# Trouble with Alaskan Mill, especially Mini Mill



## danf26 (Mar 28, 2011)

Hi all,

So Im having a lot of trouble with the chainsaw mill I’ve been using. I’m using two Granberg Mills, a Mark 2, and a Mini Mill (the Mark 2 cuts horizontally with the bar clamped at both the tip and the base, the Mini Mill cuts vertically with the bar clamped just at the base). They’re both used, and the Mini Mill, which is giving me the trouble is actually a little bent. The mills make sense for me in conjunction, but the Mini Mill is making me think twice about using the chainsaw mills at all.

I was milling last week, a beautiful red oak, and everything was going spectacular. I made my first horizontal cut with the Mark 2, and it was a bueat. But the cuts I made with the Mini Mill, "walked" significantly. That is, the bar moved in and out (mostly in - as in towards the center of the timber), giving me a very not square cut, and a timber with varying dimensions (in the worst part, I lost almost an inch of width). So, while I can use this timber for something else, I can no longer use it in the dimensions I was intending. 

Are there any seasoned chainsaw mill veterans out there? Any in Western Mass? 

After a long time of trying to get these to work well, Im thinking about changing my plans – no longer milling everything myself, but bringing some logs to a mill and letting then do those, and milling/hewing the rest (there still would be a significant number that I would be doing). I have questions related to that that I’ll post somewhere else (see Post: Moving small amount of logs from land to mill and back). But, just wanted to see if anybody had any advice.


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## mtngun (Mar 28, 2011)

Without pics we can only guess.

The mini-mill can produce good results, but it does have a couple of weaknesses.

You have to to constantly push the mill down against the guide board, or else it can loose contact with the V-guide. 

Make sure the saw is set up to pull itself into the cut. It's possible to mount the saw so that it pushes itself away from the cut, making it difficult to maintain contact with the guide board.

The foot of the mill is only about 4" wide, so it tips side to side easily -- unless you keep it pushed against the guide board.

I'm usually able to maintain 1/4" tolerance using the mini-mill. Plenty good enough for timber framing.

The biggest problem I've had is the initial slabbing cut. If that's crooked, then all the subsequent cuts will be crooked. 

A crooked cut could also be caused by a bad chain. If the cutters are dull on one side, the chain will cut crooked no matter what. 

Not sure what you mean about your mini-mill being bent ? Sounds like something is wrong, but we don't have enough information to figure it out.

As discussed in your other thread, there is a lot to be said for hiring a portable bandmill to saw your logs.


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## smokinj (Mar 28, 2011)

I use to use the mini but feel the results are better just to use the big mill for everthing.


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## danf26 (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks guys,

The hard part Ive had with just using the big mill is when I turn the log 90 degrees for the 3rd and 4th cuts, its been very difficult to get 1)an even plane that is 2)"perfectly" (or as close to it as possible) square to the other sides.

Maybe I'll sharpen my chain and try again today. I will also experiment with how my saw is positioned in the mill (the mini mill) and make sure its angled so the chain is pulling itself in.

I'll also bring along my camera and take pics to hopefully post up here.

Thanks again.


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## mtngun (Mar 29, 2011)

danf26 said:


> I will also experiment with how my saw is positioned in the mill (the mini mill) and make sure its angled so the chain is pulling itself in.


It justs needs to be cutting on the bottom of the bar, not the top of the bar.


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## SDB777 (Mar 30, 2011)

If the mini mill is 'walking' almost an inch, how does it not cut into the board that the 'V' is mounted on? Or is the guide board/"V" rail not screwed to the flat surface you've got it on??


Photo's would help somewhat...





Scott B


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## danf26 (Mar 31, 2011)

So, no photos yet of the mill in action on the guide board, but here are some pics of the mini mill. Go to www.flickr.com/photos/danielcha to see the 5 pictures I put up there of the mill. I added notes to them that you can read when you click on and view a picture individually.

At what angle with the bottom of the bar? hould the saw be basically vertical? Or tipped back at a slight incline with the engine leaning in towards me? Ive been doing the later, but have seen pictures of both.

The saw had in the past cut into the guide board, but doesnt seem to be now. I could always unscrew and remount the Vs on the other side of the guide board to get a fresh start with that.


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## mroeschlein (Mar 31, 2011)

Is that a real Granberg mini-mill? Mine certainly doesn't look like that, but then I did just buy mine a couple weeks ago (maybe new model or something).

