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Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5620368
08/25/16 01:41 AM
08/25/16 01:41 AM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 458
Utah
Hover-Lover Offline OP
trapper
Hover-Lover  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 458
Utah
Hey there Family Trapper, I enjoy your posts … thanks for chiming in.

I'm no authority on the subject but I'm learning a few things as I get more experience. I only have experience with the MS660, but I do know Wranglerstar (Youtube) uses either a 440 or 460 (something like that) and he said its a bit underpowered. He says that, but I've seen him milling some pretty BIG timbers and thats about a 77cc saw. I once read someone's post which said they use a 260 (about 50cc). They said it cuts fine, but its just slow. So if you've got nothing but time, a smaller saw might be ok. I can't speak to lifespan of a small saw, designated entirely to milling but seems it would cut its life in half or so ? (just speculation)

I got the 36" bar and run it on the Granberg Mark III. I did this before I knew anything about milling and was just going off of what I'd read. I have yet to need all of that bar as the biggest thing I've milled has been about 28" fir. I guess its nice to know I could mill bigger timber, but just today I was eyeing a dead, standing monster and my back started to hurt just thinking of having to work that big sucker.

Your logic on keeping the chain sharper, longer seems to make sense to me, but I really don't know. On RPM's I do notice (just today, in fact) when I get down to the narrower, last cuts the RPM does run higher as the saw has less work to do. So it might have some effect running around a larger bar, but I can't HEAR the difference, as compared to when milling smaller slabs and I don't have a tach on my saw, so can't say for sure.

When I'm looking for a candidate for milling, I've been really happy with a straight tree (of course) but a green tree is my preference. We too, have a lot of beetle kill and lots of dead standing timber. This seems to make a tree a good choice due to less drying time. But more often than not, I'm finding a big CHECK, spiraling all the way up the trunk from the drying process. Sometimes it runs pretty deep. I've taken a few of those trees down, only to be dissatisfied with how much waste I lose to that check, running through otherwise nice boards. Also, the mill just cuts smoothly and quickly, through a green tree. Also, there is lots less dust in the air, due to the moisture in the wood.

Concerning beetle kill, I've seen thousands of acres of trees (from the highway and the air) from Utah to Idaho and Wyoming and it just angers me, that common folks with legitimate uses for that timber, aren't allowed access to it, due to some idiot environmentalists in Washington DC. The western US is primed and ready for a Forest Fire season, unlike any other on record. Apparently those people are ok with it burning up, but giving us access to it is out of the question ! ….. but I digress !

I'm sure guys on here have better perspective on these subjects, but that's what I'm thinking so far. Hope you dust off the old Alaskan, and get to mill some.

Last edited by Hover-Lover; 08/25/16 02:01 AM.

Formerly Wyodeputy

Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5620379
08/25/16 02:43 AM
08/25/16 02:43 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,255
Homer, Alaska
Family Trapper Offline
trapper
Family Trapper  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,255
Homer, Alaska
Thanks for the reply.
Hope you share with us the building project you create out of the lumber. Couple three month of drying will create a stable enough board? Looking forward to watching the progress. And nothing like experience to learn new skills!!

Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5620431
08/25/16 07:38 AM
08/25/16 07:38 AM
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,561
Northern MN
Dale Torma Offline
trapper
Dale Torma  Offline
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,561
Northern MN
A pile of logs awaiting my attention.

Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5644755
09/17/16 11:23 PM
09/17/16 11:23 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 458
Utah
Hover-Lover Offline OP
trapper
Hover-Lover  Offline OP
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 458
Utah
Got back to the mountains today, in search of a large log for beams which will become skids for my shed. 6"x12"x15' is what I needed so only a sizable log would do. Found a green one with easy road access which was important because I'm a one man operation and those green beams are HEAVY.





I don't have a mini mill, so I can't mill vertically to take off the sides to make a cant. With the smaller 1x boards, I just take them home, screw a straight edge to them, and use a skill saw to take off the edges, but the cant is too thick for that and too heavy to move. Basically, this means I have to string the log, set nails, run my mill down the slabbing board, roll the log and repeat, three times.



It was tough getting that log to balance on a natural edge, while I nailed some stabilizers to a neighboring log. Rolling the log by myself would of been impossible without a cant hook. Its a lot of work and did I mention, this log is HEAVY?

It was pretty cool watching that cant take shape.



After slabbing off the top piece, I set the mill for 6" depth and began the cut for the first beam.



I made a few passes on the cutoff slabs with the mill set at 2" and was able to get a few usable pieces. After that, loaded up and headed out … I am beat!


