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Just bought a Chainsaw mill

Started by Bama_Mill, January 03, 2017, 11:34:27 AM

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Bama_Mill

Hello all,

I am new to this site. So a little about me: I am 41 yo and I live in North Alabama. We own 32 acres of land and have a lease on another 167 acres. 95% of which is wooded. I have lots of logs on the ground where we have been cutting to build our new house as well as lots of blow over trees. I didn't want all these hardwoods (mostly white oak) to go to waste. I had decided that I was going to buy a 36" Granberg mill back months ago but never pulled the trigger. I wanted to get into making some live edge tables and stuff. One of my co-workers told me she was having a large white oak cut that was directly in the middle of where her house was about to be built. I told her I would like to have the tree. Well the tree ended up being larger than I thought and is 6' 1" across the base and all the branches (Lots of large ones)come out at around the 14' mark to the 17'. I called around to get someone to mill it into slabs for me to make my new live edge kitchen table. All of the mills in North Alabama laughed at me. The only thing I found close was a guy with a 60" chainsaw mill. This inspired me to purchase a larger mill. A few weeks ago I ordered the Granberg 72" Alaskan Mark III C2 mill. It should be delivered sometime this week. I also have been looking for a MS880 of 3120XP. I managed to find a used 3120XP yesterday. Any way that's where I am and a little back ground.

I have watched about ever chainsaw mill video on youtube and think I should have a pretty good handle on what to do. Also researched all the different process for drying the wood from air drying to Solar kilns. I guess my questions are is there anything that I may encounter that you guys have experienced that isn't apparent? I know that is kind of a broad question but I am sure I will have more when I get my mill up and rolling. Also any surprises I should expect working with the White Oak? Look forward to getting to know you all and educating myself of other types of trees.

DelawhereJoe

I hope you will have some equipment to move those large oak slabs....or many hands to help you move them. I've also seen others talk about additional oilers for the long bars.
WD-40, DUCT TAPE, 024, 026, 362c-m, 041, homelite xl, JD 2510

Kbeitz

Next step will be getting a tractor to move this stuff...
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

Momatt

My grandberg mill has an oil tank and came with a fitting so you could add oil to the tip of the bar.  I used a 394 xp and milled quite a few trees.  You will get some exercise, that's for sure.  Slabs take a long time to dry and are a challenge to get flat.  I used a n0 8 jointer plane and a scrub plane to flatten a few.  Never made a router sled.    Most of the slabs I milled ended up getting cut down small enough to fit into my 12 inch planer.  Have fun and pace yourself.  To give you an idea on weight, i milled some 28-inch wide maple one time, planks about 2 or 3 inches thick about 10 foot long.  3 of them had my half ton dodge on the overload springs. 

richhiway

Good Luck. You are going to have a lot of fun.
Woodmizer LT 40
New Holland 35 hp tractor
Stihl Chainsaws
Ford 340 Backhoe

sumday

Welcome to the Forum, and of course we'll need pictures of your adventure.

ToddsPoint

I've had a logosol M7 chainsaw mill and 28" Stihl 660 for about 5 yrs.  I've had a blast milling walnut for gunstocks.  My advice.  Have several extra chains and keep them razor sharp.  My saw shop only charges $4 to resharpen any chain but the owner is retiring and closing up shop.  I'm looking to buy a chain sharpener soon.  I've thought about a bandsaw but the M7 is so portable and takes up so little space I really like it.  Gary
Logosol M7, Stihl 660 and 290, Kubota L3901.

Bama_Mill

I guess I forgot to add that I also have a 555e backhoe for moving stuff around. I just ordered a set of forks for it today. I also have a 165 Massey tractor for dragging them when I have to. Also have a 20 ton trailer for hauling them.

The mill I ordered comes with an additional oiler kit for using one power head. It also comes with the electric chain sharpener. The kit came with an 84" bar but you can also use your own bar with the clamping system in the kit. I have a 28" bar that I plan to use. I just need to get me some extra chains for both. I'll have to buy some cross cut chains for the 28" bar.

I also saw where some folks have been using a hand crank attached to their mill with a rope and pulley nailed to the opposite end of the log then ran to the opposite side of the mill to make it a 1 man operation. Any of you guys got this type of setup?

cbla

get a chain sharpener. that's a lot of teeth to sharpen :)

DDW_OR

saw this vid
I would change the rope to 1/8 steel cable, less streaching and more weather resistant
hand crank attached to their mill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLVjUEln1SI

"let the machines do the work"

Bama_Mill

DDW that's one of the ones I saw. Seems like that would make life much easier especially with an 84" bar to deal with.

DDW_OR

Quote from: Bama_Mill on January 05, 2017, 02:35:40 PM
DDW that's one of the ones I saw. Seems like that would make life much easier especially with an 84" bar to deal with.
yep. simple, cheap, and reliable.
"let the machines do the work"

Bama_Mill

Got the mill almost assembled. Still gotta learn to post pictures. I bought this  winch to attach along with a rope and pulley kit. http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_20523.jpg

Brad_bb

I hope the sharpener you bought is the Granberg Precision grind 'n Joint?
https://granberg.com/product/g1012xt-precision-grinder-12v/

It's a good sharpener to work with and doesn't take very long to sharpen the chain.  Those long ripping chains are expensive.  I only bought one to start with.  If you don't damage it, it should last through a bunch of cutting. 

Those who have not discovered precision grind 'n joint, or another proven method, get in the habit of tossing chains and buying new ones.  That is because they don't know how to sharpen correctly and because of that the chain never cuts like when it was new, often not cutting well and curving off to one side.  You can sharpen a chain correctly, and repeatably with the precision sharpener.  I used Wranglerstar's videos to understand how to mount it and  sharpen - much better than granberg's video.

