I've got some trees, pines particularly, that I'd like to slab for an outbuilding. I understand there's a ripping blade for a chainsaw but have heard, also, that it's not necessary.
Certainly Mac's sawmill would work better but I haven't got Mac's money :). Any thoughts, warnings, advice, suggestions?
TomNie
Take a look at the Logosol people. They likely know more about chain saw lumbering than anyone else. The Granberg is also used by some folks with good success. A web search will easily turn up both.
You probably heard half wrong. Making up bowl blanks can be done by employing the bar along the face grain on a short length and doesn't benefit. Sawing end grain along a long piece benefits from the revised tooth angle on a rip chain, and that's what most chainsaw mills do.
I guess I'd check woodmizer's site for an owner/operator near me and get it done that way.
Come to think of it, that's what I do....
Where you need to go is:
Woodmizer has much of the market but there are a number of other good portable sawmills out there. Timberking and Baker come to mind and either would be willing, I think, to refer you to an owner.
I think in the end that you will find the money to have someone saw for you to be a good investment as opposed to trying to do it with a chainsaw. Also, your yield is going to be much better with a bandmill.
Bill
George wrote:
Your post was timely, I was just thinking about this yesterday when I rolled two
18" cottonwood logs under the shed roof to dry. Here are the websites for the portable sawmills people have replied with. Granberg has the simple, low-tech devices to convert your chainsaw into a weekend sawmill including ripping blades. DanHi Tom
My take on it, unless you are going to go into a part time job cutting up logs in your area, I would suggest to have someone come with a Woodmizer or similar band saw and have it done. Yes you could saw with a chain saw, there are setups that make it possible to do that, like the (Alaska mill), you need a big enough chain saw to handle the chain length required and you should also use a ripping chain, a very good bar or you saw sideways, keep the chain snug and sweat . Than you have to be able to set up the logs so that you can saw them, move the sawn slabs etc,. You will lose a lot more wood using a chain saw and it is a lot slower. If I had a few logs and was unable to get them to a mill, I would get someone with a saw to come and cut up the logs. A friend of mine and I hauled a dozen or so eastern white cedar logs to a sayer just Oh 14" to 18"D logs mostly 15 to 20 feet long, for building a bridge over a gully and it took not very long to slice the logs up into 2" slabs, with the 3 of us, if you have to do that by yourself it will take a lot longer and it can get risky, logs are heavy and if you are not used to doing that it's just-- well-- that, risky.
Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo
================ Tom, You might want to check with some of the turner and other wood working clubs in your area. See if they know any one who has a bandsaw mill that's willing to works on shares. Some in the TX area will cut for a portion of the wood. Percentage is negotiable in some cases, depending on travel time, type wood, etc. YMMV
Ken Moon Webberville, TX.
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