Buy or Build?

[Dustin4185]

I am wanting to get a chainsaw mill to make beams/timbers for a small hunting shack/blind/shelter. I have a 395 to power it with. My question is do I buy a mill or build one? I have a MIG and TIG welder and I have fabricated a lot of stuff, but I also know sometimes it is just better to buy. If I do fabricate my own, is it better to clamp to the bar or drill it and bolt it to the mill?

Thanks

 

[mdavlee]

I'd buy just to get to milling. Bolting is better but the Granberg works great

 

[Mycamaro_68]

I am wanting to get a chainsaw mill to make beams/timbers for a small hunting shack/blind/shelter. I have a 395 to power it with. My question is do I buy a mill or build one? I have a MIG and TIG welder and I have fabricated a lot of stuff, but I also know sometimes it is just better to buy. If I do fabricate my own, is it better to clamp to the bar or drill it and bolt it to the mill?

Thanks

I really don't have any experience with milling but I do have a lot of experience with metal fabrication. I was planning on building my own mill also. After seeing the price point of the mill that HLS sells, I think I have changed my mind. It looks to be well made for the money so now I just have to wait for them to be back in stock.

 

[Dustin4185]

Just ordered a 48" Granberg from a local dealer. I may never need all 44" of it, but I have it if I do. Now, chain question. Is the Granberg chain worth buying or is Oregon ripping chain ok as well? I know the Oregon doesn't have the fancy scoring cutters, but does it do alright?

 

[junkman]

If talking alaska slab type mills ,i would just buy one ,

 

[Jimmy in NC]

Just ordered a 48" Granberg from a local dealer. I may never need all 44" of it, but I have it if I do. Now, chain question. Is the Granberg chain worth buying or is Oregon ripping chain ok as well? I know the Oregon doesn't have the fancy scoring cutters, but does it do alright?

Regular chain is fine.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[lehman live edge slab]

I like the grandberg chain on my largest mill seems to need less power but that is a 72" double ended bar. The 30" and 48" mills I just use Oregon or Carlton ripping chain and some of my own reground chain. Grandberg is expensive my chains are over 200$ each for big mill and weren't the right length. Bar is universal and depending on powerhead the driver number changes. They sent me another chain so I could make the right length. They really need a chart of saws used with what size chain so they are right when you get them.

 

[Stump Shot]

Just ordered a 48" Granberg from a local dealer. I may never need all 44" of it, but I have it if I do. Now, chain question. Is the Granberg chain worth buying or is Oregon ripping chain ok as well? I know the Oregon doesn't have the fancy scoring cutters, but does it do alright?

I liked the Oregon ripping chain better myself as it left a little smoother finish to the wood and was more cost effective if recall correctly. You should have enough power with a 395 to not notice much difference pulling. Keeping the cutters identical to each other will pay off in board finish, less angle than 10 degrees will make it better yet. I can make a smoother board with the chainsaw mill than I can with a band mill, just not as fast.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

I have found some I made with alternating sets of 5 and 10 degree cutters work pretty well and as long as sharp and chain is tight slabs required very little sanding.

 

[mdavlee]

Square ground at 22° gave me the best finish over 10° semi chisel. I tried semi chisel and it was 40% slower and about 30% more fuel. Even if it's a rougher finish I can take care of that when finishing it.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

I don't know how to square grind or have a silvey

 

[Lightning Performance]

What filing tools/jigs do you guys "use on the mill" to keep your chains sharp and even?

Square too?

 

[mdavlee]

Free hand is all I've ever done

 

[junkman]

What filing tools/jigs do you guys "use on the mill" to keep your chains sharp and even?

Square too?

I pull mine off about every gallon of fuel or so and regrind them ,try to have a few sharp chains ready to go ,i square grind also .If the wood is soft like cedar ,i can go longer between sharpens .

 

[Lightning Performance]

I pull mine off about every gallon of fuel or so and regrind them ,try to have a few sharp chains ready to go ,i square grind also .If the wood is soft like cedar ,i can go longer between sharpens .

TY

 

[earlthegoat2]

I just ordered the materials to make my own from Metals Depot. Came to 129 dollars shipped. It will take me around 4 hrs I think to build it and it will be fun in the end there is net gain over the HL Supply mill. Actually I ordered enough material for a Granberg style mini mill as well so there is a huge net gain I guess. I was really contemplating both the HLS mill and the Granberg. I used to own an Alaskan MK3 and the mini mill so I knew what I would be getting.

The price difference was just too much to justify. I can build a better mill than the Granberg so I will.

Between my 044/046 hybrid build, this mill build, the logs I want to mill next week, I have a pretty full plate for this weekend.