# Getting Closer



## HomeBody (Apr 26, 2012)

I'm slowly getting things together to do some milling. After reading the forums and weighing my options, I decided to go with a Logosol M7 and a Stihl 660M. My thing is making gunstocks and my main reason to get into milling is to obtain some walnut crotch wood for gunstocks. Milling logs for lumber will be secondary. 

I'm green as grass when it comes to milling and for that reason I'm very glad I'm on this forum. I hope I can get help when I need it as I move forward with this. 

For the money I paid for the M7 and 660M, I could have bought a load of gunstock blanks. I love the idea of milling my own wood though, and after seeing it done on the forums it drew me in...another hobby addiction! Gary

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## Kevin (Apr 26, 2012)

HomeBody said:


> I'm slowly getting things together to do some milling. ...



Yes, you are. Soon as you take that first board off you'll be hooked. Well, you already are hooked. One thing I would suggest is to not put a practice log on. Load the best walnut crotch you can find right off. Using that CSM is very simple, and by the time you've knocked off the first slab and a couple of flitches you've got it down pat. 

By then you'll be down to the meat of the wood taking stock material and you're practice cuts are already out of the way. No sense in wasting time paying for that thing on a practice trash log.


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## HomeBody (Apr 27, 2012)

Well Kevin, it sounds like you have more confidence in my abilities than I do. I would put my best walnut crotch on there except I don't have any yet!:scratch_one-s_head: So, it's a little cherry for starters since that's all I have. Gary


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## HomeBody (May 3, 2012)

The rain and wind finally quit so I fired up the mill for the first time. I put a small cherry crotch up on the bench and shimmed it up. As soon as the blade hit it it started rocking like crazy. Not enough weight. So, I got some angle iron and screwed the crotch down to the bench. Much better. The M7 is set up for 8' to about 16' logs. There are no tie downs for shorter than 8' pieces or even support for them which is why I have the plank on there.

I made 3 cuts and ended up with a 1" and a 2" piece. For my first milling job, I'm pretty happy. Gary 

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## davidgiul (May 27, 2012)

The rain and wind finally quit so I fired up the mill for the first time. I put a small cherry crotch up on the bench and shimmed it up. As soon as the blade hit it it started rocking like crazy. Not enough weight. So, I got some angle iron and screwed the crotch down to the bench. Much better. The M7 is set up for 8' to about 16' logs. There are no tie downs for shorter than 8' pieces or even support for them which is why I have the plank on there.

I made 3 cuts and ended up with a 1" and a 2" piece. For my first milling job, I'm pretty happy. Gary 







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What is the bevel and angle on your ripping chain?
Thanks
Dave


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## HomeBody (May 28, 2012)

davidgiul said:


> The rain and wind finally quit so I fired up the mill for the first time. I put a small cherry crotch up on the bench and shimmed it up. As soon as the blade hit it it started rocking like crazy. Not enough weight. So, I got some angle iron and screwed the crotch down to the bench. Much better. The M7 is set up for 8' to about 16' logs. There are no tie downs for shorter than 8' pieces or even support for them which is why I have the plank on there.
> 
> I made 3 cuts and ended up with a 1" and a 2" piece. For my first milling job, I'm pretty happy. Gary



What is the bevel and angle on your ripping chain?
Thanks
Dave
[/quote]


My saw came with a 3/8 .050 chain sharpened to 30°. I took it to the saw shop and had them change the angle to 10°. I'm new to CSM and don't know a whole lot about anything yet. Just struggling along with this forum as my guide. It would be nice to have someone to work with to learn, but I haven't found any CSM guys around here. Gary


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## Mike1950 (May 28, 2012)

Nice looking boards for the first- Cherry crocth works!!!!!!!!!!!!


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