Author Topic: chain saw mills, (Read 17430 times)

drobertson · « **on:** February 02, 2018, 04:31:31 PM »

I just ran across the norwood chain saw mill thing-a-ma-bob, looked pretty cool, pricey, but pretty slick at first glance.

furu · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2018, 06:08:42 PM »

Thought about those occasionally but decided with the band mill what would be the real use. Maybe for splitting a log too big to get on the mill into quarters?

drobertson · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2018, 06:49:27 PM »

After having a 40 super I can understand your question, why or what would be the use,? I don't know, just thought it would be cool to be able to saw some boards out of some dead or dying trees for misc.. uses, After looking at the one norwood sells for 1k, I kinda figure it would not be that hard to cobble something similar together. Fact is, spring is getting ever closer and I'm missing having my saw,

4x4American · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2018, 07:02:57 PM »

I think it’d be cool for a guy who has alot of free time and likes to tinker with wood. Maybe use it to saw out some barn boards or just some project wood. I have a friend who’d get some good use outta one of those. Matter of fact he was thinking of buying it about a year ago, and I wish he did so I did ‘t have to keep cutting him 3-4boards at a time

drobertson · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2018, 02:09:13 PM »

I was mainly thinking about some live edge slabs as well as a few three sided beam/logs, finding 1" around here would be an easy task, not worth its weight with the chainsaw gizmo,

furu · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2018, 02:24:13 PM »

I have a co-worker who got one then he had to get a bigger saw as it takes a good size saw to do it with. He really enjoys the process but it is a lot of work. Hey it is less expensive than even the lowest end band saw mill and if you are not in need of speed and don't have the alternative it is a good way to saw out some lumber albeit slowly. Also more portable. If you have to get a new saw because yours is not big enough then the cost goes up by a bit.

drobertson · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2018, 04:54:17 PM »

No doubt a saw would be a bite, the only two I have might work,? 310 and 362 stihl, i've done a bunch of rip sawing with both for chicken bedding out of SYP, they seem to get right on through the logs. I just happened across the ad for this thing and it caught my eye, I thought it to be a decently good idea, that can be made in a garage. Who knows I may just get a hair brain idea and get something down on paper.

furu · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2018, 05:11:00 PM »

Quote from: drobertson on February 03, 2018, 04:54:17 PM

No doubt a saw would be a bite, the only two I have might work,? 310 and 362 stihl, i've done a bunch of rip sawing with both for chicken bedding out of SYP, they seem to get right on through the logs. I just happened across the ad for this thing and it caught my eye, I thought it to be a decently good idea, that can be made in a garage. Who knows I may just get a hair brain idea and get something down on paper.

How is that going to work with your limitation that hopefully got repaired from the surgery. Be careful not to undo the thing that made you sell your mill. I am sure you have thought about that however

drobertson · « **Reply #8 on:** February 03, 2018, 07:14:27 PM »

Well undo-ing is not a good thing to do, for sure, and as I mentioned, it was a thought, I have them all the time, thinking about sawing. The main point of concern, according to the doctor is lifting much over 30lbs, with an emphasis on repetitive bending and twisting. To be quite honest, my freaking right knee is hurting to the point that bout anything is out of the question. So undoing the back is not likely to happen in the near future. But I know if I had one of these CSM gizmo's I'd be very likely to roll up and give it a go, it would have to be the heck out of hand hewing, right?

starmac · « **Reply #9 on:** February 03, 2018, 10:34:58 PM »

I have never even been around a chainsaw mill in use, but my saw shop is a husky dealer and they have one on the showroom floor that looks pretty neat. I think it is actually built by husky as it is the right color. lol

The thing looks simple enough to build one, if a guy wanted to, and it even has a hand throttle with a cable running to the saw, the handles you push on are up well enough a guy wouldn't have to be bent over, is what caught my eye to start with.

drobertson · « **Reply #10 on:** February 04, 2018, 07:59:06 AM »

I know, a handle off an old push mower that has the pivoting rod/bar for the kill switch could be used for the throttle, as far as that goes an old mower deck could be used for the base with some rollers added on in the relative positions to fit what ever railing that's used. For the log bed decking, a number of ideas come to mind, from a simple base made from timbers to one that's made from steel, really ones imagination is the only limit to what could be done to make some timbers,

A.O. · « **Reply #11 on:** February 05, 2018, 03:52:52 PM »

Drobertson.. You are in trouble! You sound like me when I started this whole bandsawmill thing. I see one of those in your future!!

drobertson · « **Reply #12 on:** February 05, 2018, 08:13:52 PM »

I dream a lot, but I can see this happening pretty cheaply,

A.O. · « **Reply #13 on:** February 06, 2018, 07:53:42 AM »

Not sure if you are interested but I just saw this on craigslist..

https://winstonsalem.craigslist.org/tls/d/alaskan-sawmill/6473934718.html

drobertson · « **Reply #14 on:** February 06, 2018, 08:51:46 AM »

yea, that fellow did it,, that's getting close to what I'm thinking,,kinda looks like who ever fell that walnut split it when it fell.

