Chainsaw mill under the tree maybe?

[Jeff Lary]

I suspect that my dear wife has purchased me some sort of Chainsaw mill. I know zero about using one I have seen some videos etc. My main question for now at least is this.
I really have no interest in kneeling on the ground to mill a log. I would guess many others do not either. I have a tractor and grapple to lift my logs up to milling height easily so I could easily sit them in some sort of stand / support. There must be many people here that mill their logs at waist height at least. Can someone point me in the direction where I can see some of the contraptions you use to mill from? I want to make something that i can sit the log on to mill. Mostly I will mill small fir logs 8' in length and under a foot in diameter so not very heavy logs to work with. Thanks for your time and advice JeffinMaine

 

[JRM]

I just use 2 large logs to get them up off the ground. About 36" diameter. If you build something make sure it is long enough to be able to roll the milled log 90°.

 

[Mad Professor]

A couple large logs with notches to hold the log you are going to mill, mill the tops flat so you'll have flat surfaces to roll the cants on.

I just use 2 large logs to get them up off the ground. About 36" diameter. If you build something make sure it is long enough to be able to roll the milled log 90°.

I concur. But have notches at one end to keep the log from rolling until you have a cant.

 

[Jeff Lary]

I just use 2 large logs to get them up off the ground. About 36" diameter. If you build something make sure it is long enough to be able to roll the milled log 90°.

ok I will,.. thinking of maybe a couple 2 or 3 X braces and rest the log in the top V groove.

 

[JRM]

It is much easier to be able to roll it as needed. Even if you have the equipment to move it it'll be difficult getting the 1st milled surface plum (vertical) if it's sitting in an x.

 

[Jeff Lary]

A couple large logs with notches to hold the log you are going to mill, mill the tops flat so you'll have flat surfaces to roll the cants on.



I concur. But have notches at one end to keep the log from rolling until you have a cant.

Just came back from watching the tube saw a guy there using an X brace set- up, sort of log supports. Think he had maybe 3 of them in a row all connected together with lumber or small diameter trees. He sat his saw log in the small Vee groove formed at the top. I thought of using large tree's, but I don't have anything of large diameter like 30" or so to give me the needed saw log height.

 

[Jeff Lary]

It is much easier to be able to roll it as needed. Even if you have the equipment to move it it'll be difficult getting the 1st milled surface plum (vertical) if it's sitting in an x.

Yes true,.. I will have to keep thinking about that, I guess. I definitely will plan on rolling the log with a Pevey not the tractor. I would only use the tractor to "set the log" up onto the support, whatever that might be.

 

[Jeff Lary]

I you guys do this sort of thing I am a visual learner and if you have any photo's I would enjoy seeing them. This is a NO HURRY SITUATION I likely will not mill in the next few weeks but who knows. I have some storm damaged Fir I need to get cut to log length soon. I need to get them off the lean and cut to length before they take on a sweep from leaning into other trees.

 

[sean donato]

Had a bunch of old rail road ties spiked together.(got them for free to boot.) 4x4 on either end to prevent the log rolling off. Have a few wedges made up I just screw into the top of the rail ties to keep the log positioned. I didn't square up the log while milling, just left the live edge on and stabbed to whatever thickness I needed. Easier to rip them down with a worm drive if you're not slabbing too thick.

 

[Tim Pettigrew]

I suspect that my dear wife has purchased me some sort of Chainsaw mill. I know zero about using one I have seen some videos etc. My main question for now at least is this.
I really have no interest in kneeling on the ground to mill a log. I would guess many others do not either. I have a tractor and grapple to lift my logs up to milling height easily so I could easily sit them in some sort of stand / support. There must be many people here that mill their logs at waist height at least. Can someone point me in the direction where I can see some of the contraptions you use to mill from? I want to make something that i can sit the log on to mill. Mostly I will mill small fir logs 8' in length and under a foot in diameter so not very heavy logs to work with. Thanks for your time and advice JeffinMaine

At 74 I thoroughly empathize with no to kneeling so have a look at the setup I use which might give you a few ideas

 

[Jeff Lary]

Merry Christmas Tim,
Very Neat lots of thinking went into building that glad you enjoy it.

I did get a sawmill it is a Zozen Mill my wife bought it from amazon for me. I just finished up putting it all together. The instructions were lacking some, but I believe I have it together correctly.
The next thing is to get a Milling chain on the way, I think I will get one from Granberg? Looks like 20" bar length 78 drive link and 50 gauge will cost me $ 33.60. I will use one of my Partner 5000s to start see how / if it works or not.
Next, I will need to get something to use as slabbing rails I see some people use wood 2x4s some use ladders and some use angle iron. I think this is what I will do I will only saw 8' stuff for now so a couple 10 2x2x-1/4 thickness should work fine.
My only concern is the mill is extruded aluminum and I wonder if the aluminum sliding over the steel angle iron will wear out the aluminum.
I mentioned earlier that I wanted to get the logs up a ways, so I was not kneeling on the ground. We just recently had a very big wind/rainstorm up here.
I was out back yesterday beginning to do some storm cleanup of some of the wind damaged trees, I have quite a few. I worked 3 hours just getting trees off my shooting table there were 5 of them Geesh what a mess.
In amongst the firs and hacks I saw I have a pretty good Hemlock down. I think I will cut me 6 rounds a couple feet long each. Then I will stack 3 pyramid style about 6 feet apart and place my logs on the top. I will make a couple re-bar staples whatever length it takes to pin the 2 on the bottom together so they don't spread apart under the weight of my saw logs.

