Alaskan mills - are they any good?

[t_andersen]

Edging slabs and quartersawing

The slabs are between 27-32 inches wide.)

Thanks for posting the fine photo. I have an Alaskan too and use it to mill oak. With the Alaskan, it's easy to mill into slabs. I do find that edging (after drying the wood) is quite time consuming. How do you do that, Weimedog?

Also, I have lately been quartersawing. It's time consuming and (unless the log is very thick), the boards tend to become narrow. It would be better if one could at least produce one complete slab from the center before quartersawing the rest. However, I haven't really found a good way to do that. Any advice?

Thanks
Tom

 

[weimedog]

I just use a circular saw to edge & create planks.Works fine.
To cut four sides is a little tougher as its harder to get the "perfect 90deg"
orientation. I use the same 2 X 10 I use to start the first slab for the other
three sides. Do opposite sides (180 degrees rotation) when
making large square posts & beams.

 

[thompson1600]

Here is a file from Granberg that explains the methods of milling different style boards with the Alaskan Mill.

Tom