Guide for Cutting Slabs

[Shayne Picard]

A while back I read a post (I believe it was here) on a guide that attaches to a chain saw. The guide allows one to cut slabs from a log.

Does anyone know where I can find such a guide (or the post discussing it)?

Thanks!

Oh, also, do they work well?

 

[Bergsteiger]

You're probably thinking of something like an Alaskan Mill. You basically put the chainsaw on it and it allows you to mill straight lumber. Bailey's has a couple different styles. http://store.baileys-online.com/cgi-bin/baileys/subcat?mv_session_id=EPhTGEZk&area_id=10008

 

[treebing]

you can get a cheaper version that basically clamps to the bar and then you run it along a 2 x4. I got mine on ebay for about 40 bucks. you can also get them from the baileys catalog or numerous other places.

I have used mine to cut smaller apple, ironwood, pear, etc. with my ms200. it has also been useful to cut logs in half that are too large to handle with a smaller portable sawmill.
For the smaller logs I have used the tool to get the log small enough that I can make nice smooth cuts with a normal JET shop bandsaw. It is a handy tool for the price. An Alask Mill costs about 160 dollars and is more for the larger stuff. I have found thought that if you are serious about milling, stockpile your logs until you can getsomeone to comeout and mill all of them at once with a bandsaw mill. Chainsaws are just too loud, slow, rough, and wastefull. They are capable of cutting really big logs which is sometimes important for the majority of bandsaw mills.

 

[treebing]

yeah, I just checked ebay for "chainsaw mill" and there are a bunch of variations on the 40-50$ mini mill attachments. I have only tried one kind (the cheaper kind) so I wouldn't have the best advice for you but it seems to work fine for what I have done. You have to contantly tighten the allan bolts as you mill though wich is a pain but you also dont need to drill the bar, therefore you can use it anytime. The price is nothing for the fun that I have had with it. Its a great way to turn a piece of trash into something beautiful fairly quickly. I try to not throw away any wood which means I have way too much wood lying around.
I never have gotten around to making a rip chain for My ms200 although I know that it is terrible for my saw to be ripping lumber without one. I think that the harder the wood the less it matters. The guy at the saw shop though looked at me crazy when I talked to him about a ripping chain for my small saw. If you are going to do larger logs, then definitly get a rip chain, it makes it go amazingly faster and is a lot less strain on the saw.

 

[Iorek]

i have an Alaskan mill, they are great for mobile planking.

 

[Al57]

I think what you could be refering to is called a "plank maker".I have one,made by Granburg.It does ok but it still is a lot of work.

Now it's none of by business what a person does but it takes a lot of power to mill lumber.The saw attached to that plank maker is a McCulloch sp 125.I wouldn't think that a teensy little Stihl 020 would stand much of a chance of milling lumber unless a person had all the time in the world,but then again,who am I to say

 

[treebing]

It depends on what your milling. The only thing I use an O20 for would be for example a 10 inch chunk of apple or maybe a gnarly little piece of hop hornbeam. Y0u know, four or five foot sections. I have tried cutting larger wood with my 060 and concluded it was a waste of time-- get a real mill. I have found that the plank maker is best used where the real mills are impractical. Another application for it is to cut logs down to a size where they are easier to manage for a real portable mill. If you get too big a saw on a small piece of wood, it gets awkward to handle and you are wasting more wood as well.

If I had access to a good shop bandsaw all the time maybe that would be easier but it can be kind of hard to push a awkward log through one. The portable mills have their limitations on how small the piece can be as well.

I have found that for the most part, a lot of the coolest wood that I want to keep is pretty small. How often do you come across a Giant pear? Or a giant arbor vitae? that wood is so awesome when you cut it length wise.

 

[Leon]

An Alaskan mill is definitely not the fastest way to mill wood, but sometimes it's the only tool you can get to the tree. Here's a 10'x11"x11" cant of tropical cherry that we cut with a Husky 394 and an Alaskan mill.

 

[treebing]

thats awesome, you right about the access ability of the chainsaw mills. Now that you have cut that beam, if you were to want boards, it would not be hard to move that beam anywhere you needed it to be.

 

[Shayne Picard]

What are the limitations on stockpiling? How long do you keep logs for and are there any steps you take to prep them? Do you just pile them on the ground?

 

[Toparboring]

Was wondering how does the chian hold up with all the vertical sawing (up the grian instead of across the grain), was looking into a mill also.

 

[Al57]

On the question of when to mill,it's best if you get right on it but I've cut oak that was on the ground for most likely over 20 years.Oh you get a lot of waste but you still can salvage some usable stuff.The drops,ends,etc you just toss in the wood stove,it all gets used one way or the other.

I pile the logs off the ground on top of cross pieces to prevent ground contact and seal the log ends with "Anchor seal".This stuff helps to prevent the logs from splitting.As they dry,the logs lose moisture faster through the ends that through the cross grains,thus the splits.Anchor seal or some other type sealants,paint too,helps but doesn't eliminate all this splitting.

As far as the chain getting dull fast,yes indeed it does.Although a lot of folks prefer a ripping chain,a standard chisel does a pretty good job and is a sight faster.

The picture is a pair of planks I carved out a while back.I think the log was about 16 or 18 inchs and I could make about a foot a minute.The planks are 8 feet long.

 

[Toparboring]

Cool that is impressive was going to do some work inside the home stead and this is a great way to get wood planks without costing an arm and leg.

 

[jf1962]

We also use our alaskan saw mill to make benches for our new camp ground and along our hiking trails here at the park..

Later in SO-CAL

 

[jf1962]

Here is one out of red wood..
The last pic is black acacia...

 

[MikePoor]

Hey jf1962, that black acacia wood is beautiful! What is the latin name for that? (i think it's A. melanoxylon...but i can't remember)

 

[jf1962]

I'am not sure on that acacia, the wood was drop off for us to cut up. I'll look into it..

Hey Nick any word on that red wood tree?

later in SO-CAL

 

[NickfromWI]

Sorry, the firefighters took everything! I thought they were only taking half, and that'd leave at least a 24' piece for you....but they took it all!

There'll be more, eventually.

That acacia is AWESOME!

Black Acacia: Acacia melanoxlyon ?

love
nick

 

[jf1962]

Hey Nick,
from your last e-mail on the wood slab .. I have 4 more acacia logs like that last pic.. If you want i can have them cut like that ? will that work for you ?

later in SO-CAL

 

[NickfromWI]

If you can get me a piece 2.5 feet wide, that would be AWESOME!!! I can't wait!

love
nick