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Double saw milling bar

Started by Kfreeman, April 23, 2017, 08:53:29 PM

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Kfreeman

I have just purchased a home made CSM with track and carriage capable of 38" dia and 18 ft long . Looking to use 2 saws on a 54" bar. Any comments or experiences that would be useful

VictorH

Welcome to the Forum!!  Read up on how to load pics and post some.  That will be the easiest way to give advice once we know what you are working with.

Victor

TKehl

Welcome to the forum!

Will you have two people running it?  (One on each saw.)

This is the only setup I've personally seen with two saws on a double ended bar run by one person.  Seems to work reasonably well. 

https://youtu.be/4nR8wdy58CM
https://youtu.be/dRa8P0qcOK0
In the long run, you make your own luck – good, bad, or indifferent. Loretta Lynn

Kfreeman

Plan to have a 2 man operation (on each end ). Will post pics when available. Looking to saw larger White Pine 24" and up to 36" into wide boards and plank.

TKehl

No offense, but that's not all that large and I believe you would quickly be money ahead buying a manual bandmill.  Cuts quicker.  Only needs one person.  If two people, one runs saw, the other offbears. 

Take a look at an EZ boardwalk 40 mill.  I think they hit a 36" wide cut width (will handle 40" rolled a few times) and could be had for around $8k new.

Do you already have both saws for the chainsaw mill?  Powerheads this size aren't expensive, but not cheap either.
In the long run, you make your own luck – good, bad, or indifferent. Loretta Lynn

Kfreeman

I am on a limited budget of less than 3K and not really keen on bandsaw mills as blades and other grinding equipment have no other use. Have a limited number of trees on my 100 acre lot that I am trying to utilize without selling them as logs. Trying to set everything up in the woods.

kjudd

You will probably be just fine with a single power head in the pine. I have milled 24ish inch spruce and pine with my ms461. I know have a ms660 to mill with. I have milled some 18in gray birch and 20in cherry and was reasonably quick until the chain dulls. I file the chain everytime I fuel up. But you would probably be just fine with single stihl ms880 or husky 3120 or even a ms660 or husky equivalent.

JRWoodchuck

the samurai carpenter on youtube has done a couple side by side comparisons with his. You can watch the videos to get an idea. He has two 660 in one video and a 3120 in the other.
Home built bandsaw mill still trying find the owners manual!

Don P

You can do it with a single powerhead but a double sounds like fun.

Kfreeman

Thanks for all the info and forwards . I am posting this pic of a smaller mill that was built by the same guy to give you an idea what it looks like . This one is smaller than the one he made for me 

 

Don P

Before we got the Lucas planer head I was thinking about making something like that with an old repurposed planer head in the frame for dressing timbers after they dry.

kjudd

Quote from: Kfreeman on April 25, 2017, 09:30:40 AM
Thanks for all the info and forwards . I am posting this pic of a smaller mill that was built by the same guy to give you an idea what it looks like . This one is smaller than the one he made for me 

 

How well does that mill work? I'm looking at building a Procut mill. That's roughly the same idea. But I'm considering doing it in stages. Build like what you have and then next summer or later this year as money allows build the trailer part.

Kfreeman

I am not quite ready to saw with mine yet as I am in the process of getting saw(s) and bar and chain. Looking at a Cannon bar, single or double ended, and my main saw is a Stihl 261 .  So far I,ve spent 1700 plus 75 in fuel costs to pick it up. The guy that builds these is making modifications on each one that he builds as he is using them and sees improvements.

kjudd

I see now.  You could always get a double ended bar and get the Granberg helper handle so you can start off with one power head then move to 2 if you see fit. https://granberg.com/product/g975-helper-handle-with-roller/

catalina

Your main saw, the 261- Is that what you are going to mill with? I'm not saying it because it won't or that it can't but with my own personal experience with a 028 you will work that saw to death. That is a great saw but you will quickly take the life outta it if you mill with it much at all by itself so if you can do the double head with an extra unit that will help immensely.   

Ron Wenrich

Kfreeman

I'm putting one together that is about the same size as you have.  It'll cut 18" wide cut and I have it set up for 3-10' logs.  Easily made into something longer.  I'm only using it as a hobby mill for personal use and I won't be cutting big stuff.  I built my frame out of wood, since I don't weld.  The track is lagged down.  I still need to put some dogs on, and look to be using a Stihl Farm Boss.  Investment of about $500 counting new bar and chain.



This outfit makes similar mills up to a 72" cut.  He also says guys are using a 4 stroke engine on the bigger mills, with good results. 
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

TKehl

If your budget is 3k, and you've spent $1700, are you planning on a second 261 and bar to keep under budget?  ??? 

If looking for dual purpose, the 880s are a lot of saw to lug around from what I hear.  My biggest is a 066.  I don't like to run it long.  Wears me out.  A 461 may be just right.

I've heard good things about the Cannon bars.  That's what I have in mind when/if I get enough large logs (over 4') lined up to justify the bar, second powerhead, and Alaskan mill.
In the long run, you make your own luck – good, bad, or indifferent. Loretta Lynn

TKehl

Quote from: Ron Wenrich on April 25, 2017, 11:48:15 AM
He also says guys are using a 4 stroke engine on the bigger mills, with good results.

Liking that idea!  A used riding lawnmower vertical shaft engine would be pretty cheap and have more power.  Perhaps mount to top of frame with belt to a vertical jackshaft that would run the chain.  Then figure out chain tension...

The main advantage of chainsaw power is extreme portability.  That's already been given up with the frame.  A bit more weight wouldn't hurt anything and the power would help a ton.
In the long run, you make your own luck – good, bad, or indifferent. Loretta Lynn

Kfreeman

I was already thinking about the lawn mower engine and trying to connect with a jackshaft. I was thinking something around 20 HP. There is a 26 hp Briggs & Stratton available here for 500. Does anyone know what the  chain speed should be ? I know it is in relation to the depth of the cut . I am familiar with circular saws that run at 10 to 13 k sfpm

Don P

Good question, I'll try to figure out what the Lukas slabber is running at unless somebody knows. The engine is a 20 horse Briggs Vanguard running a triple belt to the gearbox. It is running considerably slower than the CSM.

TKehl

In the long run, you make your own luck – good, bad, or indifferent. Loretta Lynn

Kfreeman

Electric is not an option as we are pretty isolated here in Nova Scotia

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