Granbery chainsaw mill - used one before

[tstex]

Hey guys,

Since i have been on this website, my interest level in milling just took off!

I have acres of mature native cedar, many with with 16" - 20" base trunks and straight.  I usually have someone haul the ocassional tree-trunks to this mill.  I love working with cedar, and came acress this "chain-saw mill" type device.  See link:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200316891_200316891

All of the reviews are great, but it almost seems like all the reviews were from Granbery employees.  Have any of you guys used this before?  Does it work as easily as the reviews state?

I do not plan on going into the lumber business and have never milled anything, but could see using this often for culling out many cedars that are draining out some huge live oaks.  Also, the guys mention a "rip-chain" and "rails"...are these something that should be bought too?

Again, I appreciate all your help and advice.

Be safe,
tom

[olyman]

lot of guys that have them--use a straight ladder for rails---thats what the granberg runs on to cut a first straight board----rip chain has every other tooth missing--as when you cut with the grain, it aint chips. its long curls, and you need that tooth missing so it can clear out the cuttings--can get the chain from various sources--i use 2x8 for rails---up on end, not flat.

[pineywoods]

Tstex, you are already guilty of what at least half of the mill owners on here have said. "I'm not going in the lumber business, just want to saw a few boards for my own use, maybe one or 2 logs a week" . Next thing you know they are running a full hydraulic bandmill or refurbing grandpa's old circle mill. Once sawdust gets in your blood, there ain't much turning back, especially if you hang around this bunch.

[JV]

I have two of them, a 56" and a 24". They won't replace my Wood-mizer, but they do definitely have their place.  The 56" is used to break down large logs that won't fit on the mill and as a slabbing mill to cut thick flitches for bartops, benches, etc.  The little 24" comes in handy for odds and ends and with care can be used to cut tenons when timber framing.  I use 2 x 4's for the rail reinforced with all-thread.  Rip chain typically has a difference top plate angle of 0 to 10 degrees instead of 25 to 30.  Chainsaws aren't particularly fuel efficient for milling, i.e. it takes a tank of fuel per cut to break down a large log.  It is also very labor intensive.  But for small jobs and occasional usage, they fill the bill very well.

Setup for large log





There are several guys on here with chainsaw mills, hopefully they will add their experiences.  Granberg has some videos online you might want to watch.

[woodsrunner]

I have a GB mill (not an Alaskan that is made by Granberg). I bought mine for cutting odd sized and short pieces that I am salvaging from a timber sale I made. There is a learning curve but it is a lot of fun. I don't want to own a regular sawmill because I have access to a good local circle mill who will cut anything I want cut pretty inexpensively. But with the chainsaw mill I can cut crotches and butt cutoffs and get some pretty stuff. If you have a small amount of things you want to do yourself go for it. The Alaskan works well. Do alot of reading about it before you buy. I would recommend you look at a couple of our sponsors here such as Baileys or Timberpro. They both sell chainsaw mills. The guys at Timberpro have helped me out a lot. it does take a pretty big saw. I have a 395 Husky for mine and there are times I wish I had more saw. Be warned it is addictive. Look hard at the available mills before you buy. I like the GB because the powerhead bolts to the mill unlike the Alaskan which only clamps to the bar. I'll try to post some pics today.
Scott

[woodsrunner]

Here's some pics of my milling fun.

[woodsrunner]

Couple of more photos of future chainsaw milling projects.




the big chestnut oak log is a butt cut off that I'm going to try to slab and see if I can get a table top out of it. It is 4 feet in diameter at the butt and about 10 ft long. The walnut stump is 6 feet by 4 feet but then slims down when it is turned upright.

[woodsrunner]

Just realized I didn't caption that first set of photos. The first is a short cherry crotch, nicely figured. The second picture is of my mill setup on a red oak log making the opening cut. I use unistrut for my guide rails. The third picture is a couple of nicely figured walnut crotches freshly cut. The fourth picture is the same red oak log opened up showing the unistrut guide rails and some nice wood. The fifth picture is another nice cherry crotch.

[D Martin]

If you use a chainsaw to mill with ,be extra generous with the oil /fuel ratio, take frequent breaks and if possible get the xtra oiler. I would buy the biggest saw you can afford either the 3120 husky or stihl o88 or whatever is around 100cc +. Chaisaw milling is hard on a saw and a body. I got into milling this way and quickly learned I like bandsaws better after burning up a couple of saws. :-[ I didnt take the precautions I just mentioned. It definately is an addiction.

