My first milling

[MustangMike]

OK, downloaded an App to re size the pics:

 

[junkman]

Nice work

 

[MustangMike]

Thanks.

Would you ratchet the boards down, or is it OK to just stack them with some weight on them (have separators between them)?

This tree was live when I cut it down a month or two ago, but does not seem to be real wet when I cut it.

The square file seemed to get noticeably duller after about a tank and a half (ran close to two tanks through). Needed a lot more strokes than a normal sharpening.

 

[junkman]

I just stack my boards if do not use right away ,i use the waned edges i cut off for stickers/seperators ,if keep in shade or covered with tarp or in a building ,key is to keep sun off them when drying ,they will cup and crack if in the sunlight ,i never put weight on them ,the weight of the lumber seems to work for me ,here is an example of a stickered stack i did .

 

[Wolverine]

Welcome to the fun Seeing those pics of the fume cloud reminded me how much I want a gas mask, or snorkel pipe.

 

[MustangMike]

Well, I don't have them inside, but they are mostly in the shade (getting rained on at the moment).

 

[johnny5ny]

Well friggin done boys!!!!
Always been intrigued by chainsaw mills....


Some day

 

[MustangMike]

If you look at pic #2, you will see the 2 sections I milled are above the "squiggly" in the trunk. The straighter, longer section still remains! That Shag Hickory was not the biggest diameter, but it was very tall and mostly straight!

I wanted to practice a bit before I got to the good stuff, but I'm very happy with how it turned out. Plan to do more 2" boards, and some 4X4 for legs.

The one scaring me it that 12+'; 40+" Red Oak in the back ground. Almost don't know how to start it.

I may "free hand" to get the chain buried, then set up the guide, but if anyone has any better ideas, please share them with me, Thanks! That thing is intimidating me!

 

[Terry Hennessy]

Be careful as it is addicting. Common mistake, that i too made. In reality one should start with a 16" pine for the first milling victim.

File that chain and finish the log!

and it is (More Important) to NOT have one (longer cutter) than it is have one (shorter cutter); BEST to have ALL same length, but one LC will leave the extra grooves that mess up the finish; after sharpening, check the depth gages

 

[exSW]

The problem becomes moving the log to it.

Problem solved.

 

[MustangMike]

Did some more this morning, I believe this was Pig Nut Hickory. Made 4 boards 7' long and 13-14" wide (2" thick) before lunch. I plan to turn the short piece (in the back of pic #3) into 4" X 4" for legs. Looks like I will also get one more good piece out of this log.

Although it went well, I don't want to mill any hardwood thicker than 14" unless I get a bigger saw. I may try to stay under 12" thick in the future unless I need it for a special project.

 

[MustangMike]

View attachment 28805

Problem solved.

So, when are you gonna deliver that new present to me??? I think I also need a larger trailer and tow vehicle to get it to the site, but I'm sure it would be nice to have! Right now, I'm moving things the old fashion way, with timeberjack & pry bars!

 

[exSW]

So, when are you gonna deliver that new present to me??? I think I also need a larger trailer and tow vehicle to get it to the site, but I'm sure it would be nice to have! Right now, I'm moving things the old fashion way, with timeberjack & pry bars!

It's nice to have neighbors of some substance.

 

[Iron.and.bark]

Did some more this morning, I believe this was Pig Nut Hickory. Made 4 boards 7' long and 13-14" wide (2" thick) before lunch. I plan to turn the short piece (in the back of pic #3) into 4" X 4" for legs. Looks like I will also get one more good piece out of this log.

Although it went well, I don't want to mill any hardwood thicker than 14" unless I get a bigger saw. I may try to stay under 12" thick in the future unless I need it for a special project.

So is that cranberry juice in the pic for you or the saw

 

[Wolverine]

Thanks.

Would you ratchet the boards down, or is it OK to just stack them with some weight on them (have separators between them)?

Spend some time with this part of the job. I milled a bunch of apple trees last fall. I didn't get the proper weight on them and they twisted and bowed like crazy. Well, 75% of them did. I spent a lot of time and hard work millin' them only to look at a mess now. Check out this thread - http://firewoodhoardersclub.com/forums/threads/drying-slabs.19650/#post-527111 Attention to detail here can yield much nicer lumber later and is well worth the hassle.

 

[MustangMike]

So is that cranberry juice in the pic for you or the saw

I generally fill it half with water and make sure I take frequent drink breaks on these hot days. I'll often consume one in the morning and anther in the afternoon. The caps make it pretty spill proof. (Cran/Grape I will fill 2/3 water, that grape taste is powerful, but I like it).

 

[Terry Hennessy]

Spend some time with this part of the job. I milled a bunch of apple trees last fall. I didn't get the proper weight on them and they twisted and bowed like crazy. Well, 75% of them did. I spent a lot of time and hard work millin' them only to look at a mess now. Check out this thread - http://firewoodhoardersclub.com/forums/threads/drying-slabs.19650/#post-527111 Attention to detail here can yield much nicer lumber later and is well worth the hassle.

Since a lot of apple tree is limbs versus trunk, I would imagine much, much more prone to twisting from internal pressures. Example of (why) most mills do not mill limbs, only trunks.

 

[Wolverine]

Yep. It was all free wood so I figured I'd try milling some bases. I think if properly weighted they would have been ok. Next time I'll know what it needs.

 

[MustangMike]

Yep. It was all free wood so I figured I'd try milling some bases. I think if properly weighted they would have been ok. Next time I'll know what it needs.

View attachment 28928 View attachment 28929

Looks like beautiful stuff!

 

[Shawn Curry]

I have also had more trouble with branchy stuff. It's still going to move whether you have weight on it or not. If it's weighted or at the bottom of the stack it will probably crack if there's just too much tension.

But, that doesn't mean you still can't use it. If you can't flatten the whole slab you could saw it into smaller pieces and flatten those. The Christmas cutting boards I made came from a "ruined" black walnut slab.