Newbie Introduction

[GrantD]

First, I'd like to thank the OG's on the fourm for all the tech on CSM. I have found a lot of useable info on here from the milling threads.

Living in North Alabama, I have access to a wide selection of millable wood.

I've been cutting my teeth on Eastern Red Ceader & Northern Red Oak.

The set-up I've started with is a Granberg small mill and a Sthil MS 391. And as all things go, I'm already looking to up-grade....

Here's some poser & wood pics....

One of the Junipers

Some of the Red Oak

 

[mad murdock]

Welcome to AS ! Looks like some nice wood you ae working with.

 

[GrantD]

Thank ya sir! I have a decent pile of Red Oak to mill, just have to find the time and finish my solar kiln.

 

[HuskStihl]

Nice country there. Who are the Original Gangsta's?

 

[BobL]

Sure does look like a nice place to mill.

While you are upgrading you might want to think about a shorter bar or a conventional alaskan for these cuts.

 

[GrantD]

Nice country there. Who are the Original Gangsta's?

I didn't quite wanna say all you old farts with experience!

And the scenery ain't too awful bad, and the weather is pretty tame.

 

[GrantD]

Sure does look like a nice place to mill.

While you are upgrading you might want to think about a shorter bar or a conventional alaskan for these cuts.
View attachment 329018

I have some room around the yard to work, and the neighbors don't mind the noise.

As for the length of the bar in the above pictured cut... That 36" bar is way too long for the small mill. I've been using a 20" bar on everything until that Juniper. I was looking to get some live edge boards wider than what the 20" bar would allow, and I wound up learning the hard way that the end of that 36" needed the support that a standard Alaskan provides. I wound up with about a 1/4" difference in thickness from edge to edge.

 

[Dave Boyt]

Welcome to the forum, & thanks for the pictures. Looks like plenty to keep you busy. What sort of upgrade are you thinking of? Another chain saw mill, or a band mill, maybe?

 

[GrantD]

Welcome to the forum, & thanks for the pictures. Looks like plenty to keep you busy. What sort of upgrade are you thinking of? Another chain saw mill, or a band mill, maybe?

I would love to have a band mill, but I can't justify one right now. I first started looking for used band mills a while ago while I was finishing up school, where I was first exposed to them. I stumbled upon the CSM's while searching for used band mills.

As far as upgrading, I'm probably going to get a new CSM frame. And eventually would like to find a larger displacement saw to stick on it also. Not going to go too crazy just yet, I don't have any access to big wood in my area. The widest I will probably work is 30-32" after I cant out the logs.

 

[Aa Bower]

You said that you were using a Stihl 391, I am looking to get into milling a few logs a year and I am wondering how well that worked for you. I have a Stihl 441 and was wondering if that would be powerful enough. Any thoughts would be great.

 

[BobL]

You said that you were using a Stihl 391, I am looking to get into milling a few logs a year and I am wondering how well that worked for you. I have a Stihl 441 and was wondering if that would be powerful enough. Any thoughts would be great.

I have a 441, and 076 and an 880. The 441 gets used with a 25" bar and LP chain on a small alaskan for logs up to about 18" in diam. above that I go for a bigger saw/bar/mill.
Remember we have much harder woods in these parts so in your softwoods the 441 should be fine.

 

[GrantD]

You said that you were using a Stihl 391, I am looking to get into milling a few logs a year and I am wondering how well that worked for you. I have a Stihl 441 and was wondering if that would be powerful enough. Any thoughts would be great.

As stated in previous posts, I'm a flat out newb and don't have much experience.

All things consided, it's a step up from the first saw I tried in the mill. When I first got my mill I stuck my 455 with a 20" bar and a ripping chain into a ERC log.



It was an enlighting experience to say the least. It was way underpowered even for that small of a log. I did however pull a few decent live edge boards from it to build shelves with.



The MS 391 proved to be much faster in the cut, but I feel I would be better served with a pro style saw with more displacement. I searched for a few months for an older husky or Stihl pro saw with a 70cc+ displacement locally with no luck. I found the 391 in a pawn shop for $200 out the door, and figured a 64cc saw would better serve me than what I was working with.

With the 391 in oak, I spend some time. Even with a freshly sharpened chain, it takes a while to finish the cut, and to do it smoothly. To pull a 2"x11"x12' board, after prep, it would take a full 6 to 10 min or so of cut time. That is including time to wedge and spread some oil on the nose of the bar a few times.

I put a 36" bar on it with a full skip/full chisel chain on it, and put it in to a few cedar logs. It pulled it well through those, cutting 12ft 5/4 boards with a live edge in under 10 min each board. I just needed a larger frame for that size bar to be honest.