Making a Chainsaw Mill

[Stu in Tokyo]

I have the chance to get a large number of hardwood trees, but I have to cut them up into slabs on site, as they are too heavy to move.

I'm in downtown Tokyo Japan.

I recently bought a used Husky 185CD, an oldie but a powerful one.

I got a good start this morning, 4 hours later I was making boards!

Here I am welding up the frame for the Chainsaw mill

Here the guide tubes have been welded on

Another view

I will pinch the bar of the saw in two places, these four pieces of tubing will be the clamps that do so.

 

[Stu in Tokyo]

I put the extra bits on top so the tubes will resist being crushed by the bolts that will go through them. The end pieces make it look good, and and more strength to the tubes.
Two of these will then have another piece welded to them to make a T that will go through the guide tubes on the sawmill frame.

With the Ts welded up, I test fit everything

The frame rides on guide board, or the flat of the log to make a cut,
The depth of the cut (thickness of the slab) will be set by how far the chain is from the sawmill frame.

Here you can see the bar clamped in place, and the spacers on the clamp to keep the chain from hitting steel.

 

[Stu in Tokyo]

Here is the tip, I'm going to make a guard for that bad boy!

Getting ready to fill the Dungeon with blue smoke

All set to rock and roll!

Done, man that saw can cut through some wood!!

 

[Stu in Tokyo]

Cut done.
I realize that I have to do a few more minor mods to the Chainsaw Mill, I'll do that and then get to the wood lot tomorrow morning and cut up some trees!!

Cheers!

The link to the Wood Lot is "here"

 

[Joseph]

NICE...!

EXCELLENT!

Thank You

Joseph

 

[oldsaw]

The only recommendation I would have at this point is to run a bar down the middle. That would cut your "overhang" needed for the support board meaning longer logs with the same support. I really like that on my Alaskan.

Otherwise, well done. Makes me want a welder.

Mark

I checked out your shop and cyclone. I wish I had half the time and talent...and "fun money" you've got. EXCELLENT work.

 

[clyde]

I also connect a short (6-8") bar to the cage sticking out in front. This handy little appendage is great. It allows you to have much better leverage at the begining of the cuts made after the first cut is made. I am really suprised no mills have this feature. It is so much easier to start the cuts, especially when working alone.

 

[Stu in Tokyo]

The only recommendation I would have at this point is to run a bar down the middle. That would cut your "overhang" needed for the support board meaning longer logs with the same support. I really like that on my Alaskan.

Otherwise, well done. Makes me want a welder.

Mark

I checked out your shop and cyclone. I wish I had half the time and talent...and "fun money" you've got. EXCELLENT work.

I did two bars down the middle, I'll post pics later.

Time, heck, I work every single day of the week, 12 to 14 hours a day, running a liquor shop, and I sneak away after work and head to the Dungeon. Stuff don't get built in a hurry, but 2 hours here and there make a diff.

I don't watch TV

 

[Stu in Tokyo]

I also connect a short (6-8") bar to the cage sticking out in front. This handy little appendage is great. It allows you to have much better leverage at the begining of the cuts made after the first cut is made. I am really suprised no mills have this feature. It is so much easier to start the cuts, especially when working alone.

Well so far, I just leave my starter board long enough, and for the second cut I had no problem, but you idea is a good one, I'll think about it.

Thanks!

 

[clyde]

The cage on your mill is very wide compared to the grandber and the GB mills, which puts more of the mill on the log for these cuts. You may have eliminated the need with you design. The GB mills are too narrow and definatly need help in this reguard.
Great work!!

 

[badcars2]

time to warm up the mig

i have gotto build oneof these. alot better than some opf the proces i have been seeing!! really thanks for the detailed building pics, i cant wait.

 

[JamesTX]

Are mills usually made to just clamp to the bar? No safety bolt or anything? I'd think it'd be dangerous if the bar slipped in the clamp and the chain came in contact with the metal of the mill.

What kind of hardwood can you find in Japan?

 

[Stu in Tokyo]

Are mills usually made to just clamp to the bar? No safety bolt or anything? I'd think it'd be dangerous if the bar slipped in the clamp and the chain came in contact with the metal of the mill.

What kind of hardwood can you find in Japan?

I've not used my much yet, but I do not really see how the bar could slip in the clamp, as it is very secure, but also the clamp and mill are only guiding the saw, they are not forcing it anywhere.

I'll keep it in mind and see if I can come up with something else, like a bolt, to add to it.

I got some mods done to the Mark I.....

That is the Mark II version

Tip guard

I got to this point when the saw just died, I could not get it re-started, it turns out the spark-plug wire and the little coil clip thing inside the spark-plug cap are so corroded I'm amazed the saw run at all!

Good thing is I found out the Husky dealer for Japan is about a 15 minute scooter ride away!

Parts on order....

 

[GlennG]

It has always amazed me how so much can be accomplished in small spaces in Japan. Good job Stu

Glenn

 

[Stu in Tokyo]

It has always amazed me how so much can be accomplished in small spaces in Japan. Good job Stu

Glenn

Thanks Glenn, but you now what they say about invention and necessity!

Cheers!

 

[Stu in Tokyo]

BTW, here are the offending parts...........

Like I said, it is amazing to me the plug got any spark at all!

Oh well new parts on the way, I hope!!

If not, I'm sure I have some old motorcycle kit laying around I can put together in some way to make it all work....I hope!

I don't know how well known this little trick is, but if you need to get the armature off the left side of the saw, and you don't have the special tool needed to hold it while you take the nut off, here is what I do....

I've done this over the years more times than I want to remember at the side of the road, or in a leaky cabin rebuilding a busted dirt-bike. You bring the piston to near TDC and then you feed in rope, as much as you can, use a screwdriver to poke it in if you have to, then when the piston reaches TDC, it will not be able to go any further and if the nut holding the armature on is not stupid tight (it should not be, the armature is held on a taper shaft) then you are in business.

I also found out I'm missing a spring.........

so I ordered that as well.

(Disclaimer, I've done this with success many times, but you must do so at your own risk, I'm sure there are possibilities where this would not be a good idea to try.)

Cheers!

 

[GlennG]

Stu, keep the pictures coming, this is an excellent thread. I`m sure the wood you cut will not be wasted

Glenn

 

[Stu in Tokyo]

Thanks Glenn, I'm really busy, now that it is the Christmas season and we run a liquor shop, but I'm still trying to do this on the side, I got to get it done, or I'll lose the chance to get the wood.

The wood I'm getting is Sakura (the ornamental Cherry) Akagashi, which is known as Japanese Evergreen Oak (kind of a cross between Oak and beech) White Oak, Keiyaki (Zelkova), a kind of Popular, and Kaki, (Persimmon).

Should be a lot of wood by the time I'm done, and it should be worth a fair penny.

I'm going to try to take a few slabs about 4" thick of the Sakura, that I'll try to sell, bars etc like to have them as tables or the actual bar etc here, and they pay TOP dollar, sure I'll need to keep them for a while, but what the heck.

Cheers!

 

[Stu in Tokyo]

So as it turns out Husky Japan says the saw is too old, they cannot get parts!

I'm going to have to hit up a scooter parts shop, as my off road bike stuff is too big (250cc bike). The scooter shop stuff should be better.

Cheers!