[tstex]

Guys,

I can really see the use for a chain-saw milling device.  Nice shots, thx.

Based on some of the photo's i saw, I concur on an over-sized c-saw.  However, the type of tree's that I will be milling are native cedar.  They are definitely a soft wood, like pine, yet totally unlike mountain cedar that is hard/dense as a rock.

The diameters will be in the 12-14" range at best.  I have an 18" bar on a Stihl 029.  I will acquire a chain or two for w/grain cuts and can increase the ratio of mix and after one pass, give her a rest.  Based on this criteria, would the 029 be enough?  I can see if I was cutting 17" trunks with an 18" bar and cutting live oak hard woods, it would be a totally different story.

Next, I can discern the first cut is your benchmark and is extremely important.  So getting/making the rails is critical...if you have any options for making some, pls advise..If there are any other things you suggest I need, let me know?  I have used chain saws for 10+ yrs, but doing something totally new i will do with caution and yield to experienced advice.

Finally, based on my needs above, if you have a particular make/model, could you recommend one? If you would be so kind to send a link or make a suggestion, that would be great...as mentioned, i would be happy to support the sponsors brand if they meet spec's and are competitively priced...the value obtained from here is worth the extra % or so...PS - for my needs and level of experience, would the clamp-on or bolt-on device be more appropriate?

Thank you very much and have a good weekend.

Be safe,
tom

[D Martin]

I am not sure about the 029 I think it may be under powered. I think given the number it is in the 30 cc range (not sure ).  I started with a used 066 in large pine 24-in range 90 cc, smoked the saw (it may have been on the way out anyway as it was used) then i got a used 3120 -120 cc, smoked it- re built the top end and smoked it again in  a large oak log. That was the last time I milled with a chainsaw. I am not saying it is not a decent way to mill but if I were to do it again I would not:
mill more than one board before giving it a break to cool off
use an under powered saw
not use an additional oiler
not go rich with fuel oil mix
push the saw to cut despite a dulling chain (and they do tend to dull fast)
or  neglect anything that could make the saw get hot like  a dirty air cleaner etc..
     A saw when ripping a log runs longer and harder than what it is designed for  (bucking and limbing) and can over heat Quickly. Some people in here may have better things to say about it but that is my expierience with chainsaw milling.  I was very green when I was doing it so, I made mistakes and didnt learn fast enough from the previous ones to stop the next ones from happening. I would do it again ( cause I still dont learn) but would take every precaution to protect my saw cause they aint cheap to replace or rebuild.
    The Granberg (alaskan) mill attachment eats up a few inches of bar so plan on that when you are trying to gauge your cutting capacity. If you are using a 18 in bar you will loose about three inches of bar making your cut cap 15 in or so. I would go bigger if you can afford it.
  I think the alaskin clamps on unless they have changed their design
    I would use a ladder for the guide, they are usuall pretty straight (if it hasn't fallen off the side of the house like most of mine). I actually built a track and carrage for mine and may retrofit it for a bandsaw some day.
What ever the case have fun milling, and be safe with your self and your saw

[Night Raider]

I saw this "chainsaw mill" a while ago I thought it looked like it might take some of the strain out of chainsaw milling, but maybe not great for big logs.  I haven't seen one in person but I thought I might bring it to your attention, someone else might have an opinion.
http://norwoodindustries.com/product.aspx?prodID=1031&cID=1002

[tritonman]

I just purchased a chainsaw mill from jober int. out of quebec ,Canada last week, and for about a grand you could not ask for much more.  Talk about a sweet and easy set up and highly portable.  I bought the showroom model from cutters choice who distributes for them and saved a couple hundred bucks but it cam with no manual but i still managed to get it set up in just about an hour.  However my first cuts were pretty sloppy as i had no idea how to set up all the adjustments for the saw ect.   So I emailed them at the company and they sent me directions for settin up the mill via adobe pdf files.   Now that I have it all set correctly I am milling some very accurate and smooth cuts with my stihl 441 magnum saw.  I am sawing aspen right now using chisel tooth chain filed open to 10 degrees and it is one incredibly smooth cut..  I hope to eventually get some pictures posted and perhaps a short video  but until then I just wanted to give this mill an outsatnding report as no one here on the forum seemed to know anything at all about this rig..  It just looked so right when i saw the ad for it I had to try it, but i was nervous as to  if it would work alright or not..  I can now tell you it works great and is really easy to set up.... give it a look if you are considering chainsaw milling as it is so much faster than running something like a grandberg or haddon mill....heres the link for you to see it....http://www.cutterschoice.com/portablesawmills_us.shtml

[tstex]

T-man,

Was that the J100 you purchased?  Scroll down some more and look at the J200.  I think if i bought the J200, I may de-forest the 40 acres of woods I have.  Is there a ph # of FFA, Forestry Forum Anonymous?