Savannahdan · « **Reply #15 on:** March 11, 2018, 07:22:08 AM »

I read through this guys build last night. http://www.tjswoodshop.com/building_a_portable_chainsaw_mill
One of the interesting things I read was using water to help cut through the log. drobertson, hope you're taking care of my old homestate - Missouri.

starmac · « **Reply #16 on:** March 11, 2018, 08:34:33 PM »

To tell the truth, I think a guy can do as much or even more with a CSM setup, there is just more time and labor involved than with other mills.

I have a friend that built a CSM years ago and built what they call their cabin. That cabin is ober 3,000 sq feet, but it is fly, snowmachine, or sometimes boat in only.

After he got most of it built he did get a circle saw rig and pulled it and a big planer moulder setup up there with a dozer on the river, but the majority of he house was cut up with a homeade CSM. At some point several years ago, the river flooded his mill and planer setup, and from what I understand it is pretty much junk, he bought a lT40 a couple of years ago, but hasn't taken it up river yet.

Stevem · « **Reply #17 on:** March 12, 2018, 12:11:29 AM »

Check out the banner ad "pantherpros" at the top of this page.

Chain saw mills are brutal. I think they are really a young guys game (and I don't qualify on that account). You always want to cut a bigger log which takes a bigger chainsaw (or two even).

starmac · « **Reply #18 on:** March 12, 2018, 04:51:05 PM »

I will agree 100% that they are a young mans mill if wanting much for production. And if needing much production at all, there are better options, unless you are having to backpack a mill in or fly in with a bush plane of something. lol

But they are a way to make some sawdust, at a pretty minimal cost if one already has a saw. And a guy could do some specialty wide slabs that can't be done with a band mill. I would not mind having one set up for the occasional wide slab, myself.

starmac · « **Reply #19 on:** March 13, 2018, 01:10:03 PM »

I need to do a little investigating. I have in mind to build some cabin kits, and my thought is to have some 24 foot beams for runners under them. I know 24 foot beams can be cut on my mill, but it is a process, that may be better accomplished with a CSM if I could rig one up to be cost effective.

Savannahdan · « **Reply #20 on:** March 17, 2018, 01:20:03 PM »

I watched a video of a fellow cutting long beams and boards with a csm. Also watched one where the guy made his own csm rig out of wood and used wood blocks in different sizes for how thick he wanted to cut a board. He looked like he was using a Stihl 090. I'm getting ready to rig up the Granberg and 3120xp with a 30" bar. When I first got the mill I cut Sweet Gum boards right at 1" and that has proven to be too thin. I only get a 1/2" board when I plane them down for woodworking projects and even then I've had to cut the boards in half due to cupping. But, the boards look outstanding and I get plenty of use out of them.

starmac · « **Reply #21 on:** March 18, 2018, 01:11:46 AM »

No experience myself, but from all my reading on the subject, sweetgum is known for it's twisting, cupping and about any direction it can move. lol
I wish we had more tree species here to cut.

drobertson · « **Reply #22 on:** March 23, 2018, 07:21:06 AM »

Quote from: Savannahdan on March 11, 2018, 07:22:08 AM

I read through this guys build last night. http://www.tjswoodshop.com/building_a_portable_chainsaw_mill
One of the interesting things I read was using water to help cut through the log. drobertson, hope you're taking care of my old homestate - Missouri.

Savannahdan, this is a good link! thanks for sharing this one, and all is well here in the Ozarks, roller coaster ride as usual with the weather, probably not much different than any where else, gotta love the seasons,

starmac · « **Reply #23 on:** March 24, 2018, 06:16:16 PM »

This thread reminds me of a guy that had a mechanics shop next to my shop. Not long after I got my mill I had it parked here and he came over and ask what that was sitting out there. Well when I told him a sawmill, he wanted to look at it, I wound up setting it up and sawing a log so he could see how it worked.

Well he went out and cut some small logs and cut them up on his table saw, stickered the boards in his well house that was heated and later made a couple of nice looking coffee tables. It gave a new meaning to the old saying, where there is a will there is a way. lol

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Author Topic: chain saw mills, (Read 17430 times)