Thanks so much for taking the time to put the mill and the video together it’s a great reference for the rest of us. I noticed of all the mill videos I’ve watched you are the only builder smart enough to use wood uprights for the logs to rest against just in case you forget to put them down.
Right now your entire blade rack is attached to the log frame purely on weight, there's nothing to keep it from lifting off. If you catch a board wrong or get tippy in any way, there's nothing to keep it from falling over or the casters coming off the rails except the saw bar inside the log. Could be a bit exciting if you ever run into something like that happening. Catching a hard piece, steel, wire or something in the log will cause a "jolt" and with the direct drive from the motor to the chain it'll keep spinning till something breaks or you shut it off. Should also consider putting a stop at each end of the caster rails so you don't runoff either end. I don't suppose that system is very light and you'll only run it off the end once before you decide to put stops on. Might consider a variable speed motor with a clutch on your chain and sprocket. That will also keep you from having to flip the switch off and on. That's one of the reasons, small gas engines are used. Third thing to consider is the bracing/frame of the saw itself. You added additional bracing, making it more rigid but your saw bar is still a cantilever beam. That's the main reason you are getting vibration/saw wobble. If you make a box frame that holds your saw at both ends and add the lifting screw and slide poles on both ends then your saw will become a beam that is supported on both ends and you wont get the blade wobble. If you continue to run it like it is, you'll bend your bar, cut crooked and constantly burn up chains. If you attach the saw frame to the overall frame with rubber grommets you can take out some of the vibrations. Think of the cross bar handle on a chainsaw. They are attached using hard plastic and rubber and flexes when you use the saw. They are also there to limit the vibration you feel in your non-trigger hand and arm. Lastly, put a push bar or something up and behind the saw frame to mount your controls and put your hands on to guide the system as it cuts. Get yourself as far away from that saw bar as possible. It was hard to see from the angle of the video but your hands, feet, arms and legs are way to close to the action.
a secondary rail that creates a lip on the outside running along each base with a welded fin on the bottom of the moving part that slides under the lip should work well to keep everything from coming off the track.
I agree, though I would add a trigger bar or pressure switch like those used on electric mowers that cut off as soon as the user lets go. That toggle switch scares me silly!
And you don't even ask for Subscribers to his channel after sharing such marvelous project build?. I'm already subscribed to your channel because I find value in what you do. This channel is underrated, like seriously! Thanks and God bless you Mitch!
Just a Suggestion, after some hrs of using it, there is an increasing probability to have an accident. Your knees are pretty close to the chain. Take it as a suggestion: A) Put some handle to push the frame for far, may be 1 meters from the back (it is just some more metal but cheap if you compare it to the consecuences) B) Add an emergency button to stop it (or start and stop), in the place where youre going to push the frame. Anyway, pretty witty and well finished. Good idea to share.
I really appreciate that you have made such a good machine for a homemade mill. Well done bro . A good knowledge to share . I think you are so dedicated to it. Thanks very much for all the videos.
One of the easiest builds I've seen for a chainsaw mill. It's also one of the best well built ones. Strong, easy, and reliable. Nice job boss man. Hello from Elberta, Alabama, USA.
Just found your channel mate, this build was awesome. That’s dense Aussie hardwood you’re cutting through there and it’s doing it easily I’m impressed. You should add a guard of some sort to reduce the leg removing potential...
Awesome idea and job! I suggest a simple mod for safety... Currently to turn on/off the saw you have to plug/unplug the power cord. And, you walk behind/over the log and saw which can be dangerous if you tripped and fell onto the saw as the chainsaw will still be running. Instead of having to plug and unplug the power to start/stop the motor, you might want to consider adding a momentary switch/trigger similar to what is on a circular saw or other tool. And, have it positioned on the side, so that you can walk on the side and don't risk tripping by walking behind/over the log and chainsaw. By installing a momentary trigger/switch the saw will only be running when you're pressing on the trigger, so if you slipped or tripped the saw will stop when you release the trigger.
Awesome brother, also like that rain water collector system you have on your house. If you connect a nice slow moving winch to pull the mill across the log you will not have to push it from behind which looks a bit scary to me. If you trip we could be calling you capn Ahab.
