Very good informative video showing THE WORKS of the components instead of blathering on about nothing .... thank YOU! We got the same unit, cant wait to use it!
Excellent video. Thank you for sharing. We discovered, quite by accident, that 2x10x10 screwed to the log was a very effective guide for the first cut. It was economical, easy, and readily available. We started off by disassembling an extension ladder and while I was figuring out my son had the dimensional lumber affixed to the log and the first cut finished.
Thank you. This is the best video on this subject I have found. After having bought the saw and mill after watching this video, I’m very certain that all advice in this video is good, especially about screwing the plank on top to get started instead of the jig. Great job
Somehow I missed one of the different mill attempts. In the end it doesn't matter because you found what works best for you and shared pros and cons with all of us. Keep it up and thanks!
Thank you, I have that same model. I just got the part of the instructions that don’t tel you how to install the saw. It is somewhat self explanatory, but seeing someone actually do it helps.
I just started chainsaw milling from scratch a few months ago and have amassed about 1500 bdft of slabs and cookies. White oak, red oak, pecan and some spalted red maple. 2.5" to 3.5". I'm hoping to eventually turn this from a hobby into a business. And when I say "from scratch" I mean it, just a little 10'x12' work space in my barn. No heavy equipment or anything. So far I've been stacking it in my backyard, wrapped in a shade mesh (to keep the sun, high winds and some blowing rain off) with the tops tarped or topped with corrugated panels. End sealed everything, stickered and stacked as level as possible (found a weed trimmer works better than a shovel for getting through the grass to level blocks lol). I have a small 10'x10' kiln building in the works and a bigger workshop after that to level slabs in and store some of the dried material. Of course I still have to earn the money to build these things so it's going to be a process. I started splitting firewood full time for an older fella that sells it commercially about 6 months ago. He has two different landscaping companies that bring him all their wood, and quite often they bring in decent sized logs of 6'-8' in length. He lets me pick out whatever I want and I come mill them on the weekends. My bar is only 36" (stupid me didn't get the 42") so I can only do about 30" unless I try your sprocket clamp method. Just yesterday they dropped off some huge white oak, it was probably 40" at the stump so I cant mill the first log but the second two are just under 30" so I'll get 500bdft out of that. Even if I only get $5 per bdft for these white oak slabs, that's still a $2500 haul!
Using a plank for your first cut was ingenious of an idea!!! Thanks for that and wish me good luck. My next door neighbor one very very big Oak that has been down for 3 years and some big hickey as well.
I liked your video. Some of the tricks you mentioned I’ve used but I’ve stuck to typical capabilities because I have had some bad experiences by trying to “stretch the limits”. In addition I would highly recommend the Granberg mills, for several reasons but the primary reason is they are extremely reliable. The tubular metal on the cheaper mills collapses and then you have to make tubular spacers to go around the bolts, that fits in to the square tubes that are collapsing. Thanks for your video.
Thanks for the info! As a born and raised Pa boy who moved to Colorado I miss those hard woods! I am looking forward to milking our beetle kill lodgepole pines.
Dont clamp the sprocket! The nails and string setup allows unlimited length cuts and a short guide board. Also when you get a ways in on the cut try sitting on the log and push with your feet. A string to the throttle holds it open. It was my wifes favorite way to mill😂
I feld twenty cherry trees that were starting to die at my mountain house. I have a still 029 super. The bar is 18 inches. I picked up a small alaskan mill and got started. My little 029 milled over 800 board feet of Cherry lumber. When I was done I was worried that I burned the motor so I had it checked by my local Stihl dealer. They had to do some work on the saw (gas feed lines). They looked at the cylinder and the piston. Absolutely perfect. No scarring on anything. I now have ash to mill up. I have 10 x 8' logs that average 16 inches side to side. This will be no problem I'll never buy anything but a Stihl. Just goes to show even a small saw can to a job a the smaller logs. I used an old aluminum ladder as my starter piece. It worked just fine
Lovely job I'm just getting into milling ,I've got a big walnut,I was looking at band saw miling but seeing your video I realised I can do this with my husquvarnas
@@mrpush2532 These days most clone saws aren't terrible, however you are your own customer support. Without moderate knowledge on how to operate and repair buy a name brand saw with good customer support.
Great videos thanks for making them. I have a Stihl 661 and mill attachment and I use a box section aluminium ladder to make the first cut. I have drilledc4 small holes in a couple of the rungs and screw it to the tree. This makes a very firm base to start from.
