Mini mill attachement for chainsaw

[Salix]

Has anybody had the use or seen/heard of the Granberg mini-mill or Alaskan small log milling attachement , this seems like a really good idea for turning logs into rough beams or planks, i think it's an American or Canadian make, so it may be over to our friends across the pond to enlighten me

Mark

 

[EdS]

help my mate use on - great for 'rustic' planks etc.

http://www.toolcenter.com/sawmill/small.html

Somewhere like Corwen Forestry should be able to get 1

 

[Ogri the trog]

I saw one being demonstrated at a local outdoor/farming suppliers. Just couldn't justify buying one at the time.
The guy obviously was experienced using it but it did turn out some useable lumps of timber. It needs quite a big saw to clamp on to ( in one case he showed a 250cc 4 stroke saw on it and wow did that throw dust )
There's two sizes, I believe, both of which IIRC produce good stock but work on different size logs.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[pierre girard]

Has anybody had the use or seen/heard of the Granberg mini-mill or Alaskan small log milling attachement , this seems like a really good idea for turning logs into rough beams or planks, i think it's an American or Canadian make, so it may be over to our friends across the pond to enlighten me

Mark

My brother has some kind of chainsaw-sawmill attachment. Here, they are known as "Alaskan Chain Saw Mills," but I don't know if that is the brand name. Only good for very rough work, but it does work. We've used it to make beams (12"X12" - or larger). For boards, I don't think I'd bother as you turn a lot of good lumber into sawdust. It is necessary to have a rip chain on the chainsaw to make it work right.

What did you want to know?

PG

 

[Salix]

Cheers people,

I want one for just converting our logs into planks or beams, it doesn't have to give a great finish, I get some really good windthrows at the beggining of the year, but at the moment they are just logged up, and I cant get them out, so I thought if i converted them on site, it would make it easier getting them out, and i would have some great oak beams and planks.

PG is it easy to use or is it a monster, and what sort of work rate can you get out of it?

Mark

 

[david1]

just found this thread.
never worked out why you would want one with a single power head if you can only cut 10 to 20 inches wide you can carry the log to the saw mill.
now the two power head versions which cut much wider let you cut up timber in a back garden and carry it out through the house. To the saw mill
the Kerf ( thinkness of cut on a chain saw is massive and waistful).
If you want to make something rustic just use a chain saw free hand. Ive made loads of seats 20 inch wide 4 foot long to go in park woodlands for local councils.

David

 

[pierre girard]

Cheers people,

I want one for just converting our logs into planks or beams, it doesn't have to give a great finish, I get some really good windthrows at the beggining of the year, but at the moment they are just logged up, and I cant get them out, so I thought if i converted them on site, it would make it easier getting them out, and i would have some great oak beams and planks.

PG is it easy to use or is it a monster, and what sort of work rate can you get out of it?

Mark

It's been years, but seems like it was a pain in the neck. Be sure to get a rip chain if you do it. We made some large beams out of white pine. They were very rough. Oak would be tougher, I'm sure.

Here is a site:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/...?storeId=6970&productId=200316891&R=200316891

I may have to look into this as well. I only know one old sawyer who still cuts cheap. He sawed, planed, and tongue and grooved 1500 board feet of cedar for me, last year, for $208.00. Other sawyers quoted me a dollar a foot for sawing, no planing, you supply the logs.

My old sawyer is good. He gets more board feet out of a log than any other sawyer I know, but he is very old.

 

[redflex]

I have used one frequently, the secret is to get a saw which has enough power small or cheap saws are no use.

The guide bar length has to be longer than when felling timber of same diameter as the some length is lost with the mill attachment fixings on the bar.

The cuts are wider than band saw etc so you lose a lot of wood, rough cuts are to be expected.

Make sure you ensure you have enough chain oil, put a second oil unit on the saw as the normal oil feed will not pprovide enough oil as it was not designed for the mill especially when using long guide bar.

Use rails to make cuts level.

we used mill to plank timber for foot bridges etc around the estate etc if set up right great bit of kit.

 

[Salix]

That sounds good redflex, any idea on the type of kit you used, manufacturer ect?
Thats exactley what we intend to use it for, we have plenty of available timber, and not really worried about losing on the cut.

Mark