Consider getting a metal detector.  I'd rather not hit nails or other metal hardware with the chainsaw mill.  You can damage teeth such that cannot be fixed.  I have owned 5 Lumber Wizard 4's.  On average they have lasted 6 months of regular use.  They have not been ideal, but were the only such wand I could find.  I recently purchased a Garrett security want, but haven't used it yet to give any kind of review.

If you want anything but slabs from the logs, get to know a mobile bandmill sawyer.  For Oaks larger than their mill can take you may have to use the chainsaw mill to break the log down to fit.  A bandmill will be far more efficient at cutting boards or lumber from the log, and they'll get a lot more useable lumber from the log than the CSM.

Do you have enough wedges to keep your kerf open while milling?
If making bookmatched slabs, cut two adjacent faces flat on the log, then start milling the slabs. That way when you open the book, the spine has two flat edge to join.

Know your saw.  I had carb tuning issues when going from a heated shop to cold temps outside.
If you're milling in cold temps (which is probably not you in Alabama) use the synthetic cold weather oil for your oilers. 

Have stickers ready ahead of time, preferably from the same wood type and dry. Then you can immediately stack and sticker your wood.
Wear good hearing protection. 
Check your chain tension.  A new chain will stretch a lot.  Slack in that long of a chain can make it come off the far end (in my case the helper handle).
Watch your fuel level.  It may go faster than you think with a big saw.
Forks can metal stain wood very fast, especially oak.  Keep things dry and clean.



Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

Kbeitz

Quote from: Bama_Mill on January 18, 2017, 11:29:08 PM
Got the mill almost assembled. Still gotta learn to post pictures. I bought this  winch to attach along with a rope and pulley kit. http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_20523.jpg

I got the same winch to lift the carage of my mill. It works great but there is no
fast speed. No way to take it out of gear.
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

ToddsPoint

Quote from: Bama_Mill on January 04, 2017, 03:15:50 PM

I also saw where some folks have been using a hand crank attached to their mill with a rope and pulley nailed to the opposite end of the log then ran to the opposite side of the mill to make it a 1 man operation. Any of you guys got this type of setup?

I have a crank on my logosol.  Your winch is overkill.  Mine is just a simple crank with no gearing and a piece of strong nylon string.  That's all you really need.  Gary
Logosol M7, Stihl 660 and 290, Kubota L3901.

Bama_Mill

Brad_bb: That's a lot of good information. Thanks for your input. The mill came with the G1012XT. I am looking forward to learning to use it. Yes I have been following wrangler star for a little while. He's one of the reasons I bought the CSM. No I don't have enough wedges right now. I have been looking around for some already. I haven't though much about getting a metal detector wand. Most of the wood I will be working with in the beginning shouldn't have any metal in it as this area has never been anything but timber. Some of the logs I am getting from others might need checked though. I guess I need to check into this.

Kbeitz: That's not good news. I got it because it was the only one with the handle in that direction and thought the worm gear setup may make it run a little smoother. I will pull it out of the box tonight and check it out. I may have to return it and pickup the gear drive one.

Brad_BB: Yeah its over kill. I mainly bought this one because I wanted one with the handle in this direction and smoother operation from the worm gear. The 3/16 rope and fairlead kit was probable over kill too but its all to make things run a little smoother. Also bought a mounting plate for the fairlead.

http://www.harborfreight.com/atvutv-synthetic-rope-fairlead-kit-63139.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/atvutility-winch-mounting-plate-62445.html



YellowHammer

Quote from: Bama_Mill on January 04, 2017, 03:15:50 PM
I also saw where some folks have been using a hand crank attached to their mill with a rope and pulley nailed to the opposite end of the log then ran to the opposite side of the mill to make it a 1 man operation. Any of you guys got this type of setup?

This is what I did.  Drill a couple holes in the uprights, push in a bent solid rod for a handle, thread a rope down under the crossbar to a nail stuck in the end of the log. 

Feeding the rope under the crossbar will suck the mill down to the log.  For a rope, I settled on a 550 paracord type rope.  It's important to have a rope so it can stretch and act like a shock absorber to give the saw steady and smooth feed.   Also, using a small diameter handle rod give tremendous leverage when cranking so really pulls the saw through the cut.  This is very easy to make and adds almost no weight.









YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Kbeitz

Or a cable with a spring at one end....
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

pwrwagontom

Cool!  I picked one up the past summer, and learned a lot from this forum, and working with it.

The usual (which I'm sure you already have read)

-I sharpen the chain every 3rd cut or so...when the chain gets even a HAIR worn, the whole set up gets brutal to run.
-Keep an eye on your oil and fuel, I found myself to be using a lot more.
-Get a set of the rails, or the end brackets which Granberg sells.  I thought they weren't necessary...until I got them and saw how much EASIER they made the process.
-Keep the slab nice and clean between cuts, I used cheap corn broom.
-Turn up the oiler on the saw...unless you got the auxiliary oilier.
Never give an inch

WV Sawmiller

Bama,

   A belated welcome to the FF. Good looking thread. I'm not familiar with the CMs but like what I am seeing so far here.

   BTW - what part of N. Ala are you from? My wife is from near Cullman. We met at AU while going to college there a coupe hundred years ago.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Czech_Made

Prop one end up and let the gravity help you push the saw.

Bama_Mill

Quote from: WV Sawmiller on January 20, 2017, 06:54:22 PM
Bama,

   A belated welcome to the FF. Good looking thread. I'm not familiar with the CMs but like what I am seeing so far here.

   BTW - what part of N. Ala are you from? My wife is from near Cullman. We met at AU while going to college there a coupe hundred years ago.


I live in Joppa just next to Cullman.

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