test my homemade alaskan mill todaytoday

[Bryce c tyrrell]

I made it yesterday. Used it today. Took me 3 runs to get it perfect straight. But I was very pleased with the outcome. Running a ms310 was tough. I definitely need a bigger saw. Oak was a tough one to start with too. Last pic all the way on the left was the best run.

 

[Jimbo209]

NICE JOB Bryce
do you have a different chain for this vs normal work?
maybe try get a ladder or some timber to slide on to keep them even, but I have only used a double clamped setup

 

[Bryce c tyrrell]

Right now I'm running a chisel chain. Which is my normal chain. It's rough going through the oak. But I finished my second log tonight had really good turnout. I'm very satisfied with my set up. I ran rails for my first cuts then just ran it straight after. My first cut was a little crooked as you can see from the pic. But I adjusted my guide and it cut all the rest perfectly.
I would've used a ladder but the logs were only 20 inches in diameter. So the ladder was too big. So I used very straight 2×4'sand put 2×4s across to make a ladder panel. I'm working on trying to get a better saw. As I think I might be addicted to this. I had a lot of fun.

 

[TPA]

Please be very careful running a chainsaw indoors. I know it is cold, but the carbon monoxide thing is very risky.

 

[Bryce c tyrrell]

I open the doors for ventilation. I have front and back over head doors.

 

[Timberframed]

Look good Bryce. Keep on keepin' on. What wood is that?

 

[Bryce c tyrrell]

Red oak

 

[BobL]

Please be very careful running a chainsaw indoors. I know it is cold, but the carbon monoxide thing is very risky.

Good point TPA. CO sensor/alarms are cheap insurance for doing this sort of thing. I installed one for when I run my gas powered forge in my small shop. It is more than an alarm and has a flashing LED display showing the actual CO level before the alarm goes off. initially I had a 1000 cuft/min exhaust fan running on my welding booth but even so it only took about 15 minutes running the forge to set off the alarm level. I added a second 1000 cuft/min extractor fan which keeps the CO below the alarm level.

 

[Josh Long]

You got some nice looking wood, especially for your first time around, kudos!

It will be A LOT easier if you lift one end of the log off the ground and put gravity on your side.

I pushed through my first log with it flat, for the second one I had one end on top of another log and it was 10x more enjoyable.

The saw also seems to struggle less, and the boards seem smoother if you file the rakers [edit: not rakers, meant top plate angle] to between 5-10 degrees, in my experience anyway.

 

[820wards]

Right now I'm running a chisel chain. Which is my normal chain. It's rough going through the oak. But I finished my second log tonight had really good turnout. I'm very satisfied with my set up. I ran rails for my first cuts then just ran it straight after. My first cut was a little crooked as you can see from the pic. But I adjusted my guide and it cut all the rest perfectly.
I would've used a ladder but the logs were only 20 inches in diameter. So the ladder was too big. So I used very straight 2×4'sand put 2×4s across to make a ladder panel. I'm working on trying to get a better saw. As I think I might be addicted to this. I had a lot of fun.

Milling chain will make for smother finished slabs. Try not to zig zag back and forth when you mill, it will save you time when you start smoothing the slabs for finishing.
jerry-

 

[Bryce c tyrrell]

Yea. I found out about the zigzag thing the hard way. Stopped doing that right away. I just invest in a ms461 today. So I'll have to switch over to chisel chain. I plan on making that my milling saw only.

 

[Rev]

What guys are saying is get away from chisel chain and the kid above here who said file your rakers @ 5 degrees means that's your ideal top plate angle. He means file the cutter at 5-10 deg. It's semi-chisel chain, Bryce and an almost square top plate angle just a very blunt angle but not blunt chain. I've seen a couple say they run chisel chain with a mill but that's crazy especially with OAK. Rapid Micro 5-10 Degree top angle no glint, you can richen up the saw a bit and ready to roll.....

 

[Bryce c tyrrell]

Sorry I miss typed in my earlier post. I meant I will have to switch over to mill chain.
But let me see if I understand all of this. I can keep my chisel chain but I should file my cutters to 5-10 degrees and do rakes the same?!?! And cut at a slope.

