Rail Chainsaw mill

[Jonathans]

Hi,
I am new to the forum, and and have never milled a board. Years ago I did quite a bit of clearing so am real familiar with chainsaws.

I am a amateur wood worker and wood turner and will be milling only for my personal use. I don't know yet where I will get my logs, but I always seem to find chunks I can use for turning so I think I can find local logs if I set my mind to it.

I was going to buy a band sawmill, but unless I can find a small one locally for a reasonable price I will go for a chainsaw mill.
I have a Stihl MS 441.
Here is a link to a mill I am lookinhg at. Any opinions on this type of saw?
Looks preferable to me over the type that you have to set up guides and push over the top of the log.
http://cgi.ebay.com/18-portable-saw...5|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50
Thanks for any input.
Jonathan

 

[BobL]

18" is quite a small log - you will be disappointed if you are restricted to this size.
OR
Buy that and a CS mill and use the CS mill to break logs down into 18" cants But
Once you have bought a decent CS mill you don't really need the rail mill although rail mills are quite useful for short logs.

What do you have to lift or roll the logs onto the rail?

 

[Jonathans]

Hi Bob,
As a woodworker, I don't understand the value of creating boards that are wider than my planer or jointer (13" and 12"). I was thinking that if I encounter a large log, I would most likely quarter it with a cheap chainsaw mill, and quarter saw ( to get the most stable product) the quartered sections on the rails.
All I have to move logs around is an Excursion with a trailer, come alongs, and a 60" logrite peavey with lift.

 

[Ollbuster]

I am also a woodworker with a 12" planer.
I have made several projects wider than 12" using a router in a jig as a planer Look at Aggie's table he made recently, good reason to cut WIDE boars.

 

[Matildasmate]

Looks like a good little setup , easy to roll logs onto , looks portable enough , no bending while milling , you will probably end up getting yourself a Alaskan or granberg cs mill also , for those larger logs , to break them down for milling on your rail mill , thats about all I would use an Alaskan style mill for , apart from the obvious large slabs , I have found over time that I mainly cut building type timber , I dont have a lot of use for large slabs , I think you will be real happy with your rail mill .

 

[Backwood]

Welcome Jonathans, looks like a good way to start.

 

[BobL]

Hi Bob,
As a woodworker, I don't understand the value of creating boards that are wider than my planer or jointer (13" and 12"). I was thinking that if I encounter a large log, I would most likely quarter it with a cheap chainsaw mill, and quarter saw ( to get the most stable product) the quartered sections on the rails.

One advantage I'm finding of leaving timber as wide as possible (even up to leaving them fully as slabs) relates to that old saying, "leave the wood as long as you can for as long as you can" or in this case I do not have to commit to any width board when I'm milling. Then, once the wood is dry I can cut my way around any problems like defects and checks etc. It also means I can resaw with a band saw rather than a CS and waste less wood.

There are disadvantages of course, slabs take up a lot more room than neatly stacked piles of lumber and the fact that resawing is being done in harder wood.

Of course if you have specific projects in mind and a bandmill I'd be milling for more precut to size lumber