An Alaskan saw mill is a great tool for wood workers, builders, and outdoorsmen. Whether milling beams in a remote site for a cabin or harvesting special wood for musical instruments, the Alaskan saw mill is a versatile tool. Often woodworkers, who are cutting material for furniture or instruments, prefer to cut partially finished lumber with their saw mill.
Chainsaw mills are small sawmills designed to be used by just one or two operators to mill logs into lumber. More elaborate chainsaw mills consist of a track and frame system to which the chainsaw is mounted. 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.
Customers are regularly impressed with the quality of the cut from the chainsaw mill, imagining that the chainsaw will necessarily make a terrible cut with a nasty surface finish, which it does not. As far as I am concerned, any mill which uses a chainsaw chain and bar is a chainsaw mill, no matter the setup. If you didn’t own a chainsaw and decided that you wanted to cut some lumber, you could be making your own lumber for about $500, for a small chainsaw and the Alaskan mill attachment.
Choosing the best chainsaw for milling your own lumber will really come down to how large of trees you’ll be working with. If you’re clicking on links that take you to a big box lumber store or Amazon, then you’re not going to be buying a chainsaw capable of milling lumber. Almost anyone who has spent a decent amount of time milling their own logs will quickly tell you that this is the saw you should go with from day one if you’ll be milling with any consistency.
how does a chainsaw mill work Related Question:
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.
How long does it take to mill a log with a chainsaw?
In the world of chainsaw milling, the more powerful the saw the better. 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.
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 thin can you cut with a chainsaw mill?
The Alaskan Mill Mark III Attachment can cut boards as thin as 1/2″ and as thick as 13″. Setup and make your first cut, remove this first slab, then use the Mini-Mill II to edge the log.
How big of a chainsaw do I need for an Alaskan mill?
Most Alaskan mills require at least 3 inches extra at the end of the bar for attachment. I also recommend going with a saw with an engine size of at least 60cc for smaller logs and softer woods. A minimum of 90cc would be best though.
Is it worth milling 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.
How do you get the most lumber out of a log?
Similar to cant sawing, plain sawing begins with rotating and sawing the outer sides of a log into boards until the center is squared into a four-sided cant. Instead of leaving the cant as is, it is rotated and sawn to produce the maximum amount of lumber.
Can you use a chainsaw on lumber?
Yes, you can use a chainsaw to cut wet wood.
Can you mill with a regular chain?
Re: ripping chain I have ripped thousands of feet of logs with a chainsaw and regular chain cuts faster just not as smooth of a finish as ripping chain. If you are just breaking down large logs to fit on the mill I would use regular chain.
How thick should I mill slabs?
Generally I mill slabs at 2 1/2 – 3 inches thick….. stack and sticker with weight on top.
How thick are mill slabs?
*Cut slabs a minimum of 2″ thick to minimize warping. Saw thicker slabs for specific purposes or projects. If you want to use the warp-prone pith (the log’s center), cut it as a 4–5″-thick slab, as shown at right.
Does skip tooth chain cut faster?
A skip chain has fewer cutting teeth than a conventional chain which means it won’t be dragging as many teeth through the wood you’re cutting. Less drag on the chain means less power is needed to cut through the log. That means the motor on your saw runs faster which keeps it in a more efficient power curve.
Does a ripping chain cut faster?
Ripping chains are slower as the finer cut and surface takes more time than regular cutting.
What’s the fastest cutting chainsaw chain?
A full chisel chain is a chain with square cornered teeth, and they’re known for being the fastest cutting blade shape available.