My dad ordered a 30" alaskan MKIV mill, any tips for running it that we should learn before it gets here? also, I know corona is affecting shipping, but 3 weeks for shipping seems like a long time
USPS Parcel Post can take forever. It can sit on a postal floor distribution point collecting dust for days before it gets put on the next truck and then might only go 30 miles for the same waiting. 26 days from Michigan to Massachusetts last time I did a package Parcel Post. Subtract 6 or 7 days before the shipper actually shipped it.
i have some friends that work in the postal service, and ive heard how bad it can be sometimes, but 26 days is a long time!
Fed Ex is as bad or worse I have watched saws sit at their hub in Troutdale, for 6 Days, and I live les than 30 miles away. Fed Ex even had the gall to post on the tracking site “No Delivery Attempt Made” I personally have had MUCH BETTER Luck with USPS, than ANY of the other shipping companies USPS has been FASTER, and with LESS DAMAGE than the others, Hands Down Doug
Lotsa tips... A 2x6,8,10 can be used as a first cut guide, as can an old aluminum ladder. If you are milling somewhere you want grass to continue to grow, lay down something to catch the dust. Also you can see, get the ends of the wood sealed with something asap. Even old latex is better than nothing. If possible, get one end of the log raised up to assist in getting the mill to the other side of the log. Plan ahead for plank stickering. It takes a lot of stickers, and a lot of space. Stacks need top weighted, etc. Next thing you know, you'll have stacks everywhere.
Thanks Jason, I will have to go write those down real quick, ill try to get pics of our first boards for ya once we cut em
Another very valuable tip, watch the measurement of that first cut. Twice I nipped the screws used to hold down the first cut guide. Completely frenched up my chain. Make sure to give yourself a good 1/4 clearance. Use wedges as you go down the log to keep the bottom of that slab up off the return side of the bar. You do not need special "ripping" chain. Semi or full chisel will work fine, just adjust the top plate angles to about 10-15 degrees. I like square filed as it proved to be more durable for me.
eee, hitting metal is never fun, and i do need to pick up a few wedges, small,med, or large? id probably go for like 4 large and 2 small ones
I usually put one in the end between log and slab, then work 2 down the slice while I cut, one on each side. I believe mine are 8". And you typically loose about 4" of bar length with the mill clamps, so if you have a 24", figure 19/20" max width. Don't clamp down on the tip sprocket bearings.
this is now reminding me of the manual labor i am taking a break from, took our pool down, on hard TN clay, trying to smooth out the transition from the hill to the level part, digging up lots of fill and moving it, allong with breaking up the ground so grass will grow back, 5LB mattock in this clay, if you EVER have to do this, rent an excavator, i vill sleep good tonight thats for sure
Pretty good luck/service with regular USPS services, heck, even the services that UPS and FEDEX hand off the actual delivery to the USPS. But parcel post, no bueno. The price is right.
update: The mill got here last night, I put it together, and installed it, havent gotten to use it yet, but looking forward to trying it out, seems well built, but whoever does the machining/cutting the rails to size, needs to debur them better, I got way to many cuts just assembling the mill, but that aside it seems like a good purchase, might try it out this evening, depends if we are busy or not.
Have any pics? My mk3 had very smooth rails, it was the end brackets that sucked. They’re billet now.
I think my dad got some pics of me using it, none of the burrs tho, I emailed granberg and they said they normally deburr them tho.
Nice, you're hooked now. Next thing you know there will be stickered stacks for wood all over the place.
Not_chip, a couple suggestions to help you Enjoy Milling even More Find some support to elevate your log to a more comfortable working height Elevate the starting end a little higher than the finishing end, let the weight of the Mill and Saw work FOR You rather than Against You Becareful CSM’ing can be very Addictive (and Expensive) Have fun with your new Mill, just stay SAFE Doug
first expensive thing I think we need is a bigger saw, and longer rails for the mill lol. that saw is a 391 with a 25inch bar, 36 would be great but this saw wont run in, I was able to bog it down pretty easy although that log you see is oak (I think)