Alaskan mill

[nighthunter]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/392134595614 does anyone have experience of this mill and the pros and cons of this setup

 

[Brian72]

I have a 48" Granberg and I'm very happy with it. Mine is different. I have one round tube that runs the entire length. Not sure why this one has two. Here's a pic for comparison. Not saying it's a bad thing. I just don't know the reason. They're a good quality mill.

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[SeMoTony]

I have had a mk3 alaskan for a number of years now. The ms-460 with a 60" bar on the stump is what my 30" start-up grew into. See avatar. I have a 72" bar now & a 661 with the cylinder ported and muff-mod. Advancing timing is not recomended, improving the air flow is. with a sharp chain progress is greatly improved. by keeping a steady angle, in relation to length of log, the best surface will be left. It has served me well. A crafty person can make up their own as is shown in" Milling 101" top of this subject. Swaying the cut leaves a poor surface and is actually slower progress.
there are chinese clones which are very similar and a thread or two is in this forum of people trying them.
The Alaskan function in ways and areas a bandsaw mill wood not. Once again my avatar, also easier to bring the mill to some logs than getting the log from where it lies in one piece. Alaskan allows for piecing the log out a slab at a time.
The ms-460 was faster in slicing with square chisel skip chain than with ripping chain. I now have a grinder for square chisel that makes for easier uniformity of cutters and bringing the angle between 5-10 degrees which smooths the cut. (less side push IMHO)
May have a bit of milling at end of week, if so I may get some pics to post here for a better look. It is not a fast process, but I started small (inexpensive) and grew the length of the mill in increments, adding longer rails to match longer bars. Unlike a band mill where it's all in up front.
Luck to you, play safe

 

[nighthunter]

Thanks for all the reply's. I've a 880 with 48" that needs some work and was looking at the kit in the eBay link, Would I need anything else bar a ripping chain

 

[Brian72]

Thanks for all the reply's. I've a 880 with 48" that needs some work and was looking at the kit in the eBay link, Would I need anything else bar a ripping chain

An auxiliary oiler is definitely a plus and you'll get it with that kit. You'll need some type of rail or a wide, flat plank to make your first cut. An old ladder will work too.

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[Henry3120xp]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/392134595614 does anyone have experience of this mill and the pros and cons of this setup

I have the 48 inch model and I’m very happy with it, it’s easy to adjust depth of cut and it’s very accurate. I got the double ended milling bar with it but sometimes use a shorter standard bar to cut weight. The milling bar will consistently produce a smother finish than a standard bar with the same milling chain will. It’s not a huge diffference but it is a smoother cut. The Granberg ez rails make the first cut a lot simpler but are not a must. I’ve used a ladder but I tried one of my walk boards on this log I milled last week. I like the wallboard better because it’s very rigid and doesn’t flex and need shims in the center like a ladder sometimes does. There are lots of good ideas in the milling forum. It is hard work but the end result is worth the effort.

 

[Husky Man]

Brian72, the additional round handle appears to be, because the mill kit the OP asked about is evidently a size adjustable set up, with 4 each 36" square tubes and 2 each 36" round handles, so the mill can be configured from 36"-72", and I imagine to also reduce shipping costs by reducing the pieces to 36" in stead of 72".

That's my take on the ebay listing posted any way, I COULD be wrong, but it doesn't happen often


Doug

 

[nighthunter]

Is it better to mill dry logs or green logs, and also what do you think of putting a maxi flow air filter on the 880 or just keep it standard

 

[Husky Man]

Is it better to mill dry logs or green logs, and also what do you think of putting a maxi flow air filter on the 880 or just keep it standard

I'm stihl new to milling myself, but my understanding is that milling green is better because he moisture in green wood helps keep the chain cooler, and heat is your chains enemy.
Also, the moisture in green wood acts as a lubricant, compared to dry wood, which reduces friction, which reduces heat.

Helping the saw "Breathe" should be a Good thing, so a Maxi Flow air filter should help.


Doug

 

[Brian72]

I have the 48 inch model and I’m very happy with it, it’s easy to adjust depth of cut and it’s very accurate. I got the double ended milling bar with it but sometimes use a shorter standard bar to cut weight. The milling bar will consistently produce a smother finish than a standard bar with the same milling chain will. It’s not a huge diffference but it is a smoother cut. The Granberg ez rails make the first cut a lot simpler but are not a must. I’ve used a ladder but I tried one of my walk boards on this log I milled last week. I like the wallboard better because it’s very rigid and doesn’t flex and need shims in the center like a ladder sometimes does. There are lots of good ideas in the milling forum. It is hard work but the end result is worth the effort.

View attachment 679031

Nice idea on the walk board Henry. Thanks for sharing!

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[Brian72]

Brian72, the additional round handle appears to be, because the mill kit the OP asked about is evidently a size adjustable set up, with 4 each 36" square tubes and 2 each 36" round handles, so the mill can be configured from 36"-72", and I imagine to also reduce shipping costs by reducing the pieces to 36" in stead of 72".

That's my take on the ebay listing posted any way, I COULD be wrong, but it doesn't happen often


Doug

You're right Doug. I didn't realize they made an expandable mill. I don't see it listed on their website but found some YouTube videos explaining it.

