How do you mill your wood?

[Edgar]

A recent thread in the Penturning forum led to a discussion about cutting and milling wood, so I thought it might be worthwhile to start a separate thread on that topic.

Please share what you use for cutting and milling wood if you are into that sort of thing.

I still need to get around to getting me a sawmill ... or building my own.

Not a big one, you understand ... one of those portable types I can pack in the trunk of my car and take out to the field!

I have a battery powered chainsaw (which I used to cut down that mesquite tree and cut it into sections), but I have nothing to use to "slab" it with in order to mill the wood into something more manageable. At the moment, I'm limited to cutting off a section of branch that has some nice red in the middle, and turning away all the loose bark and cream colored sapwood on the outside, and hoping that there's enough of that nice strong red in the middle for a full blank.

Beyond that, I can (and have) used a hatchet to split a larger log into quarters and then turned some blanks out of the middle sections, but it's rough going .... termites put some holes through the heartwood.

I didn't go after a life tree ... just one that had been dead for some time and dried out. No need for me to dry or season it.

I don't have a sawmill per se. I just have a 14" Poulan Woodshark chainsaw and a Rikon 14" bandsaw. You don't need an actual sawmill if you only want to produce turning stock, but it would be very helpful if you want to make boards for furniture or other larger woodworking projects.

There are times when my 14" chainsaw is a bit undersized, but it is light weight and easy to handle.

 

[robutacion]

Well, you can mill a fair size log/chunk on a fair size bandsaw, I would say 16" and above, as for milling wood/logs on the ground, and not spending a fortune in gear, you can do quite well with about $1,200 to $1,500, this would included a 44" chainsaw mill frame, and a 36" chainsaw that could be one of those old Sthil N90 style chainsaw but, an imitation made in China.

Sure, you you want to spend $2,000 or more in a Sthil or Husqvarna high end power chainsaws, that would be a better investment if you have really a lot of trees to slab otherwise, one of these 110cc Chinese imitations for about $750 or so, can do you quite well.

That is indeed what I did years ago when I decided to invest in a portable chainsaw mill, I have done a "fair" amount of work with mine and the chainsaw on its own, when dealing with really large trees, these chainsaws like fuel and oil but, if you look after them, they last you a long time.

I can also say that, before I had a portable mill, I was always winging about big logs that I could slab so, a mill was necessary right..??? well, yes and no, since having the mill often I use a chainsaw to rip the logs into slabs, without any support frames just because, the whole damn mill and big chainsaw is too heavy for my likings and sometimes setting the rails for the first cut, is just a pain in the "posterior"...!

Another thing that I have found was that, some of the logs I slabbed because they were straight, wide and of good wood, they were cut into slabs at least 2.4 meters long and I find myself cutting the slabs into 10" to 12" lengths because that is the size the best suits my needs so, I could have left the logs long, as cut them as I needed them or, cut them in the paddock at about those log dimensions and make it all, a lot easier to handle.

Sure, cutting a large trunk into slabs of 2" to 4" thick, and spaced with some sticks, will accelerate the drying process a lot more than if left in full size however, when cut into 12" or so logs, those can easily be ripped with the chainsaw on site if necessary, making the weigh half and allowing the wood to dry as fast as the slabs would.

Chainsaw mills, are very tough on chainsaws, unless they have sufficient power and torque, they simply blow out/don't last...!

PS: The first pics are of my set-up, just before it was used and the last 2 pics are from the last tree we cut and slabbed, a Silky-Oak done in Easter 2014

Cheers
George

 

[Skie_M]

I actually have a Black and Decker Lithium 20V Max series 10 inch chainsaw. It did great cutting up some mesquite.

I've seen videos online of a "sawmill" attachment for a chainsaw that would work for me that I could buy for under 300 dollars (check out the Alaskan Mark III "Grizzly" Sawmill) or I could build something very much like it out of hardwood for simple use.

