Chainsaw millers Dream!

billstuewe · Sep 14, 2010

A while back a guy heard through the grapevine that I had a big chainsaw--at the time 52" bar--and he said he had a big pecan tree that had eroded into the river. He had a guy with a bulldozer that was going to pull it across and out and he wanted me to cut a slab from it so that he could take it to Baylor University and have it aged. Anyway, The bulldozer guy cut off a 6' section of the trunk and pulled it across the river and loaded it on a flatbed trailer, took it to a car wash and hosed the mud off (thank Heaven), then deliverd itto the guy. About 3 weeks ago I bought a 6' bar for another job and today I got to try the new bar out--------------

The log was 6' long (now high) and 79" by 65"--I cut it across the short diameter of course.

And, yes BobL, I am cranking--Once the saw was up there and in the wood--piece of cake!

Sorry about the show-off:greenchainsaw:
I have one more picture so will do a follow up post--

billstuewe · Sep 14, 2010

This one is for effect--

There were several of these little guys around the peremeter of the tree. I told the forklift operator that they were asteroid like shooting stars that had come through the atmosphere and embedded in the tree. He acted like he believed me---anybody out there have a better idea what they are?? They do look like hollywood's portrail of an asteroid burning through the atmosphere.

discounthunter · Sep 14, 2010

man!thats a big chunk of wood! going to slab it up any more.looks like table top material. how about the rest of the tree? any pieces worth milling .

good job.

billstuewe · Sep 14, 2010

For now that is all he wanted done to it. He may want some more slabs taken from it later. I am hoping for a couple for myself. Time will tell. I anchorsealed it just in case.

NeoTree · Sep 14, 2010

Are you using a full skip with the 6' bar?

BobL · Sep 14, 2010

Awesome, perfect use of a winch set up too.

billstuewe · Sep 14, 2010

Baileys ripping chain--it is full comp. Seems to cut well. Pulled good sized chips today and cut very smooth. I did have a problem with sag. I started in the cut with the bar held level with a magnet and when it came out the middle was over 1/4" thicker. Any ideas how to fix?

Timberframed · Sep 14, 2010

billstuewe said:
Baileys ripping chain--it is full comp. Seems to cut well. Pulled good sized chips today and cut very smooth. I did have a problem with sag. I started in the cut with the bar held level with a magnet and when it came out the middle was over 1/4" thicker. Any ideas how to fix?

I haven't had this problem on my 60" But years ago I often wondered why structural engineers would put the moments (connections) of the steel or iron beams away from column supports by as much as 30% but sometimes only like 5%. Bolted connections then cantilevered. The reason is deflection. I don't know about Granberg but I can locate the bar clamps anywhere I want on my mills. So what might help is to put the clamps at bare minimum with the respecting log width and the bar sag could be lessened if not eliminated. By the way nice work on that Pecan. I was not aware they got that big but then again it's in Texas!

BobL · Sep 14, 2010

billstuewe said:
Baileys ripping chain--it is full comp. Seems to cut well. Pulled good sized chips today and cut very smooth. I did have a problem with sag. I started in the cut with the bar held level with a magnet and when it came out the middle was over 1/4" thicker. Any ideas how to fix?

Aggiewoodbutcher said he was able to put enough tension on his mill to keep a 60" bar straight but he does have a 4 poster mill which can take a greater back tension than a two poster. In the meantime there are some other ideas in this thread.

Another trick I've heard about is to use higher top plate filing angles on the top cutters than on the bottom, ie 15º on the top cutters and 5º on the bottom cutters.

mtngun · Sep 14, 2010

Awesome pics, BillStuewe. I nominate this for the milling thread of the year. :laugh:

BobL · Sep 14, 2010

mtngun said:
Awesome pics, BillStuewe. I nominate this for the milling thread of the year.

I'll second that!

Brmorgan · Sep 15, 2010

BobL said:
Another trick I've heard about is to use higher top plate filing angles on the top cutters than on the bottom, ie 15º on the top cutters and 5º on the bottom cutters.

That's an interesting idea that just might work; make the chain pull harder in one direction to compensate. Unfortunately I don't have any bars long enough to necessitate testing it out!

Nice work on that huge log/stump, Bill. Are you going to mill the rest of it lengthwise?

gemniii · Sep 15, 2010

billstuewe said:
I started in the cut with the bar held level with a magnet and when it came out the middle was over 1/4" thicker. Any ideas how to fix?

Cut vertical.

NICE tree.

qbilder · Sep 15, 2010

Awesome pics!!!! Awesome job!!!! Thanks for posting.

The asteroids look like simple birdseyes. It's most noted in maple but every tree I know of can grow them. Nobody's really sure of the cause but it's a sprout that never made it past the initial season. But the knot is there & leaves that "defect" in the grain. From the linear face grain it would just look like a small, singular ring knot. From the linear quartered grain it'll look like curly figure. From the end grain as you have cut, it gives what wood workers call a "sunburst" figure. It's the initial knot at the epicenter, then the successive annual rings warping at the same point year after year to cover & heal the dead sprout.

BlueRidgeMark · Sep 15, 2010

billstuewe said:
Sorry about the show-off:greenchainsaw:

No, you aren't!

Brownpot Deaton · Sep 15, 2010

Wish i could've been there for that. not too far away either.

is your saw ported at all?

i noticed you don't have an oiler on the end for the bar tip; have you ever had problems with lack of lubrication?

billstuewe · Sep 15, 2010

Brmorgan--I am not sure how he will want the rest of it cut

Brownpot--about 10-0 miles--I am 10 m. NE of Georgetown

It is a new saw and no, it is not ported--I guess I am too chicken
No problem w/ lubrication. Those two cuts were the first ever cut with that bar and chain. I have and AO but did not mess with it on this "small" job.

Gig'Em '73

horsey32073 · Sep 15, 2010

dumb question

what combo saw and mill size is that? All i know is i like it!!!!!!!!:greenchainsaw:

Daninvan · Sep 15, 2010

Did you count the rings? How old do you figure it was?

Dan

dustytools · Sep 15, 2010

Sweet!!

Chainsaw millers Dream!

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