New to milling.

[Eric Vogus]

After spending the summer starting a build on heavily tree 5 acre lot and seeing all of the spruce trees have been beetle killed I decided I did not want to use them all for firewood I decided I want to try milling . I looked at the cheap Alaska chainsaw mills I decided to build my own. It is made out of free atv shipping crate steel and an old atv lift I had laying around that is hydraulic. It’s 14ft long and easily breaks down into two 7’ x 12” pieces and two 7’ x 34” pieces and three sets of legs. Fits flat in a long bed truck. Like to hear any feedback good or bad. This is an old cotton wood tree that was laying in the ditch that the electric company cut down a year. All of my logs are about 100 miles from my house and I didn’t have anything to cut. Still testing and tuning but getting close to finish and paint. Will also be adding a remote throttle and an adjustable handle so you can walk upright.

 

[BobL]

Looks good to me.

If your mount is sturdy enough you should be able to cut with the top of the bar.
The B&C as it has has more oil on that side as the chain has not yet gone around the bar nose , plus it should fling most of the sawdust away from the operator so you don't have to walk in an ever increasing pile of sawdust. Of course the log needs to be held on the opposite side.

Your logs are not what would call hard but setting the mill up so it has a bit of slope saves on a lot of pushing, This could be as easy as some blocks under the legs air if you wanted to get fancy some leg extensions . If your chain is set up just right the saw should self feed and roll down a slope by itself . Even 5º or a 1 ft in twelve slope will make a difference.

 

[Eric Vogus]

Thank you for the information. That makes a lot of sense. I built this not knowing a thing about milling. I looked at commercial mills, homemade mills and just kinda winged it from there. Just tried to use free stuff or stuff I had laying around. So far it cuts very smoothly I do have a ripping chain on it and it take very little effort to make a cut.

Looks good to me.

If your mount is sturdy enough you should be able to cut with the top of the bar.
The B&C as it has has more oil on that side as the chain has not yet gone around the bar nose , plus it should fling most of the sawdust away from the operator so you don't have to walk in an ever increasing pile of sawdust. Of course the log needs to be held on the opposite side.

Your logs are not what would call hard but setting the mill up so it has a bit of slope saves on a lot of pushing, This could be as easy as some blocks under the legs air if you wanted to get fancy some leg extensions . If your chain is set up just right the saw should self feed and roll down a slope by itself . Even 5º or a 1 ft in twelve slope will make a difference.[/QUOTE

 

[Eric Vogus]

After some testing and tuning I was able to cut a piece 0.107 thick 6” wide and ten feet long. Last night I made actual lumber. Along with a few fun boards.

 

[Eric Vogus]

Well the mill is disassembled for cleanup and paint. This is how it stacks when disassembled. 34” wide and 7’ long.

 

[Eric Vogus]

Well almost half way through paint. Now I need a brand new orange saw. Hmmmmm. Maybe Santa Claus will bring me one.

 

[Eric Vogus]

Well almost half way through paint. Now I need a brand new orange saw. Hmmmmm. Maybe Santa Clause will bring me one. I’ve been sorta good this year. Lol. Got almost done and ran out of paint. Sharpened all my ripping chains between coats. I can’t wait to get back to milling.

 

[Eric Vogus]

decision decisions. Hmmm have not used the husky for milling although it has been mounted on my cart.

 

[Eric Vogus]

Finally going back together.

 

[nighthunter]

You'll have to post a video now cutting some slabs

 

[Eric Vogus]

You'll have to post a video now cutting some slabs

Will do for sure.

 

[cre73]

Very Nice, excellent fabrication. Can't believe you are milling in your garage, but I guess being in Alaska the mess is better than the cold.

 

[WolfMann]

Good looking setup, you may have already but I would recommend looking into the Malloff grind for your chains.

 

[Eric Vogus]

Very Nice, excellent fabrication. Can't believe you are milling in your garage, but I guess being in Alaska the mess is better than the cold.

Only for testing and engineering. It’s almost ready to go outside. It’s painted. Waiting for my caution tape gets here. Black and yellow “caution watch your step. Got the second pic today.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Looks good to me.

If your mount is sturdy enough you should be able to cut with the top of the bar.
The B&C as it has has more oil on that side as the chain has not yet gone around the bar nose , plus it should fling most of the sawdust away from the operator so you don't have to walk in an ever increasing pile of sawdust. Of course the log needs to be held on the opposite side.

Your logs are not what would call hard but setting the mill up so it has a bit of slope saves on a lot of pushing, This could be as easy as some blocks under the legs air if you wanted to get fancy some leg extensions . If your chain is set up just right the saw should self feed and roll down a slope by itself . Even 5º or a 1 ft in twelve slope will make a difference.

Dry spruce cuts pretty darn hard, even on a LT40 Woodmizer.

 

[Eric Vogus]

Dry spruce cuts pretty darn hard, even on a LT40 Woodmizer.

I'm cutting at 1.2 inchs a second seems to cut fairly well. The whole beetle kill thing may have a lot to do with it. Not sure. I have some non beetle killed. I tried to go to where my logs are and could not drive in last weekend. I will have to snowmachine in and doze my way out if the dozer will start. It’s 100 miles away from where I live. I only have to snowmachine 3 miles in so I may freight sled a few 24ft 10 to 16” birch and spuce that are already downed and limbed to mill at my house. I’m having withdrawals.

 

[Eric Vogus]

Good looking setup, you may have already but I would recommend looking into the Malloff grind for your chains.

Guess I will have to buy the book. Not having much luck finding much info.

 

[Eric Vogus]

Video. Six foot long wet cotton wood.
23 seconds 6ft long 2” thick.
Well if my math is right I think that puts it at 3.13 inches a second.

 

[WolfMann]

Malloff grind is a full comp, round ground, chisel chain, filed straight across at 0°, drop the depth gauges a healthy amount (.040-.045), and set the hook a little deeper (45-50°)and you should be good to go.

 

[WolfMann]

The 0° keeps it from wearing longer then other ripping chain, and it does cut noticeably faster, you may want to play with the depth gauge setting depending on your saw, Will Malloff was using an 090 after all. Id suggest starting a little lower and slowly bumping it up to a sweet spot. Saw should move through the cut without much push on your end.