Chain saw "mills"?

[GT2]

Hi guys, I'm hopefully going to be building a pole shop next summer ( with tractor help) and was wondering what you think of these small chain saw mills?
The area I'll be clearing has some medium sized pines on it. Do you think I could make my own 6x posts?
Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks, Tim

 

[Egon]

Yes you could mill the posts. It may take awhile though.

What kind of mill were you considering?

 

[2manyrocks]

I remember reading some article that concluded that chain saw milling was a lot of physical work especially compared to band saw mills. The chain saw mills are less expensive, but you work harder and you make more sawdust.

 

[GT2]

Yes you could mill the posts. It may take awhile though.

What kind of mill were you considering?

Its the type that has a rolling jig that holds the C saw and moves on tracks.
Any wood quality conserns? Or is it obvious, watch out for knots etc.?

 

[Stimw]

Do some research on bandsaw mills, check google and ebay. They are a lot better in that they cut a lot thinner pass, you can get off of the shelf wood blades. They are building them using air tires for the wheels. If you are creative you can build your own and have a nice machine..

 

[SPIKER]

I would say buy PT beams, you can mill trees well enough but for pole barn you need to have treated lumber that is planted in the ground or else rot & termites will have fun with in a few years the posts will be done at ground level...

the chainsaw mills will be worth wile if you are out in remote areas, otherwise to buy a good saw that will cut through a 20" log slab will cost a lot of work & effort. Cost wise it would be better to take the logs to someone to have them milled on a band saw or hire a operator to come to you to cut them. siding plants ect would work same for above ground 2x materials.

mark

 

[dillo99]

Look into hiring someone with a portable mill. I had a friend who lost a bunch of oak trees to one of those micro burst wind storms. He found a guy with a mill who would bring it in for about $300 per day. My friend got all the oak ready to go (right lengths, dragged to an open spot, etc.). The guy with the mill showed up and was done in less than a day and they cut a LOT of wood. My buddy basically built a two story barn out of what was cut (frame - not siding). He had a list of what he wanted and the guy just cut away. He said it was very impressive.

I have thought about one of those chain saw mills too - for smaller jobs. Let us know if you decide to do it.

 

[GT2]

I would say buy PT beams, you can mill trees well enough but for pole barn you need to have treated lumber that is planted in the ground or else rot & termites will have fun with in a few years the posts will be done at ground level...

mark

Well I was going to plant them in concrete and treat the first couple of feet above ground. Would that work?

 

[BigE_]

Well I was going to plant them in concrete and treat the first couple of feet above ground. Would that work?

Nope, that isn't going to work. I just replaced all the posts in my pole barn that were done exactly how you are describing. They were all completely rotted out at the base and in the concrete. This was cedar...

Here's a couple of pics...

If you do want to treat them yourself, you can soak them in a barrel of used motor oil for about 6 months. The stuff you paint on just doesn't soak into the wood very well.

 

[Egon]

A bandsaw mill would definitely be faster and easier.

You could treat the posts yourself by placing them in a barrel of [ treatment chemical of your choice] . Done properly the chemical will be carried up and saturate the post. This is a much different and more effective procedure than painting on a preservative. We used to treat fence posts this way using copper sulfate or "Bluestone" as we called it.

For the chainsaw mill there are different chains available. Some of the wood milled with a narrow kerf chain that I have seen was surprisingly smooth.

I have used a chainsaw to mill lumber but only for shorter lengths. For my purposes it works well.

 

[MikeInEburg]

Cutting your own wood for above-ground purposes is great - I love working with rough-cut. But for ground contact I would just buy quality treated posts and be done with it. Trying to fabricate your own chemical bath is both hazardous and unproductive compared to the cost of buying a couple of posts.
Mike

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This time last year I was doing a lot of chain saw milling. I was using a Logosol M7 if I remember correctly.

I cut a ton of wood with it. I made siding, framing lumber, and some other stuff. I think you can find it doing a search for "this, that, and the other" and my name.

