Chainsaw Milling

[Speedling]

I bought a nice chainsaw this past year due to my trees in the yard.
But I'm about to take down a nice big Oak. By big I mean it's dying of old age, not just coming down because it's in the way.
Was thinking about using it. Mainly a nice big slab for a desk top! Think like 3" thick oak stained nice and epoxied over. Be awesome to say I milled it from my own tree!!!
Anyone do milling?
Am I crazy?

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I think it's a great idea but might be more cost effective to borrow the guide or rent one?

 

[96Pirate]

I buy all my lumber from a buddy that has his own mill. If you can find a local guy with a portable mill, you might be able to barter his time with some of the slabs from the tree. That is if you would be willing to let go of some of the tree.

I have never seen one of those chainsaw guides in action but working with 3" slabs might be a PITA with the chainsaw. The 2nd photo is a better setup and might handle it.

Good luck to you!

Mike

 

[Bruce]

I would skip the chainsaw mill and find a local mill to cut it for you. I have a few pieces of exposed hickory built into our house that were milled from a tree on my great grandparents farm.

The slab used for the desk has been planed. Any mill is going to leave the wood with a rough cut appearance. Finding such a large plane might be difficult but it is a very nice desk that would be worth the trouble!

 

[Speedling]

As far as the final woodworking aspect my neighbor is a very skilled "artisan" woodworker. Sadly he mostly gets asked to do cabinets. But he would be helping on this for sure.
There is a mill not too far away, however a 3 foot round by 20 foot long piece of oak would weigh how much?

I think I will put the word out and see if anyone has a portable mill. Otherwise we have a bunch of corner poles for masonry laying around..

 

[Julian]

Here is a log weight calculator:
http://www.woodweb.com/cgi-bin/calculators/calc.pl

I put in Northern Red Oak, 18 in small end 24 inch large end and 20' long and it is 3000lbs!

I had a large oak cut down in my yard a few years ago and had them leave me the wood so I could split it. They left it in probably 15-20 foot lengths which I then cut up myself, and I can tell you, the base part was nearly immovable on my own....I could get it to roll some with major leverage! They used a large crane to move it!!! To the 3000lbs above seems right to me!

 

[Bruce]

@Speedling could you build a hoist to lift one end of the log at a time and back a trailer under it?

 

[Scuba_ref]

Or have @itsdgm ship you his Gantry, you will probably be first on the list!

 

[buckbuck]

That is funny

 

[Speedling]

Well, I can probably get it on the car trailer and bring it in but the mill doesn't seem very willing... or cheap. Going through my father in law for that though because he's done it before.

 

[Speedling]

@Speedling could you build a hoist to lift one end of the log at a time and back a trailer under it?

Engine hoist for one end and then also a winch on the car trailer so totally doable.
Looking for someone more local to do it if I can.

 

[Ronnie]

Wow, I salute you guys.

I am going to continue to buy desks from the furniture store.

 

[Speedling]

Wow, I salute you guys.

I am going to continue to buy desks from the furniture store.

http://www.amishavenue.com/catalog/135
Looks like a solid Oak desk is over a grand. I like the $200 toys I can use over and over!

 

[Ronnie]

Those desks look a lot different than the ones in the pics at the start of this thread. Like I said, I salute you. I was out when I saw the chain saw the thought of moving a 3,000 pound log made my back hurt.

 

[Higgy]

I've never done it.. but I would like to try it someday. This guy is obviously experienced and makes it look easy... and his saw mill is simple. I say go for it!