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Chainsaw mill startup recommendation

Started by llb022, January 04, 2019, 09:57:34 AM

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Don P

If built from green slabs within a few months the ends will be pretty severely checked, there will probably be a healthy split down the middle of the seat and back and it will be twisted to where the legs don't all sit flat. I'm not sure what I'm seeing down the middle of the seat now, it may be where the builder bandsawed down the center check and spaced it making it a feature rather than a flaw. All depending on the customers expectations this might not be a good thing, or they might call it character and be fine with it. As long as they are educated and on board with what can happen then all is fine. Where you can cause ill will is letting them think that what they see in the green is what it will look like when dry. It is disreputable to sell green material to someone who doesn't understand wood and know what it does as it dries. As long as someone knows going in then all is fine.

Southside

Just to add onto what Don is saying and clarify what I was saying, you can air dry your wood  and use it for such a project provided you end seal your logs when necessary (ie hardwood) to reduce the checking and use a proper exterior finish of some kind to protect the wood, and inform the customer of what they are buying.
 
For example a properly done cedar or white oak bench like that would last a long time. 
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
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Weekend_Sawyer

Wow, Thanks for the honorable mention!

That thread shows how much I learned from our members in a short time.
I would not recommend a chainsaw under 90cc.
beyond that I say go for it. It's wonderful exercise, you will get some great wood and it will install the sawmilling bug deep into your brain where making sawdust will become your greatest passion.

It's a great day when you have sawdust in your pockets.

Jon
Imagine, Me a Tree Farmer.
Jon, Appalachian American Wannabe.

terrifictimbersllc

Quote from: Weekend_Sawyer on January 07, 2019, 02:55:57 PMIt's wonderful exercise, you will get some great wood and it will install the sawmilling bug deep into your brain where making sawdust will become your greatest passion.
And when that bug reproduces and the little ones tunnel back out of your head, you will realize you can't keep doing it with a chainsaw, and you will then be looking for a bandsaw. :)
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

egmiii

It's good to see there is another software developer into weekend chainsaw milling. I have milled about a dozen hardwood logs in the 15-20" by 9' range over the last year with a Stihl 661 and Granberg 30" mill. I'm relatively young, fit, and enjoy hard work, but after 1 log I'm totally cooked. I'll continue to do it until my woodworking lumber demands make a bandsaw economically viable, and I hope that day comes much sooner than later.

Pushing the saw through the log really isn't the worst part, in fact I enjoy it. It's bringing all the gear to the log, rolling it into position, leveling the rails 3 times to make a cant, refueling, taking safety gear on an off, taking the mill off to sharpen the chain every other slab, making a flat spot to air dry, cutting stickers, moving the slabs to the drying area, applying three coats of latex paint to the ends, moving the gear back to the garage, cleaning the saw, and finally cleaning the sawdust out of my clothes and hair so I'm allowed back in the house. The whole process is very time consuming and if the slabs aren't perfect as the log opens up, it's very demoralizing.

All that being said, I'd repeat the experience in a heartbeat. I've learned a ton from cutting and drying just a few logs. In retrospect, if I had bought a bandsaw mill day 1, it likely would have been the wrong machine for my needs and would have cost much more to replace than my chainsaw mill. 

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