I think my Stihl 029 might be too small, do you guys have a recommendation on the exact size saw i would need for 14-16" maximum trees [90% native cedar, 10% live-oaks]?  I guess whatever size it is, I would need to go up one notch.  When I sized my utility tractor, they recommended the Kubota 48hp, I went with 60hp.

I now have 3-4 projects from the wood I will get milled, so I need to get the show on the road...I guess i will need a new c-saw and milling system...

Thank you very much guys.

Be safe,
tom

[tyb525]

When you put more oil in the mix, make sure you adjust the carb so it doesn't run too lean. I use my 036 on 20" and smaller logs and it works pretty good. Just make sure you keep your chain sharp. Dull chains ruin saws.

[jander3]

I started ripping logs freehand with a Stihl 029, it can be done, but you gotta be very patient.  I purchased a Stihl 039 for ripping grooves in logs and an Alaskan Mill.  This 65 cc saw works OK, however, I would like something with a little more power.   So now I am shopping for something in the 90 to 100 cc range.   

[logwalker]

We bought 2 Solo 681's from Bailey's and went direct to Granberg for the rest. Running both on same bar. We are up to 5' max. You will likely destroy the 029 quickly. Go at least 65 and more like 80 cc's to get 'er done. Joe

[bck]

I have a 290 and I dont think it would last long attached to a csm. I use a 394 to mill with.   
The ripping chain I use comes from baileys. It is not missing cutters ( that is skip chain, something different ). The difference in ripping chain vs regular chain is the angle it is ground to. Ripping chain will give you a smoother finish on the wood you saw. Regular chain will work but leave a rougher surface. If you are going to run the wood through a planer you could use the same chain you already have.
I use a 12' alum. ladder. On some logs I can just screw it to the log and go but if the log has some taper I measure and shim the ladder so the pith is the same distance from the ladder on each end.

[tstex]

bck,

I have a 10-12 ft al-ladder too.  However, I believe the logs i am going to be cutting are much less in dia than most of you guys.  Therefore, i will need something that will anchor better on the first pass, something with the rails closer together.

If someone was going to cut 12-14" logs, what would be the best rail configuration?  Could you use two straight 2X4's, connected at the ends and 2-3 equal parts in the middle?  Would it help to cut a shallow ellipse on the bottoms of the 2X4 joining the rails to fit the trunk, then shim where necessary.

Finally, how do you keep the rails steady when moving the chainsaw?

Thank you for your help guys.

Be safe,
tom

[okie]

Here's My thoughts as someone who considered this at one time. I bought a chainsaw attachment that bolts onto my saw and runs on a 2x4. I thought I'd make beams with it. No doubt these mills have their place, and when cutting large slabs from logs where they fall I doubt there is much better but....... I dont think that it is a good idea for lumber. It is hard work for you but extremely hard on your saw. A saw that can handle ripping cuts is in the thousand dollar range. Fuel use is horrible and lumber yield is poor at best unless you are making table top slabs or the like. I really think that after you bought a saw, the attachment, many gallons of fuel, and paid for lots of saw maintenance you would be far ahead to get a low end hobby band saw. There are some to be had new for right around a thousand dollars although they look to be made quite light. Others such as Norwood's lumber light or Hudson's oscar 18 are in the 2 - 3000 range. Woodmizer has a hobby mill in the 3000 range.
PM me your address and I will send you the attachment that I was speaking about, it is not the granberg mill and wont do what a granberg will do but it will show you a little about chainsaw milling and what your saw will do. That is all I needed to show me that I needed a shore nuff sawmill. I bought a used Lucas mill but from what you described I dont think that mill would suit your needs as well as a band mill.

Morgan

[bck]

bck,

I have a 10-12 ft al-ladder too.  However, I believe the logs i am going to be cutting are much less in dia than most of you guys.  Therefore, i will need something that will anchor better on the first pass, something with the rails closer together.

If someone was going to cut 12-14" logs, what would be the best rail configuration?  Could you use two straight 2X4's, connected at the ends and 2-3 equal parts in the middle?  Would it help to cut a shallow ellipse on the bottoms of the 2X4 joining the rails to fit the trunk, then shim where necessary.

