Granberg Alaskan milling progress

[jwillett2009]

Want to report a bit on progress I've made with my Alaskan mill.

So I took forum advice and got madoff's book. I modified my milling chain as described in the book to zero degree on the cutters. It took me a good hour and a half last night to make the modification on a 28 inch chain (filing depth gauges included).

The results were immediate and substantial.... I basically got going twice as fast AND got better finished cut.

I've also built some stands inspired by Jaythecelts posts. Mine aren't as "refined" as what he's built. I use a couple of 2x leveled and nailed to my stands for fine adjustments. My "rails" are a heavy duty aluminum cable tray. This gets me up off the ground and cuts out all the leveling nails, end blocks, dogs ect. The tray sits above the log on a crosspiece of the frame and I level and nail my fine adjustment 2xs so that the tray sits an equal distance above the log at both ends, I then set the mill at the proper height to make the first slab. Nothing nailed, screwed or touching the log. Pull the first slab off, readjust the mill to 2 inches and finish off the log. Much, much, much more efficient.

I've got some pics but they'll have to wait to tomorrow night because my wife forgot the memory card at work.

Feeling pretty good about it all. Don't know if I'm ready to go commercial but I've got a good start on my lumber to build my camp.

Thanks to all that have offered advice and hospitality getting me this far.

[POSTONLT40HD]

Can't wait to see the pictures. I'm sure you've put a lot of work in it!

[mad murdock]

Thanks for sharing your progress report! Can't wait to see yer pics

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Yep, no pix, it didn't happen

Herb

[jwillett2009]

As promised, here are some pictures....

Leveling the rail holder.
 

 

Taking off first slab.
 

 

Here's a pic of my log chair...

 

[mad murdock]

Looks great jwillet2009 you milling with yer 455? I use a 372, and once in a while I wish I had a 395. Some good thinking on her jig, looks like it cuts yer time way down. I have looked a lot at the pro cut mill, and I think I am going to build something like that. Keep them pics coming.

[jwillett2009]

Looks great jwillet2009 you milling with yer 455? I use a 372, and once in a while I wish I had a 395. Some good thinking on her jig, looks like it cuts yer time way down. I have looked a lot at the pro cut mill, and I think I am going to build something like that. Keep them pics coming.

Yes, I am using my 455 but I realize it's too small. I am watching classified ads and stuff to see if I can pick up something bigger. I'd like to get up around 90-100 cc so I can go a bit harder or rock maple and white birch (which I have plenty of). I haven't seen anything under $1000 at this point.

[Brucer]

Nice setup.

I found the leveling blocks etc. worked well but were a pain to set up, especially on smaller logs. On the other hand, when I had a log too big to pull out of the bush with my tractor, the "Malloff" system worked great.

You probably noticed that he says right in the book to use his ideas as a starting point and then make a system that works for you.

[jwillett2009]

The log in the picture is around 6-7inch diameter, thats the smallest that ive tried so far. The important thing is to get the first slab right so it is truly a slab and not a board that needs to be resawn, but at the same time get enough flat to run the following cuts from. If you plan it right, even from this small log, you get two 2X's. If you don't plan right, you'll get 1 2X'x and two 1inch boards. Virtually the same amount of board feet but big difference in "value".

Jamie

[jaythecelt]

I like the portable 'log chairs' ... great idea!  I think I'll make a couple of those myself to go along with my stationary setup.  I'm able to move some pretty big logs with my quad, but sometimes I have to do the initial milling in the woods.

[jwillett2009]

My chairs are portable. I bring them to the logs. I skid to the field by my house with the tractor and buck to 100" logs.

The tray (rails) is 10', so that gives me 20" to get in and out of the cut on the ends. As mentioned above, the tray gets set above the log by leveling the crosspieces that get nailed to the back posts. I get virtually no deflection in the rails at 10'. I've got another piece of tray at 20' that I haven't tried yet.

I want to modify the crosspieces that hold the tray so that they hang from threaded rod so that the tray can be leveled each time I move without renailing each time. Again, similar to Jay's setup.