I'd like to make beams, not slabs, from big oak&pine logs like that. My concern is getting a log out of the woods 1st, what length&diameter is possible with my tractor. Maybe have to cut a few slaps off first as don't need larger than 20in sq beam. Need a skidder for front of log/beam tho.
Many thanks for the info, I have a clone of the MS660 as it was circa £400 here in the UK and not £1400 plus for the real deal. They (chinese clones) seems to be a love/hate (or Marmite as we'd say here) item but mine is fit for purpose and I like it, I've learned a lot about chainsaws and you need to be able to wield a spanner at times (and sharpen! ) I also have a clone Alaskan mill and would highly recommend the winch option. My kit came 'all in' with the first cut rails - use an aluminium ladder, I do now - and the bar end oiler. I run a 36" bar, with a rip profile chain, about to experiment with a skip chain. I've found lubrication a concern so I fitted the bar end oiler (as well as a 'performance' aftermarket oil pump) BUT you lose cut capacity drilling the bar for the oiler, unless you fancy doing so on the nose sprocket, one I shall investigate later as my trunks are maxing out at about 30" so not an issue. Currently cutting through and through but want to try to get into more quarter sawn. Your comments about taking the mill to the tree are precisely why I bought my rig and it's working so far. Not a pro just a hobbyist. Enjoy and be safe.
Hey, what do you use to sharpen your chains? Also, I know it depends on the type of wood, width... but, just curious to know about how many cuts can you make before you have to sharpen or change out chains.
Pretty excited to start milling myself. I’m a welder by trade, gonna get into some custom counter tops, tables n stuff. Should be fun! Nice video, thank you.
I have just started with a vevor mill and Husqvarna 61 saw. Having problems with the saw binding. Not the chain. Gets so that I cannot push it through. What do I need to adjust
So, I live in Sweden, where you buy different items unfortunately doesn't help me in this context but converting a chainsaw into a sawmill will be a first for me, so I'm trying to pick up as many ideas and different types of techniques as I can from these videos. I have some trees on my plot, e.g. fir, pine, birch, ash, oak, etc. I use a lot as firewood, but some, i.g. oak, I want to use for various furniture projects, hence my curiosity about chain saw sawmills.
I bought a new Ms 391 with a 28" bar . About 18" to 22" will be about as large as I plan to cut . And I plan to use a section of extension ladder for a guide just for the top cut . What do you think ?
Good video. I'm doing my research before I buy one. Why is it when I see any of these milling videos from different creators, that the vast majority of them are doing thick cut slabs?
Just SUBSCRIBED TO your channel! We take down trees for a living, so we have unlimited beautiful logs! We also just got a chainsaw mill. Thanks for the video.!😊
HP is irrelevant for milling. The torque of that 881/3120 is on another level to a 661/592. You can lower the rakers more for your size of wood and gain substantial cutting speed with these 2 big bore saws. But if you ever wanna cut something in the 60-80" slabs, the 661 will be killed by it unless you go really slow with it.
Perhaps I missed your point, But your kicker statement is false. HP is extremely relevant for milling. Explain why can’t my Ryobi 1/3hp resaw, but my 3/4hp delta can
@@andersnelson6888 Because the delta has higher torque. If that ryobi spins at 30k rpm it would have the same hp at the delta but it would die when put under load just the same as it does now. HP = RPMxTorque. When milling and pulling long bars, the RPMs will always suffer if you want to cut efficiently, and after a certain bar length there's no way out of the RPM drop as the load on the saw increases substantially. That's when torque wins, and why people mill large wood with 100-120cc saws, and why 90cc is a minimum if you want longevity no matter if the saw is a 7hp modern 661 or a 50 year old 5hp 90cc saw. 2 hp difference, but they still cut the same, all hardware being equal. Why? Its because the 5hp old one has lower rpm but higher torque. I hope you understand it better now.
Em4703, HP is relevant as is how you set up your chain. The 661 will not be killed by a large slab is your chain is set up correctly and you let the saw do the work. It all works together. With the correct combo of raker depth, tooth grind and number of teeth the 661 is all you need. If you are “killing it” then you do not know what you are doing and should change your chain set up, thanks.
@@elvispusley3515 I dont care what laser grind your chain has, you won't be slabbing 80" cuts with a 661. Not for long anyway, even if you have the touch of a virgin and razor chain setup. In the end the chain will bind slightly, bar will slightly twist etc. and the subdimensional clutch will create issues, which in the end kills the top end prematurely compared to the big 120cc class saws.
