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Thread: Chainnsaw mill
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18th August 2017, 08:26 AM #1Intermediate Member
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Chainnsaw mill
Im looking at buying a Chainsaw mill to go on my MS 381. I was wondering if the ones on Ebay for around $170 are ok? Jonno and Jonno come to mind.
Also would the MS381 take a 24inch bar?
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18th August 2017 08:26 AM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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18th August 2017, 10:49 AM #2.
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24" bar should be no problem with that saw.
The chinese CS mills have been discussed on AS and the word is that they are good value for money.
Several users have replaced sone of the bolts/nuts that seem to get loose but other than that they seem to work.
Those mills are like all standard CS mills and suffer they same issues. I'm not sure how much milling you intend on doing but there are a number of mods that can make milling easier in the long run. I won't go into those here unless you are interested.
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18th August 2017, 11:04 AM #3
I made my own Mill out of 20mm RHS and put it on the 20" bar on a MS 380. The saw is quite happy milling. It didn't take very long before I was running out of capacity (width of log) so I made a wider Mill and bought a 30" bar and Skip Chain from Saw Chain Supply (Laurie is a member here). Laurie is a Professional Arborist and runs a parallel company supplying what you need to keep a chainsaw going.
Just do it!
Kind regards Rod
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20th November 2017, 09:30 PM #4Novice
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Tony ray
I have been obsessing over the purchase of a chainsaw mill for close to a year now. Rather than start a new thread, I thought I would check to see what you might have done.
Other than making my own (which I could not do), I had two choices - the homegrown Westford Mill or the imported Granberg. I have been a bit perplexed why the imported model should retail for about the $440 mark, while the Westford comes in at close to $700.
I have just read the post by auscab "Bar and chain recomendation for stihl MS661" and he pointed to a "cheap Alaskan Mill". A third option, the Saw Jaw Mill. This mill is also local and retails for only $250 (24inch bar model).
My preference is to support local, but I am concerned about the hugh price difference - you get what you pay for.
Did you get a mill online? If so, what are your impressions regarding quality?
I would be interested to hear anyones comments on the issue, and especially any comments or thoughts from those of you who have used the Saw Jaw Mill.
Thanks
DarrellLast edited by Darrellx; 21st November 2017 at 06:05 AM. Reason: Layout
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2nd December 2017, 08:50 AM #5Intermediate Member
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sorry for the late reply Darrell. I still haven't got one but I am going to get one of the Ebay ones for about $180 for xmas.
I will only be cutting smaller lengths though.
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2nd December 2017, 08:58 PM #6Novice
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Tony ray, yes, I am doing the same thing. I hope to have mine and make my first cut before Christmas.
I will be interested to hear how you go.
Darrell
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2nd December 2017, 09:45 PM #7GOLD MEMBER
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I have used my eBay special for about 18 months now, still going strong. Used it all day today on some oak with a 42" bar on my 395xp. Worked a treat!
They are fiddly to set up for height of cut (I think most are though) with that aside, well made and nothing rattles loose.
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2nd December 2017, 10:11 PM #8.
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With chainsaw mills that bolt the uprights to the mill frame with U shaped bolts, I found it easier to use two pre-cut pieces of wood of the desired thickness.
Just put these in between the bar and the mill rails on the inboard and outboard ends of the bar and undo to bolts so the mill rails sit on the pieces of wood.
This ensures the mill is dead parallel . I used pairs of wood pieces 1.5, 2, 3 and 4" thick when using may mates mill.
My mills all have cranked all-thread adjustment for height and cam operated locking bolts which makes it very easy to set and lock off to any height.
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3rd December 2017, 08:56 PM #9GOLD MEMBER
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I suppose my biggest issue with yesterday's job was the fact that I had to make adjustments for the first cut of each log due to how they were initially limbed. I wish I had a smaller saw that I could have used to flatten the top surface a little before placing my rail. Instead I had to shim the daylight out of it to get the first cut done, so I had to raise the height of the mill for each log (and the height was different for each log) then drop it down for the slabs. Using blocks would make for slightly quicker slab height adjustment but not for the initial cut. Live and learn. It took me a whole day to slab 3 logs, I'm still buggered!
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3rd December 2017, 09:38 PM #10.
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Buggerising around with the initial cut often takes a lot of time and being able to trim the log with another saw really does speed things up.
This is where my 041 with the 25" bar and lopro chain really comes into its own.
For really difficult shaped logs I have a couple of adjustable height log rail stands (green painted Cchannel) that I tek screw to the end of logs.
Here is an example where I used one on one end of a log.
DSC00158.jpg
DSC00157.jpg
If the lop is not too bad instead of flattening the top of the log I usually use the spare saw to cut grooves into the top for the all thread rod that connects the two log rails to sit into.
layout2.jpg
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3rd December 2017, 09:59 PM #11GOLD MEMBER
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Well sorted there Bob, does the all thread keep the rails level or can it twist a bit? I have the same 50mm rhs but with 70x35 pine to make up the rungs. I use the pine to screw down into the log and wedge underneath the pine rungs where needed. The all thread obviously make thing easier than my setup.
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3rd December 2017, 10:11 PM #12.
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The all thread still twists - quite a lot.
I measure this twist with a DAF (digital angle finder) at one end of the rails and the move the DA to the there end and correct for it with wedges under the rails - once ts level I lock the ends of the rails onto the end of the log.
This shows where I used to locate the DAF and the insert shows where I now locate it - same on the there end
wixey0a.jpg
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4th December 2017, 06:54 PM #13GOLD MEMBER
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Thanks for that Bob, will look into changing a few things with my setup to make life a little easier [emoji848]
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8th December 2017, 09:34 PM #14Novice
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Hi All
My CS Mill arrived today. It took about 30 or 40 minutes to assemble. Quite easy and straight forward.
I am now wondering how close to the nose of the bar do I clamp the mill. I have seen pictures where the clamp is sitting a good 4 inches (or more) back from the nose. In other pictures the clamp appears as close to the end as possible.
I suppose it would depend on the type of sprocket in the nose and how it is attached. As long as the roller or sprocket do not get pinched, does it matter?
On the attached, does it matter if the clamp is placed at the RED or the BLUE line?
NoseSprocket.jpg
Thanks
darrell
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8th December 2017, 10:07 PM #15.
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I wouldn't place the conventional clamp any further forward than the the green line in this photo.
Underneath that line is a row of spot welds which will support the clamp.
NoseSprocket1.jpg
The other place is the to drill a hole in the bar and place a short bolt through the middle of the nose sprocket as shown by the green dot.
Then drill shallow holes in the clamp pad as show in option 4 below. This will allow the clamp pad to firmly hold more firmly than trying to just grip a bolt head and nut.
The picture below show a bunch of other options
Nose-options.jpg
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