Milling Birch on a Logsol F2 plus chainsaw mill

A chainsaw mill or PortaMill or Logosol sawmill is a type of

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...

incorporating a

chainsaw A chainsaw (or chain saw) is a portable handheld power saw, power saw that cuts with a set of teeth attached to a rotating chain driven along a guide bar. Modern chainsaws are typically gasoline or electric and are used in activities such as t ...

, that is used by one or two operators to mill logs into

lumber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...

for use in

furniture Furniture refers to objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., Stool (seat), stools, chairs, and sofas), eating (table (furniture), tables), storing items, working, and sleeping (e.g., beds and hammocks). Furnitur ...

construction Construction are processes involved in delivering buildings, infrastructure, industrial facilities, and associated activities through to the end of their life. It typically starts with planning, financing, and design that continues until the a ...

and other uses. Although often used as a generic term, Alaskan Mill is a registered trademark of Granberg International.

Description

The mill attachment consists of a pair of clamping brackets connected to a rectangular frame which is attached to the bar of the

. The rails ride for the first cut on a guide system, plank or on a metal ladder which is screwed to the log (but not so tightly that the guide is pulled out of plane), and then on the previously cut surface of the log, and guide the chainsaw blade through the log at a consistent depth so that planks of a chosen thickness are cut. The distance between the rails and the bar determines this thickness and it can be adjusted by moving the rails along the depth posts at each end of the mill attachment. During use it is important that the rails extend out past the ends of the log so the cut has support the entire time. Smaller mills use a single chainsaw and can be handled by a single operator. Larger mills use a double ended bar, powered by either a single large chainsaw (typically ~120cc) and a helper handle or stinger, or two chainsaw power heads, one on either side of the mill apparatus. These typically require two operators if the bar is over 48 inches. This larger style of mill needs a special bar which allows the two chainsaw heads to be attached at either end. The length of the bar decides the maximum width of the plank that can be cut, up to , so for logs with a large diameter, the longer bar is necessary. Also, to waste less wood due to the

kerf A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard toothed edge used to cut through material. Various terms are used to describe toothed and abrasive saws. Saws began as serrated materials, and when mankind learned how t ...

width, a special chain is designed to make rip cuts rather than the usual chainsaw chain which is for

cross-cutting Cross-cutting is an editing technique most often used in films to establish action occurring at the same time, and often in the same place. In a cross-cut, the camera will cut away from one action to another action, which can suggest the simulta ...

.Lopez, Barry. "Mill Lumber With Your Chainsaw". ''Popular Science'' Vol. 212, No. 6 Jun 1978, Page 89
/ref> For the first cut, a pair of rails or a plank are usually attached to the log to give the mill attachment a reference surface to guide it, or other commercially made jigs are available such as a timberjigs. Subsequent cuts are made using the surface of the previous cut as the guide. The kerf of a chainsaw cut is wide, relative to the kerf of a bandsaw mill or circular saw. This is no problem when cutting a single beam or large timber from a log, and would only represent significant waste if used to saw many thin boards. Most chainsaw chains produce a kerf that is approximately 1/4", so one inch of wood is lost for every four cuts with a chainsaw mill. Chainsaw mills are relatively cheap to purchase compared to other types of

portable sawmill Portable sawmills are sawmills small enough to be moved easily and set up in the field. They have existed for over 100 years but grew in popularity in the United States starting in the 1970s, when the 1973 oil crisis and the back-to-the-land movemen ...

and are the most portable type of powered sawmill. They are therefore popular with hobbyist woodworkers who have access to felled timber. Logosol is a Swedish based international company, they started making chainsaw mills in 1989. They currently offer several models of chainsaw mills. F2 sawmill, F2+ sawmill, Timberjig and Big Mill Wide Slabber.

References

External links

Youtube video
showing a big chainsaw being used in a chainsaw mill to cut a fallen

walnut tree Walnut trees are any species of tree in the plant genus ''Juglans'', the type genus of the family (biology), family Juglandaceae, the seeds of which are referred to as walnuts. All species are deciduous trees, tall, with pinnate leaves , with ...

into boards. {{Forestry tools, state=collapsed Chainsaws Woodworking tools Timber preparation Sawmill technology

Description

See also

References

External links