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[Husky Man]

I wasn't aware of Granberg offering an expandable mill either, but looking at that UK ebay listing it seems that's what it is.

I haven't seen the youtube videos yet, is it a Granberg factory set up? Or I suspected something that someone figured out/put together.

Maybe it is something that Granberg doesn't offer here in the States, but does over seas? Heaven knows that there are plenty of Saws that we can't get here, but are sold elsewhere, and the chainsaw market has nothing on the automotive world in that regard.


Doug

 

[Brian72]

I wasn't aware of Granberg offering an expandable mill either, but looking at that UK ebay listing it seems that's what it is.

I haven't seen the youtube videos yet, is it a Granberg factory set up? Or I suspected something that someone figured out/put together.

Maybe it is something that Granberg doesn't offer here in the States, but does over seas? Heaven knows that there are plenty of Saws that we can't get here, but are sold elsewhere, and the chainsaw market has nothing on the automotive world in that regard.


Doug

From what I've seen, it looks like a factory product. Certainly not half-assed engineering. I'm curious to learn more myself if I ever decide to go bigger with my mill.

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[nighthunter]

From what I've seen, it looks like a factory product. Certainly not half-assed engineering. I'm curious to learn more myself if I ever decide to go bigger with my mill.

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could that mill be on the weak side if it's made to expand up to 72", I'll never need that length but it could have the tendency to flex and bow in the middle but maybe I'm wrong

 

[Brian72]

could that mill be on the weak side if it's made to expand up to 72", I'll never need that length but it could have the tendency to flex and bow in the middle but maybe I'm wrong

Not sure. It seems to be pretty sturdy and well thought out. It has connectors that slide into the rails at the joints to stiffen them. Granberg makes quality stuff so I doubt they'd release anything that wasn't up to par. It also has a cross brace that bolts to the connector which will strengthen the joint. Search the YouTube videos and it explains the assembly. It's just a different setup than I'm used to seeing. It may just be a new design that wasn't available before.

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[Henry3120xp]

Is it better to mill dry logs or green logs, and also what do you think of putting a maxi flow air filter on the 880 or just keep it standard

If you only consider the actual milling it is definitely easier with green logs. However there are advantages to letting them dry some first in certain situations. Especially with any burl, crotch, or any highly figured wood. It is harder to mill but I get a much higher yield if I let them dry out first, less checking and warping. Also where I live the humidity is very high much of the year and I have problems with mold staining with green wood, except during the winter when humidity is low. This problem is eliminated when milling logs that have dried some. I let some maple logs sit for up to two years to allow good spalting to develope before milling.

 

[Henry3120xp]

Nice idea on the walk board Henry. Thanks for sharing!

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You’re welcome. I bought a new powerhead when I bought the mill and didn’t have enough funds left to buy the big ez rails so I had to make use with what I already had. I used a ladder first but found it flexed a little from the weight of the saw. I tried the wallboard and like it better.

 

[Brian72]

You’re welcome. I bought a new powerhead when I bought the mill and didn’t have enough funds left to buy the big ez rails so I had to make use with what I already had. I used a ladder first but found it flexed a little from the weight of the saw. I tried the wallboard and like it better.

No doubt this can get quite expensive. I want to build a set of rails but never seem to have enough time. I've even used a study wide board to make my first cut. Seems I learn something new every time I mill.

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[Diy mechanic mike]

So I've gathered a decent amount of info from this thread, I'm actually looking into getting an Alaskan mill myself but having trouble deciding the best width option for starting out. I do see myself getting into this craft as I'm an outdoorsy person and have 27 acres of some big wood to mill and also have been doing woodworking stuff since I was 12. But just recently started gather equiptment for a side tree business, bucket truck, chipper, and a ms661 for the big trees which I'll also be using for milling. So with that said what size would you guys recommend for a young entrepreneur like my self? I dont have a problem buying larger bar for my 661 if getting a bigger then 36in would be a better option cuz that's what size I was looking at but seeing this thread about an adjustable one seemed interesting but like others have said most things with that much adjustment usually have more week spots..... thanks mike

 

[Brian72]

So I've gathered a decent amount of info from this thread, I'm actually looking into getting an Alaskan mill myself but having trouble deciding the best width option for starting out. I do see myself getting into this craft as I'm an outdoorsy person and have 27 acres of some big wood to mill and also have been doing woodworking stuff since I was 12. But just recently started gather equiptment for a side tree business, bucket truck, chipper, and a ms661 for the big trees which I'll also be using for milling. So with that said what size would you guys recommend for a young entrepreneur like my self? I dont have a problem buying larger bar for my 661 if getting a bigger then 36in would be a better option cuz that's what size I was looking at but seeing this thread about an adjustable one seemed interesting but like others have said most things with that much adjustment usually have more week spots..... thanks mike

I have a 48" Granberg and I'm running 28", 36" and 50" bars on my 661. I run my auxiliary oiler on 36 and up bars. For long bars, I highly recommend Cannon. They're pricey but very sturdy. No problems with any flexing.

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