My way of milling

[Ax-man]

I have posted questions in the past here in the milling forum but have never posted pictures of how I go about milling . After trying different methods I thought I would share with some pictures of the way I have come up with that works the easiest for me for making the first or top cut on a log.

The newest thing for me is using a ladder to be able to get a longer length for slabbing rails. The ladder came from an old wood extesion ladder . It is about ten feet long. My first slabbing rails were 2x4x8 . Finding longer lenths in 2x4's that were straight and square are hard to find so the ladder worked out good.

Next I had to find a way to get the ladder to rest on top of the log. I came up with some 2x6's cut out for the rails along with some construction nails to fasten to the end of the log . I drilled pilot holes for the nails. The nail in the middle gets driven in first , a small level goes on top to check the level then the other two nails get driven in. I like the nails verses screws because I don't have a powerful enough cordless drill to drive screws and the double headed nails can easily be pounded in and then be pulled out with a small crowbar

Anyway here is the set-up on a dead Red Oak log. I put these bigger logs down on old telephone poles so i can easily roll them to get them into the position I need for the first cut. This was my first attempt at milling an oak . My old 76 did pretty good on this one. Wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

Here are the first set of pics , I'll be adding to this thread. For better or worse I just thought I would share some of the ways I do this milling. Feel free to make comments.

 

[Ax-man]

Here are some pics doing the actual cutting.

 

[Ax-man]

One more for now . These are the slabs I cut from this one log. I never seem to stick to one particular thickness and end up cutting these in different thicknesses.

 

[dustytools]

I like it, nice set-up!!

 

[Mac88]

One more for now . These are the slabs I cut from this one log. I never seem to stick to one particular thickness and end up cutting these in different thicknesses.

Nice. Do you just leave the wane, or trim it off later. I like live-edged planks for some applications.

 

[Ax-man]

To answer your question, I leave the live edge on and trim later if i need to . I have the mini-mill attachment to do edging but just haven't tried it on an actual log like this one. I have other saws but just haven't gotten around to finding the right saw and bar combo for doing edge work on big log. I mostly make rustic benches and like to leave the natural edge on the slab unless I need to straighten one side then I use the edge attachment.

I don't know if you seen that Walnut log in the pic but that will probaly be the log for the edger to try making a cant. The knotty one will be the practice log to see how well I can make a cant.

 

[SDB777]

Cool photo's, and your in them which means you probably had some help with the moving of the slabs(I hope, they look heavy).


Question(s):

#1: I've never used a level to get my ladder ready for the first cut....does it make a difference if one is used or not used?(always thought the log might roll some at some point anyway, even with some bracing under it)

#2: Does your wooden ladder ever 'bow' in the middle giving you a 'cupped' cut? Or do you have something towards the middle that adjusts and I just didn't see it?

#3: That second piece down in the final stack, looks like the pith is in it? Do you get much yield for these pieces in making benches? Or are these the pieces that you get the braces for the benches?




I need to take over 'during' photo's, but it always seems to be too hot or too cold for my wife to come outside(at least for picture taking....ask her to go fishing though)!





Scott (sorry for all the questions) B

 

[Hinerman]

I have a question. I would like to mill some of the lumber I take down. I have no use for it as I am not a carpenter, nor am I handy with woodworking tools. Is there any value in those slabs? If I could sell the slabs that would be great, or is there more value in firewood. I would just like to see some of it used for something other than firewood. I know it probably depends a lot on the type and quality of wood. Thanks.

 

[BobL]

Scott, I can see you are having fun but looking at this picture I'm thinking ouch, my aching back, shoulders and arms.

There are a number of ways of really reducing this.

The most significant of these is sloping the log.
Given that your logs are not that long I reckon it would really be worth trying this method.
If the slope is right and/or you add a couple of lbs to the mill the mill will cut under it's own weight
Everyone I know that tries it generally sticks with it.