 

[Bryce c tyrrell]

Rev, I don't know what no glint means. Like I said I'm new at all of this.

 

[Josh Long]

Sorry I miss typed in my earlier post. I meant I will have to switch over to mill chain.
But let me see if I understand all of this. I can keep my chisel chain but I should file my cutters to 5-10 degrees and do rakes the same?!?! And cut at a slope.

I also misspoke, Rev was correct, I meant top plate angle to 5-10 degrees, my beer/sleep ratio was out of balance I would just do the rakers as you normally would, or leave them a little higher if the saw is really bogging. It takes a decent bit of metal off to change the top plate angle that much, so you may need to file the rakers after. I cannot recommend enough the filing stones that go in the dremel when you are going to take that much off, and I personally seem to sharpen a lot faster that way for a little cost outlay (if you already have a dremel or rotary tool).

Yes, I used my chisel chain that I had and filed the top plates as said, the saw bogged less, and the slabs came out a lot smoother. It may be better with different chains, but I felt I got acceptable results AFTER changing the top plate angle without buying a different chain at this point.

Lastly, definitely angle the log downward, using gravity is easier than pushing the saw through, and can be more consistent with pressure.

If that video of me taking my last slab out of some cherry loads, forgive my lack of chaps, I don't know how I made that cut without them... For shame.

 

[BobL]

Rev, I don't know what no glint means. Like I said I'm new at all of this.

No glint means look at the edge f the cutter and if you can see even the tiniest shiny reflection of light (glint) the edge is not sharp.
Going by feel is not sharp enough.

Smoothness of finish has more to do with operator skill than the top plate angle.

I have shown this photo many times - most old school CS millers don't believe I can get this finish using semi-chisel full comp chain with a 25º TPFA.

The way to get this sort of finish is
- no "seesawing",
- constant/steady pressure all the way down the log - the best way to do this is to slope the log since this adds the constant force of gravity all the way down the log
- don't apply pressure primarily with arms and shoulders you will just get too tired, instead lean on the wrap handle with thigh/hip and only use your arms when you need to take another step
This also leaves your hands free to insert wedges etc while you keep cutting.
- if you have stop mid log, no fanging the saw hard back into the cut, this tips the mill slightly in the cut and leaves lines in the finish, ease it back in slowly,


Rakers should be set according to the amount of fine dust you are making. If you are making too much fine dust (and based on the photos it looks like you are) then lower the rakers just a couple of file swipes and try cutting again. The point at which the chains starts to grab you have lowered the rakers too far - this can be corrected by taking a bit off the cutters (this in effect raises the rakers).
There are ways of quantifying all this but I sense you are being overloaded with info and best to leave that to another time.

 

[Rev]

BobL plugged in what I was saying about no glint, Bryce. And semi-chisel is different it has a round profile and chisel, full chisel or square chain are virtually the same thing. They have a square outside in relation to the top plate. In both cases, most of it is sold with a round shaped grind. Whether you sharpen full chisel chain with a square tool or a round tool, (grinding wheel or file), is what makes the difference from there. I use my semi-chisel chain toward the end of its cutter life and put a more blunt angle on it for milling.

Smoothness of finish has more to do with operator skill than the top plate angle.

You can get very good at chainsaw milling to where you believe this, but I don't think any level of operator skill supplants using the proper tool and equipment to yield correct results. I would rather let the machine do the work. You can't get around the physical characteristics of a cutting edge. It's physics.

No doubt any chain can make a smooth finish though. I'm in with the old bulls walking down hills these days.....if you know the expression.

 

[Jimbo209]

Yea. I found out about the zigzag thing the hard way. Stopped doing that right away. I just invest in a ms461 today. So I'll have to switch over to chisel chain. I plan on making that my milling saw only.

IMHO you don't have to leave it as "just a milling saw" just the chain and maybe bar. Check the trading post as there is a heap of stuff there starting at BNIB or NOS( new old stock) condition going down
you will need it to cut the bigger logs to mill any way
Bob has said he likes to richen the high by a smidge ~500rpm??? to cool, lube a bit more and reduce amount of time it turns max rpm.
Just do over do it like i did and forget when cutting normally.

Just have fun