Pictures of my setup (for next week)

[AaronB]

Here some pictures of what I have finally come up with for Rails, etc. (thanks BobL!)

Here is a shot of the entire setup, just pretend the saw horses is a log.
View attachment 115183

Here kind of an end view, little fuzzy though.
View attachment 115182

Little close up view of the slabbing brackets and of how the two guides attache to each other. Wanted 12 ft of rail so this is what I did. The outside rail on the left side - I am going to have to beat down the end of it a little bit because the mill hits it and stops. Looks like when the factory cut it, it flared up a little bit.
View attachment 115184

Just a picture with the on it only.
View attachment 115185

Here is a pic with the saw on the mill. The mill is pushed all the way over to one side close to the rail, I just did that so it would balance while I took the picture.
View attachment 115186

Thanks for looking, I think the rails I can get level enough between them that it will work just fine. Just have to smooth out that transition where the two rails overlap each other.

Can't wait to start cutting.

 

[BobL]

Aaron,

Looks good!

Tip 1, use acorn nuts or round headed bolts on the outside of the inboard side of the log rails, otherwise the mill could hook up against the protruding bolts and you will have to keep pulling the saw past the protruding bolts. Likewise for the crossbar pieces of unistrut, move them so they do not protrude out to block the path of the mill/saw.

Tip two: you need some cross bracing in the middle to hold the unistruts together or they will splay.

Cheers
Bob

 

[AaronB]

Aaron,

Looks good!

Tip 1, use acorn nuts or round headed bolts on the outside of the inboard side of the log rails, otherwise the mill could hook up against the protruding bolts and you will have to keep pulling the saw past the protruding bolts. Likewise for the crossbar pieces of unistrut, move them so they do not protrude out to block the path of the mill/saw.

Thanks for the acorn nut tip, wouldn't have thought of that. Guess they won't jiggle loose, guess I could use lock tite on them. Is this where you are talking about putting them?

Tip two: you need some cross bracing in the middle to hold the unistruts together or they will splay.

Cheers
Bob

I did buy some long all thread rod pieces, just need to cut them and in put them on, is every 3-4 feet okay for spacing?

 

[mtngun]

Looks sturdy. You'll fine tune it after you have used it a few times, no point worrying in the meantime.

Hey, is that a brand new Stihl 660 ? I thought there was some sort of unwritten law against using a brand new saw for milling ?

 

[BobL]

Looks sturdy. You'll fine tune it after you have used it a few times, no point worrying in the meantime.

Hey, is that a brand new Stihl 660 ? I thought there was some sort of unwritten law against using a brand new saw for milling ?

One of the most nerve wracking thing I had to do was bide my time and try to run in my never used 880 before using it on the mill. I have to admit I only ran about 3 tank fulls thru it before I started milling although I did treat it very gently for the first 10 tanks or so.

 

[AaronB]

Looks sturdy. You'll fine tune it after you have used it a few times, no point worrying in the meantime.

Hey, is that a brand new Stihl 660 ? I thought there was some sort of unwritten law against using a brand new saw for milling ?

oh, well it will have "some" break in time, as I have to use it to cut the tree into 8 foot lengths. :biggrinbounce2:

Hope that's enough. lol

 

[BobL]

oh, well it will have "some" break in time, as I have to use it to cut the tree into 8 foot lengths. :biggrinbounce2:

Hope that's enough. lol

I wouldn't think so.

There are various schools of thought on this. Some say don't worry at all which doesn't sound right to me. Some say about 5 or maybe as much as 10 tank fulls. Although it is a PITA you can still run it while while milling but the saw needs to be worked up and down the rev range and not be held at WOT for more than ~30 seconds at a time for the first few tankfulls, imagine you are bucking up a small/medium size log. Also do not expect a good finish using the saw this way. If possible I would just cut cookies or go cut up some fire wood.

 

[AaronB]

I wouldn't think so.

There are various schools of thought on this. Some say don't worry at all which doesn't sound right to me. Some say about 5 or maybe as much as 10 tank fulls. Although it is a PITA you can still run it while while milling but the saw needs to be worked up and down the rev range and not be held at WOT for more than ~30 seconds at a time for the first few tankfulls, imagine you are bucking up a small/medium size log. Also do not expect a good finish using the saw this way. If possible I would just cut cookies or go cut up some fire wood.

Thanks Bob, I probably will try to mill with it since it my window of opportunity and the logs being 2 hrs away I need to take every advantage I can to get them cut up. Like you said maybe the slabs wont come out looking as good as they could, but I will have to live with it for the first few.

WOT??? (remember I am new)

I will just work it up and down like you said. Would easing off (as in not pushing the mill at all) when down in the rev range help? Only be cutting when I am up in the rev range? Or could I just mill in 30 sec intervals, and only be pushing/cutting when at full rev? Maybe that will still make rougher cuts.

Thanks for the heads up on that though.

 

[dustytools]

WOT= Wide open throttle.

 

[oldsaw]

Don't stick on wide open for a few tanks. Run it up, then run it slower for a while, then open it up again, take a short break letting the saw idle, and repeat.

After a couple of hours, let er rip. Be careful, and have fun. Remember your camera, we like pics as you have figured out. I always forget my camera.

 

[BobL]

Don't stick on wide open for a few tanks. Run it up, then run it slower for a while, then open it up again, take a short break letting the saw idle, and repeat.

That's it!

With my 880 I bucked up 1 ft logs for 3 tanks and then milled a small log about a ft at time at different revs (having an on board tacho was a great help there) and let it idle for 30 seconds in between.

 

[AaronB]

Don't stick on wide open for a few tanks. Run it up, then run it slower for a while, then open it up again, take a short break letting the saw idle, and repeat.

After a couple of hours, let er rip. Be careful, and have fun. Remember your camera, we like pics as you have figured out. I always forget my camera.

Can I still be pushing the mill when running slower, just not pushing as much? Just what the saw allows.?

I will take the camera, have it all ready to go, and its on my "to take" checklist.

 

[oldsaw]

Can I still be pushing the mill when running slower, just not pushing as much? Just what the saw allows.?

I will take the camera, have it all ready to go, and its on my "to take" checklist.

You won't have a choice, the saw will tell you how fast to go.

 

[BobL]

Can I still be pushing the mill when running slower, just not pushing as much? Just what the saw allows.?

I will take the camera, have it all ready to go, and its on my "to take" checklist.

When running in, the key is not to sit on a constant speed for too long.

It's quite tricky to cut, for example, at 1/2 Max RPM. The way to do this is to feed it into the wood up to WOT and and once the cutting is established then slowly drop the RPM. If you drop too low the chain will stop cutting, then you'll need to go back to WOT - it'll be frustrating - but if you practice you'll get the hang of it.

If you mill on a reasonably slope and your chain is set up you should be able to mill at half RPM with no pushing at all.