Let’s see the homemade Alaskan chainsaw mills!

[motolife313]

I’m planing on making one and was thinking about using a piece of hard plastic like delrin or phenolic and using some all thread to adjust the height. I’m not planing on doing anything huge. I’ve got a 32” bar and 064. Wanted to make some tables and table sets, all kinds of stuff really

 

[Eric Vogus]

Well it’s not a Alaska style mill but I built it right her in Alaska.

 

[BobL]

 

[motolife313]

Holy cow that’s a chainsaw mill!

 

[Eric Vogus]

View attachment 694303

View attachment 694302

That is one impressive truly portable mill.

 

[htetreau]

Here's my homebuilt Alaskan-style mill with 30" capacity. Built from 3/4" & 1" square steel tube, it features Ball-Lock pins at the most frequently used thicknesses, and screw locks (on the tube diagonals) for infinite variability. Inline skate wheels allow the mill to roll smoothly along the side of the log and UHMW tape on the bottom of the mill provides low friction. Here it sits ready for the first cut in a short maple log where I experimented with white candle wax (paraffin) as the end grain sealant - unsuccessful as it flaked off as the log dried & shrunk. The center upright (between the two handles) was originally designed to allow use of shorter bars for smaller logs; I've not used that yet, and likely never will.

 

[Dobbs]

Mine is simple as they come.
This is one of 4 I have MS880
50" double end Cannon Bar.
Didn't realize it till I get loaded the 1st pic one of the other one is near the front of the trailer. I use a 36" bar on it with a MS650

 

[motolife313]

This is what I came up with. Hopefully I can make some cuts soon. It’s all aluminum besides the delrin. 1” and 1”x2” and some 6” 1/4 aluminum and the delrin holds it up in place the delrin I drilled to 9/16 and put in 3/8 steel inserts since I will be unbolting the delrin to switch heights.

 

[motolife313]

Some welding. Counter sink bolts.

 

[northwest saws]

I like the design, simple but effective. Hopefully that plastic holds up for you. I'm thinking about building my own as well but i'm not feeling too enthusiastic on using aluminum.

 

[Eric Vogus]

Looks like a very well built unit. Nice job

 

[BobL]

Nice machining and welding but I don't think the large minimum differences in possible thickness of cuts is a that good a design.
Sometimes you really want to be able to mill slabs and boards to 1/8" thickness differences.

You will be better off replacing those bar pads with steel as the Al ones will wear too quickly. Bolting the bar to the mill is a better design because then there's no need to remove the clamps to change the chain,

Also you will need some handles on the mill to hang onto. It will be better if the handles are higher up on the mill and not just at the level of the large Al plate. Have a look at were the handles are placed on this mill.

 

[motolife313]

How would the aluminum bolted to the bar wear out? And I really couldn’t see need to be accurate to the 1/8” lol. That’s what a planner is for

 

[BobL]

Vibe will wear the Al no matter how hard the bar bolts are tightened. It depends how many logs you mill I noticed the wear when I used Al pads after about 30 logs.

RE: 1/8" " OK maybe not 1/8" , but any more than this starts to waste a lot of timber and time.

 

[Roadhunter1]

I threw this mill together last year when I started milling. It was a blast, and even though it’s basically a copy of an Alaskan mill, I had about $100 invested in it plus the time it took to make it. It’s a 48” mill, I’ll post a couple pics of the slabs I was getting with it too. This was my first go at milling and I’m totally addicted.

 

[motolife313]

Nice mill. Where did u get the profile tubing?whst kind of wood are u milling looks nice

Bob I’m bolt some steel to the aluminum when I see it wearing

 

[Roadhunter1]

I got the 10’ stick at Grainger. I think it was like $40-50 if memory serves and then I just used little 1/4”x20 carriage bolts for the track. The wood is birch.

 

[motolife313]

Here's my homebuilt Alaskan-style mill with 30" capacity. Built from 3/4" & 1" square steel tube, it features Ball-Lock pins at the most frequently used thicknesses, and screw locks (on the tube diagonals) for infinite variability. Inline skate wheels allow the mill to roll smoothly along the side of the log and UHMW tape on the bottom of the mill provides low friction. Here it sits ready for the first cut in a short maple log where I experimented with white candle wax (paraffin) as the end grain sealant - unsuccessful as it flaked off as the log dried & shrunk. The center upright (between the two handles) was originally designed to allow use of shorter bars for smaller logs; I've not used that yet, and likely never will.

View attachment 695445

How do you like the 075? Mill with it a lot? Sure looks like it’s in good shape. Did u fix it up or is that all original? I bought one couple weeks back and fixing it up. Was running when I bought it and sounded great. I’ll be making some cuts with it real soon, I’m thinking mines a early model because of the older logo

 

[motolife313]

I got the 10’ stick at Grainger. I think it was like $40-50 if memory serves and then I just used little 1/4”x20 carriage bolts for the track. The wood is birch.

Really?? I didn’t know the inside looked that good wow.

 

[Roadhunter1]

Yea, I was pleasantly surprised when I started milling that burl to say the least. I’m planning on making a few coffee tables since the largest slab I got from the burl in the tree was 45” in diameter.