chainsaw milling.

rdbrumfield · Nov 20, 2010

Just bouncing some thoughts off you folks for ideas.

I have been considering building a mill for up to 6in boards. Using a chainsaw for power but using a circular blade.

I was thinking of belt driving an arbor on a track that can be rotated 90 degrees. In this fashion a person could make several passes vertically, rotate the saw and relieve the boards from the log, two or three at a time. If you needed a larger timber, it would just be a matter of taking the usable lumber around the core of the log and reducing it to the one bigger one left after milling four sides.

any feedback would be great.

beenthere · Nov 20, 2010

It is called a swing mill, and there are several companies that make them. Also, people who build their own.
A google search should help you with some ideas.
Look forward to your progress.

Peterson sawmills
Lucas sawmills
are a couple that come to mind.

Renze · Nov 21, 2010

I get the idea, but not why you want to mess with chainsaw power: Using an electrical motor on it makes less noise, fumes, electricity is cheaper than gas, and the electrical motor outlasts the chainsaw by a factor 10.
It is also easier to build, because you can direct mount the blade to the motor, if it has the right rpm (we get 1750 and 3500rpm motors in Europe)

beenthere · Nov 21, 2010

Renze
Prolly the OP wants to head into the forest (woods) to mill large logs into manageble sizes and leave the sawdust and slabwood there. Easier than carrying out the large logs.

The tilt mechanism to keep the alignment of the blades true and the carriage on which to run the saw might be the big trick to accomplish. Chainsaws are running concrete saws and such so the operation of a saw blade shouldn't be too difficult.

easygo · Nov 21, 2010

How about this thing?

Ripsaw portable sawmills - Shopping

rdbrumfield · Nov 21, 2010

Thank you for the web sites.

As I am in Alaska power is a problem, the chainsaw is the portable choice. Also being able to swing it with the blade gets rid of a lot of geometry running belts and such.
Those swingblade units sure are nice. I was hoping to build something a bit smaller to take to the bush. I will be able to bring the logs to it with a quad so not having to take it into the brush will be a help.
Looking at what is out there did turn a light on for me. Will be a fun project.

Thanks, Randall

Massey_lover · Jan 31, 2011

If you can pull the log with a quad, you're probably farther ahead to get one of the "Alaskan Mills"; the ones that clamp onto the bar of a standard saw.

Army grunt · Feb 1, 2011

rdbrumfield
Thats the road I went down a few years ago, but after looking into the price of a really big saw, i ended up building my own band saw mill on a fixed location on concrete pads, I can an have cut some really great usable lumber.
any way you go please keep us posted, I applaud anyone that does for himself.
here is the sight, my nick here is Falcon
Home Built Bandsaw Bandmill - Build your own Bandsaw Sawmill - Home

My mill pictures by falcon6667 - Photobucket
Army Grunt

20 20 · Feb 1, 2011

I would say the biggest issue you'll run into is keeping your logs equal. Band saw mills are basic and for the most part{IMO} easy to use.

rdbrumfield:
I noticed this post is a couple months old has there been any new progress?