Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ?

[ropensaddle]

I am thinking of fabbing me a mill for making timbers posts and such
does ripping chain cut fast or is it as slow as trying to rip with plain?
I am not sure if I want to build one similar to the m7 or just one of those
flimsy looking Alaskan's, or both. I am not going to try to get in the biz
just want to make stuff with the logs I get each year. I have a 40 by 50
concrete slab that needs wood going up for a shop pole barn etc.
I already have a 2101 and 395 so I figured I would start with them
does that seem enough? Ideas experiance appreciated!

 

[Zodiac45]

Yep you got plenty of saw for the Job Rope.


An Alaskan is the cheapest way too start for sure especially if all you are going to make is timbers/beams/posts. Ripping chain is not any faster, just leaves a smoother surface. If I was going too make dimensional lumber as well as posts/beams etc.. I would sure consider an M7 or clone there of.

 

[woodshop]

...does ripping chain cut fast or is it as slow as trying to rip with plain?...

My experience has been that like Zodiac says, ripping chain will give you a smoother surface. However, after tons of milling with both ripping and standard chain, I have to say that standard chain is definitely a little faster, and it seems to last longer before it starts to slow down due to dulling. I use skip chain though, on a 36" bar with my 395. That might be why it's faster than my milling chain. It's regular Oregon 75 JG round chisel skip. Yes, my surface is not as smooth as when I was using Baileys ripping chain, but I only use my csm for getting the log to a cant, so no big deal. In my case I'd rather have the speed going down the log.

 

[slabmaster]

.050 skip chain sharpened at 15 degree cutter angle is fast and leaves a good finish as well for me.The saws you have are also ideal for milling.My main milling saw is a 395 and does all that is asked of it.I use the alaskan mill and love it.It's the most porable mill out there.I mill most my lumber right where i fell the tree.

 

[guitarborist]

If you would like to try something that operates like the Alaskan mill but is not flimsy look at these threads.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=68274

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=69093

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=71432

This is the set-up I use, very strong, possibly a little over kill but it works great. If you shop around on ebay you can put one together cheaper than an AK mill.

 

[ropensaddle]

Thanks guys the slow part is starting to make me think
of making a band mill or circular mill. If the rip is that slow
what is the point? If it would cut as fast as crosscutting
I could see possibilities for many things even firewood
cookie splitting huge rounds I have ripped with standard
square chisel 3/8 and 404 slow imo! I can handle somewhat
slow but not turtle slow and sharpening each cut etc.

 

[Mad Professor]

If you go to a ripping chain WITH narrow kerf (i.e. stihl PMX "picco") it will cut a little faster due to taking out less wood and you will get more boards and less sawdust. Keep it less than 25" bar with high H.P. saw (e.g. 90 cc +). This chain IS $$$ as only logosol imports it. You could buy regular 3/8 PM chain and regrind but then you loose some chain life. Surface of wood is as good/better than band saws, I'd put it down as is for flooring as is then sand it.

I've not tried other LP chains so cannot comment on those vs. PMX.

Your big saw should be fine for milling.

For mills I've a M5 logosol and am happy with it. I too, want to do a P + B barn and am considering buying a 1/2 or full mill to connect it to. The standard will do lengths ca. 15' 6" . If I double that I can rip plates and purlins as long as I need to build and won't need any scarf joints.


You can connect as many logosols together as you want, but have plenty of friends handy to load/turn the logs.

Building a good ramp helps. That is what I did with the first logs I milled. I can load a 25" X 16' ash log by myself using a cant hook. It is a stepped inclined plane/ramp that allows me to turn a log with a cant hook to a "step" , then grab the log again to the next step without the log rolling back on myeslf.

It's slow compared to a automated bandmill but with my trusty 9N ford tractor I can get the wood to a spot to mill and do it all myself (one person operation).

P.S. If you have not milled before visit and/or volenteer at a sawmill to learn how to read logs, and get the most from each one. I worked at a big circle mill for quite a while and did everything except being the head sawyer. That experience was brutal work, started out stacking wet 6 X 8" X 16" hemlock cants.... all day. Eventually learned about most everything from edging, stacking, drying and can tell a log coming off the mill by the smell.

P.P.S. Stay away from property/fence line logs they harbor metal, or only mill things ca. > 6' from the stump

 

[Backwood]

Thanks guys the slow part is starting to make me think
of making a band mill or circular mill. If the rip is that slow
what is the point? .

Chainsaw milling is a lot slower. Money might be one point, you can get setup to mill with a CSM much cheaper than buying a bandsaw. Also a CSM can mill bigger stuff that is beyond most bandmills.

A bandsaw mill would give you more lumber, less sawdust from your logs too.

I made my bandsaw and dont have that much more $ in it than an alaskan cost, using scrap metal.

