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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 30 Sep 2020 11:05am
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Didn't want to hack the other thread going about firewood so i figured i'd start a separate one. Two questions.
1. Standing live trees. Need to take a couple down to clear camper site. Do i chop them into managable logs 6-8' and let them dry for X time before i use them for firewood or do i cut them to firewood length right away and then let them season before splitting?
2. Chainsaw mill. I've always wanted to make some lumber out of logs so i'm eyeing up a few different chainsaw mills. If i have some logs as noted above, do i saw the lumber up green and then let them dry out? Or do i let the log dry for X amount of time and then cut my post/boards?
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 30 Sep 2020 11:14am
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Cut and split if you want them to dry, then stack and cover. As far as the chainsaw mill tell us about your chainsaw.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 30 Sep 2020 11:18am
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Firewood you cut to stove length now will be ready to burn next year. If you have freezing weather green wood splits nicely whenfrozen.
Chain saw mills work good with large engine saws
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KelVarnsen
Member
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# Posted: 30 Sep 2020 11:49am
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Quoting: WILL1E Chainsaw mill. I've always wanted to make some lumber out of logs so i'm eyeing up a few different chainsaw mills.
I've been wanting to try milling some of my own logs too. Before you invest in a chainsaw mill have a look at a couple of videos that I found over that last couple of weeks that I think are useful.
Two Chainsaw Secrets | Turning a Tree into Perfect Boards
Chainsaw beam guide from wood (DIY mini mill)
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 30 Sep 2020 02:06pm
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@Brettny ... I have 2 different saws. A Stihl Woodboss 251 with a 18" blade and a Echo 590 with a 24" bar.
My initial thoughts are to cut some post which doesn't require much power wise as the blade isn't pinched as much between slabs like when cutting boards.
@KelVarnsen ... i've been looking at a few different alaskan style mills as well as some smaller ones that are similiar to the beam guide one you linked, just a bit more robust.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 30 Sep 2020 02:42pm
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I think you should take the echo out and try to free hand a log first. It's a ton of work to get not so great beams.
I actualy built an Alaskan mill for my 76cc saw. Went about 4ft through an ash log..took the setup apart and threw it in the scrap pile.
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 30 Sep 2020 02:59pm
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Ill have to wait until i either find standing dead wood or wait for fresh logs to dry until next year.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 30 Sep 2020 03:09pm
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Logs should be sawn into beams, 2x, 1x, whatever, when green, the sooner after felling the better.
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 30 Sep 2020 03:54pm
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@ICC ...good to know.
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Nobadays
Member
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# Posted: 30 Sep 2020 06:41pm
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My Son in law used an Alaska mill with a big (not sure of CC, but my guess is 60-70cc and 30" bar) saw to 3 side all his house logs. I helped lay up about half the house (30x55' house, single story) and though it seemed like a bit of a trick to lay out the straight edge track, esp for the first cut.... the saw went through the dead, dry tamarack (western larch for the purests!) like butter. He made some really good looking 3 sided logs.
The key seemed to be a big enough saw and precisely laying out that first cut.
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NorthRick
Member
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# Posted: 30 Sep 2020 07:43pm
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The 8x8 stained timbers in this photo I milled with an Alaskan chainsaw mill from trees on our property. It was a LOT of work and slow going. The 8x6 rafters I bought from a sawmill and hauled in with snowmobiles.
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NorthRick
Member
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# Posted: 30 Sep 2020 07:58pm
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Quoting: Nobadays The key seemed to be a big enough saw and precisely laying out that first cut.
Yes, you want that first one flat because the rest of the cuts use that surface. I made plywood "ladders" to place on top of the logs. I made three 8' long ones that could be bolted together. Some of my timbers were over 20' long.
I started with a Stihl 361 and quickly changed to skip chain to keep from over loading it. I eventually bought a Stihl 660 that works much better.
Milling 1
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Milling 2
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Milling 3
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 2 Oct 2020 08:05am
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Quoting: Nobadays the saw went through the dead, dry tamarack (western larch for the purests!) like butter. He made some really good looking 3 sided logs.
Isnt larch a very soft wood to begin with? Either way a bandsaw mill will be faster and less work. Your just rolling a carriage.
That size of building I'm sure was a massive amount of work. How long did it take to cut the logs?
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Nobadays
Member
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# Posted: 2 Oct 2020 08:31am
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Quoting: Brettny Isnt larch a very soft wood to begin with? Either way a bandsaw mill will be faster and less work. Your just rolling a carriage. That size of building I'm sure was a massive amount of work. How long did it take to cut the logs?
Pretty hard for a soft wood... li,e pine, fir, etc.... from the net: "The wood of the larch ranks as one of the strongest among softwoods. And at 39 pounds per cubic foot air-dry, it's as heavy as many hardwoods."
Yes a bandsaw would be great... I'd love to have one as I'm sure my son in law would have... cost is a factor and an Alaska mill is way cheaper and if used correctly makes good wood.
He would mill 5-6 each evening and we would put them up the next day. I helped for a month and we got to about the 5' level. He was setting trusses in about 2 months after starting the log work. It is a pretty big home... radiant floor heat with a wood fired boiler out back...nice!
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 2 Oct 2020 01:32pm
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Wow beautiful home!
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DaveBell
Moderator
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# Posted: 2 Oct 2020 07:29pm
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FYI, you need a ripping chain for a chainsaw mill.
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