lumber????

[3rdgen.maple]

Any of you guys ever use one of those attachments that go on a chainsaw to make some lumber with? I have quite a bit of hemlock and was gonna drop some and cut up some siding. Was thinking about residing the sugarhouse in the near future. Well my buddy sold his sawmill since the Amish have undercut him drastically and he said heck with the amount I wanted to saw up just to get one of the attachments. Said it will take longer but will work fine. And don't say why not just have the Amish cut it up. NO thanks they are not getting my business anytime soon. Just another off season stupid thought or does it work good enough. Oh yeah lets not turn this into one of those chainsaw heated debates please.

[KenWP]

Works better with the longest bar you can get so that your chain stays shaper longer. Seen guys cut some pretty big logs into boards with a chain saw in a country way south of us.

[DanE.]

You have to have a lot of time on your hands. you will also need the right chain, a rip vs cross cut. I started to make one, then thought about making a sand sawmill, then decided i would rather work on the evaporator.

so,

I had a guy come over with his portable saw mill (woodmizer lt45hd). he spent 8 hours sawing for 300 dollars. I loaded the logs and unloaded the lumber. I can't remember the board feet, but i have 3 stacks of lumber 4'x4'x 8' or 10' long. I'm thinking it was 2500 bf.

Just another thought.

Dane


Any of you guys ever use one of those attachments that go on a chainsaw to make some lumber with? I have quite a bit of hemlock and was gonna drop some and cut up some siding. Was thinking about residing the sugarhouse in the near future. Well my buddy sold his sawmill since the Amish have undercut him drastically and he said heck with the amount I wanted to saw up just to get one of the attachments. Said it will take longer but will work fine. And don't say why not just have the Amish cut it up. NO thanks they are not getting my business anytime soon. Just another off season stupid thought or does it work good enough. Oh yeah lets not turn this into one of those chainsaw heated debates please.

[Fred Henderson]

You usually have to have a very powerful saw. I have been told the bigger the better. Also use a skip tooth chain. If you are going to saw really big trees and have to use a 24" or longer bar there is an external bar oiler that you can get for out on the end of the bar. Ther is a lot of infor on the net if you just search for it.

[red maples]

yes powerful chainsaw I have seen one with a big ol' 120CC motor on it a very long bar I wanna say it 24-30+ inches or so and the external oiler mounted on the slide. I think the longe bar will help keep the heat down too.

[maple flats]

Up in Altmar there should be several guys who would saw the lumber. To work properly with a chainsaw mill you need one of the most powerful saws and a sharp rip chain. It can be done but would wear out a less powerful saw even if you could get a long enough bar.
On the other hand I have a portable mill but I only custom saw at my place except during the summer. I am in Oneida, about an hour away and would cut it next summer. If that sounds like something you want to consider send me a PM and I will give you a call or you can call me. I would ask that the logs be up on runners and stacked no more than 2 high and be set where I can set the mill next to the runners, build a ramp to roll across to the mill and you would need to be there to remove the cut boards and help roll the logs on. Have the logs cut about 6" longer than lumber length you want. You would need to have at least 500 bf for me to travel to you. If you have a way to haul logs I will cut any qty at my place. Being a maple trader I would cut for a little better rate than for others. Let me know. My mill is a Peterson swingblade, my biggest single cut is 8" thick and/or wide and I can cut logs up to 48" diameter and 20' long. I can do a double cut to get up to 16" wide but it costs more because of the extra moves needed. The saw site should be fairly level if possible but if not I can work slopes, just takes more time to set up. My mill cuts one of the most uniform cuts and holds uniform size, and does not wave when going thru knots.

[peacemaker]

chainsaw mill wiil yield alot less boards p er log as well nor wood has a wicked nice chainsaw mill use a extension ladder as runners

[3rdgen.maple]

Thanks guys for the replies the size of the saw is no problem I have a couple big ones and but was wondering about the chain. MapleFlats not to many guys left with portables they lost business to the amish and the mill that moved in Williamstown. I might just take you up on your offer this summer and I have plenty of places to setup your rig. My buddy had a woodmizer and cut all the logs I built my hunting camp with down south. Logged them off here and hauled the lumber down every weekend. I just have alot of pine and hemlock and want to put it to some use and I really like the board and batten siding on the sugarhouses.

[PerryW]

I've heard that you can just take a regular chain and file the teeth flat (instead of a 30 degree angle) and this will work for ripping.

[nas]

A ripping chain is filed at 10 degrees instead of 30. It will not cut much faster but will give a much smoother cut. It is backbreaking work, and is great if you need a few beams, but not if you need a lot of siding.
Why don't you take the logs to one of those cheap Amish guys?

Nick

[3rdgen.maple]

Well because those cheap Amish guys are snakes. A group of them stopped by and was wondering what I was doing showed them the ropes they baught some syrup and now they make their own and sell it for less. Same thing with alot of local businesses including the sawmill guys. I have no use for that kind of business practice and will not support them.

[Fred Henderson]

Any one buy syrup from them better look at where it is being make. A pigs stye may be cleaner.

[3rdgen.maple]

funny you say that fred this particular Amish family's rig is in the cowbarn along with all the slop that goes with them. I think they would atleast close the barn doors while they are boiling in there but nope you can drive by and see them ankle deep in cow manure boiling away.

