Woodbug type chainsaw mill

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casey v

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Has anyone used one, or better yet built one? You can see them at www.woodbug.com. If you built one, I would like to see any pics if you got them. The mill looks simple and less strenous to use than an Alaskan.

Mike:clap:
 
Interesting setup. It looks as if you have to move the whole cant over by hand after each cut.

Could be wrong though, first time for everything. :greenchainsaw:
 
Refueling?

Couple of things I wonder about is ease of refueling/oil. All the chip discharge goes to the bottom so a little shoveling there to clean out excess. Alaskan style neither of these are issues. Also steel isn't cheap these days. I'll bet it does roll easy on those rails though.
 
casey,
I used to have the Woodbug video. I have since moved so I don't know what happened to it. It looks like a nice, simple mill. You can request one from the site. In the video it shows the mill builder's wife running the mill. She loads the log onto it, sets up the mill, starts the saw, and pushes it down the mill with one hand. The video is worth it just to see the sharpening techniques. Later, Roger.
 
Casey,

In my quest for a carriage chainsaw mill i ended up with both the Woodbug and the HudSon. I bought a used Hudson on ebay, and while searching for a 066/660-088/880 i found a used 066 that came with a Woodbug....and the price was right. I haven't used the Woodbug yet, but it appears that it will be a better design for milling 6x6 ERC logs for my house. The reason is that the Woodbug uses fixed stops, the log can be cut with less flipping and moving, and with a 3rd section it will cut to 27'. The Hudson uses a horizontal mounted bar with a crank system...it may be tedious to make repetive sized beams/logs due to this crank adjustment. The Hudson comes in 2-7' (cuts to 12')sections, however it is 3x3 angle and building longer track would be rather simple.
I could only get one mill up to my place(this trip) in TN where i was working on an old shed. I used the Hudson to cut 2 16' ERC posts. I had to let the smaller end hang off the track and had some trouble with it not cutting perfectly square. I only cut 2 posts, so i may have not dogged them down correctly, or their length may have thrown things off, but for whatever reason the beams were both slightly out of square. I think that the Hudson would work much better as a slabber where one doesn't have to flip the log as much....just keep cranking down to the next slab thickness. I will withhold final judgment until July when i can get the Woodbug up there and run some wood thru it.
As far as building one, it can be done, but you may want to buy the the unique stops and dogs. The frame is just angle, but i woulddn't want to build one without having an original to measure and "coon finger".

Jake,

The Woodbug's roller saw carriage detaches very easily from the frame allowing re-fueling/sharpening/storage. And no they ain't cheap, specially if you had to pay shipping and duty into the US:( .

RD
 
Carvinmark,

The cedar was deadfall, it just amazes me how beautifull the inside of these logs are on the inside even after many years on the ground. When it was first slabbed the colors were brilliant, but, it actually started to fade soon after. I guess a little sanding and sealant will bring it back. With the walls 10' high out of this stuff, everything else in the house will have to be a contrasting light color, or the red may just jump off the wall and smack you in the face :laugh:

RD
 
Red cedar

I have used some red cedar,it is very bright at first but it turns brown,even with clear,but it is still neat stuff. I can only buy cants from the Amish and they are like sawing Oak.We have white cedar locally and that is like sawing butter...Mark
 
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