# First use of Mini Mill.......yes pictures



## Trigger-Time (Jan 5, 2008)

Finished some honey do's and the farm chores. Thought I would try
out the mini mill for the first time. Got a late start, only milled into
a cant. I'm pleased with it. Last pic, just because I thought it was neat.


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## dustytools (Jan 5, 2008)

Nice pics. Gary! I love my mini-mill. My only regret is not getting one sooner than I did.


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## zopi (Jan 5, 2008)

very nice grain in that!


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## woodshop (Jan 5, 2008)

Great pics... looks like you have it down pat. Yeah I do like that last pic with your silhouette milling. Cool lookin' pic.

Is that white oak? Bark kinda looks like it could be, but then that wood is a bit on the dark side for white oak, which is usually more of a light tan. But then, colors on digital pics aren't always right on. 

Thanks


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## Trigger-Time (Jan 5, 2008)

dustytools said:


> Nice pics. Gary! I love my mini-mill. My only regret is not getting one sooner than I did.



Yes I should have bought one sooner. Today was first time I used
my new cant hook, first time I have ever used one.


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## Trigger-Time (Jan 5, 2008)

woodshop said:


> Great pics... looks like you have it down pat. Yeah I do like that last pic with your silhouette milling. Cool lookin' pic.
> 
> Is that white oak? Bark kinda looks like it could be, but then that wood is a bit on the dark side for white oak, which is usually more of a light tan. But then, colors on digital pics aren't always right on.
> 
> Thanks



I agree, wood is very dark for White Oak but bark sure looks like
White Oak. I even said to the wife I'm not sure what kind of tree this is.
This wood has very little smell.


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## Trigger-Time (Jan 5, 2008)

*Wife was big help.....she piled wood while I played *


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## undercut (Jan 5, 2008)

*kewl pics*

I think i need me one of dem der contraptoids. 
I have been looking at setups reciently for csm, your pics are very encouraging!


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## Trigger-Time (Jan 6, 2008)

undercut said:


> I think i need me one of dem der contraptoids.
> I have been looking at setups reciently for csm, your pics are very encouraging!



You need to get you'r feet wet, if money is tight IMO a mini mill
is a good start. I bought it for edging, after only one day and
just a few cuts I would recommend one.

Link to Bailey's, where I bought mine.........so jump in and get you'r feet WET!  

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=46555&catID=


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## 04ultra (Jan 6, 2008)

Looks like a fun day out there Gary...........  








.


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## Trigger-Time (Jan 6, 2008)

I was to lazy to take bale spike off tractor and put the jib (boom) on.
Made a little ramp, loaded cant up headed to the house. Sure did
make me appreciate my tractor more.






White Oaks that will be milled one day.






Dad needed a few pieces of 8/4 lumber. Cant on trailer was nice, very windy
today but was able to turn it to have wind to my back. Didn't eat any dust,
saw air filter stayed very clean. I replaced the crank shaft, bearings, 
OEM piston kit and a few other things on this 066, this is the first milling
it has done after the overhaul. It was kind of holding my breath but it
seems to run good and holding together (knock on wood).  







(Woodshop) Wood is getting lighter but has alot of pink color to it.


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## woodshop (Jan 6, 2008)

Trigger-Time said:


> ...(Woodshop) Wood is getting lighter but has alot of pink color to it.



Oh yeah... that looks like a dead ringer for white oak there. Nice lookin wood. Most oak is pinkish when wet and first cut, but some of the red oaks (pin oak, northern red, scarlet oak) have more of a reddish color. Once they are dry and run through the planer though, you can really see the diff between the red and white. White oak will have more of a light tan cast, while the red oaks can still have a bit of pinkish tinge to them. White oak in general has larger rays (rays grow from the center of the tree out towards the bark, 90 degrees from the majority of fibers running vertically up and down the trunk), thus when quartersawn, the white oak shows more of those large irregular rays on the surface, beautiful. 

I just love wood... can't get enough of it.


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## rayvil01 (Jan 8, 2008)

The mini-mill looks like a neat unit. I've only seen it in pictures and videos. The thing that spooks me off is that unprotected bar and chain coming out the bottom of the log. It looks like it gets fairly close to the operator's legs. Or is that just camera angle? 

