Chainsaw Mill Winch

[deholtsl]

Idk if my back can take anymore lol. Im running an MS881 in a 36” zozen mill. Wondering if the winches are worth it, what’s good, etc.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[J D]

Elevate one end of the log if you can... about 10 deg makes things a bit easier

 

[deholtsl]

Yes, I’m in Georgia no log is ever sitting flat. I always start on the high side.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

Idk if my back can take anymore lol. Im running an MS881 in a 36” zozen mill. Wondering if the winches are worth it, what’s good, etc.

Yeah, a winch is a great help w a 881. I ignored them for awhile until I finally mounted one on my mill, just a cheap $20 generic I replaced the wire cable with light poly rope. Such a game changer, milling had been masochistically hard work before that and the winch made it near effortless. I didn't understand how it was so many newbies had gotten into it when milling was so physically hard, but it was because everyone got into it in the age of winches and it's now so much easier with them. Still a chore lifting an 881 on and off of cuts though. BobL figured out years ago on here that elevation and letting gravity do the work with a downhill milling angle was key, and developed a custom log jack that I've copied to raise logs with. The idea is to have the log high enough to stay standing in a comfortable position instead of like most people doing the knee crawl. BobL explained his approach in detail in various posts but I can't locate them right off hand.

The other thing I came to accept was an 881 is overkill for a 36" mill. In fact, I find a 121cc saw overkill for 9/10 of what I mill, which is mostly logs under 30" wide. I think the long insisted upon "there's no replacement for displacement" mantra has burnt a bunch of people's bodies out milling. I went the other direction, and started milling with smaller chain that requires far less hp and thus you can use far smaller saws. I'm 6'7" so not having to bend down to the ground to lift a huge saw up and down all the time has my back thanking me.

 

[J D]

Check out the CSMilling101 thread, BobL had a lot of valuable information posted there

 

[U&A]

Iv never tried a winch. I will some day. I keep my chain in really good shape as well as my depth gauges kocked down ad she kinda feeds herself.

Tip for anyone that pushes like me. Use pool noodles to greatly reduce vibration on your body. Push on the noodle part

 

[lukem5]

amazon has them for $13 rn, looks like you'll need to fabricate it onto a mill.. either weld or bolts. but your back injuries are probably from lifting/manipulating the saw from the ground, learn basic lifting techniques (close to body, straight back, use the legs). wait for your back to heal, any pain will make it worse.

I just started milling on the ground and hurt my back with a little 30cc mcollough lol, gonna have to man up for my 880 clone.

 

[unclemoustache]

When I was doing chainsaw milling I tried those boat winches. No good at all. Vibration totally killed them in no time.
Glad I have my Woodmizer now.

 

[fleethirte]

Yeah i need another person when i use my 3120 and the 5 foot bar….
I was wondering how hooking up an Atv winch would work then you can use a remote….

 

[Mad Professor]

Helps if you can get the logs up off the ground and work closer to waist level.

If you don't have equipment can make a couple of bunks up with steps in them from scrap logs, Then roll the logs you are cutting up with a peavey/cant hook.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

Helps if you can get the logs up off the ground and work closer to waist level.

If you don't have equipment can make a couple of bunks up with steps in them from scrap logs, Then roll the logs you are cutting up with a peavey/cant hook.

THIS. Milling at waist level is what you should be pursuing at all times. You're unnecessarily killing your body otherwise. If you don't have scrap logs to get underneath the log you're milling, build some low 12-18" extra heavy duty sawhorses out of 4x4's or doubled up 2x4's, preferably with a bit of saddle scooped out in the middle to hold the log in place. Then either roll the log up steps on to it with peavey hook or make a log jack. I've also made do quite often with low profile floor jacks to jack up logs but it's very easy for the logs to topple off them. BobL explains a lot on the first page of the CSMilling101 page - post #10 on the first page shows his log jack which I've copied myself. https://www.arboristsite.com/threads/cs-milling-101-hints-tips-and-tricks.93458/#post-1454469 I'd forgotten that just on the first two pages of that 18 page thread that BobL provides 95 percent of everything you need to know about every kind of milling setup imaginable and how to make milling easier.

 

[Billhook]

I used an electric winch, not a very special one, the sort for pulling a small boat out of the water. I have a Lucas Mill and it has a five foot chainsaw blade attachment option. It was hard work pushing it manually and it did not take much in the way of modification or expense to make slabbing easy. So easy that I have cut too many slabs as I enjoyed the work too much!