chainsaw mill question

[Charles Randal Smith]

John, thank you for posting these images. The quality of the final product, in photo #6, bears mute testimony to the quality of the workmanship you put into your mill. Well done!

Charles

[AL Ursich]

I have a Kit Bandsaw Mill that I bought over 10 years ago that I was doing some resaw on. Had a Chainsaw Mill but never used it as I had no help at the time and needed money and sadly sold it... Wish I had not sold it and had it for one of the aluminum frame mills...

Doing some strange things like end boards to try to get more quarter saw stock... Have learned a few tricks since then...

Want to buy a big Log Arch this fall, I have lots of logs if I ever get caught up in my Fire Tag stuff...

[Bryan Rocker]

I would like the sketup model if you don't mind.........

[John TenEyck]

It's not hard to build a log arch. Here's the one I made, and then enlarged to handle a 34" dia. log. Nothing more than some 2" tubing and stub axles from an old GM X-body car. The axles and tires are right at their load limit with a big log but nothing has broken so far. I first built it for a 24" log and used a pair of log tongs mounted to the arch to pick up logs. I bought a larger set of tongs to use with the enlarged arch in the picture, but I don't weigh enough to pull the tongue down in order to lift a large log, so I installed the winch and pulley which works very well. I did break the first cable even though it said it was rated to 3500 lbs. All is well with the 1/4" cable now installed. Anyway, this probably cost me about $400 to build.

John

20150331_141758.jpg

[John TenEyck]

I'll post the model when I get back home. Thanks for your patience.

John

[AL Ursich]

It's not hard to build a log arch. Here's the one I made, and then enlarged to handle a 34" dia. log. Nothing more than some 2" tubing and stub axles from an old GM X-body car. The axles and tires are right at their load limit with a big log but nothing has broken so far. I first built it for a 24" log and used a pair of log tongs mounted to the arch to pick up logs. I bought a larger set of tongs to use with the enlarged arch in the picture, but I don't weigh enough to pull the tongue down in order to lift a large log, so I installed the winch and pulley which works very well. I did break the first cable even though it said it was rated to 3500 lbs. All is well with the 1/4" cable now installed. Anyway, this probably cost me about $400 to build.



John

20150331_141758.jpg

John,

I am getting a little off topic.... That is what I need. I am checking with the local PD on the Legality of driving on a short section of Public Road crossing the highway and about 2000 yards of highway to the Driveway. The LogRite 36 inch Log Arch is a off road device.... Might better do it with my Boat Trailer converted to move logs since it is licensed.

Thanks,

AL

[John TenEyck]

Worst case you should be able to license it as a home built trailer. I have not been able to find out if it even needs to registered in NYS. Car dollies, log splitters, welders and such do not need to be licensed here.

John

[Jeff Bartley]

John, Nice work on your mill! I borrowed an alaskan mill, a 4' bar, and a stihl 480 (I think?) from a friend a couple years ago to mill some huge crotch logs. Your rig would have made that job so much easier!! But let's not kid anyone: using a chainsaw to mill large slabs is never gonna be easy work.....but it sure is fun!

[John TenEyck]

Here's a link to photos and a SketchUp Model of my chainsaw mill. The model is at the bottom of the page and can be downloaded by clicking on the downward pointing arrow at near the right hand margin. As I said earlier, the model is not complete but should be pretty easy to understand when looking at the pictures. I'm happy to answer any questions anyone has.

https://sites.google.com/site/jteneyckwoodworker/current-projects/chainsaw-lumber-mill

John

[Bryan Rocker]

Thanks John, your rig cuts up logs nicely!!!!!

[John TenEyck]

Al, I like how you rolled those logs onto the trailer. What did you use to peel the bark off those logs? They look nice and clean.

John

[nelson lasaosa]

Scott what you say makes a lot of sense, Imagine the force involved to shear off a big tree plus the momentum from its own weight... awesome , versus a tree leaning to the ground usually wáter logged, that´s pushed by the wind... two different beasts, right ? This reminded me of an event I was lucky to come alive and with no injuries, as I was felling a tree without making that wedge cut (I don´t know what is called) first in the direction the tree leans. I just went straight and put the chainsaw in the oposite side and everything was going fine till acumulated stress about half way, made the log snap towards that cut a long section of about 6 ft with an extreme force and a scary sound. Had I been on the way it would have snapped my head off too like that. That´s what can happen when a seeemingly harmless chainsaw is in the wrong hands.... pray the lord.