My first thought on this is that with the saw mounted essentially in the 'center' of your mill rather than hanging off the side, the weight and balance may be off. Mine mounts basically right next to the v channel and clamps to that side of the mill, with the other sliding 'foot' piece riding on the 2x6 guide board. The main weight of the saw is then resting over the foot piece and the guide board, rather than hanging off the side of the cut, which is possibly what is causing your squirrely cuts.

my rough sketch of what I'm talking about:


||
/----\
| |
| |
\----/
|=== <-- This is the mini-mill
|^---
|^----
|------ <-- Guide 2x6
|
|
|
|


See how the weight of the saw is over the 2x6 with the bar side riding where the little 'v' track would be? Not sure if that's how yours works, but doesn't look like it from the pictures.

Sorry if I confused you - just seems like the model you have isn't quite right or something. And I agree that it looks bent in your pics.


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## mtngun (Mar 31, 2011)

Thanks for the pics. They help.

That must be a pre-historic version of the mini-mill, the current version is quite a bit different.






What does the angle iron on the left do ? Current mills don't have that piece.

Since I have no experience with that version of the mill, I don't know what else to tell you. :msp_unsure:


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## danf26 (Apr 1, 2011)

Hhmmmm . . . well, I'll take some pictures of it set up soon. The angle iron on the left doesnt seem to do anything. Its on the "cut" side of mill, so just hangs in space. I can bring it nearer or further from the black center where the saw mounts, but I dont really understand its purpose. That part removed, my version of the mill doesnt look drastically different, just that the flat piece on the right seems to further out on my version than the new version.

Bummer, wish I had known all this a year ago, and just bought the new version then . . .


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## danf26 (Apr 1, 2011)

OK, guys. So pictures are up. Here's the link to my pictures regarding the Mini Mill: www.flickr.com/photos/danielcha/sets/72157626283897439/ So, basically the pictures tell the whole story. In taking the pictures, I realized much more about what was wrong, so I thank you all because it was knowing you guys would be looking at them that helped me diagnose.

In the process, I learned more about what wasnt right with the mill, and how to position it to give it the squarest cut. And, you'll be able to see the cut is pretty square, but totally uniform thruout. But definitely within a range Im happy about.

The ironic part, is this mill broke on me 7/8s of the way thru the cut. One of the screws broke in half. So, I imagine a brand spanking new Mini Mill might be in my future.

I hope you look thru the pictures, as a lot of them have descriptions and notes on them. Also, what is that blue stain on my freshly milled green oak?

Thank you all, seriously.


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## betterbuilt (Apr 1, 2011)

The stain on the oak is the tannins in the oak reacting to the steel from your chain.


The bolts on the mini mill seem tweeked.


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## jimdad07 (Apr 1, 2011)

You might want to think of switching to a 2 post mill or making one. I think you would like the results much better.


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## mtngun (Apr 1, 2011)

Glad to hear that you are figuring it out, danf26. 





BTW, the way you seem to be laying out the beam with the heart right on the edge is not entirely kosher, but you may be able to get away with it.


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## mtngun (Apr 1, 2011)

Glad to hear that you are figuring it out, danf26. 





BTW, the way you seem to be laying out the beam with the heart right on the edge is not entirely kosher, but you may be able to get away with it.


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## danf26 (Apr 3, 2011)

mtngun said:


> BTW, the way you seem to be laying out the beam with the heart right on the edge is not entirely kosher, but you may be able to get away with it.


 
Yeah, the intention for this piece of oak is to become two 4' long book-matched knee braces, meaning that their grain matches up with each other. I wouldnt be milling this way otherwise.

What is a 2 post mill?

Tannins reacting to steel, huh? Does that always happen? Can that be planed off?


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## betterbuilt (Apr 3, 2011)

danf26 said:


> Yeah, the intention for this piece of oak is to become two 4' long book-matched knee braces, meaning that their grain matches up with each other. I wouldnt be milling this way otherwise.
> 
> What is a 2 post mill?
> 
> Tannins reacting to steel, huh? Does that always happen? Can that be planed off?


 

A 2 post mill is a standard alaskan mill or similar type. 

I wouldn't worry about the staining to much. Just don't leave anything steel laying on them and you'll be fine.






My hands will change color when I work with white oak for a while.


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