I don't plan on milling any logs wider than about 6 - 8 inches, as my lathe has a max swing of 8 inches anyway. I don't need anything longer than a foot, as my lathe has a bed 13 inches long.

As you can see, with my limited needs, I didn't need to run out and get a fancy rig just to go get some wood to turn. I paid 130 dollars for the chainsaw, complete with 2 year extended warranty, and I'm happy with how it's performed so far.

I plan to eventually get or make a bar attachment similar to the Grizzly so that I can cut somewhat even 1-inch slabs. This will help me a lot, down the road, as I attempt to make something more than straight-grained wood blanks. By making an initial cut free-hand, I can get a diagonal pattern to the grain, and then I can continue with using the mill to get diagonal slabs to work with. Then I can continue the milling with my compound miter saw and my table saw.

I'll also be able to get my hands on some burl wood that I wouldn't be able to use otherwise.

 

[jttheclockman]

A recent thread in the Penturning forum led to a discussion about cutting and milling wood, so I thought it might be worthwhile to start a separate thread on that topic.

Please share what you use for cutting and milling wood if you are into that sort of thing.

I still need to get around to getting me a sawmill ... or building my own.

Not a big one, you understand ... one of those portable types I can pack in the trunk of my car and take out to the field!

I have a battery powered chainsaw (which I used to cut down that mesquite tree and cut it into sections), but I have nothing to use to "slab" it with in order to mill the wood into something more manageable. At the moment, I'm limited to cutting off a section of branch that has some nice red in the middle, and turning away all the loose bark and cream colored sapwood on the outside, and hoping that there's enough of that nice strong red in the middle for a full blank.

Beyond that, I can (and have) used a hatchet to split a larger log into quarters and then turned some blanks out of the middle sections, but it's rough going .... termites put some holes through the heartwood.

I didn't go after a life tree ... just one that had been dead for some time and dried out. No need for me to dry or season it.

I don't have a sawmill per se. I just have a 14" Poulan Woodshark chainsaw and a Rikon 14" bandsaw. You don't need an actual sawmill if you only want to produce turning stock, but it would be very helpful if you want to make boards for furniture or other larger woodworking projects.

There are times when my 14" chainsaw is a bit undersized, but it is light weight and easy to handle.

Not being privy to the conversation I will say this, your question is too general. Milling wood can mean many things and can be done with many tools depending what stage of the material is in. Is the material a tree limb or trunk?? Is the material just rough sawn lumber??? Is the material finished sawn and you are cutting down to size??? What stage is the material to start and what stage are you aiming to finish???

Now if you are strickly talking about portable saw mills that is something I bet many here do not even know what you are talking about. :biggrin:

 

[Skie_M]

Not being privy to the conversation I will say this, your question is too general. Milling wood can mean many things and can be done with many tools depending what stage of the material is in. Is the material a tree limb or trunk?? Is the material just rough sawn lumber??? Is the material finished sawn and you are cutting down to size??? What stage is the material to start and what stage are you aiming to finish???

Now if you are strickly talking about portable saw mills that is something I bet many here do not even know what you are talking about. :biggrin:

Read my post here just above yours, most of your questions are answered.


Milling in general, with regards to rough logs to usable wood, is done with a sawmill or milling attachment to something capable of ripping (cutting with the grain) the log down into usable form such as beams and lumber. This is the type of milling I'm referring to.

Milling of lumber, with regards to changing rough sawn lumber into finished (smooth lumber for cabinetry) is done with a planer, table saw, and other equipment designed to give you close tolerance finished boards and pieces to construct your project. This also includes taking small strips of lumber and milling it to make accent boards.

 

[jttheclockman]

Not being privy to the conversation I will say this, your question is too general. Milling wood can mean many things and can be done with many tools depending what stage of the material is in. Is the material a tree limb or trunk?? Is the material just rough sawn lumber??? Is the material finished sawn and you are cutting down to size??? What stage is the material to start and what stage are you aiming to finish???

