Granberg Mill Question

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StihlKicking

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I am considering a granberg mill for occasional use. I will be using it with a 661. My main question is which size mill should I buy? I will rarely if ever be milling trees greater than20-24 inches. Would a 36" mill be too bulky for trees this size, would a 20" be to small. It is my understanding that you loose 4" with any of them but I will pretty much never need to mill boards over 16" wide. I could definitely select 16" and under trees and make do with a 20" mill. Any and all advice from you guys with experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


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For one, a larger mill of 36" will work on a shorter bar, you just need to adjust it down to the size of bar you have (so you can use a 20" bar with it). But the reverse is not true: you can't increase the size of a 24" mill to cut wider than that. (or as you noticed, a 24" mill will only give 20" of cut space since all two-point connected mills lose about 4").

(*I say "two-point connected" because if you are considering the "small log mill" by Granberg, it only connects at one point. More on this in a moment)

So, if you ever intend to cut a wider log and/or use a longer bar, you might want to go with a bigger mil. And a 661 can handle a 36"bar fine. (and though you say now that you have no intentions to do so, this often is not the case later).

In regards to the small log mill by Granberg that connects only at one point and is rated 20", actually, you can cut wider than that since its only connected at the base of the bar, and the tip is not connected. On the one hand this actually allows you to use any sized bar (even a 60"), so if you only foresee cutting the occasional big log, this could be good. But on the other hand, the fact that it is not connected on both ends gives a lack of support (I've heard of them snapping at the welds due to being under uneven pressure, mainly in wider than 20" wood with someone pushing too hard) as well by being without a tip connection there is more of a likelyhood that the bar will cut uneven, particularly as the wood/bar get wider (so on say a 24" wide board, it may be 1/4" or more thicker on one side than the other).

Though if you only want to do occassional milling now and then for a few boards, and either intend to plane them or aren't overly worried about being a bit off in thickness, then the small log mill could be a good start as it costs way less than any two point connected mills. Granberg also sells conversion kits to make the small log mill into a two point mill, as well as extension frames to increase the width up to any size you want (though, these upgrades will probably cost more in the long run than just buying a 32 or 36" mill from the outset). Or, as I did, you can just go out and get some angle iron, a few nuts&bolts, a length of half-inch pipe, and a u-bolt and just convert a small log mill into a two-point mill yourself for about $10. I even attached it through the nose sprocket, allowing for a bit more width than the real Granberg set-up.
 
I am considering a granberg mill for occasional use. I will be using it with a 661. My main question is which size mill should I buy? I will rarely if ever be milling trees greater than20-24 inches. Would a 36" mill be too bulky for trees this size, would a 20" be to small. It is my understanding that you loose 4" with any of them but I will pretty much never need to mill boards over 16" wide.

Longer bar means more cutters means chain takes longer to go blunt and also means chain runs cooler.

It also depends on the quality of lumber you want. On a 16" diameter log there's only 2 true 8" wide quarter sawn boards, the rest are smaller than that and they will mostly be plain sawn and prone to cupping. If you want access to better lumber you need to be prepared to cut wider logs.
 
Thanks for the replies, this clears things up a good bit for me. I think I will go with a 36" granberg mill.

A second question. Is it worth buying the mini mill for $100 to edge with or is it just as easy to turn the log and use the Alaskan mill to square a cant?


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The mini-mill works best with a second saw.

To rotate the log and line up whatever rails/frame you use to 90 degrees from the first cut might take about as much time as swapping out the big mill to a mini-mill and then back again. Though if you build a rig or mill table to allow for this it may make it easier/quicker.
 
The mini-mill works best with a second saw.

To rotate the log and line up whatever rails/frame you use to 90 degrees from the first cut might take about as much time as swapping out the big mill to a mini-mill and then back again. Though if you build a rig or mill table to allow for this it may make it easier/quicker.

Could you use a smaller saw In the mini mill. I have a freed up 261 I could use in the mini mill. However I would hate to melt it down milling with it. Would a saw in that size class work ok for edging or do u need a more powerful one?


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A 50cc saw could be OK, but it would all depend on the width of cut, length of cut, and hardness of wood. If it was a 10" cut in a 5 foot white pine log you'd probably be fine if just doing cant edges, but if its a 20" cut on a 12 foot oak log, you'd indeed be looking at eventual meltdown.

Exactly where the crossover line lies between those two examples is widely debatable.
 
I am considering a granberg mill for occasional use. I will be using it with a 661. My main question is which size mill should I buy? I will rarely if ever be milling trees greater than20-24 inches. Would a 36" mill be too bulky for trees this size, would a 20" be to small. It is my understanding that you loose 4" with any of them but I will pretty much never need to mill boards over 16" wide. I could definitely select 16" and under trees and make do with a 20" mill. Any and all advice from you guys with experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


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Longer bar means more cutters means chain takes longer to go blunt and also means chain runs cooler.

It also depends on the quality of lumber you want. On a 16" diameter log there's only 2 true 8" wide quarter sawn boards, the rest are smaller than that and they will mostly be plain sawn and prone to cupping. If you want access to better lumber you need to be prepared to cut wider logs.

Ditto Bobs comments, I would also add that if you encounter a log with a curve or bow you will be glad to have a longer bar to allow your milling rails to run to each end of the log. j-
 
The 36 inch mill are in the mail along with some ripping chain. I decided against the edging attachment for now. Any and all pointers you guys could give to a guy new to this would be greatly appreciated. Also any pics or plans for a good set of rails would be really helpful. Thanks


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Thanks for the replies, this clears things up a good bit for me. I think I will go with a 36" granberg mill.

A second question. Is it worth buying the mini mill for $100 to edge with or is it just as easy to turn the log and use the Alaskan mill to square a cant?


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No. Use a straight edge clamped to the board with a circular saw to edge.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Very helpful information. Next on my list is to figure out a rail system that works for me. For smaller logs, say 10-12" diameter will a single 2x6 or 2x8 screwed flat to the top of the log work? Will it be rigid enough?


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Yes a 2X6 or 2X8 will work. I posted pics of a smallish log I milled with my 660 and a 2X6. But, if you let it sit in the sun like I did, and you use it like I did, all the boards come out looking like boomerangs. I milled a bunch of logs and they all came out near perfect. Then I let the guide board sit on the black top for a couple weeks. I saw the warp in it and thought I could pull it out, but the 4 or 5 boards I cut out of that last log all had a gentle curve in them, Joe.
 
Here's the first 3.5 slabs I milled I have a long ways to go on getting a good rail system set up right to make that first cut perfect.
f1f6821df8e3541ff429a326d2a19894.jpg


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Nice slabs Joe! Eastern Red?


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No, these are Dawn Redwood, a cousin to the California Redwood. They used to be, and still are a little, desirable ornamental tree on the East Coast. I know where there are several of them. But, this is the first I was able to mill. Just built a bench for my neighbor. Turned out OK, Joe.



 
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