Chainsaw Mill Build - Start to Finish

Needed a small portable sawmill for a job and made one quickly from scratch. It works great! The first sawmill I built was a chainsaw mill but it was stationary. Now I deeded a portable sawmill that I could use on-site and I just built this simple chainsaw mill. More serious work will be left for my stationary swingblade sawmill.
If you want to build your own portable chain sawmill check out youshouldbuildit.blogspot.com, I'll upload the blueprints there this week.
My other videos:
/ @donndiy
My Patreon page:
/ donndiy
Welding equipment borrowed from Spetselektroodi AS, Estonia:
Fronius TransSteel 2700 welder
Optrel Crystal 2.0 Welding Helmet
Hypertherm Powermax 45 XP plasma cutter

[@homemadetools]

Nice summary of an epic multi-part build. We shared this video on our homemade tools forum last week 😎

[@DonnDIY]

Thanks, but this was a single video of a single project not a summary of a series of videos.👍

[@rjung_ch]

Hi Donn, you are the man, you build such useful and fun projects! Thank you 👍💪✌

[@vinceianni4026]

Hello Donn good job beautifully done

[@fenderbenderxaddo5974]

I’m only 5 minutes into this video and have to say this. You have been working at ground level squatted over when you could be working on a bench. I’m 60 and did it that way when I was younger too, but my back is paying for it now. Work smarter not harder! I’m still milling slabs but it hurts more now😎

[@runsolo7418]

He has a welding bench, the big wheel mini bike is on it. By the way, I totally agree with you about the workbench. Everyone needs one, or two.

[@DonnDIY]

I'd like to have more than one work bench / fabrication table for the new big garage I do not own.🤣

[@LonniesGarage]

Love watching your videos.

[@omkar2701]

Nice video

[@Mikefestiva]

Great simple DIY chainsaw mill Donn! I really like the simplicity of this build. Thank you for posting, hopefully this video encourages others to make there own version of this to start milling. 😊👍

[@DonnDIY]

That's exactly what I hope.👍👍

[@lightscrafts]

Agree! 👍 Simple and good for smaller projects

[@KtFuhrhalterei]

Danke Dir fur die tolle Anleitung LG Manuel

[@TheJure123456]

...one newer has enough sawmills :) :) Love your videos, keep up the good work.

[@beozzie690]

Nice as always. I watched this whole series piece by piece..

[@DonnDIY]

This was just one video.🤷‍♂️

[@graemezimmer604]

Works great! Much simpler than other designs.

[@Stakman1]

That is really taking the chainsaw mill to the next level. I can't help but think what the people who built one of the oldest buildings in Saskatchewan Canada (my province and country) would think of a tool like this, In 1854 when construction started they used a "2 man pit saw", where one man would stand in a pit and another mad above and boards were saw by hand. Thanks for sharing.

[@fretless496]

Picked a bad day to quit watching Donn videos. 😁

[@DonnDIY]

Why you quit man, why you do this to me...😀

[@fretless496]

@@DonnDIY I can't quit you, man! I'm addicted. You do make me feel inadequate, tho.

[@warwicks2780]

Every day is a bad day to quit watching Donn videos :)

[@fretless496]

@@warwicks2780 Agreed! My sarcasm (and Lloyd Bridges references) isn't always obvious. If I were a little more ambitious I would be making things instead of just watching.

[@Crewsy]

That works great Donn. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@bobbynash282]

Need a throttle cable so as not to bend over so much, saves the back.

[@WeeWillyWeiner]

I was gonna say the same. It's pretty easy to add a throttle cable and mount the winch to a pulley at standing height. Izzy Swan did something similar.

[@yodasbff3395]

Nice portable saw mill. Thanks for sharing your videos. 👍

[@DonnDIY]

Thanks!

[@LonniesGarage]

Heck yeah man.

[@tigxxl]

Reali nice and fast project! 👍👍👍

[@DonnDIY]

Yeah, I was prototyping this mill. Gonna do more work on it in the future.👍

[@jamesa7506]

"I needed a tool I didn't have, to do a job that I did, so I built it. " 👍💪

[@broniusale5987]

If you use top part of the bar, you get much bigger load on bar sprocket.

[@DonnDIY]

That's true. Let's see how long the bar sprocket lasts...😬

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Great job Donn, did you have an addition to the family? Maybe a little girl? Really enjoyed the new fabrication. Pretty cool fab. Thanks for sharing with us. Fred.

[@DonnDIY]

No addition yet.😀😛 Thanks for watching!

[@DobermanDave531]

Your better that Santa 👍🙃

[@rolfnilsen6385]

With a Stihl 661 that would be really neat! Add a longer handle for the winch and I would not mind working that mill for a day or a weekend.

[@Hansdaagriculture1276]

I love this video sir.

[@jamesmikesell5458]

Nice build

[@DonnDIY]

Thank you!🙏

[@ohcrapwhatsnext]

I like the speed of the video btw... moves things right along... Great tool to have. Please continue not to talk. hahaha

[@aland7236]

Hey Donn, very nice build! I saw something when you built the clamping fixture holding the chainsaw in place that I wanted to mention, it might save you some trouble. The outer clamp fixture holding the end of the bar looked like it was almost on top the space for the bar's sprocket, that might lead to premature failure if it's home gets tightened up by the bar being clamped right there. But that could've just been the angle of the filming making it appear that way. A longer bar in the future might help with that. Also on the clamping fixtures, a nylon block might grip and hold on better for less slip over time on the mill than steel on steel on a Stihl. Those might get you less vibration in your hands/arms and the mill too. Very neat DIY cousin, you've inspired me on a few things before and I like what you do. Thank you for sharing.

