment 828576
> ...


Is that a large snake in the first pic?


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## SierraMtns (May 18, 2020)

moresnow said:


> Is that a large snake in the first pic?






I think that is...wow.


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## moresnow (May 18, 2020)

SierraMtns said:


> I think that is...wow.


Perth, Australia just dropped off my must goto list


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## Trever (May 20, 2020)

Nice snack.


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## John T super cab (May 23, 2020)

It aint no grasshopper


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## BobL (May 24, 2020)

I first posted that pick in 2009 and got a heap of responses about it.

There are LOTS of Tiger and Dugite snakes in the are where I was milling that log but that snake is a fake that my mate was using to try and train his dog out of bringing dead snakes back to the house, - he did not have any luck and eventually it must have got bitten as it disappeared Tigers and Dugites look nothing like that. Both snakes are highly poisonous, the Tiger is the 10th most poisonous snake in the world. Most Aussie snakes are highly sensitive to and scared of noise and will quickly slither away as you stumble through their territory. At the sound of a CS they keep right away and that is why timber fallers don't see many or get bitten during their work. The danger comes when you threaten one or accidentally tread on one and then they will bite you . In Oz, about 300 people a year get bitten but only about 2 persons year die, compared with 11,000 a year in India and about 5 in the US. In Australian you are 5X more likely to be killed by a lightening strike than a snake bite


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## buttercup (May 26, 2020)

BobL said:


> I first posted that pick in 2009 and got a heap of responses about it.
> 
> There are LOTS of Tiger and Dugite snakes in the are where I was milling that log but that snake is a fake that my mate was using to try and train his dog out of bringing dead snakes back to the house, - he did not have any luck and eventually it must have got bitten as it disappeared Tigers and Dugites look nothing like that. Both snakes are highly poisonous, the Tiger is the 10th most poisonous snake in the world. Most Aussie snakes are highly sensitive to and scared of noise and will quickly slither away as you stumble through their territory. At the sound of a CS they keep right away and that is why timber fallers don't see many or get bitten during their work. The danger comes when you threaten one or accidentally tread on one and then they will bite you . In Oz, about 300 people a year get bitten but only about 2 persons year die, compared with 11,000 a year in India and about 5 in the US. In Australian you are 5X more likely to be killed by a lightening strike than a snake bite



I've always envied the nice and sunny conditions at the other side of the world. However the most dangerous creatures in the wild life here is.. not lethal.
Of course there is the extremely shy bear with cubs or a horny moose... the snake bite would be similar to a wasp. No big hardwood trees though.


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## BobL (May 27, 2020)

buttercup said:


> I've always envied the nice and sunny conditions at the other side of the world. However the most dangerous creatures in the wild life here is.. not lethal.
> Of course there is the extremely shy bear with cubs or a horny moose... the snake bite would be similar to a wasp. No big hardwood trees though.


The most dangerous creatures in most places are fellow humans.


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## Marine5068 (May 30, 2020)

BobL said:


> I didn't notice any difference in cutting speed or cut smoothness over full comp chain.
> I think it would come into its own on really wide cuts in hard wood as it would ease the load on the saw.
> Its very quick to sharpen but then I also reckon it goes blunter quicker than full comp.
> I used regular skip chain for about 30 logs but since then I have stuck with full comp


Great mods and good for you helping out a mate there.
And as always, we find your knowledge and ingenuity very helpful and useful in our own set-ups.
Thanks again from way up here in Canada.
Take care Bob.


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## Brent Nowell (Jun 3, 2020)

Nice work!
I started with a ladder, went away from the ladder, now im back to the ladder system... 

The one thing that stands out with your ladder, from what im seeing, is that the rungs do not protrude out the sides enough to interfere with the vertical poles of the mill. makes it much easier for you


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## stihl_lyfe (Jun 14, 2020)

Thanks to this thread, got the inspiration to build something similar today... 

Previously I'd just screw the rungs directly to a flat face of the tree, but having milled some blackwoods recently that were dowel-round, it took me forever to set up the first cut so decided to build this so didn't require a squarish face to work off

Stainless brackets, shinier than they need to be but came out nice




6mm alu angle:




Not buttoned up in this pic, but all done


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