Who needs a trailer?!

Spalted Elm🇳🇴

Look at that table!

Some birch from norway🇳🇴

What type of sealant are you using on slabs to prevent splitting?

Also, I have some 30" diameter cookies that I plan to use for outdoor tables.  Can I (should I) coat the entire top and bottom of these to prevent splitting from the center?

<div class="md"><p>What type of sealant are you using on slabs to prevent splitting?</p>

<p>Also, I have some 30&quot; diameter cookies that I plan to use for outdoor tables.  Can I (should I) coat the entire top and bottom of these to prevent splitting from the center?</p>
</div>

Sealant to prevent ends from splitting?

Recently cut these ambrosia maple slabs and they look like they have a bit of curliness to them? I’m excited to use them some day and see!

<div class="md"><p>Recently cut these ambrosia maple slabs and they look like they have a bit of curliness to them? I’m excited to use them some day and see!</p>
</div>

Little bit of curly? 

Decided I'd like to make a small box from some white oak I cut up from a standing dead tree.  I really should have done a little more homework, the sticker stain (shadow) is pretty bad.

<div class="md"><p>Decided I&#39;d like to make a small box from some white oak I cut up from a standing dead tree.  I really should have done a little more homework, the sticker stain (shadow) is pretty bad.</p>
</div>

Sticker Stain :(

This 500 year old sawmill still operational in Norway.

<div class="md"><p>Milled some beautiful Ash </p>
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Awesome Ash!

Ripping Boards Freehand

Plan is making 6" slabs from center of logs for log cabin build. Sledge is designed so that it can be run in both directions and so we install the rail and run both directions and end up with what we want.

<div class="md"><p>Plan is making 6&quot; slabs from center of logs for log cabin build. Sledge is designed so that it can be run in both directions and so we install the rail and run both directions and end up with what we want.</p>
</div>

First tests on our new chainsaw guide.

Slabbed up three logs.  Now just have to wait a year for them to dry out.   1.5 and 2 inches thick.

<div class="md"><p>Slabbed up three logs.  Now just have to wait a year for them to dry out.   1.5 and 2 inches thick.</p>
</div>

Black Locust

Just had this silver maple cut down and thinking about milling some slabs out of it…it’s about 40” in diameter so I would need to use a 48” bar. Would rather not have to buy another saw, but Stihl recommends not going over 36” on the 660. Doing some research and I see a lot of people saying they run 48” on theirs without a problem.

Any thoughts or advice are appreciated.

<div class="md"><p>Just had this silver maple cut down and thinking about milling some slabs out of it…it’s about 40” in diameter so I would need to use a 48” bar. Would rather not have to buy another saw, but Stihl recommends not going over 36” on the 660. Doing some research and I see a lot of people saying they run 48” on theirs without a problem.</p>

<p>Any thoughts or advice are appreciated.</p>
</div>

48” bar on a Stihl 660

Inspired by [What Dennis Does](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPHqGkX1n8qtz_03I7n4xR3QU2GMIyGTN) and [Matthias Wandel](https://www.woodgears.ca/bandmill/index.html), I spent the last 2 years slowly building a bandsaw sawmill from scratch using predominantly scrap materials. Almost every part is fabricated, rather than bought. My aim was £500, but I ended up at double that by the end of it, and countless hours of work. 

This weekend I set it up and made the first cuts. It flippin' worked! A few issues to address, but I'm over the moon that it's finally running. I cut 2 ash logs, 2 willow logs, and a poplar.

Before this I'd milled and dried about 10 logs with a cheap chainsaw mill. This is a massive step up. Any tips for a new sawyer?

<div class="md"><p>Inspired by <a href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPHqGkX1n8qtz_03I7n4xR3QU2GMIyGTN">What Dennis Does</a> and <a href="https://www.woodgears.ca/bandmill/index.html">Matthias Wandel</a>, I spent the last 2 years slowly building a bandsaw sawmill from scratch using predominantly scrap materials. Almost every part is fabricated, rather than bought. My aim was £500, but I ended up at double that by the end of it, and countless hours of work. </p>

<p>This weekend I set it up and made the first cuts. It flippin&#39; worked! A few issues to address, but I&#39;m over the moon that it&#39;s finally running. I cut 2 ash logs, 2 willow logs, and a poplar.</p>

<p>Before this I&#39;d milled and dried about 10 logs with a cheap chainsaw mill. This is a massive step up. Any tips for a new sawyer?</p>
</div>

First time using my scrap-built bandsaw mill

A little bit of spalting here and there as well

<div class="md"><p>A little bit of spalting here and there as well</p>
</div>

Gloomy day so slabbed some old hickory.

Milled these from a white oak I had to drop about 2.5 years ago. What do y'all think of the grain pattern?

Any tips for finishing live edge and preserving cracks in burl? More details in comments 

Bit of beech has been sat at the barn for a while, milled up some 4" slabs today. 
Quite abit of cracking on one end so will turn these into bowl and spindle blanks for turning. 

Chain hit a nail last use so cuts aren't the cleanest after a file yesterday. 

<div class="md"><p>Bit of beech has been sat at the barn for a while, milled up some 4&quot; slabs today. 
Quite abit of cracking on one end so will turn these into bowl and spindle blanks for turning. </p>

<p>Chain hit a nail last use so cuts aren&#39;t the cleanest after a file yesterday. </p>
</div>

Bit of beech done today

I hired a bandsaw mill when I cleared my house lot a few years ago and milled up a lot of lumber. I have a couple of large oaks standing dead now. I’d guess I will lose a tree here and there on an ongoing basis. 

