milling thread

Gosh, I didn't know there was a milling thread here!
Started milling some nice Redwood logs today from a tree I wreaked about 6 months ago. The log I got into today was from over a 100ft up the tree. About as good a second growth gets, and its gonna just get better as I get closer the the butt log. Boards in the pics are 1x10 and 3x8 for reference.
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Thats what she said!!!
Seriously though, thanks Hefe! This tree is really giving up the goods.
 
I'm often told I should get a band saw mill, why screw around with a chainsaw mill. Well, I do want a bigger mill, but often enough my access is like this for a 39" 8ft silver maple.



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Cool milling shots.

That redwood looks like amazing lumber!

Peter you seem to be staying pretty busy with that chainsaw mill you made. Are you finding there's quite a decent market for it?
 
I think I have. So far the milling jobs have been 25% for me, to remove the wood, HO doesn't want, saves dump fees. Another 25% has been HO had a tree took down, storm damage or municipal order, and the HO couldn't afford the cost of moving the heavy wood and has a friend paying for the milling, last 50% has been woodworkers who have logs and other milling companies are too expensive or too slow.

So far I've been at least 8 hours a week at it milling, plus a few extra hours paid travel.

I'll take it.
 
I was thinking, if one wanted, one could suspend the mill from a small "overhead' rail system (ladder on two saw-horses), in order to mill crotches or small pieces that are cut off from a larger log...too small for stability of the first cut if done traditionally. Probably need a bit of a cradle for the work piece, one way or another.
 
Sean. I do that with my Alaskan mill.

I use two of those wire shelf sets and stretch a ladder in between....as long as the ladder is straight and wedge the kerf...you golden...

Here's a coat hook I put up last night.
Its blue oak.
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Cool.


So when you make a coat hook, you can make screw it in place to the studs. I've been trying to figure out how to make it for 'mass production' where a person can buy something, and not have to drill through the finished surface to center the piece on the wall, and attach it to studs.

Thoughts?
 
frig the studs... just use wall anchors...in the drywall... fat ones.

Those little feathers are screwed in with small predrilled screws....so as not to split the plank... the hooks keep it together like a butterfly might...

Behind the 2nd and 4th hook are the 2 wall anchors sunk flush and hidden.
 
I added onto my first mill, which was only about 24" or so cut. It will hold a 36" bar (30" cut) and a 47" bar (42" cut). Worked decent. All I could afford was a 47" hardnose bar. The curved handle (just left of the winch) is the perfect balance point, makes it easy to lift and set onto the log. I still have my 30" cut mill, may be it will live with the 066.

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I'm thinking about that set-up. I wonder if it would work any smoother if it fairleaded through an eye on the front of the frame, down low. Does it want to twist the mill at all when the pull is from slightly higher?

Probably just takes a smooth operator to not pull on the winch handle too hard.

What are you using to hold down the trigger, if you have a handle next to the winch, and are operating the winch?
 
I throttle the saw with my left hand and I don't engage the catch on the winch, that way if the saw gets bogged down I just back the winch off.

It can tilt the mill when the pull line is at the top of the winch spool, but nothing an extra push down on the winch handle can't overcome. I was thinking a low fairlead setup, have not got around to making one.... On my 30" mill I do have guide pegs that seem to keep the pull line nice and low.
 
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