First try at milling

[SilverBlue]

Here ya go Shade

 

[Shade]

How does that brace hook up to the bottom of the saw? I like that idea. I was going to figure out a way to support the powerhead with my alaskan setup.

it looks like it bolts to the bar studs or something.

 

[SilverBlue]

It uses both bar mounting bolts instead of clamping onto the bar itself, much better setup.Plus the 4 towers makes this mill sturdy.

 

[Shade]

How does it clamp on the end of the tip?

the Alaskan isn't too bad, I don't notice it being "flimsy". I've got a pretty good setup concocted to use a winch. I bought the Malloff book on chainsaw milling, had to pay $100 for it (yikes), but it has a lot of good ideas and info in it. he was (hopefully still is) a pretty industrious fellow.

Did my drawing make sense to you?

 

[SilverBlue]

Just a standard bolt for the tip. I like drawing but prefer a single bar setup. I have to mill an elm, will try and take a few pics using a single 2x4 as a guide.

 

[rb_in_va]

SB,
You use a 2X4 as a guide? I would think it might be hard to keep the mill level. I use a 2X8 and it works well. I haven't had a problem with the Alaskan being not sturdy enough, but the drilled bar sounds like a great idea. Later, Roger.

 

[Oregon_Rob]

I would also like to see the single 2x4 set up.

 

[Doug01]

Another milling question. Does anyone cut dimensional lumber with the alaskan type mills? The paper that came with mine said that once you make a square cant and rip your planks, to clamp them together and turn it 90 degrees then make your other cuts at the thikness you want. This would work well if the cant was square but how would you keep them clamped to where they would all stay together when you were cutting. Anyone ever do this?

Doug

 

[rb_in_va]

So far, all I've cut is slabs. Like the one in this pic.

 

[Shade]

me too, i haven't done any dimensional lumber.

It would be a pain in the ass to clamp up stuff.

In will malloff's book, he made 2x12's by making a cant 12 inches thick and then cutting 2" stock of of that, that would be much easier to manage, but then again, the bigger the tree, the easier it is to do that sort of stuff. the biggest I've milled thus far is like 14" or so at breast height. I've got a 30" oak up real soon, though....

If I could get my hands on some decent software, I'd scan in the chainsaw lumbermaking book. though you can get the best parts of it in the fine woodworking book "Wood and how to dry it"

 

[scottr]

clamping and levels

Shade , clamping some slabs together to make another cut would be easier than using a level to set up a guide for your first cut . Measure off the pith or the bark and forget the level .

 

[Shade]

it's very fast to set the jig up for the first cut using a level and lags into the slab. regardless of the method, it's going to take a little time to set up to make the first cut, and insure that the cut is one one plane and not twisted.

what do you use for clamps?

 

[scottr]

clamps

Shade , I would use two bar clamps .

 

[scottr]

No twist

Shade , if you are concerned about twist then why don't you try a ladder or aluminum channel for a guide beam ? End dogging using double headed nails is easier than driving lag screws . Do you saw all logs from the inside out ?

 

[Shade]

I've thought about using a ladder, just haven't had one around to try when I've been milling. I use a cordless drill to drive the lags. The only double headed nails I could find around here were in a 50lb box at lowes, I don't need (or want) that many.

for me, i find it easier to mill from the inside out.

I'll have to give the bar clamp idea a shot, last time I was milling I was looking for an easy way to edge a bunch of boards at once, but decided that with the varying widths of the slabs, it was just easier to do them one at a time either with a smaller chainsaw or with a circular saw.

This has been a pretty good discussion, there are a lot of little tips and tricks that people pick up with experience.

 

[Oregon_Rob]

I made this lader type, milling fixture in under a half hour with a couple straight 2x4's and some scrap 2x6's.
Some of you have already seen it.
I just attache it with two lag screws. only takes a couple minuets to attach and gives a good Straight first cut.

 

[Oregon_Rob]

Here is a photo. For small cuts, I will use shims under the mounting points as shown in the photo. On larger logs it’s not needed. I am going to be doing some more milling tomorrow and will try to remember to take the camera. One of the things I like about this fixture is that it allows for logs that aren’t flat or real straight.

 

[SilverBlue]

Originally posted by rb_in_va
SB,
You use a 2X4 as a guide? I would think it might be hard to keep the mill level. I use a 2X8 and it works well. I haven't had a problem with the Alaskan being not sturdy enough, but the drilled bar sounds like a great idea. Later, Roger.

Here is a long delayed pic, but this is a 2x6 the only peice available GB mill using a 038 3/8 oregon chain 32" bar.

 

[Shade]

do you attach it to the log to keep it from rocking back and forth?

I really like the setup of that milling attachment, too bad i already have my granberg.

 

[SilverBlue]

Yes all I used was three nails which made the guide sturdy enough for the first cut even with this log on a steep slope milling was a breeze. The log is to be an outdoor seat for three look close and you can see insect holes with live larvae in them.