Generally, it's better to start with a large end so you don't get stuck halfway through milling. In my situation I was milling downhill so I just went that way
I got the mill guide and winch just in case im still going to try the guide out just to see i also got them off of temu so i got all 3 from for about 120$ if anyone wants to check it out it connected me to the actual manufacturer warehouse so it cut out the middleman and saved me a arm and a leg
So, very generally. I'd just say that that Stihl is gonna take the punishment better, but Husq's will hurt your wallet less, being the generally more efficient engine.
Very good informative video showing THE WORKS of the components instead of blathering on about nothing .... thank YOU! We got the same unit, cant wait to use it!
Excellent video. Thank you for sharing.
We discovered, quite by accident, that 2x10x10 screwed to the log was a very effective guide for the first cut. It was economical, easy, and readily available. We started off by disassembling an extension ladder and while I was figuring out my son had the dimensional lumber affixed to the log and the first cut finished.
Thank you. This is the best video on this subject I have found. After having bought the saw and mill after watching this video, I’m very certain that all advice in this video is good, especially about screwing the plank on top to get started instead of the jig. Great job
@@jamestillman3150 thanks! I'm glad it helped
Somehow I missed one of the different mill attempts. In the end it doesn't matter because you found what works best for you and shared pros and cons with all of us. Keep it up and thanks!
Top notch video editing and overall pace of your video. Thanks for posting!! 👍
Thank you, I have that same model. I just got the part of the instructions that don’t tel you how to install the saw. It is somewhat self explanatory, but seeing someone actually do it helps.
Great video! Thanks for info. Considering something like this for our 3+ acre wooded property.
I just started chainsaw milling from scratch a few months ago and have amassed about 1500 bdft of slabs and cookies. White oak, red oak, pecan and some spalted red maple. 2.5" to 3.5". I'm hoping to eventually turn this from a hobby into a business. And when I say "from scratch" I mean it, just a little 10'x12' work space in my barn. No heavy equipment or anything. So far I've been stacking it in my backyard, wrapped in a shade mesh (to keep the sun, high winds and some blowing rain off) with the tops tarped or topped with corrugated panels. End sealed everything, stickered and stacked as level as possible (found a weed trimmer works better than a shovel for getting through the grass to level blocks lol). I have a small 10'x10' kiln building in the works and a bigger workshop after that to level slabs in and store some of the dried material. Of course I still have to earn the money to build these things so it's going to be a process.
I started splitting firewood full time for an older fella that sells it commercially about 6 months ago. He has two different landscaping companies that bring him all their wood, and quite often they bring in decent sized logs of 6'-8' in length. He lets me pick out whatever I want and I come mill them on the weekends. My bar is only 36" (stupid me didn't get the 42") so I can only do about 30" unless I try your sprocket clamp method. Just yesterday they dropped off some huge white oak, it was probably 40" at the stump so I cant mill the first log but the second two are just under 30" so I'll get 500bdft out of that. Even if I only get $5 per bdft for these white oak slabs, that's still a $2500 haul!
Using a plank for your first cut was ingenious of an idea!!! Thanks for that and wish me good luck. My next door neighbor one very very big Oak that has been down for 3 years and some big hickey as well.
An extension ladder section works great for a guide as well.
This is great and I love your attitude.
Same setup but I moved the throttle up to on the mill for easier use also added a larger gas tank. Keep it up
Great descriptions and information! I like that you pass on what you've learned.
That does look easier than trying to pull the tree on to a trailer. I can't wait to see what you build next!
I liked your video. Some of the tricks you mentioned I’ve used but I’ve stuck to typical capabilities because I have had some bad experiences by trying to “stretch the limits”. In addition I would highly recommend the Granberg mills, for several reasons but the primary reason is they are extremely reliable. The tubular metal on the cheaper mills collapses and then you have to make tubular spacers to go around the bolts, that fits in to the square tubes that are collapsing. Thanks for your video.
Thanks for the info! As a born and raised Pa boy who moved to Colorado I miss those hard woods! I am looking forward to milking our beetle kill lodgepole pines.
Dont clamp the sprocket! The nails and string setup allows unlimited length cuts and a short guide board. Also when you get a ways in on the cut try sitting on the log and push with your feet. A string to the throttle holds it open. It was my wifes favorite way to mill😂
Great video mate, you answered a bunch of questions I had. I will be buying one of these mills soon.