Last edited by Hover-Lover; 07/14/17 10:15 PM.

Formerly Wyodeputy

Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5644919
09/18/16 08:32 AM
09/18/16 08:32 AM
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 663
U.P. Michigan
G
garart Offline
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garart  Offline
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 663
U.P. Michigan
Nice job! Lots of hard work there, thanks for posting.

Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5645008
09/18/16 10:12 AM
09/18/16 10:12 AM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,124
McGrath, AK
W
white17 Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
white17  Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,124
McGrath, AK
I notice that dog doesn't contribute much !


Mean As Nails
Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: white17] #5645768
09/19/16 12:22 AM
09/19/16 12:22 AM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 458
Utah
Hover-Lover Offline OP
trapper
Hover-Lover  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 458
Utah
Originally Posted By: white17
I notice that dog doesn't contribute much !


Ha ha, Ken, man did you hit the nail on the head ! She's more concerned with the chipmunks and squirrels than helping me load those green beams !


Formerly Wyodeputy

Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5646883
09/19/16 11:36 PM
09/19/16 11:36 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,124
McGrath, AK
W
white17 Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
white17  Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,124
McGrath, AK
I'll bet !!!


Mean As Nails
Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5647057
09/20/16 09:19 AM
09/20/16 09:19 AM
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,561
Northern MN
Dale Torma Offline
trapper
Dale Torma  Offline
trapper

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,561
Northern MN
I have used a high lift jack and a chain to move logs around. Sometimes I would cut the log a bit long and made a pocket for the nose of the jack to fit into. I would drop the tree on pre-placed skids if I could.
You have to be careful, a high lift jack is an unsteady thing and it has its own hazards. When I was young and poor, a high lift jack and a chain in my truck was my Finlander 4 wheel drive.

Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Dale Torma] #5647796
09/20/16 09:38 PM
09/20/16 09:38 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 458
Utah
Hover-Lover Offline OP
trapper
Hover-Lover  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 458
Utah
Agreed Dale, I too have a high lift but didn't think about cutting a pocket in the ends of a log/beam. High lifts and come-alongs are amazing "mechanical advantage" tools … Thanks for the tip !


Formerly Wyodeputy

Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5647818
09/20/16 09:52 PM
09/20/16 09:52 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,124
McGrath, AK
W
white17 Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
white17  Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
W

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,124
McGrath, AK
I have a trailer that has an axle at the rear. I can back it over a log and work a chain under that far end, Pull down on the "hitch" and it picks the log up off the ground so you can move it anywhere, I've used it on 40+ foot logs. Wish I had pix or could describe it better. Really saves a lot of work.


Mean As Nails
Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5647821
09/20/16 09:54 PM
09/20/16 09:54 PM

H
Haggard
Unregistered
Haggard
Unregistered
H



I wish you had a pic too. Sounds pretty slick.

Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5647861
09/20/16 10:15 PM
09/20/16 10:15 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 458
Utah
Hover-Lover Offline OP
trapper
Hover-Lover  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 458
Utah
Milled a little more today. This bad boy was pretty wide and wedged between two trees. After limbing it, I was able to pull it out with the truck. (Nice Fall colors starting to show in the high country)





Once I got it out, it showed me some rot at the trunk which I couldn't see before. Hoping to find where the rot stopped I took off another 2 feet, but it was still showing rot.


I decided to go ahead with the setup and take off the top slab.



So the rot extended up another foot or so and then some more showed on the right side 10 feet up the trunk. By this time, I was too time committed to abandon the log altogether. I thought it such a shame to pass it up … after all that is a BIG log. So I took several more slabs off and I think I can find some usable but shorter boards in there. I left the rest for another day. Just goes to show, you never know what you're gonna get once you get that first slab off.


Last edited by Hover-Lover; 07/14/17 10:40 PM.

Formerly Wyodeputy

Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: white17] #5647864
09/20/16 10:21 PM
09/20/16 10:21 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 458
Utah
Hover-Lover Offline OP
trapper
Hover-Lover  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 458
Utah
Originally Posted By: white17
I have a trailer that has an axle at the rear. I can back it over a log and work a chain under that far end, Pull down on the "hitch" and it picks the log up off the ground so you can move it anywhere, I've used it on 40+ foot logs. Wish I had pix or could describe it better. Really saves a lot of work.


Yeah, Ken if you turn up a picture, I'd like to see it too. I have a flat bed, double axle trailer but no winch to pull logs onto it.

