OT - Just got my Chainsaw Mill

[AJMD429]

(Maybe not really OT - I guess I could make a levergun stock with wood I cut with it...)

I just got this Granberg "Alaskan" Chainsaw Mill from Bailey's - http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail ... 776&catID=



Had to get a separate bar, due to my Stihl 034's pitch and gauge not being one commonly associated with 'ripping' chains.

When the (special order) chain arrives, I'll try to post a "range report"...

[rjohns94]

did you get the rails that run the length of the log also? what size saw do you have? Brand? been thinking of something similar on property. Want to make 6 by 6 for walls and joists from on property wood. Very kewl. Looking forward to your "range report"

[BwanaDave]

I have had ripping chains made from regular chains at saw shops for my stihl. I have been thinking about picking up an Alaskan Mill for years. My family has a long history with Granberg. He was a great guy, self made in Canadian logging camps. He sold the original company and the buyers drove it into the ground. Mean while he formed another company with a few other investors including my father. The new company was going to go in a new direction but when Eloff saw what happened to his old company he bought it back through the new company. That was decades ago. Eloff and my dad have long since passed away. The company is run by Eloff's son and my siblings and I own a minority interest in it. My sibs all think nothing will come of it. I am not sure they are right.

[Ysabel Kid]

Looking forward to the pictures of the results of its use!

[Paladin]

Please keep us informed of your results and problems. I tried one on the farm between deployments and gave up on it and had a wood mizer come in for the project.

[Wind]

Hey there ya'll -- I've had very good luck with them. Here is the latest effort. You'll have to be logged in to see the pictures. Best regards. Wind

http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/inde ... ic=67132.0

[BigSky56]

AJ, Ive used one to build a cabin and mill rough cut lumber the initial set up of the log takes the most time, if your milling trees that might have been used as fence posts it would pay to run a metal detector over the log first saves chains, time and changing your shorts. another note the right bar oil is important to the type of wood you are cutting as I have found in milling tamarack/larch. danny

[AJMD429]

Hey there ya'll -- I've had very good luck with them. Here is the latest effort. You'll have to be logged in to see the pictures. Best regards. Wind
http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/inde ... ic=67132.0

That was a helpful link/post. Thanks.

I can't wait for my ripping chain to arrive - hopefully before the weekend.

Your assistant. . .

Cleat_-_on_the_job.png

. . . resembles mine!

[Wind]

Hey there AJ -- Glad to help a little. Nothing seems to bother my guy. In the shop you'll find him under some cut-off table. He needs to be where everyone else is. On those occasions where noise may be an issue, he seems to do well with the behind the neck electric enhanced cups. Best regards. Wind (and Cleat)

[HEAD0001]

I used one in the past. And it took alot of elbow grease to operate.I would hate to think I had to use one to build a complete cabin. We use ours in the woods to cut locust posts and such, where hauling the posts out is alot of work. But I can hand split with wedges a locust post faster than using that piece of equipment. But it is great for flattening up sides of posts, and squaring up corner posts if you want them to look better.

We have a local guy with a pull behind(his truck) mill that he brings to the farm. And he cuts for 15 cents a BF. Been a few years since we used him, so his prices may be higher. But it saves an incredible amount of elbow grease. And wastes alot less lumber. We normally load the logs for him with our tractor, then he takes it from there. Those pull behind mills are very handy, but also very tough to use if you do not have a tractor.

We also have a local guy with a circular mill that wil cut the lumber for 15 cents a BF. Just drop the logs off the trailer and pick up the lumber when he has it ready.

I realize there is something to be said for doing it yourself. But it is a ton of hard work, and you really do not save alot of money. Especially after you hit a few nails, and pay for your saw. And you definitely have to value your time at zero. Also that type of cutting is very hard on a chainsaw. Tom.

[AJMD429]

I realize there is something to be said for doing it yourself. But it is a ton of hard work, and you really do not save alot of money. Especially after you hit a few nails, and pay for your saw. And you definitely have to value your time at zero. Also that type of cutting is very hard on a chainsaw. Tom.

There's probably not enough we'll get access to at any one time, to justify paying someone to come out and do it, and without heavy equipment we can't really even pull it out and stack it for one big batch later. Maybe 20 walnut logs 10"-15" in diameter and anywhere from 10 to 20 feet long, scattered among other 'firewood' trees along a hillside, so we'll have to cut it in place. Most of what we have to cut is too heavy to get out of there and lift onto a pickup without hired help, and we don't have a tractor (...used to have a dozer, though... ). Even if we got it to a mill, the ones near us refuse to cut walnut, because the sawdust evidently irritates horses hooves.

A few years back we had the same situation following the downing of a large 150-year old walnut; we just heated our house with it for the next two years (it's really easy to split) until the remainder was too rotten to even use for firewood.

[HEAD0001]

I hope that Walnut comes out nice for you. It really is a great wood to work with. Alot of saw mills around here do not like to cut walnut either. In my area it is mostly found in old fence rows. Because of its natural secreations it kept the old fence lines clearer of brush. And since it is very resistant to decay it also makes a great post to attach fencing to. Tom.

[AJMD429]

Took awhile to get delivery of the ripping chain, since Stihl's are a different pitch than most, and at that pitch, the ripping chains are not 'stock' items.

Anyway, here's the setup. Instead of buying the 'guide rail set' I will just use our 16' ladder.

[cshold]

Very cool
I guess a good metal detector is well advised before cutting