# good fairly cheap chainsaw mill setup?



## 4x4American (Nov 5, 2012)

can anyone recommend a good cheap chainsaw mill that is fairly easy to use? mainly the easy to use part of it is what i'm looking for. price range around $400 it dont gotta be the most accurate thing in the world I just need some wood to build myself a workbench and a little shed to put it in. i've got plenty of logs. 
thanks! -doug


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## BobL (Nov 5, 2012)

If you only need to mill a few longs a very basic chainsaw mill is very easy to make.

Take a look at this one.


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## 4x4American (Nov 5, 2012)

BobL said:


> If you only need to mill a few longs a very basic chainsaw mill is very easy to make.
> 
> Take a look at this one.



thats real cool, how do you set the size of the board to cut?


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## WidowMaker1 (Nov 6, 2012)




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## laddo90 (Nov 11, 2012)

i made one from a metal square a friend welded me drilled two holes, and use two bolts and use nuts to add or decrease slab thickness works. Just need a bigger saw.


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## kpantherpro (Nov 12, 2012)

Bob is that one of yours very simple easy and cost effective, if your on an extreme budget, and you needed to mill that might work, whats the cut like with something like that any wobble or scalloping?


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## sachsmo (Nov 13, 2012)

Har, har ,har,

aint nothing doing with chainsaws is "fairly cheap",

Made this one fairly cheap;


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## BobL (Nov 13, 2012)

kpantherpro said:


> Bob is that one of yours . . . .



It's not mine. I found the picture on another website. 
I have seen someone using the Will Mallof version shown by widowmaker and it seems to works OK.


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## mad murdock (Nov 14, 2012)

First question, do you have a saw already? If so, how big is the engine? Secondly-what is the average log diameter of the logs you will mill? Baileys sells the Granberg Alaskan, the small mill and the mini mill. Baileys also has the Logosol store and sells the M8, Big Mill system and the timber jig. I would suggest the stihl picco ripping chain with your CSM setup, it will cut faster(smaller kerf) and you will have a bit more recovery (more boards, less waste).


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## 2treeornot2tree (Nov 14, 2012)

sachsmo said:


> Har, har ,har,
> 
> aint nothing doing with chainsaws is "fairly cheap",
> 
> Made this one fairly cheap;


Where did you get those aluminum pieces from? How do you clamp it to the guide when you adjust thickness?


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## sachsmo (Nov 16, 2012)

You can get it on the bag if you cant find it locally. 80/20 Inc. - The Industrial Erector Set®


Made a little 3/16 ratchet wrench, loosen 4 screws and slide it up or down.

The whole deal is held on with 2 5/16-18 capscrews.

Also have longer rails to accommodate 48".


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## jrhannum (Nov 16, 2012)

*8020 virgin*

What's yer bill of materials and costs and delivery-time for 8020 stuff?


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## GWB (Nov 16, 2012)

*80/20 from McMaster-Carr*

I've purchased 80/20 hardware from McMaster-Carr. Very fast delivery time.


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## wouter (Nov 16, 2012)

I bought an alaskan mill mk III couple of years back for about 300 euro's and it's still going strong, nice peace of equipment. 

See link : alaskan mill I home of the portable chainsaw mill


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## 2treeornot2tree (Nov 17, 2012)

sachsmo said:


> You can get it on the bag if you cant find it locally. 80/20 Inc. - The Industrial Erector Set®
> 
> 
> Made a little 3/16 ratchet wrench, loosen 4 screws and slide it up or down.
> ...



What series of the t slot framing did you use?


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## gr8scott72 (Nov 18, 2012)

4x4American said:


> can anyone recommend a good cheap chainsaw mill that is fairly easy to use? mainly the easy to use part of it is what i'm looking for. price range around $400 it dont gotta be the most accurate thing in the world I just need some wood to build myself a workbench and a little shed to put it in. i've got plenty of logs.
> thanks! -doug



I'm thinking about selling my Alaskan mill and my 394XP. Moved and don't really have any place to cut or any means to move logs any more.


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## j_h_s (Nov 18, 2012)

*Granburg*

I've been using alaska mills for about 35 years. Currently I primarily use the 60" Granburg (Alaska) mill with my Husqvarna 3210xp and six foot bar. I think I paid around $250 for the mill through Bailieys. There are shorter (and cheaper) Granburg mills available. I think it's a great tool for a great value.

Affixing the mill to the bar requires no modfication of the saw or the bar.

Someone asked what size chainsaw, bar, and trees you're dealing with -- a very important (and good) question.

Regards,
Jim
Fort Bragg, CA


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## 4x4American (Dec 1, 2012)

mad murdock said:


> First question, do you have a saw already? If so, how big is the engine? Secondly-what is the average log diameter of the logs you will mill? Baileys sells the Granberg Alaskan, the small mill and the mini mill. Baileys also has the Logosol store and sells the M8, Big Mill system and the timber jig. I would suggest the stihl picco ripping chain with your CSM setup, it will cut faster(smaller kerf) and you will have a bit more recovery (more boards, less waste).



I am going to try and build my own CSM today...I need to get some ripping chain though, not sure I'll be able to find any around here. Can anyone help me out with a part number or something? I am proberly going to use a 25" Stihl rollomatic es bar (.050") to start out with because I have two and don't care if I ruin one. I also have two 28" rollomatic es bars but one is kinda shot and the other is brand new, I don't want to drill holes in the brand new one and I don't think that the shot one will produce the best quality boards. I don't think I should use my 36" rollomatic es bar either because it's fairly new too andI don't want to drill holes in it. I will use my 066 for a powerhead, I got it running pretty decent right now.


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## k5alive (Dec 1, 2012)

look up panther chainsaw mill on eBay. he used to sell him here but he lives not to far from where I am
same thing as an Alaskan mill but a great price and many different sizes


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## 4x4American (Dec 1, 2012)

Oh and for tree size, there's a pretty good sized tulip tree born and raised on my neighbor's property in the woods and about 3/8 landed on my property in the woods when sandy pushed it there, the good sized pieces are on my neighbors land and they're new here they just moved in about a month ago so I plan to ask them if I can mill it up. I haven't gone onto their land to measure it but I have cut up what has landed on my property as it was blocking my 4 wheeler trail. I have a bunch of hardwoods down already sizes ranging from 16"-24"...there's also a few nice trees back in the woods that I'd like to see if I can get permission to drop and mill, they are 30" dbh and up. There's 1600 acres of county land behind my home and about 100 acres or so of private land bordering it and there's over 40 miles of horse/biking/walking trails and I have my own fourwheeler trails set aside that pretty much only wheelers ride on, so it's accessible to smaller things, couldn't fit a big tractor or skidder back there without some serious clearing but a wheeler and a log arch I could proberly do it.


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## 4x4American (Dec 1, 2012)

WidowMaker1 said:


>



Drove around today getting stuff to make this happen, I'm using 7/16" threaded rod instead of 1/2" I think it should be strong enough. Very excited to get this going thanks for the post!


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