Alaskan mill question

ontario026 · Jan 17, 2005

I would like to get an alaskan mill to 'play' with, possibly make a little lumber for some home wood working projects. My question is: at the moment I only have my 026 with the muffler mod and 18" bar, From what I have read on the alaskan mill, the 24" version can be used with down to a 16" bar... I plan on buying a larger saw within the next year or so, would it be possible to purchase a 30 or 36" alaskan mill and run it "sized down" right now on my 026?? Giving me the capability to run the larger 30 or 36inch capability once I obtain a larger saw?? From the pictures I have seen, the larger mills appear to have adjustability to allow this?

Thanks for any input!
Matthew

thompson1600 · Jan 17, 2005

I use an Alaskan mill and it can be adjusted down. I'm not sure how far but I usually use 20" bars on it. As for using an 026, only if you really hate that saw and have all day to mill lumber. I've used an 044, 046 and now use an 066. I still wish I had more power. You could use the 026 but it will be real hard on the saw and take a long time to do.

Tom

fishhuntcutwood · Jan 17, 2005

I don't know, but would your 026 have the hp (3.5) to effectively mill? Milling puts quite a load on the saw, and from what little I've seen and talked about with guys who mill, the 046 you were looking at earlier would be about the smallest to go with. Unless you're milling small diameter soft wood.

Just wondering. I could be way off.

Take care all,
Jeff

fishhuntcutwood · Jan 17, 2005

Didn't mean to be redundant-Tom posted his as I was writing mine.

Take care all,
Jeff

weimedog · Jan 18, 2005

I have used two (old) saws. Both worked pretty well. The McCulloch 797 is 123cc early 1960's design; probably equates to a 85 cc saw of today in terms of usable power. The other is a Homelite XL-925. Its a 82cc saw. Actually worked pretty well but I definitly wouldn't go any smaller. My XL-925 cuts faster than my husqvarna 365 in the big wood by quite a margin. So I would guess that Homelite equates to a 70-75cc saw of this era. Smallest I would go with a new saw is a 372 Husqvarna or equivalent. Especially if Hard wood is part of your plan. The XL-925 was a bit slower than my McCulloch cutting with the 28-32inch stuff but its smaller & weight almost makes it worth having that liability for thoser over 14ft cuts in hardwood. I have been using a 3/8 semi skip chisle chain. The McCulloch just tears through these logs about as fast as I'm willing to push. Once in a while it will bind. The Homelite cuts pretty well but you have to pay more attention to chain speed & how much you load the saw.

woodshop · Jan 19, 2005

My milling 2 cents, agrees with everybody else of course, 026 a bit tiny for milling unless you are only milling 10 inch pine. I used a 365 for a while to mill, mostly oak, and up to 14 inches is OK. When I tried to do a full 30 inches in that same oak with that 365 the saw was definately taking a beating, even using a sharp rip chain. Went REAL slow, working hard the whole way. So I bought a 395XP (94cc) with a 36" bar, can rip about 31 inches max with it, and what a difference. Night and day between that and the 365. In small stuff I can't really bog down the 395 unless I really really try hard. In 24" stuff, it runs through the log like the smaller 365 did in 10" stuff. Bottom line is like everybody else says, unless you really want to work that saw that hard, and also have all day to push it down the log, you will need more power. 372 or MS440-460 minimum.

I mill between 3 and 4000 bd ft a year, mostly using a Ripsaw portable bandmill, but also use the Alaskan to slab off sides and quarter larger logs, any more milling questions just ask.

Dave

Newfie · Jan 19, 2005

woodshop,

Have you taken the dogs off of the 395? That will get you a some more cutting width.

timberwolf · Jan 19, 2005

Like everybody else that has spent a bit of time pushing an alaskan mill, I thiink an 026 would be just frustration unless you are only talking 10s of board feet.

I don't thing you would pay for the mill before the saw was burnt up unless you were milling snakewood or some exotic worth 10-20$ or more a board foot.

Though if I had to mill something with an 026 I might be tempted to give the .325 chain with smaller cutters and a narrow kerf a try with a 7t rim.

woodshop · Jan 19, 2005

Yes Mike, dogs off, gave me another inch, gets me about 31, and I tend to be a little consevative on how far I push that end up on to the sprocket tip. I could probably get another 3/4 or inch if I put it farther towards the tip, but yet not pinching the end. I rarely need 31 inches though unless I have a large log I am quartering, most times I'm milling 16 or 20 inches to slab off sides making 14 inch wide cants.

power_toys · Jan 20, 2005

In response to ontario026's desire to just 'play' with an Alaskan Mill on his 026 - that's exactly what I've done. Except with about $10 worth of steel and a bit of time I welded up a homebrew version of an Alaskan for my 026 which has a 16" bar.

It's heavy, fussy to adjust, and a bit slow cutting, but the results have been pretty good on some of the white cedar snags I've used it with. I wouldn't tackle any big hardwood with this setup and using the short bar kind of guarantees that I won't. It's fun to play with though.

ontario026 · Jan 21, 2005

Powertoys, good to hear... I am not looking for high production or anything, just something to tinker with in my spare time, Just producing a few boards here and there for some small woodworking projects, I plan on mostly mess with some softwood or maybe quite small hardwood.... I would like to buy a 30 or 36inch mill tho, even tho the 24 would be plenty big right now, I'd like the larger capability for later on down the road once I am able to get a bigger saw...

Thanks
Matthew

Gumneck · Jan 23, 2005

If your a little interested now, after you do it you'll be alot interested so I'd go with the 36". I did and have no regrets yet. I intended to start out with my Poulan 3300 but decided its been such a pleasure to use for the last ten years that I hated to burn it up in a milling situation. So last spring broke down and got a Hus. 385 XP and enjoy ripping the snot out of some wood with it. I have about 30 large pines in the yard that I will take down. I've ripped a couple up. If anyone interested I'll snap some pics and see if I can figure out how to put em in this forum.
Tom

ontario026 · Jan 26, 2005

I think I may have found a decent 044, how big of a bar would it pull for a little hobby milling???

Thanks
Matthew

rb_in_va · Jan 26, 2005

gumneck said:
If anyone interested I'll snap some pics and see if I can figure out how to put em in this forum.
Tom

Yes, please post pics!!

woodshop · Jan 26, 2005

ontario026 said:
I think I may have found a decent 044, how big of a bar would it pull for a little hobby milling???

Thanks
Matthew

Mat depends on how wide you are going to mill. I milled with a 365 (65cc)and 36" bar for a while, and was fine in stuff less than 15 inches, but after that it fell apart real quick. In 30 inches of oak, took forever and REAL hard on saw. I now use a 395XP (94cc) on there and it rocks. Your 044 has 70cc, not much more than the 365, so I would guess that you don't want to be milling more than 15 inch stuff unless you have all day, and even then you will be working that 044 pretty hard.

Dave

woodshop · Jan 26, 2005

OH... and don't forget you will lose 5 inches or so on the mill, so if you want to cut 15 inch stuff you will need at least a 20" bar

Dave

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