# First time millimg on homemade carriage and rails



## dustytools (Jul 25, 2006)

I just finished milling a couple pieces of cedar 8 feet long by about 12 inches wide on my homemade rig.It seems to work real well with the exception of I still have to bend down and squeeze the trigger. Does anyone have any ideas of how to rig up a cable to do this standing up? I hate to wire it because I dont want to risk something happening unexpectedly. Its kinda slow going with my old stihl 08S wish I could afford something a little bigger. Its only in the low 60s cc. You guys are always talkin about long shavings instead of sawdust.I seem to be getting mostly sawdust. Is this a sign of the chain getting dull or is it due to the fact that the cedar has been laying for about 8 months or so and has had time to dry some? Well thanks for listening thanks for any help youll be giving. Im sure ill have plenty more questions.


----------



## CaseyForrest (Jul 25, 2006)

Dusty, the dust you are getting is normal for regular milling. You get the curly fries when you cut with the grain, not along it. Hard to explain, but someone here knows the technical terms!!


----------



## hautions11 (Jul 25, 2006)

*1st time*

If you look at a lot of the milling pictures you will see a lot of very fine sawdust. I use Bailey's ripping chain and that's what I get. (see oak milling pics) don't worry about "get a bigger saw" Cedar is soft enough and if you keep your cuts narrow, you'll do fine. I quarter sawed my oak to get the stable lumber and it also created 14" wide boards. Easy to cut, easy to carry and stack when working by myself. No tractors, Bobcats etc. I ran my mill with an 044 as well as 064. Keep milling, send pics and have fun!!!!:jester:


----------



## aggiewoodbutchr (Jul 25, 2006)

Hows about dem pics?


----------



## woodshop (Jul 25, 2006)

hautions11 said:


> If you look at a lot of the milling pictures you will see a lot of very fine sawdust. I use Bailey's ripping chain and that's what I get. (see oak milling pics) don't worry about "get a bigger saw" Cedar is soft enough and if you keep your cuts narrow, you'll do fine. I quarter sawed my oak to get the stable lumber and it also created 14" wide boards. Easy to cut, easy to carry and stack when working by myself. No tractors, Bobcats etc. I ran my mill with an 044 as well as 064. Keep milling, send pics and have fun!!!!:jester:


Ditto Casey and Houtions, when milling you normally get very fine sawdust, almost a powder compared to regular chainsaw crosscutting. As I have said in previous posts, milling softwood like cedar and pine with a 60cc saw is fine if you just take it easy. I have even milled 20 inch wide oak with my 365 (around 60cc) and all was OK, just took forever. I'd love to have access to a Bobcat or tractor like some of these guys, but I don't. Use a 6 ft long digging bar, a floor jack and cant hook to move logs around. With the help of my wife to insert blocks of wood at the appropriate time and place, we maneuvered a 1200 lb 24x14 9ft long ash cant this way today after work. Baby steps, keeping fingers and toes out of the way, it's possible to move large logs or cants with patience. Just takes lots more time.


----------



## dustytools (Jul 25, 2006)

Sorry aggie, Ive gotta find the wifes digital cam and get you guys some pics.Im proud as heck of my homemade rig ,Ive got it set up so I can slip my granberg into it and use it like one of the big boys and then take it out to use away from the house too. Ive made me a set of aluminum rails outta some storefront window frames that I got off of my window man at work. They are nice for the first pass. Very lightweight too.I promise ill get some pics up as soon as I can.


----------



## aggiewoodbutchr (Jul 25, 2006)

Gotta love the aluminum. I was able to acquire some aluminum concrete forms I use for my starter rails. The 24' footers weigh only about 40 lbs.


----------



## SmokinDodge (Jul 25, 2006)

OH no, not another Stihl/cedar milling guy..............

Just kidding Dusty, Welcome to AS!


----------



## NWCS (Jul 26, 2006)

when i did milling with an alaskan mill, heres some pictures of the throttle setup i used.. also offers instant release if something goes wrong or if its end of the cut. 

available at most hardware stores, most woodworkers will know this one right off the bat!

http://www.nwchainsaw.com/throttleclamp.jpg
http://www.nwchainsaw.com/clamp.jpg


----------



## aggiewoodbutchr (Jul 26, 2006)

Smokindodgew101 said:


> OH no, not another Stihl/cedar milling guy..............
> 
> Just kidding Dusty, Welcome to AS!


----------



## dustytools (Jul 26, 2006)

Nah, I just lucked into the cedar/ a buddy of mine had about nine cedars and two poplars he brought me to mill for halfsies. I like all kinds but the cedar is by far one of the nicer looking woods when freshly sawn.


----------



## dustytools (Jul 26, 2006)

OK I have some pics now in a folder in my computer. How do I get them to this page?


----------



## carvinmark (Jul 26, 2006)

dustytools said:


> OK I have some pics now in a folder in my computer. How do I get them to this page?




