Chainsaw mill question

[Madman_Mark]

Im about to buy a 30 inch Alaskan chainsaw mill from a local dealer. He's not able to get the "slabbing brackets" that I've seen advertised on other websites which is used to set up with 2x4's to make the first level cut. My question is will I be able to get my first cut nice and level using another method without the slabbing brackets ? thanks

[Kevin]

In a word yes.
What ever you use must be straight.
You can make it like I did or buy it, some use a ladder.
Use shims at all the low spots.

[Madman_Mark]

How is that attached to the log ? Also does that work just as good as a ladder or slabbing brackets ?

[RPF2509]

I've always used an aluminum ladder with plumber's tape (metal strip with holes) around the rungs and nailed to the tree to keep things firm.  Wedges will level everything and keep the ladder from rocking from side to side. Sight down the ladder to make sure everything is straight.   I'm working on a project now and will try to take some pictures.  Be prepared to watch how the saw tracks for the first cut as all subsequent cuts depend on the first.  At 30" you shouldn't have trouble with the mill frame twisting which can happpen when cutting wider. 

[Kevin]

It's screwed to the log with deck screws.

[Brucer]

I used a 2x12 (1-1/2 x 11-1/4), 10' long, with a length of 2" x 3/16" angle iron screwed to the bottom on each side. The screws were countersunk into the angle.

I made up 2x blocks of various heights. I would lag screw one of these on each end of the log, with the bottom just above my opening cut. The 2x12 would sit on top of these blocks (angle iron down).

For longer logs I'd stretch a string line between the blocks, about 3/4" in from the edge. Every 4 feet I would sink a 3/8" lag screw, just inside the stringline and screw it down until it was level. with the end blocks. Once I had everything leveled up, I'd remove the stringlline and place the 2x12 on top of the starting block and resting on 2 pairs of vertical lag screws.

The 2x12 would stick out about 18" at the starting end so I could feed the mill straight into the end of the log without trying do do a balancing act. On the long logs, I saw until the mill was almost two the last pair of lag screws. Then I'd slide the 2x12 along to the next 2 pair of lag screws.

One of the secrets of accurate sawing (and very smooth cuts) is to insert kerf wedges into the cut behind the mill -- about one pair every 4 feet. I made these out of maple, about 1/32" thicker than the saw kerf. They were tapered over about 1/3 of their length so they were easy to push in.

As I recall, I had about 4 different heights of end-blocks --  6", 8", 10", and 12" high. They were predrilled with a bunch of 3/8" holes so I could lag screw them to the end of about any size log. I also had many different lengths of lag screws for the vertical leveling screws (you really do not want to have one poking down below your cut line >:().

I also made a special lag screw driver. It was basically a 9/16" socket brazed to a piece of square shafting that would clamp into the chuck on a brace. This made it really easy to drive the various lag screws.

All my various blocks, wedges, etc. were painted "Fire Red" so's I could find them when they fell into the sawdust.

This system made it really easy to get two square faces. Once one face was cut, the end blocks could be squared up to the opening face with a framing square.

One final trick. I cut myself an 8 to 10" thick round of log, about 16" in diameter. I'd cut a crude notch across one face with the chainsaw and then set it on top of the guide handle to counterbalance the sawhead. The notch straddled the handle. This made for a much smoother cut as I wasn't having to keep pressing down on the outboard end of the handle.

Ah yes, the "good" old days BWM (before Wood-Mizer).