 

[J D]

At 74 I thoroughly empathize with no to kneeling so have a look at the setup I use which might give you a few ideas

Thats a very nice setup that you've obviously put a lot of time & consideration in to. Great model of the design in your video too!
I would suspect your saw would benefit from you modifying your chain to a Granberg style grind where every second set of cutters have the top plat removed to become a scoring pair.
Other observations... if you have someone else wedge the log for you, you don't need to stop mid cut which will result in a better finish. Try & wedge just before the end of the cut too. You look to be getting quite a bit of "jitter" with the mill set lower on the posts... I would imagine this is partially to do with the setup being quite light & placing a weight on top or another set of retaining rollers to better lock the frame to the rails could make a significant difference.
Looking at your setup it would probably be quite straightforward to modify so your jacks can be used to raise or lower the whole top making thickness adjustments quicker & easier & allowing you to shorten the posts & have the saw closer to the frame which will reduce vibration & give you a better finish (hope that explanation makes sense).
I'd also strongly recommend unwinding your extension lead (or even better using a shorter lead). The reactance of a coiled power lead will make things harder on your electric saws motor, lowering its output & likely shortening its life.

 

[J D]

Merry Christmas Tim,
Very Neat lots of thinking went into building that glad you enjoy it.

I did get a sawmill it is a Zozen Mill my wife bought it from amazon for me. I just finished up putting it all together. The instructions were lacking some, but I believe I have it together correctly.
The next thing is to get a Milling chain on the way, I think I will get one from Granberg? Looks like 20" bar length 78 drive link and 50 gauge will cost me $ 33.60. I will use one of my Partner 5000s to start see how / if it works or not.
Next, I will need to get something to use as slabbing rails I see some people use wood 2x4s some use ladders and some use angle iron. I think this is what I will do I will only saw 8' stuff for now so a couple 10 2x2x-1/4 thickness should work fine.
My only concern is the mill is extruded aluminum and I wonder if the aluminum sliding over the steel angle iron will wear out the aluminum.
I mentioned earlier that I wanted to get the logs up a ways, so I was not kneeling on the ground. We just recently had a very big wind/rainstorm up here.
I was out back yesterday beginning to do some storm cleanup of some of the wind damaged trees, I have quite a few. I worked 3 hours just getting trees off my shooting table there were 5 of them Geesh what a mess.
In amongst the firs and hacks I saw I have a pretty good Hemlock down. I think I will cut me 6 rounds a couple feet long each. Then I will stack 3 pyramid style about 6 feet apart and place my logs on the top. I will make a couple re-bar staples whatever length it takes to pin the 2 on the bottom together so they don't spread apart under the weight of my saw logs.

You will likely find a lot of the nuts/bolts etc need replacing in short order, but thats a small inconvenience for the cost savings over a Grandberg if you're milling as a hobby. Check the markings on the posts too, my original posts were over 1/8" different.
I think you are right to be concerned about wear on the mill frame running it over angle iron, I'd consider putting a strip of plastic or something between them.
With your logs as a pyramid, you could fix them together with a couple of strops. This would allow you to take them apart & adjust them easily. I'd recommend having one end considerably lower so gravity assists you.
I wouldn't worry too much about a Granberg chain to start with, just run a regular chain & bring it back to 5-10° over successive sharpenings.
Check out the CS Milling 101 thread if you haven't already... tons of good info there

 

[Jeff Lary]

I will lower one end when I build it good idea. Yea I stripped one tiny set screw out with gentle pressure maybe 5# of torque just an estimate. Got to try to find a way to get that screw out? with the interior of the screw buggered that should be fun..
I am going to price a couple 10' sections of Aluminum 1" square tubing. I do have one section of fiberglass extension ladder maybe that would work for rails just need to find a way to attach it to the logs.

 

[Coralillo Lo Pro]

I use custom heavy duty sawhorses. They handle a ton of weight. I don’t bother w notches/vees. I just screw chocks in if the log wants to roll. Everything you could ever want to know is on the CS milling 101 thread. Ladder guides, unistrut ones, end bracket designs, log jacks… that’s a short piece of ladder in the photo i use for milling short logs and resawing small pieces

 

[dudz3636]

This setup worked well for me for about 700 BF this summer. When you get a cant cut and have it facing the bottom, you just slip a 2x4 under it for a flat surface. The half logs did a good job of cradling the log before cants were cut - I don't think I secured any of the logs I cut.