Small Timber Mills

[Mortein]

Just wondering if anyone is using or has used a small portable saw mill like the Alaskan mill. I have quite a lot of dead trees and fallen timber and would like to put it to good use. I won't be felling live tree's.
I have cut a few step treads for the "cabin" free hand but they were not the best. I have had a look on the web and there are quite a lot of different designs at various prices. Some look quite simple to build.
The only mill I have looked at close up was a Lucas mill. They are quite exspensive though and out of my price range.
Any info would be appreciated.
Cheers
KB

 

[Mark]

@Scott Mac might know a bit about it? He pops in here occasionally and I know Scott does a lot of great work with wood!
http://www.selfsufficientculture.com/threads/timber-milling.333/

 

[Mortein]

Hey thanks Mark. I had a look around for any milling posts but didn't see that one. Must of had my cloth eyes on.
That little chainsaw mill is what I have been looking at. All be it on line. I haven't been lucky enough to fondle one yet.

 

[Mark]

Too easy KB, yeah the search feature is ok but it has it's flaws.

If you have the timber (which you obviously will on your new property) milling your own wood will give incredible savings! Scott Mac's turkey pen looks great it's not only cost savings and practical but it's a work of art IMO.

On a property there's always a need for new structures or to repair fence lines/posts etc. Even just a star picket is 10 bucks each these days! Being into self-sufficiency there will be a thousand things you'll want to build I reckon.

 

[Tim C]

Scotty's the man for sawing. Nothing the matter with split stuff either. My tomato stakes are just fallen branches that are straight enough to drive into the ground.
If you have straight saplings, a tapered dowel-joint into a hole and a wooden wedge-split out the end will make most joins without extra hardware.

 

[Mortein]

Took a pic of one tree I cut the step treads off. I have about 50-60 dead trees that are around 500-600mm in dia. Mostly blood oak. Not bad timber. The termites don't seem to touch it.

 

[Mark]

Are you planning to mill it and store the wood for later or do you have a particular job to do?

 

[Mortein]

I would like to mill it and let it dry out. At the moment if we get a fire through most will get burned. I have no real plans yet other than to have it on hand when needed.

 

[Tim C]

Nice looking stuff. Here we have Black Oak. It was extensively used for fenceposts around here. Over in the western districts of Vic all the old cattle yards are made from split Sheoak. Down in the white sandhill country here you get Bulloaks on the soaks. It has a beautiful wavy bi-colour grain and shines up with a buff alone. It's that dense it sinks in water.

 

[Mortein]

The oaks we have have a rich red colour just from water on them and they are bloody heavy as well. I had to stick the three treads I ruff cut in the wheel barrow to get them down to the cabin.. They were 900 long, 350 wide and about 45mm thick.