Smallest logs on chainsaw mill

[Geotech]

I just ordered a Stihl MS 661 with 36 inch bar and deciding between building or buying an Alaskan style mill.  

My property has mostly post oak with 20 inch or less diameter. Frankly a lot of 12 inch or less.  I feel like the 36 inch bar may be a bit unwieldy, but I want the ability to to occasional bigger stuff.  I work with property developers so the opportunities will be there. 

So, what are your thoughts, and are there any technique considerations that are different for small logs vs larger logs?  I may bet the Granberg mini mill.  But one thing at a time. 

Thanks in advance for you feedback.

[JoshNZ]

Don't know why you haven't got any responses to this. Sounds like an ideal setup with a 42" granberg frame or a similar sized build of your own.

Get a ripping chain for it too!

It's only unwieldy to pickup off the ground and carry around once it's in a cut they're pretty nicely balanced regardless of log size

[offrink]

I find that the smallest log we do is about half of the cutting length of your bar. So with 36" you lose about 5" for the mill which would be about 31". I would make my smallest cut logs about 14-16". After that the setup gets tippy. Then again I only have experience with a 59" and 72" bar on an 880. We only go down to 35" now that we have a lt-15 wide. CSM are just to slow and waste to much compared to a bandsaw. 

[Geotech]

Offrink, what about the mill size?  Say if I get a 24 or 28 inch bar to cut smaller logs; would it be better to get a smaller mill to pair with it?

[pwrwagontom]

I've been using a 24" bar to cut smaller/moderate sized logs.
As said before, you loose about 4" off the bat.  Haven't had any issues.

I would say that its worth it; chainsaw milling is hard, dirty, hot work.  After a few hours in the sun, having less bar to keep track of while you're working may not be a bad thing.

I know you didn't ask, but I always say use winter grade bar oil when you're using it.

[Geotech]

Thanks for the bar oil advice Tom.  So I finished building my mill.  It's a heavy, ugly beast.  I'm proud of it though.  First welding project.  I plan to upgrade to the Logosol F2 if I like this milling thing.  A bandsaw mill is a possibility, but I'd need it to be portable, so its farther in the future since I think I'd be in for at least $6500 for a trailer mounted mill like the EZ Boardwalk.


 Here is a pic of my mill:

 

As an aside...I freehand cuts some cookies of post oak to test run the MS661 (freaking awesome saw - love it!).  Next day I took them out of my truck and tossed them on the driveway.  A bunch of TERMITES spread out.  I freaked out and grabbed a can of gas and doused everything.  I hope I didn't infest my house with termites...

[Don P]

You probably didn't if they were the typical subterranean termite. They didn't have an established path back to damp ground, they are already dead.

@Zambian Timber might want to see your rig. I like it, a sprocket tip cover/guard would not be a bad idea.

[Geotech]

Thank you, Don.  I don't think I'll ever have someone on the other side of the mill, but will add a sprocket cover if I ever do. One question I have is about bar clamp location.  There are rivets on my bar that are not within the sprocket radius.  As you can see from my pic, I have quite a bit of bar hanging out past the far clamp (where a guard would be a good idea).  Can I clamp on the bar where the rivets exist if I am not over the sprocket?  That would allow me to gain an extra couple inches of cutting width.  Details seem to be in the devil on all these things.  

I still need to break the saw in before I mill with it.  Need to come up with things to cut.....I don't need fire wood, but may cut up a cord just to break the saw in.  I suppose I could split one cord by hand since I'd have no need for a wood splitter otherwise.  I wonder if I could sell a cord of un-split wood?

[Don P]

My partner is the one with the Alaskan so I don't have it here to look at but it shouldn't be a problem over the rivets, probably peck a divot in the clamp with a drill bit so you are clamping on the bar and not on the rivet.

[lxskllr]

You might want an auxiliary oiler when you're using the full 36". I use canola for my auxiliary oil, and also in the saw during cool weather. Also, check your saw oiler. It has a pin that needs to be punched in(one time operation) to get full adjustment. Turn the oiler all the way up.

[mike_belben]

So, what are your thoughts, and are there any technique considerations that are different for small logs vs larger logs?  I may bet the Granberg mini mill.  But one thing at a time.

Thanks in advance for you feedback.

I sell most good sawlogs, and saw for myself whats good but too small to bother hauling to the mill.  So a lot of 9-13 inch or so.  Bigger pieces too but theyre usually bucked off chunks less than 7ft long.  I made an alaskan and it was only really good for big logs.  Having to square 4 sides on a small log took forever, drank fuel and oil, was very hard work and produced so little.  I couldnt continue.



So i made a simple track frame from street sign posts and junk. Its easily carried though i never move it.  The 3 point saw carriage just plops ontop, it doesnt even have bearings in the slot rollers.  Sometimes it just skids and still works good.  395XP with 24" bar.  








Finish is pretty good if bar and chain are tip top.









The backstop and clamps is where the time savings comes from.  Every time you roll the log its 90* from the last face automatically.  I dont even shut the saw off between turns.   I can slab 4 sides heavy on an 8" log and have a good post pretty quick.  Alaskan takes me 10 mins of fumbling with T square per side and it never fails that ill mess up and taper cut a board.  And i had to have a winch on the alaskan, very hard to push.  This walks easy for some reason.



I cut 20 pcs of dimensional lumber today. 2x4s, 1.5x5s, 3x8s etc. Its pitiful compared to a bandsaw but about 3x more than i coulda done in a day with an alaskan.  I will only dig that out for big live edge slabs at this point. You cant really get 2x4s outta one anyhow.



If you can build a track frame, do it!   Drilling through a hardened bar was the biggest challenge but no big deal with a drillpress and carbide drills.  No matter what you choose, run a lot of oil on your sprocket end and a rich 2 stroke mix.  50:1 will kill your saw quick!   Im about 30:1 now.  Tremendous amount of heat when milling.  I dont bother with ripping chain anymore.  30* cutter works just as well for me as long as its razor sharp and equal left to right.

[Geotech]

That's really nice, Mike!  I have contemplated a Procut build, but its a lot of steel and steel isn't cheap. I think I could get a Logosol F2, ready to go, for the same cost of just materials to build the Procut.  

What is your frame made out of that makes it light enough to carry - is that angle?  Looks like you have weight plates on one side to counterbalance the saw head weight.  What is the round plate on the left side?  

I'm afraid my welding skills my just burn holes through anything thinner than 1/8" still.  It looks like your bar is only attached at the motor end and open on the other side, but the carriage runs on both sides of the track...That is an interesting way to make it easily adjustable.  I suspect a bar longer than 20 inches may sag?  I don't need a bar longer than that for 90 percent of what I'd be doing.

[miro]

Most of my milling was on logs  that i dropped .So mostly 12 to 16 in diameter. It was for my own use. Mainly black cherry, walnut and maple, but once in a while white pine. I have a Granberg , on a (now old)  Homelite XL76 with a 24 in bar.
I got pretty good at keeping that chain sharp, sharp, sharp.
I could pick the mill up with one arm, it's so light.
I milled some small ( 6 - 8 in) basswood and poplar, for woodcarvers - never used that in my furniture.
I used a very flat stable construction grade spruce 2x8 as my reference cut and then simply cut to thickness after that - always had a live edge on the boards.

Note that I use the past tense - I don't use it any more - still have way too much of that lovely hardwood  wood laying stacked, stickered and in a shelter. I'm thinking of giving the stuff away soon - I realize I will never get to use it.

Small logs down to 6-8  in have to have some strong reason to be milled - eg curly or birdseye  maple, curly walnut.