First Milling Done

[AaronB]

First one I ever milled on was a sycamore..That was last year,,and been doin alot of millin since then...Seems like you get hooked after the first time....I still have alot to learn setup wize...Seems like thats what takes up the most time for me...
I dont know if I can say that stain is from heat,,or from the red oak you was cutting...I have cut alot of redoak,millin and bucking and had the same stain as you have...It will come off with a good cleaner...What I would watch out for is if your bar if rolling a burr over the top..I dont know how long a bar your using,,but with my setup,,28 inch,,with a Jred 2186,,and if I was to go bigger,,I'd put me a aux. oiler on..
Great job!!! I hope you enjoy millin as I do!!!!

I did look again just now while cleaning the chain and it does look like red oak build up. It comes off it I scratch it with my finger.

2nd question: The sprocket in the nose of the bar, do I ever need to oil or grease that? doesn't seem to be a way to get to it.

 

[stipes]

For me...

I dont grease....The oil comim off the chain will lube it good....You start greasing it,,you'll have to keep up with it often,,as grease will get old and harden,,and keep the chain oil from flowin down to the bearings...

 

[1947wdx]

I did look again just now while cleaning the chain and it does look like red oak build up. It comes off it I scratch it with my finger.

2nd question: The sprocket in the nose of the bar, do I ever need to oil or grease that? doesn't seem to be a way to get to it.

There should be a small hole near the back of the sprocket that you use a special tool to inject the grease in.

I dont grease....The oil comim off the chain will lube it good....You start greasing it,,you'll have to keep up with it often,,as grease will get old and harden,,and keep the chain oil from flowin down to the bearings...

I'm not sure about any of the above. I grease my tips when I sharpen the chain. That keeps it "fresh" enough to not harden up. I think it get's hot enough that any oil that would get in there would still do it's job. Seeing as I have not run any tests (greased one tip not another, then tear both apart after equal run times to see what difference there is or is not) I can't definitively say it's good or bad. But I don't think it hurts.

 

[stipes]

Thats the thing I was talkin about....

There should be a small hole near the back of the sprocket that you use a special tool to inject the grease in.



I'm not sure about any of the above. I grease my tips when I sharpen the chain. That keeps it "fresh" enough to not harden up. I think it get's hot enough that any oil that would get in there would still do it's job. Seeing as I have not run any tests (greased one tip not another, then tear both apart after equal run times to see what difference there is or is not) I can't definitively say it's good or bad. But I don't think it hurts.

Once you start,,you have to make sure you keep up with it..Oil will flow freely,,grease will get hard and cake up,,,thats all the lube you will get...No oil to it then when it harden...I guess mostly this issue is about maint...LOL!!
Grease or not,,,what time you take to care for your saw..

 

[mtngun]

Normal. My bar looks the same except worse.

I don't grease my bar sprockets, but suit yourself. Haven't worn one out yet, they are replaceable if they do wear out.

 

[BobL]

1) Mill the longest slab per cut that you can safely get away with WITHOUT RUNNING OUT OF FUEL.(You really should idle your saw down 1-2 minutes after milling). !

I agree it's best not run out of fuel but I've often run out of fuel mid slab, its the nature of big Aussie hardwood that you will run out of fuel, sometimes twice on the one slab!. The trick is to do it right, (as soon as the saw starts to race due to excess air/leaness) stop milling and let it idle for 30 seconds, refuel and off I go.

Instead of screwing the ends of the log rails / guide board to the log, my log rail cross bars have 5/16 threaded holes through which I thread 5/16 bolts with the ends ground into points and wing nut lockers behind them. The points easily bite into the log and hold the log rails in place.

RE: Lubing the nose.
If an aux oiler is used there seems to be enough oil flooding the nose to keep it very well lubed.

 

[AaronB]

I agree it's best not run out of fuel but I've often run out of fuel mid slab, its the nature of big Aussie hardwood that you will run out of fuel, sometimes twice on the one slab!. The trick is to do it right, (as soon as the saw starts to race due to excess air/leaness) stop milling and let it idle for 30 seconds, refuel and off I go.

Yep, I learned that the hard way, forgot to check fuel after a cut and ran out on the next one. I was having to refuel after every cut, the tank was almost empty after each cut.

0RE: Lubing the nose.
If an aux oiler is used there seems to be enough oil flooding the nose to keep it very well lubed.

I did the the aux. oiler, so I will just leave the bar nose alone.

 

[1947wdx]

Instead of screwing the ends of the log rails / guide board to the log, my log rail cross bars have 5/16 threaded holes through which I thread 5/16 bolts with the ends ground into points and wing nut lockers behind them. The points easily bite into the log and hold the log rails in place.

I know I've seen pic's of your rails somewhere, can you point out the thread that might have a pictures of these dogs? (locking bolts, whatever you call them... )

I'll poke around and see if I can find it, I guess I'm just being a bit lazy...

 

[BobL]

I know I've seen pic's of your rails somewhere, can you point out the thread that might have a pictures of these dogs? (locking bolts, whatever you call them... )

With home made unistrut.

With bought unistrut.

 

[BlueRider]

Regardng the smoke and sawdust issue I have found the brand of oil can have a greater efect then anythng. Not all low smoke oils are created equal and Stihl hp ultra is by far the best and well worth the money. Not only is it a true low smoke oil it is also biodegadeable. I have always run my milling saws at 50:1 and they are old saws with the oldest being an early 70's vintage that I have been milling with since 1994.

I used to use lots of wedges, then one time I forgot my wedges. suprise of suprises the only place you really need to use wedges is at the end of a slab to keep it from pinching the chain as you exit the log. Now the only time I use wedges while milling is on large diameter logs and it is only so I can sit on the log as I mill it. Oh yeah I never use the rails for for sucsesive cuts.

The one tip I have that might help you is to cut a cookie and place it in the middle of the mill once you get it started on a slab. this will help you keep the mill from climbing, which is really ony a problem with improper chain sharpening or a dull chain. but having a bit of extra weight on the mill will help untill you get better at sharpening as well as telling when the chain is in need of sharpening.

I have my helper handle set up so I can move it with one hand while I am milling. I find it works best to have the handle a bit towards the power head from middle. I also have some foam pipe insulation on the center bar to make it more comfortable when I need to use it as a push point.

Some times it is easy to get caught up in the perfectuionism of milling slabs. The wood is going to warp and move as it dries but that is fine since I am gong to cut it into smaller pieces and joint and plane it before I use it.