Thanks: 0
Likes: 0
Needs Pictures: 0
Picture(s) thanks: 0
Results 1 to 12 of 12
Thread: to mill or not
-
28th April 2012, 02:18 PM #1New Member
- Join Date
- Apr 2012
- Location
- melbourne
- Posts
- 5
to mill or not
hey guys,
1st timer here, gday i live in the Dandenong Ranges, Victoria
Thankyou so much for all the threads and info here, i have been looking thru over the past couple of days searching for info.
I dont have a clue when it comes to milling so thought i would throw up a barrage of questions for all you pro's and hobbiests to see what you think.
I have over an acre of rainforest and after recently cutting down lots of trees, mostly sicamores and having them mulched (75m3) with most of the blackwood given to mates as firewood, and have noticed i need to have more come down. All Blackwood this time. I also have a few on the ground already including a silver wattle.
Well my house already includes 6 areas that Blackwood that has been milled on our property and used in the house. These include stairs, timber feature panels and breakfast bar areas. I must say it is the most beautiful looking timber and is a real feature.
Here is the dilema
Not knowing much about the milling and finishing process of the timber i hope you can help me make decisions.
I am very handy, work in the building trade, have built bookcases, tables, decks pergolas and recycled old timber furniture, i love these little projects, my next project is to build a foosball table, cube shelving, office furniture, etc but that is another story.
I am wondering if it is worth me $ wise
1/ to mill the timber i have
2/ have someone mill it for me
3/ just buy the timber, have the trees cut down and given to mates as firewood
I do need to purchase a new chainsaw but would also like to keep costs at a moderate level.
here are some pictures of the trees, i am sure there will be more questions, thanks for all the help and comments
pictures
1 sicamore we had cut down and mulched, there were more like this, dont tell me i should have milled this baby
2 blackwood that needs to come down, 20 + meters -the borrom section is 600mm wide by 6 meters
3 silver wattle 2 to 3 sections 500 wide x 9 meters, 400 wide x 5m, 400mm x 4.0m
4 blackwood, its been on the ground for a while but looks good, 500 x 5m, 500 x 2m
5 blackwood its a bad pic but the base is 800 x 6m with higher branches thickish but bent
6 mountain ash branch 450 to 300mm very long
7one of the 3 trees already milled on the property
i also have various other bits of blackwood kicking around and measuring 2.0m and another 4 trees to come down that are 20m + 400mm at base and very straight
-
28th April 2012 02:18 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
- Join Date
- Always
- Location
- Advertising world
- Posts
- Many
-
28th April 2012, 03:38 PM #2.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 27,813
Chainsaw milling is only worthwhile if you
- have lots of spare time
- don't need to mill a lot of timber
- if you already have a suitable chainsaw
- have some logs that you want to cut up into large slabs
- have a physical location where you can't easily get the log out of or mill into the location.
- like doing it (most people who try it, like it, and then keep doing it well beyond when they should have stopped )
If you don't have more that a couple of those above in your favour (especially 1 and 2) then I would consider buying the wood or having someone mill it for you. By the time you buy a chainsaw and a mill you can have a fair bit of timber cut up by someone with a swing mill.
OTOH it sounds like you need to but a chainsaw anyway so why not get something in the 70+ cc range and make your own mill and have a crack at it - but beware, as I said above; most people who try it, like it, and then keep doing it well beyond when they should have stopped
-
28th April 2012, 04:28 PM #3New Member
- Join Date
- Apr 2012
- Location
- melbourne
- Posts
- 5
-
28th April 2012, 08:06 PM #4
Would advise that you get someone who is familiar with your area to check out logs and trees before getting too far ahead of yourself.
I have been sent to lots of place up your way in the cranetruck, only to say forget it, I'm happy to take a drive up in the ute to check out what you have and advise for say a slab of beer.
Where abouts are you? The Dandenong Ranges covers a huge area and depending on where you are and how much sun or lack of sun etc, it can make or break what you recover.Cheers
DJ
-
28th April 2012, 11:45 PM #5New Member
- Join Date
- Apr 2012
- Location
- melbourne
- Posts
- 5
i hear what you are saying Acco
i was afraid you would give me bad news on the sycamore, i have lived up here for over a decade and it is the biggest sycamore i have ever seen, it was a double trunk also so there were 2 like that, not to mention the others we took out and mulched, bummer along with a maple or two and a blackwood
The silver wattle has been down for just over a month
Our property has sun and a lack of it also
We are around the Monbulk Belgrave area
It would be great to get some advice, let me know what you think
-
29th April 2012, 01:56 AM #6.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 27,813
You should add your notes outside mine otherwise it's hard for me to add notes to yours.
