milling thread

[squisher]

That's a kind offer Jay but let me ask around a bit locally first. He's a BC guy himself from the sounds of it? If so I'd imagine I should be able to track down a copy somewhere.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Ok, but if you can't locate one, I'd be happy. I think it is a worthy book. Unfortunately, Will said that he didn't make any money off it, in the red, too little demand for the costs incurred. Even though people milling want one, not enough demand for another publishing.

Will's #, or the last one I could get for him. Would this be a BC number? (250)947-2312

 

[Al Smith]

Most of the rough cut stuff I have has been cut straight one side .The sawyer did a pretty good job with an older Lt-15 Woodmizer .

It's just some of those flitchs that need squared .An 8 footer is not too hard to free hand through a table saw but when you get to 12 footers it becomes a chore .

My grand plan when I get the mill built is to mount a hand power saw on the carriage to square flitchs .

 

[HolmenTree]

There's a excellent sheet of intructions that comes with that Grandberg Alaska mill. Make sure you buy their 2 slabbing rail brackets. Attach to a couple long 2X4s [I use sections up to 20 feet long 2X4" aluminum tubing]Nail the brackets to opposite ends of log with double headed 3 1/2" nails , make sure to level both ends with 2' level.
Take off 1st slab, then roll log 1/4 turn then nail slabbing rails back on top but this time use a 2' square to setup 90 degree in your cant.
Now you have your log squared at 90 degree, with both slabs off, you can now set your mill for 11 1/2" [if you want 2"x12" lumber] Cut your cant. , now you can set your mill at 1 5/8"[to allow for shrinkage and planing to make 1 1/2" lumber] and take off your lumber.

Very easy, no dragging logs around in dirt, no loaders or machinery to load logs. Lumber made right where the tree falls.

 

[HolmenTree]

One thing I forgot, I'll try to get pics later, [rails are under a foot of snow.] To keep the 2 rails from sagging on the log, I built in levellers. I use 4" long- 1/2" carraige bolts threaded into pieces of angle angle screwed to the inside of the rails in pairs opposite of each other every 4 feet.

When the rails are setup on log, screw bolts down until they contact log, eyeball down length of rails to check straight. I get perfectly straight cants.

 

[sotc]

Levelers is a great idea

 

[squisher]

Great info! I got my main man hedging today(snicker, snicker we hate hedges) and I'm replacing the fuel transfer pump on my chipper. But hopefully this afternoon I'll be milling some more.

I was wondering about those brackets for attaching to the end of the log, seems like it may be simple enough to make some up. I'm gonna talk to my machine shop guy about what he'd want for that and some aluminum rails I think.

 

[HolmenTree]

These Granberg aluminum brackets are special made, I couldn't even copy them myself, I had to buy them. They 're made so you can adjust the width of the rails with a built in slot.
I'll post pics later, just busy answering the phone and getting going for the season.

 

[squisher]

pics would be great if you get a moment. I thought from the diagram included with the mill that they looked pretty simple. I appreciate the info.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Justin, it occurs that I could copy that book and send it to you. The photos are in b and w anyway. If both pages would fit in the convenience store copier, I'd only have to stand there for a little over a hundred copies. Might be the solution. The book is nice to have on your shelf, but if you can't locate one, let me know. It might violate copyright laws or something to copy, but since it is out of print.... You'll have to see if you really do like milling too, it can try your patience I found, especially when hitting metal.

 

[squisher]

I will keep it in mind Jay, but I'll look around here first. Gonna ask around some local bookstores new/used and see if I can turn anything up. Maybe put a add on kijiji or something too.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Another possibility, I see the book available used at the Amazon in the states, quite a bit cheaper than in Canada, including shipping. Apparently they will ship up your way.

 

[Al Smith]

Used it's 72 bucks .

 

[squisher]

Got a link?

 

[woodworkingboy]

Why of course.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...31254769&sr=8-1&condition=used&tag=acleint-20

 

[HolmenTree]

I didn't get a chance to take a pic of my slabbing rails today but I cropped this old pic to show some detail. As you see the Granberg brackets bolt to the end of my aluminum rails and when you loosen the 2 nuts inside the tubing the rails can be slid up tight together or what ever width you like for different diameter logs. For wood 2"x4" rails you'll need 3 1/2" carriage bolts with countersunk nut & washer in the edge of the 2x4.
I have 2" slots in the rails for the brackets to adjust for logs a inch or two in different lengths. 3 1/2"double headed nails hold the brackets to the ends of the logs.

