I'd like to get some input from experienced users of chainsaw mills.
Saw, chain, brackets. What ever you know. Please share.
I never used one but I have a friend who cut enough yellow pine to make his kitchen floor.
The chain saw blade chews up a lot of wood especially compared to a band saw blade. If you have an unlimited supply of wood, that does not matter.
Jim
sooo much kerf gone... they are portable and useful for making large specialty lumber on the spot, where the tree fell, but not something you'd want to make siding and furring strips with.
You, too, can be a sawdustmaker!
You might want to look around here.
http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php
I built a band mill and these guys helped me work through some beginners issues.
This is my thread from that site.
http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,82695.0.html
I tried playing with the chainsaw with some home made fixtures but didn't have luck. Some seem to do well though.
I hope you find what you are lokking for.
gww
Thanks GWW, I joined but those guys are way above my pay grade.
Seems like an interesting forum.
I know I'll learn something.
I made a Alaskan chainsaw Mill. Used it for couple years. Had to do even cuts and takes about 3to 5 mins per cut if milling boards 16 inch wide. You lose a lot of wood. I picked up a bandmill from harborfreight. Been using it for 2 years now. Will never go back. If you were close to me I'd give you the old one. I am now milling 21 inch wide boards.
John
The Forestry Forum folks were talking about the HF product. Some said they could use the 25% off coupon. I'll need to give it some thought.
I have a Grandberg, used it for a couple years. It works good in a pinch but takes a lot of time and wastes a lot. I haven't used it in about 10 years, and probably never will again. Take the advice from the others and invest in a bandsaw mill if you have a lot of cutting to do.
I now by all rough cut from a local guy with a bandsaw mill. Time has become too valuable to me and this is cheaper in the long run.
The only 'lumber' locally available in South Texas is mesquite. I would have to sharpen chain saw blades half way through a 6' cut using one of these :)
I have the HF mill. Works great. The coupons no longer work for the mills. I had one of the last ones excepted. They didnot want to except it and i had to call the head office and fax them the coupon to show that it did nott exclude the mill. Now all coupojs state it on them.
John
Its still a great buy when on sale for 1999.00