All the mistakes with an Alaskan chainsaw mill. 

Now I want a bigger saw so I can mill bigger logs. What saw are you running or what's your favorite saw?

Thanks for making me laugh until I cried. The bar oil incident was priceless and watching the second time was even funnier! I can relate. 🤣

Good for you for leaving the mistakes. We're human and likely have done worse. This was super helpful as I am doing my first cuts next week with my Princess Auto bought mill!

This video answered a lot of questions for me and you presented the information in a way that makes it both interesting and funny.

Was one of the best videos I have seen. Was a very honest documentary on making honest mistakes while you're doing your chores or work around the house thank you for the share of the video

I help a friend with a larger Alaska mill. We use a chain saw at each end of the bar. Even w/o the 2nd saw, a guy at each end makes the cut go smoother. Not as much of the rocking back and forth. The rocking can cut into the wood. We do the cuts to make logs bigger than 36" fit on his band saw mill. I have seen a setup with a winch past the end of the log and a cable to each end of the log. The saw is started, locked on full and the winch does the movement. I was a commercial fisherman and knew a guy that built a 50' commercial boat with wood from an Alaska mill, in Alaska. Nice boat, very heavy duty.

😅 😂 classic great to know we’re all human when we get to see our tiny mistakes happen when you don’t want it to happen. Mine I walked all the way into the bush before knowing I walked that far in with my oiler cap undone. My bad rookie years.

Thanks brother . This vd really helps me out .

the spacer boards are a good idea, im gonna try that.

TA, great video Sir. Thanks for showing us the tips and tricks without editing out the CF moments. We all have them. Have a blessed day, Sir!

SOOOooo cool that you left that one part in there, lol

Thanks for the tips... I thought I was the only one who has bad luck 👍.

I’m waiting on my sawmill. I’m sure yours came out better than mine will. Expectation vs reality. Thanks for posting this.

Watch surviving ringworm to learn how to use that chainsaw mill!

Hahah! you're hilarious! But real. I like that! Great info!

Can relate so well."oh MF" 😂 liked and subbed!

Well we all have to start somewhere! Thanks for sharing, I’ve ordered an Alaskan mill and I’m sure I’ll be experiencing the same issues you did. Be safe👍TCT

An Alaskan mill is great for what it was intended for …..making lumber in the middle of no damn where. I’ll take a bandsaw mill any day. My hats off to you for undertaking this. It took me one afternoon and one log to go bandmill shopping.

Great video 👍Very concise and you got fairly proficient very quickly 💪Hoping to do some Alaskan milling myself soon enough and I appreciate the info.

Good Job for your first time.

Wiggling your saw back and forth will cut groves into the log. Keeping your saw angled slightly with the engine forward and the bar back at a slight angle cuts with more power, smother, and straighter. If the top of the bar gets in front you lose power and it will cut crooked, wavy down the log. In the video you can hear the difference in the engine forward leading the cut has much more power than the top of the bar bogs it down.

thanks for the video right there is more then I know how to do. But I been watching a lot of these a young gut the first thing he built was a thick heavy milling table and skids to move his logs on and off the table as well as a hand crank or wench to wench the logs up on the table with home made thick slanted poles. pretty smart kid as working from the table is a lot easier then from the ground depending on how many logs u plan on milling. But if your in a forrest or the bush and the logs are to heavy to move this is a good idea or way to know as well cutting them on the ground.

Nice, honest, video. I planning on buying an Alaskan Mill soon and seeing your mistakes gives me reason to believe I'll make a ton more than you, haha! Thank you for taking the time to make this video!

Bro! What a top video. Thank you for taking us through the whole process (learning included) while remaining entertaining. Just set up my mill and gonna try it tomorrow with an MS500i, not sure if you ended up with a different saw but would like to know how it's going for you.

Good show there. Way to step out and give some real school experience without editing out all the mistakes. Appreciate your straight shooting. 👍

you want to let the saw idle for a few before you turn it off,to cool down

I been watching another guy in Michigan called Ring Worm same or similar setup maybe you you could watch him and compare notes and get a better idea Ryan I think is his name same set up but he startesd with a smaller version about half the size of your bar but just bought a new rig same size I think as the one ur using now but hes pretty good in a lot of ways. main thing his smaller rig also a smaller powered chain saw didnt have the tork for larger laws and had to repace chains more often.and hes cutting mostly cedat fur and alder or something only the wood on his property. Hes built several structures a gazebo a small cabin and a larger cabin and its all milled wood he milled himself. Using an Alaska chainsaw mill.

Don't see-saw it. You get better results if you just go straight. Also, raise one end of the log up and mill downhill, so much easier!

You and I are like minded guys who spill our bar oil because we forget to put the oil cap back on. Hahaha

I enjoyed the swearing the entire way. That sounds like me. Loved the bar oil cap off comment mfkr lol. I was like, what happened now 😆 love it.

Great job! Looks like a pretty good set up. How are the coffee tables coming along?

Awesome work brother 👍🏻👏 . Instead of rocking the saw side to side help just guide it and push little by little and let the saw pull its way through instead of bogging it down

I would let chaisaw idle to get rid of heat

Interesting you tried a ladder for a rail system. That ladder was the biggest mistake. You really need to get a real rail system because you can adjust it better to the log and then just knock the dawgs down in it to secure it without wobble. The adjustment screws will let you square it easy and adjust for the taper in the log as well giving you better lumber when you cut. Nice video all the same. It is nice to see mistakes may help viewers from making the same.

I always take the bark off when possible Dulls the s*** right out of your chain .a windy day always seems to be good too keeps the fumes out of your face. Putting blocks under one end helps with the gravity pull as you're cutting. I also try to cut my logs a foot or more longer because The ends always get f***** up.

Only time I have had success cutting slabs is when I use the "3rd World" freehand method using just the tip of the chain to cut with no guides beyond a snap-line. They use that technique daily to make their living & they don't bother with alaskan mills - if you see guys doing stuff one way when their ability to afford food depends on it working, chances are they are doing it the best way.. Freehand cutting works better.

Well the good thing is you will have lots of firewood ! Soon you will be working off your belly .

That looks like one of those cheap Chinese mills got to do a couple mods but it’s better than paying $500 😂. Also just push your saw through square rather than side to side, start of slowly after stopping the saw mid cut couple of tips to stop cut marks.

Don't grab the chain and try and stop it with your hands while it's running .

This was a bit like the Red Green show, with a few more swear words.

Play txt in the top .

Maybe if you raised the log to a decent height you might find it much easier to handle the chainsaw and not work off your knees like a woman !

Loved the cussing. I saw your biggest problem was that chain is as sharp as Joe Biden. You were shitting out dust, not chips.

Looks Great !! One thing I noticed is , keep Saw & mill level coming on & off cut . And lead the nose of bar through cut . Due to angle of grinds on chain . This is not the fastest way to cut & It can be pain down on ground . If you can raise log off ground & make Starting High cut down hill , Helps some . OH , Bigger saw !! I know $$ but you will be able to enjoy cutting . Little ?? Oh, let saw run after cut to cool down . Idling warms up & cools down saw .