[Fred Henderson]

When I first started in the 10 years ago,cleanliness is one thing that was stressed to me by my dealer. Someday very soon we will be inspected just like the dairy industry is. A few ago I went to a semiar where the guy was taking about tubibg and vacum. He told about an old vac pump that he had used years ago and how nothing grew out where the exhaust discharge. He went on to say that we should face it, we are making food and keep it clean.

[nas]

If that is the case, I wouldn't support them either. Another option is to look around for a used manual band mill, a good one can be had for under $5k, use it and resell it when you are done(if you don't become addicted to sawdust). You could also call Woodmizer and ask them if there is someone close by you. You might be surprised.

Nick

[PerryW]

Here's my saw mill. It cost about $6500. It works great for generating slabs for sugarwood:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/perryW/SawmillDec2009.jpg

You can get a smaller version (Hud-Son Oscar 18) for $3000 new.

http://www.hud-son.com/bandmills.htm

[3rdgen.maple]

Guys I have too many hobbies now I am not looking to invest any significant amount of money on this. Just taking advantage of some pine and hemlock. The harder it is the better because I won't want to ever do it again. I am thinking Mapleflats offer might be the path I take this summer. Time will tell. This spring my dumb @&% will probably have spent way to much on this little project.

[gator330]

But with the small investment and a little time you could, sence you have the logs, make money on this! Just think you could under cut the amish on it. Buy the mill cut your lumber, cut lumber for others or sell them lumber from your trees. Even come up with a sugar house all pre cut and sell the kit. Would pay for the mill and you would have it to do with what you want later. Man I can see a new project that won't even cut into your stealhead fishing.

[Fred Henderson]

But with the small investment and a little time you could, sence you have the logs, make money on this! Just think you could under cut the amish on it. Buy the mill cut your lumber, cut lumber for others or sell them lumber from your trees. Even come up with a sugar house all pre cut and sell the kit. Would pay for the mill and you would have it to do with what you want later. Man I can see a new project that won't even cut into your stealhead fishing.

I deals like this only sound good on paper. keep dreaming.

[3rdgen.maple]

So lets see here, I own a printing service company, I plow driveways in the winter on top of that, I produce syrup on top of owning a service company and plowing, cut all the wood for the sugarhoue and home, I am remodeling my house, I am gonna custom etch my own bottles, I deer hunt with a bow gun and muzzleloader, I birdhunt, Flyfish, ice fish, steelhead fish, tie flies, trap and wood working. Not to mention 2 boys in hockey and a daughter in soccer and dance. I am sure I left something out. I think I really do not need any more hobbies. By the way Fred I have not forgotten still waiting on Patrick which if I don't here back this week I am gonna go ahead and see what I can do myself. Thanks for being patient.

[heus]

3rdgen,
What are you waiting on Patrick for?

[gator330]

3rdgen,

Less time at hockey, dance and soccer and you would have time for a saw mill.

[red maples]

and I thought I was bad with hobbys. I can't even sit down to relax I feel like I should be up doing something. and when I do finally get to sit down and relax I usually fall asleep!!!

[Fred Henderson]

So lets see here, I own a printing service company, I plow driveways in the winter on top of that, I produce syrup on top of owning a service company and plowing, cut all the wood for the sugarhoue and home, I am remodeling my house, I am gonna custom etch my own bottles, I deer hunt with a bow gun and muzzleloader, I birdhunt, Flyfish, ice fish, steelhead fish, tie flies, trap and wood working. Not to mention 2 boys in hockey and a daughter in soccer and dance. I am sure I left something out. I think I really do not need any more hobbies. By the way Fred I have not forgotten still waiting on Patrick which if I don't here back this week I am gonna go ahead and see what I can do myself. Thanks for being patient.

I like I said there is no hurry, Take all the time you need.

[3rdgen.maple]

I left out snowmobiling and atv riding. The kids grow up way to fast I enjoy every second with them and no sawmill will take that away. Daughter will be gone to college in 2 years and then the boys so I have some free time in the future though. Hues I need to do a little modifying on the ports on the pans to get the plugs I got from Fred to fit. Holes are right size but there is some weld restricting them so I am waiting for an answer on wether it will affect the joint before I smooth them out.

[PerryW]

For most people, the slabs and edgings generated by a sawmill are a big hassle to get rid of, but not for sugarmakers.

[KenWP]

I can see that all that waste could come in handy. Neighbour got a load of slabs from a hardwood mill and there was a couple of pieces about 10 inchs thick in there for some reason that I aquired. Almost burnt out a table saw trying to make spoons out of it.
We have a hardwood mill next door but it closed down and I got a few nice peices from it to play with. I could cut up the little sticks used for drying and stacking for kindling as there is truck loads of it there.

[wolfram]

I use a small Stihl MS260 (~50 cc saw) with a 20" bar along with a Granberg Mini Mill ($75) for making posts and beams. No fancy chain. Ten foot 8"x8" takes about 5-10 minutes to square up, depending. Handling the log takes the most time. I never have and would sure hate to make boards with a chainsaw mill.

I recommend it for posts and beams and it's sure cheap enough to try.