The thing I dislike about chainsaw milling is having to breathe the exhaust fumes. I sometimes use a 36" alaskan bolted to a 394 and the fumes are killer. If you had 2 people and a helper handle it probably wouldnt be as bad. Anybody use a muffler modified to turn exhaust away ( u-shaped maybe )? maybe like an old dirtbike exhaust

 

[Zodiac45]

Thanks guys the slow part is starting to make me think
of making a band mill or circular mill. If the rip is that slow
what is the point? If it would cut as fast as crosscutting
I could see possibilities for many things even firewood
cookie splitting huge rounds I have ripped with standard
square chisel 3/8 and 404 slow imo! I can handle somewhat
slow but not turtle slow and sharpening each cut etc.

Rope, you're right it's slow going but, it really depends on what you want the lumber for and how much of it you need? For the most part a guy like myself runs into a project like my front porch deal. I'm replacing rotten tipped floor boards and discover that the beam under them is pootched. So, I can run out and buy a pine or doug 6x6 and spend $60+ for it or throw the alaskan onto the saw and mill one out of Eastern Larch log (that I'd never be able too buy) that will outlast me by 100 years.

In this case I knew in advance that I'd need the beam and had the tamerack log from a tree in my front patch and it was milled and waiting along with 2x10s and 2x8s of larch, norway pine and cedar (for the stair treads). Just this one project has paid the cost of the Alaskan back and I'm in the process of milling, stickered and drying cedar 2x8s too redue a 2nd floor deck that looks out too sea. When Ive got enough, that'll get done. It's sort of like that for me. I mill with a project down the road in mind. It's never done too sell lumber (in my case) and I sort of like the idea of replacing things on my house (200+ yrs old) from the property at at least making the lumber myself for the project. It's a much closer match too the original lumber the house was build from versus store bought stuff. That said if I ran onto some fabulous hardwood or music grade wood I certainly would mill that baby up for sale too highest bidder! Really just depends on what your needs are.

One good day of milling dedicated and organised can produce some decent amount of lumber but never in the reach of a bandmill or even a handheld ripsaw with alaskan. But you can fell the tree and mill it on the spot and only bring home the boards. A chainsaw mill like the M7 though is faster just by it's effecient design and it's ability too cut dimensional lumber quickly and easily.

 

[ropensaddle]

I am going to make something for sure,I will probably start with
making something similar to a Alaskan and then gravitate to an m7
or band mill with the tires or a circular with power feed etc. I only
want to build a shop for now and deer stands but a log home is on
my mind as well. I let grade timber rot at my farm and it is a shame.
It would take too much time to haul and then go pick it up etc.
I don't have full loads just a great tree here and there but it would
add up if milled.

 

[woodshop]

Imbeachy made a logosol type mill... maybe he will chime in here.

 

[parrisw]

I don't know where it came from that the Alaskan's are flimsy??? I assure you they are not. I love mine.

 

[lmbeachy]

lmbeachy made a logosol type mill... maybe he will chime in here.

ropensaddle, I did make a logosol type mill out of 4 x 4 and 2x 4 that i had cut with a Timberjig that I had purchased from Logosol. The most expensive item on the mill is my 066 saw ($400.00) next the guide rail ($100,00), I had two boat winches that I used and the rest was lumber from my woods and labor. As with every other mill, I had a learning curve and tweeking to do, but now I'm real pleased with it. Even started doing some work for other people now. Since it is bring in a little money, my good wife does not even say to much about me spending a little time working with it. If you go to the search function on this forum and type in lmbeachy, that an L not an I you will be able to view the pictures that I have posted of it. What ever you decide to do or which ever way you want to go, I'm sure you will find it fascinating. It really is exciting to do. Happy milling.

 

[ropensaddle]

lmbeachy made a logosol type mill... maybe he will chime in here.

ropensaddle, I did make a logosol type mill out of 4 x 4 and 2x 4 that i had cut with a Timberjig that I had purchased from Logosol. The most expensive item on the mill is my 066 saw ($400.00) next the guide rail ($100,00), I had two boat winches that I used and the rest was lumber from my woods and labor. As with every other mill, I had a learning curve and tweeking to do, but now I'm real pleased with it. Even started doing some work for other people now. Since it is bring in a little money, my good wife does not even say to much about me spending a little time working with it. If you go to the search function on this forum and type in lmbeachy, that an L not an I you will be able to view the pictures that I have posted of it. What ever you decide to do or which ever way you want to go, I'm sure you will find it fascinating. It really is exciting to do. Happy milling.

Thanks I check it out

 

[BobL]

I don't know where it came from that the Alaskan's are flimsy??? I assure you they are not. I love mine.

The only flimsy looking Alaskan I saw was one made out of all-thread rod and plywood. It was just two all-thread rods attached to holes at either ends of the bar and a piece of 5 ply between the two rods. The height was adjusted by threading pieces of 5 ply onto the rods to create the desired spacing. The guy built a cabin out of it so it can't have been too flimsy!