Portable Chainsaw Mill

[TJB]

I have read all sorts of bad things about chainsaw mills, but I built one and it works fine for me. I was using a Norwood bandmill a few years back and I can tell you that using the chainsaw mill I have isn't any harder than that was.  You can see my mill being built from start to finish on my website if you are interested. http://www.tjswoodshop.com/homebuilt_portable_sawmill

[ErikC]

  I see this is your first post. So if you haven't heard it yet...Welcome to the FF.

[MotorSeven]

Your a very talented fabricator. I went from a Woodbug CSM(Stihl 066) to a Band. The Woodmizer is "better" if speed is a factor. My CSM made perfect lumber every time. But, cutting dimensional lumber out of a 16' ash or oak was very time consuming. I am building a house using my own logs cut & skidded off my property. The CSM would have pushed me back another year....an I'm not the patient type, so a Band is for me. Besides, I ain't getting any younger

RD

[TJB]

Howdy, thanks for the welcome!  I have been lurking here for awhile and just thought I would show my homebuilt

[Tom]

Well welcome to the forum.  We have some chainsaw experience here too, and I'll think that most of the members will agree with your philosophy about buying the mill that you can use.

[fishpharmer]

Welcome to FF!

Nice mill and website.

[Carpenter]

Good job on the mill.  I seriously considered building a chainsaw mill,  But, I ran across an old circle mill at a reasonable price.  A chainsaw mill does have it's place.  I enjoyed your building progression pictures.

[TJB]

Thanks for the positive feedback

[simplicityguy92]

nice mill. looks similar to the one im buildin at school.  i put the angle iron the same way so its stronger to

[James P.]

TJB, really nice job. pics were worth waiting for with my slow dialup. Just had a guy give me a boat trailer just like that today. well it is completely rusted away but neat coincidence.

[rickywashere]

how much clearance do you have on the fence it looks a bit high for the last cut ? btw great looking mill you will turn out some great boards with it

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

And Welcome to the forum TJB  I LIKE IT !! nice web page Mate  8)I Started on csms for about 2-3 years when i was about 13yo Looked like yours  just alittle heavy'r 40" wide by 28' main frame with 2 8' ext at each end  and a 3120 44" bar  the main frame was 6x2 1/4 tube with a peice of 3x2  1/4 tube welded to the underside to mont the axle to the ext where done in 4x2 1/4 tube use to mill alot of D/fir from 8' upto 40' long by the B double load 45ton and 10" to 36' dia i got no problem with csms as i still own one i just like doing things alittle easer these days 

ps i liked the legs and the way you hve your squaring arms settup An allround Top Job Mate 

Regards Chris

[TJB]

The fences will drop all the way through the piece of tubing holding them. I can see they look like they are bottomed out in the photo, but they are not.  The big mistake I made and have to fix is the tracks. The cross members are 3 1/2 foot apart and I ended up will the carriage being so heavy that the track bends down when the carriage is between the cross members.  I'm going to weld tubing under the tracks to support them. I should have done that to start with or built the bed a little more narrow and run the track down the side channel

[Slingshot]

Interesting fabrication post. I like seeing things like this going together. I took a welding course at a vocational school several years ago and have enjoyed being able to do my own welding and cutting. Bought my own
tanks instead of renting and saved bunches of dollars by doing so.

Charles

____________________________________________________
Tailgaters are helping to clean the environment----they suck up fumes!!!

[gemniii]

Looks great!!
With a few more mods you could mount a bandsaw head on it.

[Magicman]

Welcome to FF,  TJB.  I enjoyed watching you build the CSM.  Looks to be well thought out, and the results are obvious.  Congratulations.....

[islandlogger]

Welcome to the Forum and by god I myself think that is one piece of handy work you have done there mate, well done!! Very Cool!!

[zopi]

Nice!...looks like a Ripsaw would fit in there somewhere....

[woodsrunner]

Great post and website. I am a chainsaw miller also. CSM's definitely have their place and with a little experience you can definitely cut high quality lumber. I use mine for cutting big slabs, not really for making dimensional lumber. But as you said this works and that's what counts!

Scott

[TJB]

Thanks for all the nice comments!  One of the selling points of the woodwork I do is the fact I try to use wood that would have been wasted otherwise, another one is that I mill it myself.  I was thinking that if I could add that I also mill it on a mill I built myself it would be even more appealing to my customers.  I have had a lot of people ask why I didnt buy or build a bandsaw.  The short answer to that, I didnt want a bandsaw. 

I was a sawhand in the log woods for quite a few years and I guess running a chainsaw got in my blood. I love to hear a chainsaw run and smell the mix of the oil, gas and fresh sawn wood all combined at the same time. Plus every sawmill in my area is a bandsaw and I like having a mill thats a little more unique, I like doing things a little different from those around me.
TJB