Great design. You have given me another project to do ( eventually). My heart was in my stomach when you made your first cut, standing behind the saw, and your legs were not protected. Glad to see other cuts you did whilst pushing from the side. Noice project. Thanks.
very good making --- I am copying your fabrication it did help me going forward with my project ! thank you ---- Happy Christmas and all the best for new year ! warm regards from french Guyana
Really nice mill, never even crossed my mind to just get a bar and then drive it with a separate motor. also like that you went electric, a lot of these tend to be gas. Gas is harder to come by when you're in middle of the bush not to mention expensive now days. Solar power is free and abundant.
Always a design as you go. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing that. I would install a safety bar behind the saw so if you fall, you don't end up into the chain blade. It only has to happen once and it is all over. But nice setup. You do know the wide kerf of the chainsaw blade makes it a whole lot slower then a typical bandsaw blade I'm sure... Thumbs Up!
Nice job ,I’ve wanted to make my own chain sawmill for a long time just haven’t had the time ,but this has some great ideas and like everything there’s always improvements as u go ,that red wood is gorgeous 👍 and the reason your pipe clamps didn’t work is because there cast and u can’t weld cast ,u have to braze it 😃
Mitch, my worry is that the oil you use to lube the chain will get into the wood. On a normal band blade they lube with water. I like adapting a chainsaw like you have done, but if I was going to plank a piece of say Cedar with the intent of making furniture, I would probably prefer a bandsaw cut. But there a re a hell of a lot of things that can be cut with your system there. Thanks for sharing that project. ==BOZE==
I was thinking the same thing at first but most projects are going to run through a plainer, I would expect any oil would get removed during finishing.
Very nice build! It certainly works well, no argument there. A band saw blade over chain saw is far more time efficient yielding much faster cutting speeds. Time is money after all. I also would think new/replacement band saw cutting blades are cheaper for any given length but I haven't compared the two. Cheers.
Great job, much appreciated. I am looking to build something similar except the supporting frame/base will need to be portable/bolt together so I can build the frame around large trees that cannot be moved without a crane. I am considering a band saw as opposed to chainsaw blade because of the likelihood of there being steel items embedded into the trees I will be cutting. I have three black walnut trees that are approximately 50-90" in diameter for a majority of the lenths and as long as 14' in length. I'm planning to cut all into table slabs and the left overs I'll use for gun stock blanks, butcher board, knife handle material, etc...
I noticed some of the cuts had visible lines on them, partially from the weight of the board pressing down on the chain(looks like you took care of the vibration with the counterweights). When I was researching electric chainsaw mills I found a handheld circular saw attachment called a beam saw that has a metal bar behind the chain so the wood board doesn't pinch the chain while cutting. I think it would greatly improve the cut board's surface. Great project!
Hmm, a riving knife wouldn’t make a huge difference to the cut quality, it would need to be the same thickness as the kerf to support the piece above to stop it pressing down which wouldn’t work
Dont know if anyone has said but would get a flat plate welded behind the blade parallel with the chain blade so ifit ever rolls back you dont end up 2 feet shorter and some sort of safety switch as soon as you let it go it cuts power to the motor just in case you trip when walking
Three important things you definitely already know. 1: The sharpening angle of the saw chain for the sawmill is 10 degrees. (It's usually 35 degrees.) 2: Lubrication of the saw chain is absolutely necessary. 3: The linear speed of the saw chain should be the same as that of the chainsaw. (choose the largest sprocket and the electric motor must be at least 3000 rpm.)
I think by the time you bought all the materials for this to build, if you're handy with welding which the average person is not, would pretty much be close to the cost of the low end woodland mills sawmill. Very ingenious though.
Could use a garage door spring ,a couple of pulleys, and a atv winch to make it self feeding. You could also use tongue jacks to raise and lower blade. Add a couple of sprockets and chain and can adjust both from 1 side.
Interesting build. I would try pushing from the side rather than behind, for obvious safty reasons. Also try gringing your chain teeth to zero degrees for full tooth chain or 10 to 15 degrees for skip chain. Std 30 degree chain is way too aggressive when ripping. The above grinds will give you a smoother cut with less chatter.
Skip chains are the best way to mill for sure. Especially with a torquey electric mill. Less teeth, less load on the chain, keeps RPM up too which leads to less bar wear and better cut quality
