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Pine Boards with a Chainsaw Mill
A chainsaw mill is a frame that holds the saw's bar flat at a set height, so the chain rips a log lengthways into boards. The first cut rides on a straight board screwed to the log; every later cut rides on the flat face before it. The green boards are then stacked on stickers to air-dry.
Pine dries fast: a 25 mm board can reach about 14 % moisture in 60 to 90 days in good drying weather. Oak and other slow species take far longer.
Intermediate
1 day milling, 2–3 months drying
Instructions
1
1
Pick and prop the log
Pick and prop the log
Choose a straight pine log, 2.5–3 m long, without large knots. Prop it on two short logs so it cannot roll and the chain will not reach the ground.
Materials for this step:
Softwood Logs1 pieceTools needed:
Tape Measure2
2
Fit the mill
Fit the mill
Bolt the mill to the chainsaw bar following its maker's instructions. A ripping chain cuts along the grain faster and smoother than a crosscut chain.
Tools needed:
Chainsaw (professional forestry grade)
Chainsaw Mill3
3
Screw on the guide board
Screw on the guide board
Screw a straight board along the top of the log, level from end to end, as the rail for the first cut. Check it with the straightedge and level.
Materials for this step:
Wood Screws6 piecesTools needed:
Pine Board
Cordless Drill
Straightedge
Spirit Level4
4
First cut
First cut
Wearing helmet with visor, ear protection, gloves and boots, run the mill along the guide board and take off the top slab. Remove the guide board.
Tools needed:
Chainsaw (professional forestry grade)Chainsaw Mill
Safety Helmet
Ear Protection Muffs
Leather Work Gloves
Steel-Toe Safety Boots5
5
Cut the boards
Cut the boards
Set the mill a few millimetres thicker than the finished board, to allow for shrinking and planing. Run each cut on the flat face left by the one before.
Tools needed:
Chainsaw (professional forestry grade)Chainsaw MillTape Measure6
6
Seal the ends
Seal the ends
Paint both ends of every board with end sealer the same day, to stop them splitting as they dry.
Materials for this step:
End Sealer (paraffin wax)0.5 liter7
7
Sticker the stack
Sticker the stack
On a level base at least 30 cm off the ground, lay the boards in layers with a gap between them, each layer on stickers every 40–60 cm, the stickers one above the other.
Materials for this step:
Wooden Sticker (drying spacer)30 piecesTools needed:
Wooden PalletSpirit Level8
8
Cover and weight
Cover and weight
Cover the top of the stack against rain and lay weight on it to keep the top boards flat; leave the sides open to the air.
Tools needed:
Tarp9
9
Measure the moisture
Measure the moisture
After 2 months, read a board from the middle of the stack. Air-dry outdoors reaches about 12–15 %; bring boards for furniture indoors to settle at 6–8 % before working them.
Tools needed:
Moisture Meter10
10
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting
Chainsaw milling troubleshooting.
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Materials
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- 6 piecesPlaceholder
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Tools Required
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