How to make a perfect 2x6?

[Brent Nowell]

I bought a beam machine for milling and it was pretty bad, so I tried another type, the lumber cutting guide.

https://www.amazon.ca/Timber-Tuff-TMW-56-Lumber-Cutting/dp/B01CNRL6TQ

I have had good success practicing with it and I was able to make a square post with relative ease, see picture
However there is a wide area on it in which is directly related to the trueness of my 2x6 I’m using

I can’t seem to find access to a perfect 2x6 that’s straight, true dimensionaly the same for the whole length. I realize I’ll probab have to get one made, or substitute something else.

Has anyone tried steel channel? I know it’ll Weight a lot but I can’t remember when I used to deal with it, if it was prit near perfect dimensionally?
Extruded Aluminum is very precise and I was thinking of hitting up the scrap yard I used to work at for a piece?

Or should I find a wood working shop and have them make a perfect 2x6?
Only thing I was thinking was if it ends up warping down the road?

What would you guys suggest? Very interested in hearing your feedback regarding this

 

[BobL]

I use 3 x 1.5" RHS rail on my Mini-rail mil

Full WIP here https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/first-go-at-making-a-mini-rail-mill.96379/

 

[jwilly]

2x4 aluminum screed board works well.

 

[jeffesonm]

How about a piece of trex or similar composite decking?

 

[TreeMonkee58]

I have used a section of an aluminum extension ladder with good results on bigger stuff

 

[Franny K]

If you want a 2" by 6" steel tube would be what I think of first. Channel would have a harder corner and a clamp could be below the webs. I use a piece of magnesium concrete screed but if you are thinking of getting such for scrap price not sure that will happen, not something straight. I use the screed to edge with a circular saw not your application.

 

[rarefish383]

If I wanted it to last forever I’d use aluminum box, or something like Bobl has. I use a 2x6 framing board, they are easy to find a square straight one. Never pressure treated. They warp and twist on the way home.

 

[Brent Nowell]

I ended up planing a 2x8x10. Hand planed the one side to get it really close to flat, then ran the other side through a thickness planer. Once that side was done, flipped it and did the hand planes side.
When that was done I chalked the middle, then two edges. Middle line was for screw holes, edges were for edging mill guide and the other side a piece of 1/2” trim. The trim was used as a guide for the edger in combination of the triangular strips it came with. In tandem this worked extremely well to keep the cut true. It worked so well that there is no ‘snipe’ like you get with the mkIV without using a ladder.

Wood changes it’s shape over time, and to get the board I wanted took half a day.. so in other words eventually it will warp and F up, so I either have to do it again, or find an easier more expensive solution. This is a good thread for suggestions, I will update my own findings as I go along with my milling quest. Hopefully you guys will as well

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

I ended up planing a 2x8x10. Hand planed the one side to get it really close to flat, then ran the other side through a thickness planer. Once that side was done, flipped it and did the hand planes side.
When that was done I chalked the middle, then two edges. Middle line was for screw holes, edges were for edging mill guide and the other side a piece of 1/2” trim. The trim was used as a guide for the edger in combination of the triangular strips it came with. In tandem this worked extremely well to keep the cut true. It worked so well that there is no ‘snipe’ like you get with the mkIV without using a ladder.

Wood changes it’s shape over time, and to get the board I wanted took half a day.. so in other words eventually it will warp and F up, so I either have to do it again, or find an easier more expensive solution. This is a good thread for suggestions, I will update my own findings as I go along with my milling quest. Hopefully you guys will as well

Vinyl side boards ? Cheaper than aluminum.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

How exactly does it need to be?
I'd imagine most any sawmill could make you a 2x6 that is 2"x6" within a 1/16" or so for fairly cheap.

All the lumber I've seen done with a chainsaw certainly weren't close tolerance.

 

[Brent Nowell]

Some pics of what I did make.

 

[Brent Nowell]

How exactly does it need to be?
I'd imagine most any sawmill could make you a 2x6 that is 2"x6" within a 1/16" or so for fairly cheap.

All the lumber I've seen done with a chainsaw certainly weren't close tolerance.

Well perfectly flat, as in thickness planer perfect. Any humps across the board or differences in height in the lateral area directly relates to your milled piece. I want to get close, real close, cause trying to get 1/4” hump out of a Miller board sucks! Just trying to save myself planing work is all

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Well perfectly flat, as in thickness planer perfect. Any humps across the board or differences in height in the lateral area directly relates to your milled piece. I want to get close, real close, cause trying to get 1/4” hump out of a Miller board sucks! Just trying to save myself planing work is all

I'd either do that or weld up a couple pieces of aluminum. Never really deal with chain saw mills, just have see some of the lumber off them. Usually pretty rough stuff.

 

[BobL]

Never really deal with chain saw mills, just have see some of the lumber off them. Usually pretty rough stuff.

It doesn't take much of an effort to get a good finish.
Most problems are caused by using a "bull at a gate" approach, horizontally seesawing the mill side to side, and stopping and starting the cut to move your feet or add wedges.
The trick to getting a good finish is to hold the same cutting angle all the way down the log (no seesawing) and only stop if there is a safety issue
By cutting logs on a slope there is always some forward pressure on the mill.
I apply some additional pressure on the wrap handle with my thigh/hip/knee.
This leaves your hands free to insert wedges etc without stopping.

The net effect is this

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

That's a nice finish. That's what we normally get off the Woodmizer unless if running a blade that isn't 100%

 

[Brent Nowell]

I’m thinking now of making some rails from uni-strut. Full depth slotted to save some weight while keeping rigidity. This would be for the full sized mill... hmmm we will see what transpires with this idea

 

[NCPT]

Metal 2by studs are perfect dimensionally. They are used in framing commercial buildings. If you were close, I would give you all you need....I have all sizes stacked up in my shop.