The next way is to get your self an aux throttle so your left arm is not as far away from your body.
Since a CS should be WOT all the way during milling an aux throttle can be as simple as a cable tie around the trigger handle - this allows you to get your left arm close in line with your body and this take a lot of stress off your arm and shoulder muscles

Another way is to add more handles high up on the mill. This allows the operator to stand upright at the mill and enables them to add pressure using their legs rather than their arms. Using your legs and knees frees up your arms to do things like add wedges while continuing to cut. I reckon you get a better finish by not stopping and starting during a cut and maintaining a constant pressure all the way through a cut. Standing upright also gets your face a bit further away from the noise, exhaust and dust.

SDB777: When using log rails or ladder on the first cut I put the rails on top of the log and mark the either side position of the cross pieces or rungs with a screw driver. Then I flat notch the top of the log in between the cross pieces/rung markings. This enables the laser to nestle closer into the log. I then pack a couple of strips of wood at several of the notches to provide solid support midway down the log. After a while you get very quick at making these notches nice and flat by skating the chain sideways inside the notch.

The other thing I see in that photo is a lot of bar sticking out of the outboard end - that could use a guard of some sort. Better still would be to drill a hole in the sprocket nose and bolt the bar direct to the mill. You get a bonus doing this, as well as less need for a guard you will get an extra 6" of cutting width although you will need longer mill rails.

 

[BobL]

I have a question. I would like to mill some of the lumber I take down. I have no use for it as I am not a carpenter, nor am I handy with woodworking tools. Is there any value in those slabs? If I could sell the slabs that would be great, or is there more value in firewood. I would just like to see some of it used for something other than firewood. I know it probably depends a lot on the type and quality of wood. Thanks.

Unless it is exotic or semi-exotic wood prices are as variable as the weather. Sometimes you can pick up a few $ other times it will be hard to give away. Unless they are wide slabs are usually not worth as much as dimensioned lumber. I would look in your local classified and see what the prices are and take it from there.

 

[DavdH]

What does the level tell you? Why would you care if the rails are level?

 

[BobL]

What does the level tell you? Why would you care if the rails are level?

Nothing needs to be level but the rails should not be twisted one end relative to the other otherwise the cut slab will also be twisted.
The idea is to make sure that one end of the log rails are parallel to the other.
This can be done by placing a level across the log rails at one end and making sure the other is at the same angle (ie half a bubble to the left)
I use a digital angle finder instead of a level - zero it at one end and then a measurement at the other tells me the twist, I then wedge up the downside until the DAF reads zero. I can get it to within the resolution of the DAF which is 0.1º - if you work out what this is over 16 ft you will see it is still quite a lot but you will often get more twist that that on drying and that can usually be taken out on subsequent lumber processing.

If I am milling a valuable log I will use log rails for every cut since this is the only way to (re)correct for twist.

This is a less of an issue for mills that run on wheels and rails since once they are set upevery cut should be coplanar to the the previous one.

 

[john taliaferro]

Drilling the bar also makes chain removal faster . i put a pipe off the end of my guard to catch the saw when i finish the cut ,also when i have help it keeps Mike away from the chain as he helps lift . Getting tilt is hi lift jack is cheeper than back dr . Ilike the poles to rool on . The 76 is like milling with a cadillac .

 

[Hinerman]

Unless it is exotic or semi-exotic wood prices are as variable as the weather. Sometimes you can pick up a few $ other times it will be hard to give away. Unless they are wide slabs are usually not worth as much as dimensioned lumber. I would look in your local classified and see what the prices are and take it from there.

Thank you sir

 

[Ax-man]

Cool photo's, and your in them which means you probably had some help with the moving of the slabs(I hope, they look heavy).


Question(s):

#1: I've never used a level to get my ladder ready for the first cut....does it make a difference if one is used or not used?(always thought the log might roll some at some point anyway, even with some bracing under it)

#2: Does your wooden ladder ever 'bow' in the middle giving you a 'cupped' cut? Or do you have something towards the middle that adjusts and I just didn't see it?

#3: That second piece down in the final stack, looks like the pith is in it? Do you get much yield for these pieces in making benches? Or are these the pieces that you get the braces for the benches?



