Thread: Sunshine Coast Chainsaw Milling

Originally Posted by JB

Can anyone on the Sunshine Coast (for a fee) chainsaw mill a couple of 2m x 200mm diam soap tree (coopers wood, red ash) logs through and through?

plain sawn.jpg

We can do it for you...

JB,

According to your diagram you want 15 cuts?
A 3/8 chain saw chain has a kerf of ~7.5 mm so using a chainsaw will generate 112.5 mm of kerf which will turn 56% of the log into sawdust and make boards that are 5.4 mm thick.

Even small 3/8 lop profile chain has a 6 mm kerf and will turn 45% of the wood into sawdust

If the logs are green, then while drying these will turn into, as the yanks say, "pretzels"

The best way to mill these is with a bandsaw mill.
OR
Half them with a CS mill and then put them through a BS

Whatever is done unless they are already dry don't mill them too thin but mill them at least 1" thick and then resaw them when they are dry.

The Blackhall Woodwork Club has a new bandsaw mill, I would say there would be a fee involved.



Blackall Range Woodcrafters Guild Inc
PO Box 150
Montville QLD 4560
0409 050 418

See how you go.

Cheers,

Frank.

Originally Posted by BobL

JB,

According to your diagram you want 15 cuts?
A 3/8 chain saw chain has a kerf of ~7.5 mm so using a chainsaw will generate 112.5 mm of kerf which will turn 56% of the log into sawdust and make boards that are 5.4 mm thick.

Even small 3/8 lop profile chain has a 6 mm kerf and will turn 45% of the wood into sawdust

If the logs are green, then while drying these will turn into, as the yanks say, "pretzels"

The best way to mill these is with a bandsaw mill.
OR
Half them with a CS mill and then put them through a BS

Whatever is done unless they are already dry don't mill them too thin but mill them at least 1" thick and then resaw them when they are dry.

Thanks Bob. Diagram is just to indicate pattern, not number. Actually want 1" boards

Originally Posted by MAPLEMAN

We can do it for you...

pm sent

You don't need a chainsaw mill for a 200mm diameter log, just a decent bandsaw.

Originally Posted by dai sensei

You don't need a chainsaw mill for a 200mm diameter log, just a decent bandsaw.

Thanks for that

Originally Posted by dai sensei

You don't need a chainsaw mill for a 200mm diameter log, just a decent bandsaw.

A decent BS is only half a solution. Manoeuvring a 200 mm x 2 m (~60 kg) log without any aids (like customised solid in/outfeed rollers and holders etc) through a BS is fraught with problems.

Job done...easy with the lucas swing blade...8 slabs recovered....no problem..