BTW, got my 30" Granberg Mill. The last time I saw instructions this good to put something together, it was 20-some years ago putting some toy together on Christmas Eve! (Sarcasm Font)  We'll get it. Is there any particular thing that should get Red Loctite?


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## Trigger-Time (Jan 8, 2008)

rayvil01 said:


> The mini-mill looks like a neat unit. I've only seen it in pictures and videos. The thing that spooks me off is that unprotected bar and chain coming out the bottom of the log. It looks like it gets fairly close to the operator's legs. Or is that just camera angle?
> 
> BTW, got my 30" Granberg Mill. The last time I saw instructions this good to put something together, it was 20-some years ago putting some toy together on Christmas Eve! (Sarcasm Font)  We'll get it. Is there any particular thing that should get Red Loctite?



I have only made 4, 7' cuts with it so take my advice as such.

If needed you can adjust the amount of bar length that sticks
below the log

While pushing the saw you will behind it enough, as to be hard
to hit you'r legs (anything is possible though), reason for being
behind it so much is for leverage to push mill. Also I never let
my right leg go in ahead of my left leg. Right leg was leg next
to log for all cuts, used right leg to push off of. *I doubt if this
makes much sense........but it's all I got.  *


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## Trigger-Time (Jan 8, 2008)

Wife shot video of milling one cut. I just watched it again, looks as
if it would be very awkward to ever lead with the right leg (right handed
person anyway). *I should of had my chaps on no matter.*  

tidbit.....log was 7'4" long, took 90 seconds to rip slab off.
Works out to just over 1 sec per in.



.


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## stonykill (Jan 9, 2008)

nice! I love my mini mill. 

I find the mini mill very safe. If I didn't feel safe with it, I wouldn't use it.


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## wdchuck (Jan 9, 2008)

It appears that the mini mill is a handy and useful tool, for straight out slabbing it eliminates theneed to turn a log. 

A fine accompaniment to a ripsaw.


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## aquan8tor (Jan 9, 2008)

In pics 3 & 4 the log past where you're making the cant really looks like black oak to me, but I'm just going by the bark---it really looks like white oak by the bark, anyway, in the other pics though. Some of the cut pieces (firewood pieces) also have the deep ruffled black oak type bark, almost like chestnut oak bark looks. Either way, it is good looking wood.


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## Sprig (Jan 9, 2008)

That is a very cool little mill, me like, me like a whole lot, could just be the thing I need to start with and at less than 100$ US (Bailey's 74$), man, how could ya go wrong?
Thanks for the great pics TT (nice roostrer tail!), da pups look like they enjoy their time in the woods too  A fine time no doubt :rockn: 



Serge


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## Marmaduck (Jan 9, 2008)

aquan8tor said:


> In pics 3 & 4 the log past where you're making the cant really looks like black oak to me, but I'm just going by the bark---it really looks like white oak by the bark, anyway, in the other pics though. Some of the cut pieces (firewood pieces) also have the deep ruffled black oak type bark, almost like chestnut oak bark looks. Either way, it is good looking wood.



Me thinks Aquan8tor is right...the deep ruffled bark AND the blood-red layer just inside the bark look like black oak.

I only know this because my buddy gave me a tree for my birthday last year...black oak, topped by Katrina, but still alive. I haven't gotten to it yet, but it has that dark red/purple layer under the bark.

Anyway, that's a real pretty cant. I can't wait to try my mini-mill.


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## woodshop (Jan 9, 2008)

wdchuck said:


> It appears that the mini mill is a handy and useful tool, for straight out slabbing it eliminates theneed to turn a log.
> 
> A fine accompaniment to a ripsaw.



I could see one of these saving me some time in some situations, since I could slab the side of smaller dia logs instead of rotating them and setting up the csm. This would be quicker. Not sure with large logs though, say 36" dia if it would go any faster. Might not even be able to do what I want on a log that large with a mini mill, don't know. Anybody tried this on something that large? What are the practical limits of the mini-mill?