B

Answers

#1 That one has pretty much been answered by the master of milling, Bob L. I have often wondered that myself weather you actually need a level. The only thing I can say is if the first cut is straight and level all the following cuts that will follow will also be straight and level. I have tried to freehand slabs in the past with no guide. They didn't come out so great which is why I put a level on the slabbing rails.

#2 Yes, the ladder will bow unless it sits right down on the log. That is what happened the first time I tried using the ladder. It didn't bow much but you could tell if you laid a straight edge length ways on the slab. Again ,Bob L has a pic of steel tubing and metal rods welded together to resemble a ladder that can be notched into a log to eliminate this bowing. My next set-up will probaly be similar to his to get longer length slab rails.

#3 You are correct , that log wasn't the greatest . The further down we cut defects were showing up, mainly splits running the length of the slab. The pith or center was the worst and decided to just cut out the ceter in one thick piece. I might trim it down or like you said use the good parts for braces or small backer boards. Haven't made up my mind yet.

Bob L, I know what your talking about . My back can't take too much of that bending over either. Most of the time I have to get down on my knees which I hate doing. Thanks for the other tips. Like all things there is a big learning curve to master when it comes to this milling and learning to read wood. Maybe some day I will work my way up to some of this advanced milling techniques.

 

[sachsmo]

Looking good to me, nice job.

Just getting everything set up is the most time consuming.

I like to keep it super simple, after the first slab you are good to go.

Bob must be an Engineer, he way over thinks the whole process:yoyo:

 

[Ax-man]

Before this thread moves off into the archives I am posting more pictures of some of the things I have found that work for me for doing this milling with a chainsaw.

The first pic is the first log I lost my milling virginity to. The rails and clamps worked good but that cheap metal angle brace was way to long to let the saw pass by it. Out comes the hacksaw to trim them. I also found out the hard way that the cheap cordless drill I bought was useless for attaching those braces. The drill didn't have enough torque to drive the screws into that wood and the chuck on the thing wouldn't tighten down hard enough on a bit to do a pilot hole. I eventually got it to work but that was the last and only time I used the drill for that task which is why I like nails.I ditched the braces for future logs in favor of 2x2's nailed onto the ends of the log. I have to give credit to someone here who showed a pid or a similar set-up. It works good. In addition to working out these little kinks that darn log had metal in it . I hit a nail the first cut and few more.

After doing a few more logs I decided to take a bolder step forward and made this homemade mill out of wood. I don't know exacly what to call this other than a some kind of big saw guide. I can't afford a regular portable band mill and have no desire to build one at the present so this is what I made out of plywood and construction lumber. You can add or subtract 2x4's and 2x6's and make the fianl adjustments on the mill for the first cut. It works OK for a big log but not all that practical which is why I went back to milling the bigger logs out in open with just the slabing rails.

 

[BobL]

That's what I call a suspended rail mill

I made a similar one but for small logs and odd shaped piece because holding them while they are being cut with a CS is tricky.
Mine has an "end stop" and a pair of "grippers" that bite into and hold the log while it is being cut.
I cut a lot of craft size pieces with this setup and my 441

. . . . Bob must be an Engineer, he way over thinks the whole process:yoyo:

Worse maybe . . . . a physicist

 

[Ax-man]

The one thing I have found out using this homemade sawmill is that it is good for the smaller logs. If I can get the log into the back of my truck I can then manuver it onto this homemade mill of mine. I made a few changes to it so I could use for milling small logs. I can stand up while cutting, and I don't have to be on my knees.

I have deleted most of the pics I had with small logs on it . I am sure most of you guys know what is going on here. This works good for me especially using the small chainsaw mill for a 20" in. bar. I have made other accessories that go on the bottom instead of those 2x4's for supporting a log and doing different types of cutting but I am not going to get into that. I have gotten alot of use out of this homemade creation of mine for doing the seats and back rest for the benches I mentioned earlier.

I know this isn't for everybody but it is kind of a cheap alternative to a regular bandmill. Like I said earlier there is a learning curve to this milling and this is just my way of working up to the bigger toys. Feel free to make any comments.

 

[Ax-man]

Suspended rail mill. I like that. Pretty slick mill BTW. I am trying to refine mine for getting a good clamping system to hold those smaller pieces.