# Minimum chainsaw for "light" milling



## mackman (Mar 2, 2016)

This is sort of a continuation on a previous thread: I have a few chunks of walnut, probably 3-4 feet long and 16 inches wide and thick. My mill guy is out of commission and he recommended I just invest in a chainsaw and do it myself. So my question:

What is the cheapest chainsaw that could do what I need it to do? I'm not cutting down trees and building a house with the resulting planks...I'm just trying to slab a couple chunks of wood. Would, say, the 50 CC PoulanPro do it for me? Or will I really need to spend $400 to get this done? (I know this might sound ridiculous considering the prices of good chainsaws, but my household is breaking pretty much even so I can't really do big purchases right now).


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## Fishbucket (Aug 18, 2010)

an Electric Saw would work. maybe slow, maybe low powered. But for cheap, it's quiet and will work.


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## mackman (Mar 2, 2016)

Fishbucket said:


> an Electric Saw would work. maybe slow, maybe low powered. But for cheap, it's quiet and will work.


I'd thought about that, especially with the phenomenal reviews on the WORX 18-inch saw on Amazon. But whenever I would try to search on the internet for whether an electric saw could do any kind of milling, I couldn't find anything except people saying it wouldn't work. Maybe my Google-fu needs work. 

If anyone else chimes in and says an electric saw would work, I may well pick up the WORX saw, and then get a gas-powered one later if I ever find another opportunity for grabbing lumber straight from the source.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

if you are bucking the logs to a shorter length, then most any saw can get through 16", with one pass from each side even.


but if you are talking about cutting slabs, along the length of the log as a sawmill would do, that is a different story. that takes a bigger saw with a special chain. freehand would not be advisable either, so an Alaskan sawmill might be needed.


the cheapest saw is a friend's....


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## mackman (Mar 2, 2016)

TimPa said:


> if you are bucking the logs to a shorter length, then most any saw can get through 16", with one pass from each side even.
> 
> 
> but if you are talking about cutting slabs, along the length of the log as a sawmill would do, that is a different story. that takes a bigger saw with a special chain. freehand would not be advisable either, so an Alaskan sawmill might be needed.
> ...


Yeah, I'm talking about cutting the chunks into slabs. I already know that freehand won't work well: I freehanded a smaller chunk and got 3 good slabs when I could have gotten 4 or 5 with a guide. I definitely plan on buying the starter Alaskan mill on Amazon when I get my saw. And that's good advice, but none of my friends have anything more powerful than 40 CC, I would imagine.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

if budget is tight, consider looking for another sawyer. there are many looking for work around here...


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

You can make a quick and dirty guide out of thin gauge angle iron. Then cut a 5" piece off and attach it to you're saw. Put the angle iron down on a 2x6 with the pyramid side up. Attach it to the board at the ends. Make sure the board and track are longer then the log on both ends. Screw the board down on the intend log. Set you're chainsaw with angle iron attached on the track angle iron and start making side cuts.


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## mackman (Mar 2, 2016)

Cowboy18 said:


> You can make a quick and dirty guide out of thin gauge angle iron. Then cut a 5" piece off and attach it to you're saw. Put the angle iron down on a 2x6 with the pyramid side up. Attach it to the board at the ends. Make sure the board and track are longer then the log on both ends. Screw the board down on the intend log. Set you're chainsaw with angle iron attached on the track angle iron and start making side cuts.


That is fascinating. I think i can just about picture it...so you put the metal angle-up on the wood, and then you attach another piece to the saw so that the pieces mesh into each other and it keeps the saw on a straight track? A couple questions:

-How do you attach the piece to the saw?

-How do you keep the cuts straight vertical as well as horizontal?


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## Cowboy18 (Aug 21, 2017)

Save yourself the trouble and just order it from "Northern Tools". It's seems to me it was only $25 or $30 bucks.
It will come with the track, and hardware for you're saw. 


Gravity and the track keep you're vertical cut straight with the side cut rig. Mind you with rough milling like this straight is a relative term. It's a hell of a lot straighter then you could ever do free hand.


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