Finally, how do you keep the rails steady when moving the chainsaw?

Thank you for your help guys.

Be safe,
tom

I usually only use mine for logs to large for the sawmill, but for a smaller log you could just screw a board to each end. Use a board thats long enough to support the ladder, keep a 2x4, 2x5, 2x6, 2x8, etc... handy and fasten that to the end of the log then I screw the ladder to that. The different widths will allow you to keep the pith in one board usually.  I dont actually screw through the ladder but I have a couple washers on the screw and the washers hold the ladder . Then maybe shim the ladder in the middle somewhere. Thats usually steady enough for me. 
I have seen rail setups that have two long pieces of metal rail and they are attached by threaded rod and that looks easy to adjust to different size logs. I'm to lazy for that  ;).
There is a book," chainsaw lumbermaking" and the way he does it is he pulls a string the length of the log and screws lag bolts every foot or so down the log so they are the same height. He then uses a 2x10 with angle iron under it that rest on the lag bolts. The 2x10 is usually shorter than the log but he will just slide it down when he gets near the end.  It is a great book to read but is out of print and they sell for big bucks. I think I paid $60 for my copy on ebay, read it and sold it for $75.

[JV]

This the setup I use.  2x4's on edge overhanging the log by 12 to 18" to hang the saw on to start.  The crossmember is 1" square tubing nailed to the face of the log.  I use duplex nails, easier to pull.  You could use T-slot tubing or perforated aluminum angle iron for easier width adjustment.  The tops of the 2x4's are counterbored to get the bolts below the top surface.  I nail a scrap board on the other end and in case of extreme taper, nail two 2x6's together in a "T" to get height adjustment.  If you are lucky enough to find aluminum square tubing cheap, it sure saves on weight.  I use 3/8" all-thread for stiffener in three places on a 16' rail.





The log drawn is 14" diameter and the rest is true to scale.

[tcsmpsi]

tstex

There's not someone around with a bandmill who would mill your cedar on halves? 

[Brucer]

I used mine for 20 years before I bought a Wood-Mizer.

Guide board was a 12' - 2x12 with a pair of 3/16 x 2" angles screwed to the underside.

I'd lag-screw a piece of 2x12 to each end of the log (lining the tops up by eye), and then sink a series of 3/8 lag bolts about 4' apart into the top of the log in two rows from one end to the other. I'd stretch a line across the tops of the end-boards and screw the lag bolts in or out so they were all level. Then it was a matter of setting the guide board on top of the screws. For logs longer than 12', I'd just stop the saw as I neared the end of the guide board and then slide the board along to the next set of screws.

It worked pretty slick as long as I made sure my lag bolts didn't stick down below the bar :(.

Some kerf wedges about 1/32 thicker than the width of the chain will keep the cut open so the chain doesn't chew up the log as it returns along the backof the bar. Didn't take me long to figure out to paint those wedges red -- a lot easier to find in a heap of sawdust.

I filed regular chain straight across (0 degrees) with the file set about 1/32 lower than normal. That gave me a tooth angle of about 45 degrees instead of the 80 degrees or so you normally file to. Oregon now makes a ripping chain with a 10 degree top angle and a 50 degree tooth angle, and that's supposed to work even better.

I powered my mill with a 70 CC Jonsered and I always wished I gone to 90 - 100 CC. I never fooled around with the fuel-oil mix. I just opened up the high speed jet a little to make it run richer. That will automatically put more oil into the engine. I was sawing mainly Western Red Cedar and I still didn't figure 70 CC was enough.

'Twas a lot of hard work, and tough on the back. Eating fumes was no fun either. I'm glad to be using the Wood-Mizer, and the chainsaw mill has long been sold off. But ya know, that old chain mill did give me a better finish and a more consistant thickness than the orange machine.

[bck]

Some kerf wedges about 1/32 thicker than the width of the chain will keep the cut open so the chain doesn't chew up the log as it returns along the backof the bar. 

  learn somethin new every day.  I havnt worried with wedges mainly because the saw had enough power to keep cutting. Never thought about I was chewing up the board  :  Thanks Brucer

[Sprucegum]

I have used a Husky 359 with 20" bar on a home-made setup









You can see the rails are screwed onto the log, with screws short enough to miss the chain. I have cut boards from 8 to 14 inches wide and 12 feet long.