Author Topic: Milling Blanks  (Read 1800 times)

Offline Lazurus

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Milling Blanks
« on: April 27, 2019, 12:32:46 PM »
Been milling some nice Spalted Ash, managed to get five 14" x 4" blanks, waxed and stored.
Living and working on the Norfolk Broads

Offline Mike313

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Re: Milling Blanks
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2019, 01:16:12 PM »
Nice. Out of curiosity, may I ask, what saw and mill did you use? I can see them in the photo but can't see the brand name or model.

Offline Lazurus

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Re: Milling Blanks
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2019, 02:39:42 PM »
https://arbtalk.co.uk/forums/topic/98219-chilling-chinese-milling/?tab=comments#comment-1466130

Well believe it or not it is a cheap Chinese copy mill and a Timberpro 62cc saw, albeit with a decent chain and bar. I got change from £150 for the whole set up new. The above link gives more info. It has been a great investment, no troubles, great results and very satisfying when you open up a log and see what grain is hiding inside. Mind I wouldn't want to use it to earn a living, it is just hobby use, although I have done some milling for friends when asked. To buy the same size in Alaskan mill and stihl saw would have been around £500 and would have produced no better results.

Living and working on the Norfolk Broads

Offline Mike313

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Re: Milling Blanks
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2019, 02:55:50 PM »
Thanks. It will soon pay for itself if you can save on buying blanks  :)

Offline Tim Pettigrew

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Re: Milling Blanks
« Reply #4 on: April 27, 2019, 04:04:42 PM »
I have been using one of these mills made in Scotland and for sale on Ebay.  CLICK HERE for details.   Cost is 82.98 GBP (including UK delivery).  It's a good piece of kit.

Offline Les Symonds

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Re: Milling Blanks
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2019, 04:21:45 PM »
I have been using one of these mills made in Scotland and for sale on Ebay.  CLICK HERE for details.   Cost is 82.98 GBP (including UK delivery).  It's a good piece of kit.
Hi Tim...that looks a bargain, of which I'm often sceptical, so it's good to hear that it's working well. What size saw and what chain are you using with this?

Les
Education is important, but wood turning is importanter.

Offline Tim Pettigrew

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Re: Milling Blanks
« Reply #6 on: April 27, 2019, 05:01:18 PM »

Hi Tim...that looks a bargain, of which I'm often sceptical, so it's good to hear that it's working well. What size saw and what chain are you using with this?

Les

OK, as a home-based hobby turner my neighbours would object to the noise made by a petrol chainsaw so I have built a jig to use the mill with an Oregon CS1500 2.4kw electric chainsaw (18" chainsaw bar fitted as standard). I haven't a photo so have attached the scale drawing of the jig which I used to build it.  Basically the Mill is attached to a cradle which runs on rails with furniture castors.  It works OK for small scale milling for making woodturning blanks, but for serious large-scale milling a petrol chainsaw would be essential.  The chain is Oregon Powersharp and uses a sharpening jig built into the chainsaw.  However, the saw can also be used with any Lo Pro ⅜" chain (including ripping chain) as long as the the built-in sharpener (which only works with the Powersharp chain), is temporarily removed.  I built this to deal with boles in excess of 8" diameter which is the maximum depth of cut of my Record BS300 Bandsaw.

Note that my jig would be equally valid (and would work better) with a petrol saw.  A detailed drawing of the jig can be viewed HERE (will take a few minutes to load!).

I am intending to post an operational video of this setup (with the Oregon CS1500, which is an excellent saw by the way) in due course.

Hope this helps

Tim
« Last Edit: April 27, 2019, 06:12:46 PM by Tim Pettigrew »

Offline Les Symonds

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Re: Milling Blanks
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2019, 06:54:30 PM »
Many thanks, Tim....that's a very interesting set-up.
Les
Education is important, but wood turning is importanter.