Problems Milling Pine

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NElogger

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2013
Messages
53
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Location
Nebraska
Evenin' guys,
So I've been milling with an Alaskan mill for about 4-5 years now and have loved it...until this log. Its a 14" diameter pine log and I took the top cut off using a straight 2x10 and it cut great. When I went for the next cut at 4" I could get the width of the bar into the log then it just stopped moving forward. My first thought was that I hit something metal, not so. Next touched up the chain and no difference. Checked to make sure the bar was parallel with mill and no problems there. Decided to change from the 25" bar with skip chain to a 20" bar with standard sequence chain (thinking maybe the bar or chain had an issue) still didn't make a difference. If i angle the mill so the end of the bar is in the edge of the log it will cut until I run out of room to rotate the mill, but when I square up to the log it doesn't go anywhere. I even put my 2x10 back on the log thinking it wasn't quite flat but nothing changed. I'm stumped I've milled 30" pine with no problems but this little log is kicking my a$$! Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 
I would have thought chain/bar issue but u covered that. Must b something grown into the tree. Try a 2" cut and see how it cuts. Keep us posted how u make out
 
What did the cutters look like after you've tried to cut further? Are they still sharp after resharpening and trying the cut again?

Is the log a but end log that maybe has something inside it? It don't have to be metal.

Does the log look like it has internal stress?

If you don't need the full length of the lumber, crosscut off the end and see what if anything is inside.
 
Nothing wrong with the cutters at all. I'm going to lean towards internal stress in the log I cut the end off this morning and found nothing. The log looks good no splits or twisting just doesn't want to become lumber I guess.
 
I've never had a problem like this in 4-5 years. I keep my bar rails dressed and we only run 3/8th's chain.

Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk
 
Goin to try a different log hopefully today it's been raining for 2 days.

Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk
 
We ended up rolling the log over and started at the opposite end and didn't have any problems till we were about a foot from where it stopped the last time the grain must be wierd in there. We milled three more logs after that one with no issues. Thank you for the ideas and opinions!
 
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