Those are some very nice slabs! Milling is so cool... Good job on the video!
I feld twenty cherry trees that were starting to die at my mountain house. I have a still 029 super. The bar is 18 inches. I picked up a small alaskan mill and got started. My little 029 milled over 800 board feet of Cherry lumber. When I was done I was worried that I burned the motor so I had it checked by my local Stihl dealer. They had to do some work on the saw (gas feed lines). They looked at the cylinder and the piston. Absolutely perfect. No scarring on anything.
I now have ash to mill up. I have 10 x 8' logs that average 16 inches side to side. This will be no problem
I'll never buy anything but a Stihl. Just goes to show even a small saw can to a job a the smaller logs.
I used an old aluminum ladder as my starter piece. It worked just fine
Lovely job I'm just getting into milling ,I've got a big walnut,I was looking at band saw miling but seeing your video I realised I can do this with my husquvarnas
Nice!!
I got a holtzfforma g888 for 800ish with 48 inch bar. Stihl quality half price. Works great. Never thought of extersion bars. Like it!
Been rocking the g660 on my mill for about 2 years now, its not quite STIHL quality but at 1/3 the price I could buy another and still save money.
Well the amazon users call.those saws "complete garbage". Humm.
@@mrpush2532 These days most clone saws aren't terrible, however you are your own customer support. Without moderate knowledge on how to operate and repair buy a name brand saw with good customer support.
@@mrpush2532What product out there is every single person that bought one happy with? Hmm…
Great videos thanks for making them. I have a Stihl 661 and mill attachment and I use a box section aluminium ladder to make the first cut. I have drilledc4 small holes in a couple of the rungs and screw it to the tree. This makes a very firm base to start from.
I'd like to make beams, not slabs, from big oak&pine logs like that.
My concern is getting a log out of the woods 1st, what length&diameter is possible with my tractor. Maybe have to cut a few slaps off first as don't need larger than 20in sq beam. Need a skidder for front of log/beam tho.
Awesome, dude! Thanks a bunch for all the tips! 😊
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
Many thanks for the info, I have a clone of the MS660 as it was circa £400 here in the UK and not £1400 plus for the real deal. They (chinese clones) seems to be a love/hate (or Marmite as we'd say here) item but mine is fit for purpose and I like it, I've learned a lot about chainsaws and you need to be able to wield a spanner at times (and sharpen! ) I also have a clone Alaskan mill and would highly recommend the winch option. My kit came 'all in' with the first cut rails - use an aluminium ladder, I do now - and the bar end oiler. I run a 36" bar, with a rip profile chain, about to experiment with a skip chain. I've found lubrication a concern so I fitted the bar end oiler (as well as a 'performance' aftermarket oil pump) BUT you lose cut capacity drilling the bar for the oiler, unless you fancy doing so on the nose sprocket, one I shall investigate later as my trunks are maxing out at about 30" so not an issue. Currently cutting through and through but want to try to get into more quarter sawn. Your comments about taking the mill to the tree are precisely why I bought my rig and it's working so far. Not a pro just a hobbyist. Enjoy and be safe.
Hey, what do you use to sharpen your chains? Also, I know it depends on the type of wood, width... but, just curious to know about how many cuts can you make before you have to sharpen or change out chains.
I use 2 2x4s 1foot apart of each other. works great 💪💪💪
For what?
I've been debating whether to purchase one of those. I think I will for starters until I can afford something better.
Pretty excited to start milling myself. I’m a welder by trade, gonna get into some custom counter tops, tables n stuff. Should be fun!
Nice video, thank you.
I have just started with a vevor mill and Husqvarna 61 saw. Having problems with the saw binding. Not the chain. Gets so that I cannot push it through. What do I need to adjust
I carry a pipe or fence post with me to help slide large slabs in my truck. Works
So, I live in Sweden, where you buy different items unfortunately doesn't help me in this context but converting a chainsaw into a sawmill will be a first for me, so I'm trying to pick up as many ideas and different types of techniques as I can from these videos. I have some trees on my plot, e.g. fir, pine, birch, ash, oak, etc. I use a lot as firewood, but some, i.g. oak, I want to use for various furniture projects, hence my curiosity about chain saw sawmills.
@@thomashanner4172 Hi! My Great grandparents were from Sweden😁 Sorry I can't help more. Good luck with your sawmill!
I bought a new Ms 391 with a 28" bar . About 18" to 22" will be about as large as I plan to cut . And I plan to use a section
of extension ladder for a guide just for the top cut . What do you think ?