For this particular project, I wanted to cut all the lumber on my chainsaw mill, just to see if I could make it happen. But in the future, I have a buddy with a woodmizer and he's offered to let me cut some logs on it … I just have to get the logs loaded and to him. So yeah, what you're describing is of interest to me.


Formerly Wyodeputy

Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5651428
09/24/16 06:51 PM
09/24/16 06:51 PM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 8,114
Manitoba
N
Northof50 Offline
trapper
Northof50  Offline
trapper
N

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 8,114
Manitoba
When you hit a nail several teeth will be effected, take these out and replace with new,but grind down to the other sizes.
The saw picks up speed as it runs out of gas and vaporizes the last of the fuel, you can blow a piston fast here.
Try to make a extension to your trailer hitch with rollers and it will support those longer planks, 2 by2 tubular and a old washing machine ringer roller makes life easier.
Thanks for sharing

Last edited by Northof50; 09/24/16 06:51 PM.
Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5651617
09/24/16 10:52 PM
09/24/16 10:52 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,124
McGrath, AK
W
white17 Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
white17  Offline

"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
W

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,124
McGrath, AK
Originally Posted By: Hover-Lover
Originally Posted By: white17
I have a trailer that has an axle at the rear. I can back it over a log and work a chain under that far end, Pull down on the "hitch" and it picks the log up off the ground so you can move it anywhere, I've used it on 40+ foot logs. Wish I had pix or could describe it better. Really saves a lot of work.


Yeah, Ken if you turn up a picture, I'd like to see it too. I have a flat bed, double axle trailer but no winch to pull logs onto it.

For this particular project, I wanted to cut all the lumber on my chainsaw mill, just to see if I could make it happen. But in the future, I have a buddy with a woodmizer and he's offered to let me cut some logs on it … I just have to get the logs loaded and to him. So yeah, what you're describing is of interest to me.



I'll take some pix


Mean As Nails
Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: ] #5652264
09/25/16 07:18 PM
09/25/16 07:18 PM
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 138
Lake Iliamna Ak
watarrat Offline
trapper
watarrat  Offline
trapper

Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 138
Lake Iliamna Ak
Originally Posted By: Wylee
Pretty slick! Man what I'd give for and old frick or belsaw.. I too have the board foot sickness, I hear woodmizer has great programs to alleviate what ails us.
Here's my Belsaw. It's powered by a 45hp Isusu diesel. It sits on a massive amout of concrete and steel that was leftover from the Tazinma Dam project and given to me. very handy item to have in the backyard!

Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5656519
09/29/16 09:52 PM
09/29/16 09:52 PM
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 458
Utah
Hover-Lover Offline OP
trapper
Hover-Lover  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 458
Utah
Once I get the boards home, I establish a straight edge using a piece of channel aluminum and a circular saw. I screw the channel down using it as a guide, then run the saw along the side it to get a clean, straight edge. Then measure over 5.5" or 2.5" (depending on what lumber sizes I need) and repeat the process.




I don't have all the lumber that I need yet, but I'm running outta storage space and need to start using it to free up some room.






Wanted to take off the corners so the skids under the cabin would slide easily. This cabin will be small enough (10' x14') to take with me when I move and I want to make it as easy as possible to winch onto a flat bed trailer. They're not perfect but pretty darn close; dimensions are 6" x 12" x 14'.




I got really lucky on the ground being level on the length of the skids. I laid a level on top and the bubble said "GOOD" for both of them. But the right side skid is about 3" higher than the left so this is gonna require some digging. This isn't the exact spacing I'm gonna use but this gave me an idea of what I'm up against.


Obviously, these are gonna be in constant contact with the ground so I'm wondering what to do (if anything) about treating them for rot resistance. Don't wanna get into some expensive treatment but considered several coats of diesel or used motor oil? Not too crazy about the smell either of those will cause, but would love to hear suggestions if anybody has any. Thanks for looking Trappers !

Last edited by Hover-Lover; 07/15/17 10:59 AM.

Formerly Wyodeputy

Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5656537
09/29/16 10:05 PM
09/29/16 10:05 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 982
Bemidji, MN
J
Jacks Offline
trapper
Jacks  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 982
Bemidji, MN
I would get some uhmw. And line the bottom. Would help get them off the ground, and help them slide

Re: Alaskan Sawmilling [Re: Hover-Lover] #5656630
09/29/16 11:51 PM
09/29/16 11:51 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,017
Alberta
B
Bushman Offline
trapper
Bushman  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,017
Alberta
uhmw would be nice but expensive. heavier gauge metal roof flashing screwed to the bottom is cheap and slides pretty good as well. Or just buy the sealant used for the cut ends of pressure treated lumber decking

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