Okay, this is coming together fast

[oldsaw]

Harbor Freight has 36" Alaskan for $135 delivered.  Ordered an oiler and chain from Fosters to get started.  If the weather holds, I can be making sawdust in a couple of weeks...even if it just comes close to holding.  We got just shy of 4" of rain the end of this past week.

Now to kill off the "honey-do" list, so she has no excuses.

Thanks guys for all the help.  I'm sure this is only the beginning of an endless stream of questions, and repeated use of the "authorized cussword"...DanG...

I feel like a DanG kid at Christmas.  See, it's started already.

[Paul_H]

Oldsaw,
I think you will be happy with the mill,it's a great way to get into milling!

I hope that when you start sawing you will post some DanG pictures ;)

[oldsaw]

I have to recover from all of this crap first.  Then, sure...

Hey, an Alaskan should work pretty well for me.  It will get me out of my current jam to be sure.

[pasbuild]

I'll trade you your 4" of rain for our 12" of wet heavy snow we got yesterday  

[Kevin]

Get some of those cheap dust masks . --Photos MUST be in the Forestry Forum gallery!!!!!--.com/photo/13012199/14138484YHJZryGlYK

[redpowerd]

i thought about edgin with one of them 'beam machines'
do you keep it on a smaller saw?
bet it goes pretty quick with a small bar.

[PatrickG]

Harbor Freight has 36" Alaskan for $135 delivered.  

I just checked HarborFreight and got...

 items returned  ALASKAN® 36  32376-0VGA  Alaskan
   ALASKAN® 36'' LUMBER MILL
$149.99

Still probably a good deal but how did you get your price?

   Pat  

[oldsaw]

When you locate the Alaskan, put one in your basket and proceed to checkout.  Delete it, then click on the "Order from Printed Catalog".  Enter 32376-3VGA and you will get the sale price of $129 with a $5 "handling" fee.

Nick the Grinder is also on sale on line.  I called my local store and they told me if I printed off the page and brought it in, they would honor the price.  Reg $129, Sale $64.  I saw that AFTER I ordered the Alaskan, and since I drive within 1/4 mile of the store every day, I figured I would just get one on Monday and save the "handling" fee.

[PatrickG]

OLDSAW, Thanks any.  Dnag it!  All I got was an error message.  Oh well.

Am I mising something? Is this the same item as offered direct for several hundred dollars more?  If so it is still probably a good deal unless my inexperience allowed me to miss something important.

   PaT  

[Kevin]

do you keep it on a smaller saw?

I usually mill with the Stihl 066 on the Alaskan and attach the mini mill to the Husqvarna 262, that way I'm always milling instead of fiddling.

[oldsaw]

Yeah, its a 36" Alaskan, and yes, it is the same thing that most will get $180-$200 for.

Try it again.  This time, if you get an error message, just back arrow to where you were and return to the checkout page.  The error happened to me and when I clicked on the order from print button, there it was, $129, big as life.  Hey, $20 is $20.  You have to hit an "add to order" button and you are on your way.  But $149 is better than I've seen anywhere else, like I said, that's a ripping chain right there.

[PatrickG]

Thanks OLDSAW, I was able to run the gauntlet and have the Alaskan 36 inch chainsaw mill on order for a grand total of $135.94 which is likely not what they intend as the number I entered to order it (that you graciously supplied) comes back "not valid" in their search engine.  
One of my previous bouts of education was a masters in software engineering and luckily I'm not seduced by the dark side because most software systems cosider security next after last.

Now to figure out the best deal on a saw.  I know the $1000 Husky would be great but perhaps for my needs too much $.  I'm wondering just how much I would be negatively impacted by having a smaller, less powerful, but cheaper saw?  Husky has a goooood warranty so maybe  the smaller saw with a good warranty would be a good gamble if I dodn't age too much while tryinlg to make sopme boards.  I really don't intend to be a sawyer for hire.

Oh by the way... Yesterday I repaired a guys Canadian made band mill.  It is a Woodcraft 24-16 with a 20 HP Kohler gas twin.  It has hydraulic raise and lower and hydraulic travel and return and is built as a trailer.  It has been left siting in a field and corroded up the electrical connections so badly it quit last week while sawing up the fifth eastern red cedar we were puttig through it. First time it had been run in 16 months and we had to junp it as the battery was not only discharged but won't take a charge.

 When I tried to pull some wiring apart at a connector to clean the connections I, in fact, did pull the wiring apart.  All the wires came out of the conector.  That plus the Craftsman ignition switch with connector on the back is really corroded and should be replaced.  Anyway I rewired it enough to get it running and whacked off a couple slabs of cedar.  Dead simple to operate. A guy could get spoiled real easy!  Now back to reality...

Any suggestions or comments regarding the minimum saw and desired saw for an Alaskan chainsaw mill?

And thanks again for the help with Harbor Freight.

 :P  Pat    :P

[sandmar]

Not trying to rain on anyones parade,but,I ordered one of those Alaskans from Harbor Freight early this year. They were out of stock and kept telling me they would ship in 2 weeks. after being told this 4 times, I canceled my order. I hope you all have better luck because it would be a good buy.

Sandmar

[woodbeard]

Any suggestions or comments regarding the minimum saw and desired saw for an Alaskan chainsaw mill?  

What size log and what kinds of wood do you think you will be milling?

[PatrickG]

WoodBeard, thanks for being gentle, I realize I asked how long is a roll of string and how high is up.  Pecan, hickory, walnut, red oak, pin oak... if I am lucky.  I have been cutting up some eastern red cedar (AKA Juniper) on a band mill. Had to cut off the butt as too big to fit in Woodmaster 24-16 band mill.  Most logs will be under 24 inches in diameter at the but end, especially if I trim the "bumps" off where the tree swells with growth where large limbs are attached.  I try to use them up to where you just can't squeeze a useable board out.

   Pat  

[oldsaw]

Called on Monday.  And I'm not the luckiest guy in the world either.

[woodbeard]

Patrick, those are some pretty hard woods. The minimum size motor I would want for that size and wood would be 90cc.
Husky 385 might be ok. 395/394 would be better. , Stihl 066 ( MS660 these days? ) Dolmar 9010 is another good one and probably more reasonably priced. Solo 694 is the same saw. Jonsered 2095. I list these assuming you are looking for a new saw w/warranty. Otherwise, Husky 288, 2100, Stihl 056super, 075, 076, Jonsered 920 ( 930? ) as well as others.

So how long IS a roll of string? ???

[PatrickG]

So how long IS a roll of string? ???

Depends.  English vs metric, old standard vs new standard and on and on but for most q34tical purpo492u87 you can con30&^% that A Ro77 of str%#$ is about $76 ft or so.


   Pat