Norwood Porta Mill

[headleyj]

If you really like the design, you might be able to mod it pretty easily to take the strain off the post and mill bigger logs. Adding a lever arm parallel to the bar (maybe attached to the guard above the bar?) would take most of the torque from the saw. If you wanted to remove all the torque from the post, you might be able to mod it to use a round post instead of a square post. It looks like 4 bushings and weld plates would do it (1 on top, 2 on the saw, & 1 on the bottom). Then you could rotate the saw a bit while milling, similar to an Alaskan.

- Rick

you're right - you could mod it, I just have a problem dropping a grand for something that I have to modify

 

[rick_saws]

I agree - that's why I'm just using an Alaskan with unistrut till I figure out what I really want . . .

 

[headleyj]

I agree - that's why I'm just using an Alaskan with unistrut till I figure out what I really want . . .

yeah, that's prolly what I'll do too, just gotta get the ballz to grop the $ for everything

 

[reswire]

Porta mill

If there was some way to stabilize the bar on the far side, I think it could cut larger wood without any problem. I think that over 14" may cause the bar to dip or "go around knots" etc. I really like the way it looks though. Hope you post some pics of it cutting some larger stuff.

:monkey:

 

[hamish]

Old thread but have to wake it up.

The 14" limit is not the o/a log diameter, but more like the max board width. With an 18" bar and bucking spikes/dogs removed the useable cutting length of the bar is about 15". As the powerhead is secured to the mill via the bar mounts nothing is really lost. When cutting the first slab off then turning the log the o/a diameter of the log has been greatly reduced, hence with the second slab taken off the perpendicular side. The Portamill just needs a few adjustments to the bunks in order to get the most out of it. Undercut the ladder portion under the log bunks, and gain about 2" of cutting capacity.

Spent 4 hours playing with a Porta Mill versus loading my new ML26......................darn chainsaws.

 

[lwmibc]

Got some small logs (5-7 inch) to turn into 4x4's and decking. Got a Jon 625 on it now. I have a 288, 2095 and new 880 for bigger wood.

Would really like to know your impressions on this thing; just found it on Youtube today and liked what I saw. How's it working out?