Mobile timber milling

[Tom Bick]

Recently I have been working with local rangers for a local authority in West London, Ealing, on their woodland management side of things.

Mostly it's been about green woodworking and setting up a green woodworking grouple trying to reuse as much timber as possible from the inevitable trees that are cut as part of the woodland management.

Most of the trees are reasonably small and reasonably easily to handle but there are also some large trees, that we are looking to have them milled on site so the timber can either be planked up for drying, or cut into larger sections to construct chunky benches onsite.

The rangers have secured funding for a day long course, demonstration. So we are looking for someone or if anyone knows anyone who we can contact to see if they are keen to come along and show, demonstrate a bunch of dedicated rangers how feasible this onsite milling is.

I know there are some wonderful mobile mills out there and if I had a few thousand pounds spare and the space to store one I would get myself one but given that these larger trees are not felled very often I think we may be looking more towards chainsaw mills.

If anyone knows of someone then please let e know and I will pass on details.

 

[Vortex]

If you're looking at Chainsaw mills then you need to go to http://www.chainsawbars.co.uk/

He's the UK importer and agent for the Granberg (Alaska) mills and sell both the Granberg Chains and Oregon ripping chains .. the Granberg are superior.

If you're milling any sizable tree then you (ideally) need at least a 75hp saw and a 28" bar .. this will give you a maximum cut width of about 22".
If you can afford a "double ended" oiler then go with that .. otherwise a fairy bottle filled with chainsaw oil and applied by a second person to the tip of the bar improves both cutting and cooling no end .. especially if you're not milling fresh green timber.

I'll milled about 30 liner metres of ash with my still MS250 with an 18" bar and about 20 linear metres of seasoned oak with a Husky with a 32" bar (28"+extension).. it's hard work but if you can't afford somebody with a mobile mill then it's eminently doable.

 

[Finman]

If anyone knows of someone then please let e know and I will pass on details.

We have lots of small saw mills and they move from Place to palce.

You tube is one addres where you see different machines.

As we have name to such "kenttäsaha" = field saw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ljjLzg0g0

Swedish
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1mWFSQQHko&t=3s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81CJrdiZE5Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trCzTlD9tNU

 

[Finman]

.
Russian saw mill

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smk8-70Ft_A

 

[Tom Bick]

If you're looking at Chainsaw mills then you need to go to http://www.chainsawbars.co.uk/

He's the UK importer and agent for the Granberg (Alaska) mills and sell both the Granberg Chains and Oregon ripping chains .. the Granberg are superior.

If you're milling any sizable tree then you (ideally) need at least a 75hp saw and a 28" bar .. this will give you a maximum cut width of about 22".
If you can afford a "double ended" oiler then go with that .. otherwise a fairy bottle filled with chainsaw oil and applied by a second person to the tip of the bar improves both cutting and cooling no end .. especially if you're not milling fresh green timber.

I'll milled about 30 liner metres of ash with my still MS250 with an 18" bar and about 20 linear metres of seasoned oak with a Husky with a 32" bar (28"+extension).. it's hard work but if you can't afford somebody with a mobile mill then it's eminently doable.

Thanks for the information. The drive and intention is to get a set up so selected trees can be milled.

If it was just me I would probably just go for it but this is local authority and although keen they want to have some sort of demonstration/workshop first. This is also good as it will show several rangers the process and then decide if it's something they want to continue with, without the outlay other than paying the person who does the demonstration.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Shame it is so far away from here, Tom, would of been happy to come demonstrate some mobile saw mills, can mill any diameter of timber and have both chainsaw mills and band mill, the latter gets most use, started a milling job last week to mill up around 500 tonnes of Larch, along with another sawyer that uses a Peterson swing blade mill, another good mobile mill.

 

[Tom Bick]

Shame it is so far away from here, Tom, would of been happy to come demonstrate some mobile saw mills.

Thanks Pete and the distance is a shame, as you would have probably been perfect with good experience.

I think all they are looking for is someone with experience in particularly the chainsaw mills, and along with a demonstration on a log. They would need good advice and told about any problems, only gained from an experienced hand who has probably made the mistakes and experienced problems they may encounter.

I think this is a good idea and very keen to get involved as I see too many good trees just chopped up to nothing and if just a few of them could be used for local projects or furniture then it's a good thing.

 

[hallshoney]

You could always try making a band saw https://youtu.be/f4kCzoXZvK4
I follow Tim Rowe on his way out West channel I love his can do attitude