You must carefully consider the features peculiar to both the chainsaw mill and the bandsaw mill before you choose either of them. Both a chainsaw mill and a bandsaw mill are used to turn logs into lumber. If you have a portable sawmill that has limited cutting capacities in terms of length, you can add a chainsaw mill to your arsenal, use it to cut down larger logs into manageable sizes, before fitting the smaller log onto your portable chainsaw mill.
Guys…. Im ready to get serious but…. Im debating on building a “Pro-Cut” chainsaw mill or buying a used band mill…. I want to saw when I can to start gaining experiance as well as collecting lumber to buiold a timber frame house of aprox 3000 Sq Ft. So Im open for all suggestions…. Home built mill – Milling logs to build a home for the family. If you have plenty of spare time and there is no rush to get things done, then the chainsaw mill will do the job, if you have plenty of time and no money, again the chainsaw mill comes into play again. If you have plenty of wonga, hire in a band mill to do most of the donkey work and finish off with a Ripsaw, which is a superb chainsaw driven band mill or get a medium sized chain mill and do the same, A procut mill is a very good alternative to a band mill, and afterwards you could add a band mill conversion to it with little fuss, check out the many different home made band mills on the WWW, which I have just decided to go down this path myself.
If a blade gets too slow or starts to bind, you won’t have a precise cut. Because of the attributes of band sawmills, they can tackle larger logs more easily and precisely than chainsaw sawmills. A chainsaw sawmill is actually quite different in that it is effectively the enhancement of a standard chainsaw to produce a viable solution for milling lumber. Bandsaw blades are much thinner than a chainsaw bar and chain. Because of that, bandsaw mills are admired for their low kerf rating, or the small amount of wood lost in each cut due to the thickness of the blade versus a chainsaw blade, which generally produces a rougher cut. Regardless of the wood’s size and density, one very important thing to remember with a bandsaw or chainsaw sawmill is that the blades need to be sharpened regularly. Maintaining your own blades with your own equipment saves you money and you know that the job is done right.
If you’re new to milling timber, you’re probably a little confused about some things – namely, the difference between chainsaw and bandsaw mills. Bandsaw mills are very popular these days, and chainsaw mills have maintained a niche in the mill world for their own unique advantages. You may decide between a chainsaw and bandsaw mill solely based on the portability factor, but there are several other factors to consider as well.
Moving the logs is a key consideration, so the fact you have the means to do that is important if you decide on a bandsaw mill. “I use a chainsaw mill because I have trouble moving logs. I minimize waste by milling everything 9/4, after drying I resaw on my bandsaw in my shop, this is one way I get around the waste factor. I also think I get less warping with my lumber while drying. Last year I milled well over 30 logs with my chainsaw mill, most logs around 7 feet long, but many of them well over 24” diameter. Another option to consider is to get a bunch of logs, move to a site you can mill them, and then hire a sawyer with a bandsaw mill.
Chainsaw mill will also cut you a more uniform board. If it’s a large amount I would look at a bandsaw, if it’s a few boards a year and you desire a nicer board then a chainsaw mill may be the thing. Chainsaw mill is for cutting oversize slabs …. that is all.
I am a chainsaw sawyer, Works for me but I don’t sell my lumber, csm it’s not for everyone. Highly portable, can cary the mill to the log and mill it where it was felled, instead of trying to move, load, and transport a large log. The cons, csm is very very slow and extremely labor intensive.
To rely on either a chain mill or a band mill as a complete production setup seems like mostly physical and mental abuse, from what I’ve seen. For the cost of a typical band saw mill, you can have a twin bar mill and a band resaw and both units do what they do best and, contrary to common thought, the kerf of the saw chain does not affect the cant – only the slab/side board. Comment from contributor C: I find statements about the wastefulness of band mills next to chain saw mills because of the environment to be ridiculous.
chainsaw vs bandsaw mill Related Question:
Is chainsaw milling worth it?
A chainsaw mill is one of the most efficient and effective tools when it comes to converting wood into lumber. Lumber is a very effective raw material that can be used for a variety of purposes. Be it for firewood or be it for construction purposes, you can certainly utilize lumber for whatever you need.
How slow is a chainsaw mill?
You can mill with a smaller saw; however, it’s going to be really slow. On average, it takes me about 10-15 minutes to make one cut using my saw, based on the size logs that I typically cut. Expect that a smaller saw will cut slower. I use a Stihl 661 professional grade saw and love it.
How fast are chainsaw mills?
Cutting speeds can vary from 8 feet a minute in narrow softwoods, to 1-1/2 feet a minute in wide hardwoods.
How well do chainsaw sawmills work?
A chainsaw has a saw kerf right around 3/8 of an inch, which means it is very inefficient and produces a lot of sawdust. For these reasons, a chainsaw mill is definitely not to be used for optimizing the amount of lumber that you can yield from a log.
What is a ripping chain?
Ripping chain is chainsaw chain designed specifically for cutting with the grain. Ripping chain is always micro chisel or semi chisel chain which features a re configured cutting angle of 10 degrees.
What size chainsaw do I need for chainsaw mill?
What size chainsaw should I use for milling? Go with a chainsaw that can handle a bar that is at least 3 inches longer than the width of the log you’ll be milling. Most Alaskan mills require at least 3 inches extra at the end of the bar for attachment.
Are portable sawmills worth it?
A portable sawmill can be worth the investment. It can provide a source of wood for your own projects and give you a side business. For a source of lumber, as well as a profitable business, a portable sawmill can be a key piece of equipment on your farm.
Is it worth it to mill your own lumber?
Milling your own lumber can produce quality material for a fraction of the price of a lumber dealer. In fact, if you purchase your own mill, like I have, you can actually make a profit off of it by selling lumber to other woodworkers and by offering to mill other people’s logs.
What is a chainsaw mill used for?
A chainsaw mill or PortaMill or Alaskan mill or Alaskan sawmill or Logosol sawmill is a type of sawmill incorporating a chainsaw, that is used by one or two operators to mill logs into lumber for use in furniture, construction and other uses.
What should you not cut with a chainsaw?
Don’t Cut With a Dull Blade Cutting with a sharp blade actually extends the life of your chain saw. That’s because a sharp blade pulls itself into the wood, while a dull blade requires lots of downward pressure. That pressure wears out the bar, drive links, clutch sprocket and clutch.
Can a chainsaw cut a 4×4?
While the best way to cut through a 4×4 is by using a 12-inch miter saw or a 10-inch radial saw or slide saw, those tools aren’t always readily available. With a little ingenuity, it’s possible to make precision cuts with other tools, including circular saws, reciprocating saws, chainsaws, and even handsaws.
Can a chainsaw cut metal?
Yes, chainsaws can cut through metal. Of course, this depends on the type of metal and thickness. You also need a powerful chainsaw with a chain that has metallic reinforcement or a carbide-tipped chain. In general, it is not advised to use a chainsaw to cut metal, use a specialized metal saw instead.