Dead standing logs

[mickeynaw]

Hi Guys, we are trying to mill dry aspen and pine from dead standing trees we have around our area. I bought a Panther chainsaw mill to use with my Mac 610 with a ripping chain. We set up everything and tried it on a 14" diameter pine log. This was painfully slow. Is there something abought chainsaw mills and dry timber?

[beenthere]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum
They are known to be painfully slow.  ;)

Where abouts you located?  Stick general location in your bio in your profile.

Maybe slow like this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1dXRdIpbIo

[ladylake]

Your way better off hiring a band saw or buying a small band saw.  Steve

[Bill Gaiche]

Welcome aboard. A small manual bandsaw mill would be the way to go if affordable for what ever you are trying to accomplish. bg

[Magicman]

Hello mickeynaw, and Welcome to the Forestry Forum.

Do be very careful and wear your helmet, etc. when felling dead trees.  They don't call limbs and tops "widow makers" for no reason.

[mickeynaw]

 To Beenthere;  I had hopes it was that fast (YOUTUBE). Five cuts through a 8 foot log and it was beer time.

[sealark37]

That first board off the chainsaw mill looks great, but every one after gets slower and rougher.  Regards, Clark

[beenthere]

To Beenthere;  I had hopes it was that fast (YOUTUBE). Five cuts through a 8 foot log and it was beer time.

I'd be sure that the chain is sharp... real sharp. Maybe it is, but my suspicion is that if going slower than the Youtube, then it is not sharp or not sharpened correct.
No offense meant but have seen too many chains that are not sharp that are believed to be sharp.

[mickeynaw]

Being the rookie I am, the chain I used was right out of the box. It was an Oregon chain. Do I need to sharpen the new chains? I also tried a chain with every other set of teeth ground down to just the vertical sticking up. Cut about the same. Oh well,,,,,,,,, back to the store for a band saw mill.
Thanks for your comments. :'(

[joey7319]

Dry wood cuts slower and dulls a chain faster. If your saw dust is fine your chain is dull. A sharp chain will throw nice little ribbons of wood and get smaller as the chain becomes dull.

[thecfarm]

mickeynaw,welcome to the forum. We can help you spend your monoy on a bandsaw mill too.  ;D

[terrifictimbersllc]

A few hours of chainsaw milling will make one a bandsaw customer. 

[gfadvm]

After milling a few short elm logs with an old Jonserad and an Alaskan Chainsaw Mill, I REALLY appreciated my used LT15 !!!!

[5quarter]

I still mill with a chainsaw on occasion, but not in the way you might think. I always have my chainsaw and gear in the truck wherever I go. once in a while, I'll come across a short (5'-7') fat log. with no way to load it, I chain it up and pull it with my truck into a standing position and bust out the saw. I will start ripping 3" planks from top to bottom and load them in the truck. when I get back, I'll put them up on the bandsaw and take a skim cut off each side and sticker them in the stacks. A handy way to pick up some extra walnut or bur oak or like a couple of months ago, a gigantic mulberry.

[richhiway]

I use a Sthil 044 and a ripping chain on a logosol, it takes a couple of minutes to make cut in a pine log that size. Once you have a cant and are cutting boards it goes fast. The older saws don't have the rpm's of the newer saws, that may be slowing you down.  A new chain should be able to bog the saw if it sharp and you lean on it. I usually have to touch up the chain after a few logs. I never noticed a lot of difference on the age of the logs. Keep trying, it always takes some time to learn the fine points of anything.

[tcg]

Like richiway I also own a Logosol M8 using a Husky 395 XP  or a 372 XP. The only time I have had an issue with ripping through a log is when the chain is dull or sharpened incorrectly. You may be under-powered with the Mac.

[shelbycharger400]

My mill is a modified csm. With lawnmower 17hp.  Chain can look sharp but not cut well. Ripping they become very sensitive. Minor chip in cutter edge or slught bunt edge it needs a sharpen .  Sand and knots eat it up. As dose dirt.   Seems if i have about 3-4 logs sitting by mill 12-16  takes bout 3 hrs and 1 to 2 gal gas and im not always shuttin it off.  Seems csm milling is good til bout 16 in. Dia after that takes wayyy more time and the logs are a lot more work on a full manual mill.  Many times with my 36 in bar. Only 9 pairs of cutters i fet one cut in a 16 in or better and im light grinding chain it takes only min to sharpen .  Dobt hand sharpen get a grinder.   I almost gave up then bought a used cheapy...   i like cutting wide slabs.  Now say you cant it out or do several thick slabs n resaw it cuts faster but more handling time

[ladylake]

 I like the 17hp lawn engine on a chainsaw mill, how much faster is it than a 90cc saw.   Steve