At the risk of killing some of the professional sawyers here (from hysterical laughter), I can cut around 100bf an hour counting setup and cleanup, resharpening and all that jazz... A bigger powerhead will be my next breakthrough.

[RyanCrist]

Thanks for the pics!  Trying to improve my setup and your ideas really help! 

 

 

I like the portable log chairs.  How are you sharpening your chain?  Do you use a dremel style sharpener or hand file?

[jwillett2009]

Thanks for the pics!  Trying to improve my setup and your ideas really help! 

 

 (Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

I like the portable log chairs.  How are you sharpening your chain?  Do you use a dremel style sharpener or hand file?

Sharpening by hand. I've thought about the Dremel but it's pretty important for all cutters to be the same. I don't have anything I could attach to my Dremel that would give me the control I have when I sharpen by hand.

[jwillett2009]

Here's some pics of my edging operation. I use the same 'log chairs' to hold the slabs like workbenches and the tray I use for rails while milling does double duty as a straightedge.

I sweep the sawdust off the slab with my shop broom first on the side I will be working on.

 

 

I set the tray back 1.5 inches from the edge I want to remove (dictated by my skillsaw base width).

 

 

One clamp on each end to keep my straightedge from moving.

 

 

I run my skillsaw down the straightedge I've made with the tray. Also, the ripping guide on my skillsaw inserted upside down and backward creates a little tab to run across the tray. This prevents the skillsaw from getting under the edge of the tray if the slab has a little bow in it.

 

 

Then use the ripping guide and the fresh edge to bring it to whatever dimension I'm cutting.

 

 

I remove one edge from the entire pile to begin with. I mark each one with the maximum dimension I can get without any wane. I then go back through removing the second edge from each, that way I can do all the 2x12s together, then 2X10s, 2x8s, etc. This saves resetting the ripping guide on the saw over and over and probably doubles the efficiency overall.

Jamie




 

[jwillett2009]

Thanks for the pics!  Trying to improve my setup and your ideas really help! 

 

 (Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

I like the portable log chairs.  How are you sharpening your chain?  Do you use a dremel style sharpener or hand file?

BTW, I noticed it was your first post. Welcome to the forum. There are quite a few Alaskan CSM users here with alot of good ideas. Let us know how you make out as you make your changes.

Jamie

[RPF2509]

I like that setup.  I've used an aluminum ladder as my guide but it will sag and must be braced.  Your setup looks very rigid.  One advantage of the ladder is that you can slide it down the log and make longer cuts and it is very portable.  Ive cut up to 28' with a 16' ladder and longer is possible as long as the log does not taper too much.  I also agree with finding a bigger powerhead.  I used a Husky 372 extensively and it worked great as long as you didn't go too wide. I also used a Stihl 092 which was the cat's meow on anything over 24".  Count on spending the grand for a good powerhead unless you get a well used article. A shorter blade on the smaller stuff will increase your speed as there is less chain friction

[jwillett2009]

RPF2509, thanks.

I have been thinking about how I'm going to do the longer cuts. I have a piece of tray that's 20feet. It may deflect too much but if it does I will try to run a string from one end to the other and use intermediate blocks every 10 feet and then I can slide my shorter tray along like you've described doing with the ladder.

I didn't think about extra drag from a longer chain. I would have though that would be negligitable. Ill try it.

Still shopping for a bigger power head. I'm going to saw some cedar in the mean time.

Jamie

[captain_crunch]

Ryan
need some more pics but from what I can see kinda wavey good bar and chain filed 90 deg mine would cut as good as circle mill.


Iroic pics  alaskan mill cutting on circle mill deck

[jwillett2009]

Got a new powerhead coming! Just ordered a new Stihl MS660 from the local dealer.

Can't wait to try it. It'll be here Friday.

[Brucer]

I used to sharpen my chain with one of those hand-held Dremel-like grinders. It had a guide and a set of shims to adjust the depth of the stone and that was handy. I just removed the shim to raise the stone deeper and change the tooth angle.

As for grinding the teeth evenly, I just used even pressure and stroked it back and forth, using the same number of strokes on each tooth. Every so often I'd put the dial calipers on each tooth and mark any that were too long. An extra stroke or two on those teeth would even things up.