Chainsaw milling is only worthwhile if you
- have lots of spare time- yes i have some time but only weekends
- don't need to mill a lot of timber, - not sure what alot is, say i want 50 to 100 meters
- if you already have a suitable chainsaw - no but need to purchase a new one for the backyard
- like doing it (most people who try it, like it, and then keep doing it well beyond when they should have stopped ) - i dont think i would like the dust, but would get a great deal of enjoyment from the A (cut) to Z (finished product)
Anyway I reckon getting Acco's advice will be the best carton you will ever spend so go for it.
-
29th April 2012, 07:11 AM #7
-
8th May 2012, 09:39 PM #8
good work - great to see the forum workin
I love my Lucas!! ...just ask me!
Allan.
-
8th May 2012, 09:42 PM #9
-
14th July 2012, 11:08 AM #10New Member
- Join Date
- Apr 2012
- Location
- melbourne
- Posts
- 5
well i have decided to forget about the logs that have been on the ground for a while
I have just had 5 tall blackwoods cut down and another 5 to come down this week, All tall and straight, cut to 2.7m, ranging from 300mm to 450mm with a few sections 500mm+
I had a local bloke come round who said he can drag them out with a tractor and cart them away to mill for $100 an hour, maybe give me some for free for his effort if he keeps the rest.
I reckon thats pretty expensive, but i dont know
my site is wet bushland, with a moderate slope, so 10 trees probably 100 meters of logs, they all look very good, no rott, borers, it pretty solid and all bar the 2 bigger trees and one other are green with the 3 dead only dead for 3 months
do you reckon i have a crack at it?
I have been looking at chainsaws
Stihl ms 381 $1249
Huscki 3972xp $1499
Makita DCS7301 $945
SHINDAIWA 757 REAR HANDLE CHAINSAW $1150 2 YR WARRENTEE
Echo CS680 $1200 5 YR WARRENTEE
and then i would need a milling frame, maybe $350, but i have found it difficult to research these and dont no much on them
what are your thought guys
-
14th July 2012, 02:38 PM #11
I'd be looking at a much bigger chainsaw, in Stihl a 660, not sure equivalent in Husky, but forget the others. Milling frames can be made, do a search, or you could buy but >>$250
Neil____________________________________________Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new
-
14th July 2012, 03:08 PM #12.
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Perth
- Posts
- 27,813
The logs are only 300 - 450 and a few 500 mm, so while a 660 would be nice I don't reckon he needs a 660 for these sizes of log.
To cut 500 mm with a standard milling frame you will need a minimum of 26" of bar. If you can custom build a mill frame you can get away with 24" or even 22" but I would still get a 26" bar. I reckon a 70 cc can pull a 26" bar quite well. I use a 441 (71cc) with a 25" bar and lopro chain to cut stuff up to about 500 mm and while it is not as fast as a bigger saw it is much easier and nicer to handle and also uses much less fuel.
I reckon you could even get away with a 60cc engine but you would really need to REALLY look after it, keep the chain really sharp, i.e. touch up after every slab cut etc and not overload it too much. Chainsaw milling (CSM) is very hard on saws and if you buy new you need to know that no manufacturer covers the warranty on saws used for CSM. This is a good reason to buy a used saw.
While a person with a lot of experience could mill these very slowly with a 40 cc saw I would not go to less than 60 cc. The chances of damaging the saw are just too great.
Similar Threads
-
Selecting a small Mill / Mill/Drill
By Wombat200 in forum METALWORK FORUMReplies: 31Last Post: 15th March 2012, 10:58 PM -
To mill or not to mill - that is the question
By gonetroppo in forum SMALL TIMBER MILLINGReplies: 23Last Post: 27th September 2011, 08:58 PM -
Arboga EM825 mill vs Hercus model 0 mill?
By neksmerj in forum METALWORK FORUMReplies: 23Last Post: 14th May 2011, 03:16 PM -
No. 0 Mill Serial Number and Mill at Work Photos
By Anorak Bob in forum THE HERCUS AREAReplies: 1Last Post: 30th December 2008, 03:31 AM -
Comparison Between C.S Mill & Bandsaw Mill
By echnidna in forum SMALL TIMBER MILLINGReplies: 2Last Post: 7th October 2007, 04:26 PM