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.
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.
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.
When planning our homestead we’d done a ton of research on milling your own lumber, whether to build a DIY homemade chainsaw mill, using a homemade chainsaw mill and getting to try it out for the first time was both scary and exciting. “Every chainsaw mill design out there is a little different. Our DIY homemade Alaskan mill was designed to fit our Stihl MS660 92cc chainsaw with a 36” bar. We weren’t sure we’d invest in a commercial mill as we didn’t really know what was involved in milling you own lumber and whether it was a worthwhile venture.
how to use a chainsaw as a sawmill 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 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.
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.
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 fast does a chainsaw mill cut?
Cutting speeds can vary from 8 feet a minute in narrow softwoods, to 1-1/2 feet a minute in wide hardwoods.
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.
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.
Do I need ripping chain?
Do I Need A Ripping Chain? If you are milling and want to have a smooth finish to your cuts, then a Ripping chain provides a huge advantage over a regular x-cutting chain. You should also get some speed advantages in using a Ripping chain.
Do you have to dry wood before building with it?
The answer is dimensional stability and it is one of the main reasons wood must be dried. Wood begins to shrink in width, and thickness when the moisture content starts to get below 30%. The amount of shrinkage varies by species.
How long can oak logs sit before milling?
From Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor: As a rule of thumb, there will be a measurable loss in four to six weeks of warm (over 50 F) weather. It is just a rule of thumb.
How much does it cost to turn a tree into lumber?
By the Board Foot Pricing varies by species and location but ranges from $0.25 to $0.50 per board foot of sawn lumber. This pricing method places all of the risk of productivity on the sawyer since the customer is only paying for the lumber they receive.
Can I use a chainsaw to 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.