Time to start milling!

[Slvrmple72]

Been doin tree work and removals for awhile now and have an 088 with a 30" and 48" bar and a 460 with a 28" bar so thought I would buy a mill(s) to use with these saws. I just dropped a White Ash and left three logs from it, the main trunk about 48" diameter about 12' two primary limbs from this trunk each about 23" diameter and 12' plus a few smaller logs. I was not sure about the smaller ones I know that they tend to create warped boards. What can I do to limit splitting on the ends during the winter? I hope to start milling by late spring. Want to start out with a chainsaw mill cuz I don't know how involved I am going to get into this and I have a 12.5" Delta Planer to finish the rough cut boards. I will appreciate any input thank you very much!

 

[Brmorgan]

The cheap way to seal the logs would be some leftover latex paint. Paint stores sometimes sell returned or off-color paint for a few bucks a gallon. Or you could use a professional product like AnchorSeal, which might hold up better out in the winter elements.

Sounds like you'll want a 48" Alaskan. And with a tree of that size to work on, I would recommend doing yourself a favor and picking up the Mini-Mill to go along with it so you can square the logs without having to roll them around. As for milling the branches, from what I've seen it's hit-and-miss. You could end up with some really nice grain patterns, or you could end up with a stack of twisted firewood. But if you're just starting out, it can't hurt to spend the time at least practicing on them, and then anything you get out of them is a bonus. I also have a Delta 12.5" planer, and it's quite the workhorse considering what I paid for it. I put a few hundred BF of Douglas Fir through it this summer on only one side of the knives.

 

[Mike Van]

One of the old sayings is "above the first major crotch is firewood" I've found this to be true most all the time. You get the most stable wood from the straight growing main trunk of the tree. Limbs or anything growing not vertical will tend to warp & twist as it's being sawn.

 

[woodshop]

One of the old sayings is "above the first major crotch is firewood" I've found this to be true most all the time. You get the most stable wood from the straight growing main trunk of the tree. Limbs or anything growing not vertical will tend to warp & twist as it's being sawn.

I'm sure this is probably true Mike. Most of the wood I've milled from thick branches I end up milling 8/4 or 12/4 for several reasons and that tends to not twist up as much anyway. About 25 years ago though, when I was working as a logger we felled a HUGE 4ft dia walnut tree that was at one time a yard tree we think because of all the huge low branches. At any rate, we left several 12 inch dia branches laying in the woods and I took them home. Not having a mill back then, I took them to a Amish circle mill that sliced them all into 5/4 for $70, which I thought was a bargain even back then. Point being, I still have almost 50 ft of that stuff left and it has all been great stable boards. I saved it for only special things because of it's unique brown color, due I think to the minerals where it was growing. So once in a while you can luck out with huge limbs getting some great lumber.

 

[Slvrmple72]

Thanks fellas, I think they will at least be good practice. If I mill them now will I need to seal the ends while they air dry under a tarp in the yard? I will sticker them but I don't know if they dry too quickly in the cold months as opposed to warmer weather and require the same or different treatment?

 

[Brmorgan]

If you do mill them now, yes, I'd still recommend sealing the ends. It's probably easier to just paint the whole log ends prior to milling, but I don't know how well various sealers, including paint, will act in cold weather. I've never tried before. The boards should be fine under a tarp over the winter. Given where you live, you would get some of that lovely Great Lakes winter humidity so they shouldn't dry out too fast. Out here we have practically zero humidity all winter long, so the frost will pull moisture out of wood a bit faster. Lumber will still dry the fastest in the summer though. But the bigger key factor to drying is airflow. When you tarp the wood, just cover the top of the stack and leave a couple inches of overhang to shed wood out and away. If you pull the tarp completely down around the stack, the restricted airflow both kills your drying time and also encourages mold, mildew, and insects in warmer temperatures. There are myriad threads in the milling forum about drying tips and techniques from people who know a lot more than I do, so search away!