 

[Reg]

Chain saw mills take a LOT of power to do anything useful, you are probably looking at power heads in the $1500+ price bracket.
Yes, that is PLURAL power heads. For any worthwhile production it is a double ended bar with a head at each end.
Bars aren't cheap either, it is HARD dirty work at ground level (how's your back ?) with 2 stroke fumes.

I have a portable mill, it is a swing blade type.
Oh, sure the kerf is a bit wider, but the cut is straighter so there is less loss when planing to compensate for wavy blades and a 26 inch diameter carbide tipped blade lasts a lot longer than a band & is quicker/easier to sharpen anyway.

Re knots and nails;
Know the height at which most humans can pound a nail into a tree for hanging bird houses, yard sale signs, whatever, also screw eyes for things like clothes lines. That will take care of 95+% of the metal you are likely to find. Check for rust streaks too.
Slow down for crotch and knot areas, you should see them coming (-:
This is where band mills REALLY go weird and wavy.

For ONE project such as a barn, if you have enough standing timber get someone in with a portable mill, you can probably get all your rough cut milling done on a deal whereby he takes away the same amount he leaves - you get to keep his bark and wane edge too.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

My chainsaw mill has a double ended bar, used a Stihl 076 on each end, and will make beams up to 16x34. I use it with skip tooth ripping chain and when sharp it leaves a pretty decent finish (rough, but can be planed out smooth in about 3/16")
for example: a buddy and I cut up a large white oak one afternoon into boards - 2 at true 4x28 x11' with the intent of making rafters, and 29 at 2" thick that i have used to make stair treads, a breakfast bar, etc... and still have plenty left to play with.

I got it used for less than $1000.
bandsaw mills start around $3000.
I figured the lower output and doubling my effort was worth the cost difference for my occasional use.

 

[GT2]

Thanks for your ideas guys. I'm thinking I'll buy treated posts.
Still going to keep an eye out for a good used mill, maybe make some above ground lumber.
Thanks, Tim

 

[ScottAR]

Sawmill exchange

Never bought anything there but the boys on the sawmill boards like them.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks for your ideas guys. I'm thinking I'll buy treated posts.
Still going to keep an eye out for a good used mill, maybe make some above ground lumber.
Thanks, Tim

I bought a simple one that uses a straight 2x6 that is used as a guide to keep the chainsaw straight. There are all sorts of other ways to keep it straight, and most are allot better then what I bought. Mine does the job, but it's never going to get a perfectly straight cut. Again, here is where you get what you pay for.

I've made beams for my ceiling in my house and my coffee table with the lumber that I cut with mine. It's tiring, noisy, dusty work. It is WORK!!! The longer the cut, the more you wish you were not there.

I used a standard chain for this and wish I had bought a couple ripping chains. That would make a big difference from what I've read. Next time for sure!!!

Buying Pressure Treated posts for your shop is the smart way to go. You won't save any money by cutting them yourself. Cutting lumber yourself is only a good idea for small projects and having fun. Not for building anything. Lumber is too cheap for it to be economical to cut it yourself.

Eddie

 

[johnk]

I have a Alaskan 36" mill. I cut some slabs with it and it works very well. The hardest part is getting the first cut level. I used an aluminum ladder for the rails so I could make a smooth, level first cut. I was slicing a 16 foot 18" diamter at about 3 to 4 minutes a slab with a chisel chain. I have a rip chain for my 36 inch bar but haven't used it yet.

 

[2manyrocks]

I've helped a friend with a bandsaw mill, but have no hands on experience with a chain saw mill.

Would you please explain how you make the cuts? It looks like you've added something to your ladder, and I wondered why you restacked the cut boards with spacers.

 

[case685]

I've used a 36" Granberg mill for about 20 years to cut hardwood into boards for furniture use. I run it with a Stihl090.It is very dusty, dirty work and hard on the back since I tended to cut thick slabs to avoid turning half the log into sawdust. If everything is working right you can cut clean straight boards.
If cutting these pines is a one time deal IMO you would be better off hiring a guy with a bandmill. But if you can make good use of a larger chainsaw for firewood or more log milling down the road that would also be a good option. In either case make sure you properly stack and cover your lumber while it is drying. Also make sure the boards are at least a foot longer than the final dimensions.