A simple garden chainsaw mill

[dzj]

As paulm said, you'd need a rip filed chain and it would be a bit slow because it lacks power, but it should work.
This one does in any case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJOvnsMJHJ8

 

[doorframe]

As paulm said, you'd need a rip filed chain and it would be a bit slow because it lacks power, but it should work.
This one does in any case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJOvnsMJHJ8

He made that look positively easy. And if you watch really closely, you can see him set the fine adjuster to 299.3mm.

 

[Owl]

I have explained in previous posts that I'm not a woodworker and also know absolutely nothing about chainsaws so feel free to shoot me down if my questions are stupid.

Does the 'chain' stick out further than the 'blade' on a chainsaw as they do on a tablesaw blade ?
If so, wouldn't this mean they are in contact with the wood rail that the saw blade is bolted to ? or is there a spacer between the blade and the wood rail ?

 

[Water-Mark]

Yes the chain is wider than the bar and will need to be spaced off the bracket its fixed to.

I'm sure thats been factored in but even a couple of thick washers would suffice if not.

 

[Owl]

Thanks for the quick reply Mark ..... that's solved the puzzle for me.

 

[nanscombe]

...
Always the case with a forum, but as long as it's civil you can always take something from it. Sadly there will always be troll's who, from the safety of their keyboard attack for their own entertainment

Then there are the "unofficial" moderators.

 

[Walney Col]

I did mention a couple of days ago that the original wood slider was going to be replaced with a metal one...

Something along these lines, though I've jet to make a start have only just managed to get my hands on some 10mm thick steel and a pal's welder, and with everything having to be made on the back step in the freezing cold it's not going to arrive tomorrow.

The handle is an optional extra for winching the slide along the back of the bench but it'll only ever be added if I try pushing it along by hand and can't cope.

Col.

 

[dickm]

Since you have access to a welder and an admirable can-do outlook, why not go for the full Alaskan mill design? Could be simpler aand work better in the long run?

 

[Graham Orm]

Col, I think for this to work you will have to overcome a lot of friction between the carriage and the back of the bench. How about designing in a couple of wheels that will run along the top of the bench rail and possibly something front and back to keep it straight?
Something like this 2 top 4 front and 4 back will help it travel.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/fixed-castor- ... 2ed0e97988

 

[paulm]

Like the wheels idea !

Cheers, Paul

 

[John Brown]

Since you have access to a welder and an admirable can-do outlook, why not go for the full Alaskan mill design? Could be simpler aand work better in the long run?

If you read the entire thread, it's because he wants a stealth mill, that looks to all intents and purposes like a garden bench.

 

[Graham Orm]

As paulm said, you'd need a rip filed chain and it would be a bit slow because it lacks power, but it should work.
This one does in any case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJOvnsMJHJ8

My bet is that an electric chain saw will stall or burn out trying to do this, it's just not what they're designed for. I'm watching with interest.

 

[paulm]

As paulm said, you'd need a rip filed chain and it would be a bit slow because it lacks power, but it should work.
This one does in any case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJOvnsMJHJ8

My bet is that an electric chain saw will stall or burn out trying to do this, it's just not what they're designed for. I'm watching with interest.

I would be worried about that too with cheaper diy type electric saws, but I think a Makita was mentioned towards the start of the thread and they are pretty robust ones, miles better than the cheapies from the sheds.

I used mine a couple of months ago for a major firewood session as it was more suited to the continual pick up put down routine involved than my petrol huskies, and I was reminded just how good it was even on some limited slabbing I did with it when I had a piece of timber that was too good for the firewood pile !

It obviously won't be as quick or powerful as a decent petrol one with a coarser chain, but if kept sharp and topped up with oil it should get the job done I reckon on modest sized logs.

Cheers, Paul

 

[Walney Col]

Since you have access to a welder and an admirable can-do outlook, why not go for the full Alaskan mill design? Could be simpler aand work better in the long run?

Had I been fit and healthy I dare say I would have gone the alaskam mill route. I'm a long term user of morphine for a back injury however which makes bending over and pushing or even standing for anything more than a minute at a time totally out of the question, ... hence raising the log to a reasonable working height and having the saw run along a fixed rail so I don't have to bear it's full weight and try to keep my balance while shaking with pain at the same time.

Even then I'm not sure I can stand long enough to do a cut on a 5 ft log in which case I may have to either do it seated on a stool at the back of the rail or give up on my ambition of having done the whole process myself from rough log to finished article.

Col.

 

[Walney Col]

Col, I think for this to work you will have to overcome a lot of friction between the carriage and the back of the bench.

The wheels are definitely an option (I even have some) but I think there's be a lot more play in those wheels than in an all-metal runner and I do have a backup plan to install a little hand crank winch to pull it along the back of the bench if need be.

FYI the metal runner I'm making is cut from a length of 80x40x3 steel hollow box section 250mm long so unlike the wheels which might have to navigate a bit of a sawdust obstacle course (lumps and bumps on top of the back rail) the steel runner should be able to clear it all off as it goes and run straight as an arrow.

Col.

 

[Walney Col]

My bet is that an electric chain saw will stall or burn out trying to do this, it's just not what they're designed for. I'm watching with interest.

This electric saw seems to manage ok(ish) and his workbench is a lot more wobbly than mine...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEpdMX3Dcq0

As for burning out there'd be enough lumber in a 12" diameter 5' long log to last me for months so it won't exactly be an everyday use kind of deal. It would however be extremely cost effective since I bought the saw AND made the bench for less than you'd pay for that quantity of pre-cut oak boards.

They don't make an off the shelf ripping chain for my gague chain BTW but I've just this morning had a spare chain delivered so I can grind it to more of a ripping angle should it bog down too much.

Col.

 

[Walney Col]

He made that look positively easy. And if you watch really closely, you can see him set the fine adjuster to 299.3mm.

It's obviously a lot more popular dimension than many people think

 

[Graham Orm]

My bet is that an electric chain saw will stall or burn out trying to do this, it's just not what they're designed for. I'm watching with interest.

This electric saw seems to manage ok(ish) and his workbench is a lot more wobbly than mine...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEpdMX3Dcq0

As for burning out there'd be enough lumber in a 12" diameter 5' long log to last me for months so it won't exactly be an everyday use kind of deal. It would however be extremely cost effective since I bought the saw AND made the bench for less than you'd pay for that quantity of pre-cut oak boards.

They don't make an off the shelf ripping chain for my gague chain BTW but I've just this morning had a spare chain delivered so I can grind it to more of a ripping angle should it bog down too much.

Col.

I'd have said that saw was struggling Col, if the log had been twice the thickness (12") and 5 ft long, I just can't see it working. He had to put all his weight behind it. Maybe a wedge at the open end of the cut would have helped?

No-one seems to have picked up here on the fact that it's ripping and not cross cutting. Even a circular saw struggles when cutting with the grain compared to across it.

I'm sorry to read that you're suffering so much. Well done for keeping going ;-)

 

[paulm]

He made that look positively easy. And if you watch really closely, you can see him set the fine adjuster to 299.3mm.

It's obviously a lot more popular dimension than many people think

:lol: :lol: :lol:

It's worth making up a couple or so wedges to put in the cut at the end you started, so that the weight of the cut plank doesn't pinch the saw so much as you move down the length of the log, and takes less effort to get it finished and less demand on the saw too.

Cheers, Paul

 

[dzj]

No-one seems to have picked up here on the fact that it's ripping and not cross cutting.

It was mentioned a few pages back.