Now if you are strickly talking about portable saw mills that is something I bet many here do not even know what you are talking about. :biggrin:

Read my post here just above yours, most of your questions are answered.


Milling in general, with regards to rough logs to usable wood, is done with a sawmill or milling attachment to something capable of ripping (cutting with the grain) the log down into usable form such as beams and lumber. This is the type of milling I'm referring to.

Milling of lumber, with regards to changing rough sawn lumber into finished (smooth lumber for cabinetry) is done with a planer, table saw, and other equipment designed to give you close tolerance finished boards and pieces to construct your project. This also includes taking small strips of lumber and milling it to make accent boards.

Sir I know exactly what milling is. That is why I brought it up. I did not know it was your quote that was being used. Then yes I am out of the conversation because I do not use a saw mill as you do and never will. Now if you want to talk finishing mill work then I can talk your ear off. Have a great day.

 

[Sylvanite]

My sawmill:

 

[Edgar]

That's quite a beast, Eric!
I'd love to have one of those if I were about 30 years younger. At my age though, I think I'll just settle for a light weight chainsaw. Even George's nice rig looks like a lot more work than I care to put into cutting up logs anymore.

 

[Skie_M]

I want something like this one...

TESTIMONIALS AND MAGAZINE REVIEWS | Granberg International

 

[liljohn1368]

I want something like this one...

TESTIMONIALS AND MAGAZINE REVIEWS | Granberg International

The small chainsaw mill would be nice to have. I have tons of osage orange, and cedar that I could cut up.....

 

[vtgaryw]

I have a pile of parts on the workbench in my garage to make a bandsaw mill (about 20-24"). My goal is to cut all of the work (oak, maple) from my current lot to do all the millwork and cabinets in my next house (4-5 years).

Now if I can just find the time to build the mill....

-gary

 

[TurtleTom]

Yes, I'd like one like Sylvanite (he of the woods) too, that's a beaut.
But until thin I use a Husky 455 20" chainsaw for all my rough work. I sharpened one of the chains to 10* for a rip cut and that's how I split my short logs. I don't need any long wood. Then to the 18" Rikon bandsaw for blanks. Everything I make is small enough to use wood made in this fashion.

 

[Skie_M]

Yeah ... there's plenty of mesquite round here, along with oak and pecan ...

Every few years, the road crews cut back the overhanging trees that grow out over the roads (for safety) and the wood just lays on the roadside for random people to come pick it up (usually people who then split it and sell for firewood).

I'm not sure what kind of tree it is that grows in my yard, but the wood is harder than maple by a good bit. Perhaps because I was carving away at it on my lathe while it was still green (22% moisture)... but it was a beast. I'll have to get some pictures of the leaves and come back to ask you guys later.

 

[low_48]

I'd think about buying a Chinese made one from Harbor Freight before building one. Only bad thing I have read about them is the light duty angle iron base. Hard to build your own with and engine for less than $2000. Search results for: 'sawmill'

 

[Skie_M]

If I ever get serious about milling logs, I'ld go get one of the Logosol mills.

 

[MarkD]

I'm lucky enough to have friends that have a saw mill, kiln, etc.
It makes my life much easier!

 

[Dave Turner]

Based on several designs from the web, I built a sled to hold logs for milling on my bandsaw. It uses a pipe clamp as the main hold-down, pressing the log against a couple of screw tips. I have no trouble cutting logs up to 12 inches in diameter. Of course you need an outfeed table for this to work.

 

[Cmiles1985]

I've considered the Northern Tool el cheapo chainsaw mill for my 20" Craftsman. They've got the mill attachment on sale for $170 right now.

 

[Edgar]

Based on several designs from the web, I built a sled to hold logs for milling on my bandsaw. It uses a pipe clamp as the main hold-down, pressing the log against a couple of screw tips. I have no trouble cutting logs up to 12 inches in diameter. Of course you need an outfeed table for this to work.

Thanks Dave - that's exactly the kind of thing that I need to build for myself!