Good video. I'm doing my research before I buy one. Why is it when I see any of these milling videos from different creators, that the vast majority of them are doing thick cut slabs?
Just SUBSCRIBED TO your channel! We take down trees for a living, so we have unlimited beautiful logs! We also just got a chainsaw mill. Thanks for the video.!😊
thanks so much for sharing...Question? What kind of chain are you using? THanks again
Good video was thinking of getting the guide. Now I’m not sure. Otherwise great info
Hella helpful, what about the winch? Have you used that at all? If so, was it worth it?
HP is irrelevant for milling. The torque of that 881/3120 is on another level to a 661/592. You can lower the rakers more for your size of wood and gain substantial cutting speed with these 2 big bore saws. But if you ever wanna cut something in the 60-80" slabs, the 661 will be killed by it unless you go really slow with it.
Perhaps I missed your point, But your kicker statement is false. HP is extremely relevant for milling.
Explain why can’t my Ryobi 1/3hp resaw, but my 3/4hp delta can
@@andersnelson6888 Because the delta has higher torque. If that ryobi spins at 30k rpm it would have the same hp at the delta but it would die when put under load just the same as it does now. HP = RPMxTorque. When milling and pulling long bars, the RPMs will always suffer if you want to cut efficiently, and after a certain bar length there's no way out of the RPM drop as the load on the saw increases substantially.
That's when torque wins, and why people mill large wood with 100-120cc saws, and why 90cc is a minimum if you want longevity no matter if the saw is a 7hp modern 661 or a 50 year old 5hp 90cc saw. 2 hp difference, but they still cut the same, all hardware being equal. Why? Its because the 5hp old one has lower rpm but higher torque. I hope you understand it better now.
HP doesn’t matter? Hmm…
Em4703, HP is relevant as is how you set up your chain. The 661 will not be killed by a large slab is your chain is set up correctly and you let the saw do the work. It all works together. With the correct combo of raker depth, tooth grind and number of teeth the 661 is all you need. If you are “killing it” then you do not know what you are doing and should change your chain set up, thanks.
@@elvispusley3515 I dont care what laser grind your chain has, you won't be slabbing 80" cuts with a 661. Not for long anyway, even if you have the touch of a virgin and razor chain setup. In the end the chain will bind slightly, bar will slightly twist etc. and the subdimensional clutch will create issues, which in the end kills the top end prematurely compared to the big 120cc class saws.
I got a question! I have a 48" wide oak and I want to make table top.
Can I get chain saw mill that wide?
If not, how can cut slabs from 48" tree??
Yes, you absolutely can. Like I showed in the video you can buy them different sizes and you can also extend them.
This is not a negative comment. Just an observation. At 1:07 isn't the chain backwards?
yes the chain is on backwards
Could you use a smaller chainsaw on this I have a 201 tc was wondering if I could use that
Absolutely! It will just have a smaller capacity and it's a good idea to buy a ripping chain.
@@WyldeWoodworks that’s what I figured I know the bords would be smaller but figured it could still work
Is it best to saw up the log or down the log? ie: Butt to tip or tip to butt.
Generally, it's better to start with a large end so you don't get stuck halfway through milling. In my situation I was milling downhill so I just went that way
I must have missed it but what kind of chain were you using and where did you find it?
Have to use a ripping blade
thank you very much very informative!!
Good info
Where do you find the wood?
@@6140shen in the woods broski
I got the mill guide and winch just in case im still going to try the guide out just to see i also got them off of temu so i got all 3 from for about 120$ if anyone wants to check it out it connected me to the actual manufacturer warehouse so it cut out the middleman and saved me a arm and a leg
No hearing protection? You will curse yourself in a few years if your main part of the conversation is: "Häää? Louder!"
Good shit my friend 😊
super thank you. very very helpful
What kind of chain do you use
I use Orion ripping chains but I also added a link to some ripping chains that will work in the description.
Stihl is the best
Nice
Huquvarna is by far and away the best saw !!!!
Okay 👌
So, very generally. I'd just say that that Stihl is gonna take the punishment better, but Husq's will hurt your wallet less, being the generally more efficient engine.
💖
Another DIY first cut guide idea: ruclips.net/video/IBN2SgbIDzE/видео.html
Wilson Sandra Jones William Jones Scott
take your felling dogs off the 661 and you'll get another couple of inches
My Mill setup: ruclips.net/video/DvC7rkddb94/видео.html