Chainsaw mill.

Any hints.

We have cottonwood,spruce and smallish birch near by.
Have a 650 echo and a stihl 290 farm boss.

These two combined should do all we need.
https://m.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200316891_200316891

https://m.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_152334_152334

Do not have the money to spend on anything big.

And who owns the trees? Cause lumber poaching is a real crime in every state. That lumber has value even as a tree on someone's land. So when you say you have trees nearby they better be on your own land.

You need a ripping chain for your saw.

Ive got the Grandberg mini mill and alaskan. They work but its painfully slow with hardwood.
I bought a Stihl ms660 with 36" bar to run on them.
You will need some ripping chain, it has the teeth ground at a different angle than regular chain. 0-10 deg I think.
Set your log up so if tilts down hill. Less pushing for you.
You will need a guide for your fist cut on the alaskan. Some guys use an old aluminum ladder, straight plank etc, I built one out of unistrut. Attached File


I would find the center of the log on both ends and then nail on a 2x6 the same distance from center and level on both ends. Set the guide on the 2x6s and your mill runs down the guide.

More cuts don't really need the guide if your first cut is straight and flat.

Attached File


Once you've got a few slabs cut you can install your minimill guide and square up the edges.

Attached File

Attached File

Let's see there is state,feds,land claims,corporation land to name a few.
Am out in the middle of no-where Alaska.

Would be taking the same damn trees we take for firewood.
We only take dead and dieing trees plus trees that have fallen into the river
Yup.
Thanks.
I have free handed some planks but that was when I had steadier arms/hands and a better back.
The two villages that have a saw mill completely shut down.
The two lumber yards here are high priced and out of wood quickly.

Would not need to be perfect as it is just for shoring up decks and fish-camp.

Sounds like a business opportunity for you if you have some free time.

I do not have the money to lease land for timber.

This would be for very small lumber needs. Replacing boards that break and when the lumber stores are out.
More of a survival thing.

Your saws are small for milling.    They would probably be okay for small trees for your stated purpose.  

To enjoy milling, you must not be opposed to saw maintenance.   Frequent sharpening is necessary as well as cleaning air filters, etc.   On big hardwood I might touch up the chain with a file every 12 feet or so.   I bring an air compressor and vice with me to the woods.  

If you bog the saw down to force it to cut faster it will get hot and possibly overheat.  

Don't use mills where you don't have to....For cutting 2x and 4x lumber, it's faster to just use the mill to cut slabs and then rip them to width using a circular saw.  I snap a chalk line for the first cut and then use a fence attached to the saw subsequent cuts.  For 4x a 10 1/4" or bigger saw is needed.  

Ripping chain is NOT needed.  However, it does make smoother cuts and I think it is easier on the saw.  You can also make ripping chain by filing/grinding it to 10 degrees instead of the normal 30.

I use an old ladder for the first cut.  Angle iron is placed over a rung and screwed to the log on each end.  Getting the first slab straight is important!

Making your own lumber is awesome!   Doing it with chainsaw mills is SLOW, but it's really nice to be able to mill where the log lays.

That's all I can think of....good luck!!

just buy a real mill. will work way fucking better than a chain saw mill. In the time it takes you to plank up one cant I can mill up 10

I have rough cut some slabs with regular chain. Slow but decent with our soft wood. Thanks for the hints.
Cannot afford a small mill.

You mentioned the two villages that had a mill shut down.
Any chance you could rent a mill from one of them?
Maybe get a group of like minded folks together and do a “mill day” over at the ol village?

How much do you value your time? With the price of wood you can easily recoup your costs just selling "green, raised bed pine boards" on craigslist in about a week.

This is Rural Alaska.
Summer time only way around is by boat or plane.
The two villages sawmill is a few hour boat ride one way
Only want to do what I need.
No way do I have the money to sink into a nice bandsaw lumber mill.

Time = Money.  Buy a real mill.

If I had access to trees -or just the space to work on them- I would be trying one or another of those chainsaw guides.

I may anyway given the price of lumber for a few projects.

With patience and care for your saw, ripping chains, and probably an auxiliary/add-on oiler for slabbing you should be able to turn out some very nice wood.  You might cover some expenses or even get ahead by selling some timbers/boards.

Continue to disregard any online millionaires who somehow never had to bootstrap anything and don't understand your circumstances. Turning $300 in parts and your time into $1000+ of lumber makes perfect sense.

Take a look at the Granberg.com website for some of their accessories and spare parts.

I use to pass by a small saw mill, circular blade, for sale along the Parks between Willow and Talkeetna.  Can't remember the last time I saw it.

I was out in the yard some time back and a lady pulled up and asked if I'd seen a sawmill going by.  Seems someone stole theirs.  Trees aren't the only thing that get poached up here!

Just what do you plan to build out of cottonwood and birch?

Not exactly the most structurally strong woods, there.

Would not sell.
Just enough to replace what we cannot buy and have on hand for emergencies.
Thank you for the hints.
Lots of stuff is being stolen.
Even shovels!
Replace boards that are broken or 4x4 and such.
Should see what the elders built with cotton wood,birch and spruce.

Tons of information over on Forestry Forums.  Great wealth of knowledge on all types of mills.  I bet that when you get going with the chainsaw mill, it will either hook you or break you.  If it hooks you, you will be upgrading to at least a band mill soon!!

Doc
Woodmizer LT35

I’ll sell you my harbor freight one- https://www.harborfreight.com/saw-mill-with-301cc-gas-engine-62366.html

Not sure what is entailed in shipping it, but I can crate it

@_Matt_

I might be interested if akcaribouhunter is not ~and I'm a lot closer

Shoot me an email

I’m moving, won’t need one for a while

@cmw

This started out as a hobby for my cousin Jeff, and it's grown into a significant side-business.  As to trees?  After major storms, he just drives around and offers to remove downed trees for people for free and he gets more offers than he can keep up with.  He got permission to remove some 8 foot diameter ancient fir tree on gov't property not long ago and said it was almost too much to handle, but was an incredible opportunity.

I honestly don't know if this is his original mill, but he found one for sale down in MO, and drove all the way from WA to pick it up.  If you got any questions, he would be more than happy to answer (link to his mill page).



Whidbey Island Saw Mill

ROCK6

No way could I afford anything like that right now.

Freight would be spendy also.

I have a small chainsaw mill I ran with my older 372XP.  I would not recommend any smaller of a saw, in fact I would say my 72cc is almost too small.

Even with ripping chains using a chainsaw mill and pushing a chainsaw lengthwise through a log is exactly what it sounds like, pushing a chainsaw through a log lengthwise.  I built an out house and a small lean-to but that's been the extent of my use because it is very hard work.

I look at it now as a survival related prep, make a few boards if I had no other choice, or make a few boards for something cool. or a small project.

Here is a video I made 6 years ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivZctlWGc60

How is the woodmizer ? They are local to me

We got ours from the location near you. LT15 Start. Aside from a twisted support rail that affects 1/100 mills it's been good. Dads already milled up enough wood for me to build a coop and hes working on building a kiln now.