Would like to maybe get an Alaskan mill to do a few trees here and there when the opportunity arises. Somebody posted a link to a vendor who sold kits that included some clones of larger saws but now I can’t find it. Is there a good option out there that’s in the 500-1000$ range that is decent enough?

It’s mostly oak and mostly 12-24” diameter. I don’t really want to diy something unless there’s not something budget friendly available. 

<div class="md"><p>I hired a bandsaw mill when I cleared my house lot a few years ago and milled up a lot of lumber. I have a couple of large oaks standing dead now. I’d guess I will lose a tree here and there on an ongoing basis. </p>

<p>Would like to maybe get an Alaskan mill to do a few trees here and there when the opportunity arises. Somebody posted a link to a vendor who sold kits that included some clones of larger saws but now I can’t find it. Is there a good option out there that’s in the 500-1000$ range that is decent enough?</p>

<p>It’s mostly oak and mostly 12-24” diameter. I don’t really want to diy something unless there’s not something budget friendly available. </p>
</div>

All in one mill package

My beginner experience 

New one here

This is on a family member’s property, trying to get in touch to see if he’s willing to let me slab it up. Figured yall would enjoy. It’s probably 30” across in the wider section, black walnut. 

<div class="md"><p>This is on a family member’s property, trying to get in touch to see if he’s willing to let me slab it up. Figured yall would enjoy. It’s probably 30” across in the wider section, black walnut. </p>
</div>

Walnut

I have 18 acres of woods and want to get into slabbing. I have what I believe is a swamp chestnut oak topple in a windstorm in January of this year.   It was a living tree, a proper topple, pulled up the root ball.  It  was about 80' tall,  a two-trunk tree, each trunk 24" ABH and at least one leader has been well off the ground since it fell. how long do  I have to get this done? I know it's not a prime tree, but it would be perfect to cut my teeth on..

<div class="md"><p>I have 18 acres of woods and want to get into slabbing. I have what I believe is a swamp chestnut oak topple in a windstorm in January of this year.   It was a living tree, a proper topple, pulled up the root ball.  It  was about 80&#39; tall,  a two-trunk tree, each trunk 24&quot; ABH and at least one leader has been well off the ground since it fell. how long do  I have to get this done? I know it&#39;s not a prime tree, but it would be perfect to cut my teeth on..</p>
</div>

How long is wood prime after falling?

So it may have been there the day I cut, but about three days later I noticed these tiny holes toward the edges of the tree-near bark. I’m guessing it’s bugs but wondered what you all think. Do you all ever spray anything to keep bugs off after cuts? Do you de-bark the slabs for storage to dry?

<div class="md"><p>So it may have been there the day I cut, but about three days later I noticed these tiny holes toward the edges of the tree-near bark. I’m guessing it’s bugs but wondered what you all think. Do you all ever spray anything to keep bugs off after cuts? Do you de-bark the slabs for storage to dry?</p>
</div>

Is this normal

I had a storm downed oak on the fence line for about six months. I finally got around to trying out my Alaskan mill set up. This was the first time. I learned a bit. Especially, to give plenty of room to work haha. Any tips?

<div class="md"><p>I had a storm downed oak on the fence line for about six months. I finally got around to trying out my Alaskan mill set up. This was the first time. I learned a bit. Especially, to give plenty of room to work haha. Any tips?</p>
</div>

I learned something today

Slabbed up some large silver maple limbs from a construction site.  Love the figure.  My slab inventory is now up to 129.

<div class="md"><p>Slabbed up some large silver maple limbs from a construction site.  Love the figure.  My slab inventory is now up to 129.</p>
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Maple slabs

Ones a native and the other is a tree from Mexico I believe and an invasive species but looks nice.

<div class="md"><p>Ones a native and the other is a tree from Mexico I believe and an invasive species but looks nice.</p>
</div>

Some slabs from today, Northern Rivers NSW Australia.

183” bandsaw blade

Just over 10' long and ranging from 25" to 37" in width, 3" thick.  Wet and super heavy.   Each one must of weighed between 400-500 lbs.    Thank God for hydraulics.

<div class="md"><p>Just over 10&#39; long and ranging from 25&quot; to 37&quot; in width, 3&quot; thick.  Wet and super heavy.   Each one must of weighed between 400-500 lbs.    Thank God for hydraulics.</p>
</div>

Slabbed up some elm

Hey everyone. As the title implies,  I need some advice about my bandsaw mill. Searching this sub for clues has led me to thinking that a lack of set might be the cause of my cuts running up. 
So I'd like to ask: how much set is enough/too much? And what's the preferred method of measurement?

<div class="md"><p>Hey everyone. As the title implies,  I need some advice about my bandsaw mill. Searching this sub for clues has led me to thinking that a lack of set might be the cause of my cuts running up. 
So I&#39;d like to ask: how much set is enough/too much? And what&#39;s the preferred method of measurement?</p>
</div>

Bandsaw tooth set

All about DIY wood harvesting, in an environmentally responsible and ethical manner.

Pictures of harvests and Pro tips welcome.

<div class="md"><p>All about DIY wood harvesting, in an environmentally responsible and ethical manner.</p>

<p>Pictures of harvests and Pro tips welcome.</p>
</div>

<div class="md"><p>Cut &#39;em up, not down!</p>
</div>

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