milling thread

What are the jacks doing?
the lucas mill will only cut 20cm above ground so you need to put the logs on cribbing. with heavier logs i will just cut until the mill runs out of room and then will jack up the skin and put cribbing under it.
 

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I'm wondering when a log has a lot of internal stress in it, and it splits, is it likely to just be junk, or will the stress have been relieved enough to get any good lumber out of it.

This bigleaf maple log started splitting when cut, then the crack grew a bit more. I used some splitting wedges to force the splits to the end of the log. After a week of being bucked, the largest split in the second picture was about 1", with the other 2 being smaller than 1". The other end had some slight splits. I just popped the 10-12' long log apart, now.

My guess is that its going to warp badly.

I'm trying to learn about case-hardening. Is that pertinent to this log? 20230309_120040.jpg 20230309_120000.jpg
 
Boy, I don't think I'd hold out much hope for that log yielding much straight lumber. I'll have to look up the term case hardening.
 
Case hardening happens when the outside of the wood dries faster than the inside, causing stress in the wood that presents itself when working the wood later.

In a kiln you can add water or steam during the later parts of the drying to relieve the stress.

Tests showing the stress
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Showing minimal stress.
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Thought I would bring this thread back into the limelight.

Nailing boards or setting up slabbing rails to the top of logs to get that first cut with the Alaskan mill just really isn't for me. It can get to be a little on the frustrating side unless you have alot of time on your hands. I made this set-up a while back that for me works out a little easier especially for the smaller stuff.

I don't exactly what to call this other than some kind of adjustable saw guide. Kind of reminds me of those stocks they used back in colonial times to shame people who had committed petty crimes:lol::lol:

Anyway, this is adjustable by adding or subtracting 2x4's or 2x6's. I also made it to mill small logs because I also got the mini Alakan mill works great for that attachment and possibly do some eging with the Beam machine attachment I've had for a long time.

It works out good for what I have been using for but like all things it has it's pro's and con's. It was also easy for me to make and not all that expensive. I can do longer logs if need be by pushing one of those stands back on the 4x4's that are under it.

Here are some pic's showing different ways I have been using it to mill large pieces ,slabs, and a few pieces I wanted to fix that didn't come out good when I tried to freehand them with just a saw.
This is a nice idea, I think. I might play with it some time.
 
My biggest problem is the first start of my 088s, really ruins the day. I've been doing this for just a little while and with the mill anchored by the winch and the bolts of the bar clamps sitting in the grooves of the bed liner the saw starts up a lot easier pulling with my whole body.

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I got this funny purple coloring from the bark dust, I'm presuming, like I've seen with reddish color from doug- fir, I think. I might have had my water running too much. I wonder if this increased it.
This is after washing the slabs a bit with a garden hose.


This is a short section of a horizontal limb, flat-sawn, for an experiment.

I'm removing one, now, that has straight, vertical logs.
20230508_201243.jpg 20230508_201234.jpg 20230508_201238.jpg
 
I got this funny purple coloring from the bark dust, I'm presuming, like I've seen with reddish color from doug- fir, I think. I might have had my water running too much. I wonder if this increased it.
This is after washing the slabs a bit with a garden hose.
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It looks like steel micro-dust reacting with the wood. Maybe the boards sliding on a steal plate or the milling frame on the wood. It seems that mainly the hight spots/ridges are stained. It wouldn't be the case if it was bark dust dragged in by the cutters.
 
Epoxy only if it’s too punky. Arrested early enough it’s totally fine. But a nice piece of heavily spalted (rotten😉) wood looks great under epoxy.

I’m surprised to see you with a chainsaw mill Sean. Too big for your bandsaw mill?
 
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