The levellers I installed inside the rails every 4 feet, again carriage bolts. The long rails are 20 ft long the shorter ones are 10 ft. I can join them together with two pieces of 2"x4" and cut 32 ft long lumber.

 

[Porkbrick]

those are really nice!

 

[Ax-Man]

Well I only made one board and one decent sized cant, but I tell ya I'm sure looking at my pile of logs differently now!

Amazing what a simple attachment for a bar on a chainsaw will do to a guy. I am the same way now and really have to curb my appetite for project wood.

I don't know how it is for anyone else but it hasn't stopped with the chainsaw.

Ever hand hew a log to make two flat sides on it?? I got into that a little over the winter. Over at AS someone put up a thread about the proper hang for an ax and how to sharpen one properly. It was interesting so I followed the links and PDF's the Forest Service has on the subject. The Forestry Service guys here are probaly really familar with this subject as it seems like it is basic training for them for doing trail work and log cabin restorations . The bug bit me to get most of our axes fixed and tuned along with the hatchets and I even found an adze or what is called a foot ax in our pile of old broken neglected tools. Might be able to do some rustic looking woodwork with this stuff now that I have a place to finish them indoors during the winter.

Here are some pics of some recent milling of some Red Cedar for more future benches or coffee tables and some half log mini-benches finished and unfinished I have made from cedar and deadwood from a Chinese Elm. Getting those mortise and tenon joints to fit in good into those small half logs has been another interesting experience. One of those pics is a shot of of the workshop for doing this rough wood work indoors like peeling and shaping small logs with a drawknive. I had to make a couple of workstations to be able to make the little benches. We used to keep the horses in that part of the building and it ended up being used for wood storage and it was packed. I started last summer pitching and throwing out what I didn't think we needed and finally made some room to work in there. Still have a ways to go and find a wood stove.

I hope I am not derailing this thread too much with my posting of the benches. I just make this kind of stuff with my Alaskan instead of regular lumber and we don't really have a place to post this kind of stuff. I dunno, I feel we have covered alot of good information ground since SOTC started this thread showing what can be done with with these portable sawmills.

 

[MasterBlaster]

That's fricking cool as heck.

 

[Al Smith]

I found some old pics of a little bit of saw milling .Some heavy oak planks .The Mac 125 with a "mini mill " and a garden bench . It's all red oak .

 

[squisher]

Awesome pics.

I haven't sorted myself a good set-up for rails yet but your set-up sure looks sweet Willard. I've got a few days this week so hopefully I can rig something like that up.

Larry not a de-rail at all, thanks for sharing that.

Jay, I'm still looking around for that book. Nothing at all on it in our library system but I do know of a tucked away second hand book store that I'm hopeful about. I'll keep trying before I shell out upwards of $100 bones with shipping and whatnot.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Did you see where I posted Will's phone number in BC? If it still works, you could ring him up and see if he has any ideas about where to get one. Probably an interesting guy to talk with. The copy offer still holds.

 

[squisher]

Yah if I don't turn anything up at this bookstore or any leads from them I may just give hime a shout.

I just keep envisioning you standing by a photocopier for hours on end! Lol.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Don't mind, I could buy a Snickers bar...and like I said, I think two pages will copy at a time for ten yen. It's a nice hardbound book to have over some thin copies, however. The only potential problem is if someone is waiting to use the machine. A couple weeks ago I had to tell some jerk to back off or else. He was standing over my business.

 

[HolmenTree]

Awesome pics.

I haven't sorted myself a good set-up for rails yet but your set-up sure looks sweet Willard. I've got a few days this week so hopefully I can rig something like that up.

Jay, I'm still looking around for that book.

Justin, my 2"x4" aluminum rails are almost "over built' but their stiff enough for 32 ft beams or lumber. I paid a little over $300 CDN for that 60 ft of aluminum tubing almost 20 years ago, I'd be afraid to ask what they would cost in todays prices.
2"X3" aluminum would probably be all you need. I first started out with 2"x4" wood rails and they work just fine, just follow the instructions you got with your mill package.

I used to have that old Will Mallof book, it was good with his idea of lag bolts screwed into the log levelled with a string, then lay a plank on top of the lags cutting with your mill on top of the plank. But I believe he never caught onto the rail technique which Granberg adapted later on. Mallofs techniques were slow for production which I never bothered adapting to.
I got a few good pointers from his book though.