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## Marmaduck (Jan 9, 2008)

woodshop said:


> I could see one of these saving me some time in some situations, since I could slab the side of smaller dia logs instead of rotating them and setting up the csm. This would be quicker. Not sure with large logs though, say 36" dia if it would go any faster. Might not even be able to do what I want on a log that large with a mini mill, don't know. Anybody tried this on something that large? What are the practical limits of the mini-mill?



FWIW, considering I haven't actually used my mini-mill, it seems the mini-mill would only be limited by the size of the saw/bar combo used. I planned to use my little 20" bar on my MS290, but could just as easily use my 28" or 36" bar (on a bigger saw, of course). My plan for this mill was to simply make large logs narrow enough to fit my Mk III mill. Now that I have the 395/36" combo, that won't be necessary very often. I still think it will be nice to pre-edge logs and quickly give me 2 more flat sides to make quarter-sawing go more smoothly.


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## rayvil01 (Jan 9, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. As mentioned, at $74, it's hard to argue with the value of it.


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## stonykill (Jan 9, 2008)

woodshop said:


> I could see one of these saving me some time in some situations, since I could slab the side of smaller dia logs instead of rotating them and setting up the csm. This would be quicker. Not sure with large logs though, say 36" dia if it would go any faster. Might not even be able to do what I want on a log that large with a mini mill, don't know. Anybody tried this on something that large? What are the practical limits of the mini-mill?



woodshop, the minimill is how I was able to mill 30 inch logs with a 58cc saw. With the minimill I was able to slab 2 sides off, roll the log onto its side and slab the other 2 off. Now I'm down to 24 ish inches. Take the minimill and rip that in 1/2...2 - 12 inch cants. Then out comes the csm to make boards. 

The minimill can reduce the size of the large stuff, into realisically usable cants. You know yourself you don't need 24 inch wide boards. :rockn:


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## woodshop (Jan 9, 2008)

stonykill said:


> woodshop, the minimill is how I was able to mill 30 inch logs with a 58cc saw. With the minimill I was able to slab 2 sides off, roll the log onto its side and slab the other 2 off. Now I'm down to 24 ish inches. Take the minimill and rip that in 1/2...2 - 12 inch cants. Then out comes the csm to make boards.
> 
> The minimill can reduce the size of the large stuff, into realisically usable cants. You know yourself you don't need 24 inch wide boards. :rockn:



Got it... so again I'm just wondering if this thing can save me time in certain situations where it would go faster than setting up the csm. 

No, rarely does a woodworker need 24 inch wide boards. In fact, I rarely use more than 8 inch wide boards for lots of reasons. Occasionally the need does arise. I have plans to make and sell a 24 inch wide 8/4 cutting board. In that case, was going to use two 12 inch wide boards glued up with biscuits, so there would be an example of a wide board. But table tops, most furniture, no... boards that wide give rise to stability and movement problems.


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## BlueRider (Jan 10, 2008)

Iv'e seen several refrences recently about not using wide boards when building furniture. Being a furniture maker I certianly understand the sound design principles in using multiple narrow boards vs using a single wide one. However I tend to mill all my wood trough and through and keep the slabs as wide as possible. By keeping the slabs as wide as possible it allows me to select my 8" boards out of the best possible grain. I also have several designs that use boards up to 12" so having wide boards allows me to use the wood for those designs or for other stuff. 

Another reason why I like to leave my slabs wide is because I like to stack them as they came off the log. this makes it easier to keep track of the order of the boards in case I want to book match them in a design later on. 

I have no factual data but I suspect that it is also faster to mill through and through rather then milling a cant and then slabing that. Of course I suppose this all comes down to cc's and mill capacity. But since I make my living building furniture and not by milling wood I try to spend as little time as possible milling wood. Not that I don't enjoy milling, just got to try and be efficient with my time.


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## stonykill (Jan 10, 2008)

woodshop said:


> Got it... so again I'm just wondering if this thing can save me time in certain situations where it would go faster than setting up the csm.




I'm not sure it is a timesaver in most cases. It's an inexpensive tool at your disposal , to get the job done. It in certain cases can save you from rolling a large log. May save your back in that case. Does it replace the csm? Nope, compliments it. If I had to put it into numbers, I use the mini 1 in 9 times that I use the csm.