Contact Ultra,he's da man!!! He will help you.
Mark


----------



## dustytools (Jul 26, 2006)

Ok here are a few pics aggie. Ill try to get the rest uploaded as soon as I can.





View attachment 36518


View attachment 36519


View attachment 36520


View attachment 36521


View attachment 36522


----------



## dustytools (Jul 26, 2006)

*More pics*

Ok here are the rest. Some are of a few logs. A couple are of my log trailer that I built out of scrap channel,riding mower wheels and a n old piece of guardrail. Then of the mill carriage and rails, the alaskan just clamps to the elevator piece and cranks up and down manually with an old bike sprocket/rear wheel gears and some chain.This raises the allthread which in turn raises or lowers the carriage rail.View attachment 36523


View attachment 36524


View attachment 36525


View attachment 36526


View attachment 36527


----------



## aggiewoodbutchr (Jul 26, 2006)

Good pics. I have some sketches here of a carriage rig I may build sometime. It's very similar to yours with angle as rails. Where did you get those wheels?


----------



## trax (Jul 27, 2006)

How's that frame and rail mill them there logs with no saw ???


----------



## aggiewoodbutchr (Jul 27, 2006)

trax said:


> How's that frame and rail mill them there logs with no saw ???



Laser beams


----------



## dustytools (Jul 27, 2006)

I got the wheels (pulleys) from some basketball goal devices that raised and lowered the goals. We removed them from a Golds Gym when we built their new facility about two years ago. I thought that they might come in handy for something one day. Glad I decided to save them now. Ill have to take some pics with the mill in the carriage tomorrow if it isnt raining here.


----------



## aggiewoodbutchr (Jul 27, 2006)

I'm glad to know I'm not the only job site pack rat.


----------



## woodshop (Jul 28, 2006)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> I'm glad to know I'm not the only job site pack rat.


I'm one for sure... ask my wife


----------



## dustytools (Jul 30, 2006)

*Cedar Pics*

Here are a few pics of the cedar I milled this weekend. Two inches thick, various widths by eight feet long. There were 20 boards altogether.View attachment 36626


View attachment 36627


View attachment 36628


View attachment 36629


View attachment 36630


----------



## carvinmark (Jul 30, 2006)

Sure is some pretty lumber. It is hard to get the aromatic cedar here, we have white cedar. I buy red from the Amish but I can only get cants, no live edges.
Mark


----------



## dustytools (Jul 30, 2006)

Red cedar is plentiful around these parts, seems like I cant take two steps into the woods in any direction without bumping into one. This is the reason that im planning on building my solar kiln and storage shed out of it , not to mention it is very resistant to rot. Id say ninety percent of the fence posts in Kentucky or atleast my part of Ky. are made from cedar and the other 10 percent being locust. Im not familiar with the cedar that you have mentioned I would love to see some pics... if you have any.


----------



## carvinmark (Jul 30, 2006)

dustytools said:


> Red cedar is plentiful around these parts, seems like I cant take two steps into the woods in any direction without bumping into one. This is the reason that im planning on building my solar kiln and storage shed out of it , not to mention it is very resistant to rot. Id say ninety percent of the fence posts in Kentucky or atleast my part of Ky. are made from cedar and the other 10 percent being locust. Im not familiar with the cedar that you have mentioned I would love to see some pics... if you have any.




View attachment 36641



Here is some white cedar with a clear coat. It is a lot lighter and very knotty. It has a distinct oder, but not like the red. White cedar is very rot resistant.Most of the fence posts around here are of cedar also. Our cedar isn't as plentiful as yours.


----------



## 04ultra (Jul 30, 2006)

Hi Mark....:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:


----------



## carvinmark (Jul 30, 2006)

What would I do without ya, Ultra, you da man.
Mark


----------



## dustytools (Jul 31, 2006)

Very nice looking wood as well. Is this one of your projects?


----------



## carvinmark (Jul 31, 2006)

dustytools said:


> Very nice looking wood as well. Is this one of your projects?



Yes, I sold this one last summer. Just sold another one Sunday.
Mark


----------



## dustytools (Jul 31, 2006)

Is the top made of half rounds or is that an edging. Nice looking piece by the way. I have a passion for wood turning. Ill try to get some pics of some child sized rocking chairs that ive been making posted on here soon. Im still unsure about how softwood such as cedar woulh hold up to the stresses that a rocking chair recieves.


----------



## carvinmark (Jul 31, 2006)

dustytools said:


> Is the top made of half rounds or is that an edging. Nice looking piece by the way. I have a passion for wood turning. Ill try to get some pics of some child sized rocking chairs that ive been making posted on here soon. Im still unsure about how softwood such as cedar woulh hold up to the stresses that a rocking chair recieves.


Thank you. Yes, half logs with flat sides and jointed with splines.
I make a ton of furniture(most all rustic) and I can't imagine how hard it would be to make a rocker that did not turn or walk. I have not run a lathe sense high school, it was fun then,maby again someday.
Mark


----------