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## stonykill (Jan 10, 2008)

BlueRider said:


> Iv'e seen several refrences recently about not using wide boards when building furniture. Being a furniture maker I certianly understand the sound design principles in using multiple narrow boards vs using a single wide one. However I tend to mill all my wood trough and through and keep the slabs as wide as possible. By keeping the slabs as wide as possible it allows me to select my 8" boards out of the best possible grain. I also have several designs that use boards up to 12" so having wide boards allows me to use the wood for those designs or for other stuff.
> 
> Another reason why I like to leave my slabs wide is because I like to stack them as they came off the log. this makes it easier to keep track of the order of the boards in case I want to book match them in a design later on.
> 
> I have no factual data but I suspect that it is also faster to mill through and through rather then milling a cant and then slabing that. Of course I suppose this all comes down to cc's and mill capacity. But since I make my living building furniture and not by milling wood I try to spend as little time as possible milling wood. Not that I don't enjoy milling, just got to try and be efficient with my time.



Fellow full time woodworker here.

I see the logic in doing it your way. My personal experience with milling wide slabs hasn't been the greatest. I find that I have to mill to 1 1/2 thick to flatten to 1 inch if I mill real wide due to twist, warp etc. If I mill into cants 1st, 1 1/4 rough gets me 1 inch finished. Less wasted wood in my eyes. Of Course it all depends on species. Of what I've milled oak is the worst to mill wide. Twist, pop, fart, warp. But then I mill little oak as I can't stand it. Birch,cherry, once in the heart drys flat for me. I also keep my boards in order. 

If I had a large jointer and planer, I would mill wider as well. Most don't have the tools to work said wood.

From my experiences it is quicker to cant 1st. It takes little time to create a cant, then the saw can handle the reduced width better, creating much faster milling. 

2 ways to do the same thing. For me, and my storage areas, and tools, 30 inch wide boards....just don't work. For others it may, and does.


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## BlueRider (Jan 10, 2008)

stonykill said:


> Fellow full time woodworker here.
> 
> I see the logic in doing it your way. My personal experience with milling wide slabs hasn't been the greatest. I find that I have to mill to 1 1/2 thick to flatten to 1 inch if I mill real wide due to twist, warp etc. If I mill into cants 1st, 1 1/4 rough gets me 1 inch finished. Less wasted wood in my eyes. Of Course it all depends on species. Of what I've milled oak is the worst to mill wide. Twist, pop, fart, warp. But then I mill little oak as I can't stand it. Birch,cherry, once in the heart drys flat for me. I also keep my boards in order.
> 
> ...



I hear you regarding the oak. One of the things I am trying to do with my furniture is to distinguish my self from all the other stuff out there, and one of the ways I can do this is by usinf different kinds of wood.

A few years ago I started milling everything at 2 1/4" which gets me a 2" dry rough board. since many furniture components are made in pairs a rough 2" board will net me a pair of components with matching grain. Most times this is never noticed, but it all adds up to a more harmonious overall design. 

With a 58cc saw I can see where milling a cant first could save time. with my 89cc's I am guessing that I am on the cusp of it taking the same either way or possible being a bit faster to mill through and through. I have all the parts to convert one of my 051's to an 075 which will give me 111cc's and I am hoping that it will speed things up in 30" plus size range as I tend to mill a lot of stuff over 30".

Don't get me wrong I think having a mini mill is probably the easiest way for milling a cant and will probably pick one up when I start collecting timbers for a new shop.


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## stonykill (Jan 10, 2008)

BlueRider said:


> I hear you regarding the oak. One of the things I am trying to do with my furniture is to distinguish my self from all the other stuff out there, and one of the ways I can do this is by usinf different kinds of wood.
> 
> A few years ago I started milling everything at 2 1/4" which gets me a 2" dry rough board. since many furniture components are made in pairs a rough 2" board will net me a pair of components with matching grain. Most times this is never noticed, but it all adds up to a more harmonious overall design.
> 
> ...




I mill with 82 cc's now, lp chain. 

I agree with setting yourself apart from the furniture crowd. By milling our own lumber, we are able to do just that!


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