[@DonnDIY]

You're right, the end clamp is very close to the sprocket to maximize cut width. I'll look into the nylon block clamping option. Cheers for that info!🙏

[@aland7236]

@@DonnDIY My pleasure Sir! Looking forward to the next DIY project. 🙂

[@tonyc.4528]

My son bought that same model saw a year ago. I had to go through the carburetor calibration process to get proper top RPM and power from it. You may or many not know that the carb is 100% electronic. The process is in the owners manual. My son is running a 20" bar on his with no issues, but he's also cross cutting and not ripping.

[@DonnDIY]

Yup, I've done calibration too.👍

[@jubiletabustamanteserrano2446]

ESO VA MEJORANDO AMIGO ,LONCHAS ENTERAS MUY BIEN

[@mrMacGoover]

That's quite the sexy manly coffee mug you got there Donny..😂

[@DonnDIY]

Yes💪💪💪😛

[@harkbelial]

How many saws does a man need? All of them!!!

[@DonnDIY]

Yes

[@Svendus]

❤ Simple is often best but it is not recommended to overload the nose wheel on a Stihl chainsaw that has no lubrication in the nose wheel @ the saw-bar One tips that not many are aware off is that using a skip or super skip ripping chain on low effect chainsaws makes ripping smooth and much easier 👍

[@dougaldhendrick3497]

Definitely use a skip tooth chain.

[@kathrynwhitby9799]

a pair of mini spirit levels, one on each vertical adjuster would speed up alignment.

[@DonnDIY]

The mill has rulers on both vertical posts.👍

[@bobbynash282]

I like the mill, with 1exception all that tacking. All l ever say was a tack the tack between no beads. I made my living as a welder an would never put anything together like that.

[@piconano]

I think an Alaskan sawmill is a lot cheaper, faster to setup and can be carried around easily.

[@DonnDIY]

Depends on taste. I personally don't like the physical work of pushing the alaskan mill through the log and setting up the first cut. I like the hand winch feed better. And this mill was / is easier to setup in my opinion.👍

[@piconano]

@@DonnDIY They do in fact come with a winch as an option. The guy at "RingWorm" channel built an entire compound with one. As you said, it also depends on taste.

[@rdrockett1]

Mr. Donn you really need a welding table.

[@DonnDIY]

I have one but the minibike project is on it.🤣

[@Andrew_Fernie]

He has a build video for it iirc

[@robertmailhos8159]

Better to build it than having to go out and buy one because you can build it your way

[@jimhohl9003]

Your Stihl chainsaw should have a throttle trigger lock button on the side of the handle...to lock the trigger at full throttle. My Stihl does.

[@fred-san]

WoW MiaM... -but- NEXT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@StaleEHuse]

Fast, functional, fabricationgenius - that's Donn DIY

[@DonnDIY]

Cheers!🙏🙏

[@edwardweisenburg6585]

Nj USA ❤

[@user-gw3js9nl6k]

Как всегда 👍

[@bobbyjones2363]

Mr.Donn what happened to the saw mill you built with the well and tires( bandsaw type)

[@DonnDIY]

You mean the bandsaw mill? I sold it and built the swingblade instead.👍

[@MeTravel247]

You from Estonia? How's everything going on?

[@DonnDIY]

Not gonna lie - the situation is hairy.

[@MeTravel247]

@@DonnDIY oops 😬 Do you mean from the Eastern side? Or just economically? Or what?

[@bard44]

What plans are you going by for this mini saw?

[@DougAskin]

Cutting from the top of he chain also makes the chips go away

[@DonnDIY]

Yup, that's also a super great option in a chainsaw mill in my opinion.

[@user-dy3dj9nm7s]

Another awesome build Don. Hey, How long has it been since you rode your trials bike? I always liked watching you on it. Take care.

[@DonnDIY]

Ah, dude... great question. It's been a couple of years since I last rode the trials bike. I've been super occupied with the house build and getting used to the rythm of being a dad. I'll dig the trials bike out of the barn this summer.👍😛

[@user-dy3dj9nm7s]

@@DonnDIY Hellyeah!!!!

[@JahaJaho]

Another elegant little solution. Is the bar of the saw just attached by clamping or do you have some peg that fit holes in the sword?

[@DonnDIY]

The bar is only clamped in.👍 It seems to be holding tight.

[@JahaJaho]

@@DonnDIY You are a brave man. I would not dare to try that :)

[@iffonackerman5241]

👍👍👍!!!

[@MrInfernost]

Jaa, sellist oleks vaja küll 😊

[@DonnDIY]

Minu oma täitsa saadaval.👍

[@MrInfernost]

@@DonnDIY kas saad hinna siia kirjutada või privaatselt saata?

[@DonnDIY]

Kirjuta mulle: youshoulbuildit ät gmail punkt com 👍

[@ohcrapwhatsnext]

Looks like the saw needs to be down a lot more to get at least a 8 inch board...

[@Noorikon]

👍

[@vizibug]

most a them stihl saws here in America have a trigger lock...holds it wide open throttle for ya..?.

[@DonnDIY]

I don't think mine has a trigger lock. Have to check.👍

[@worldmultimir7867]

😮😮😮😮

[@PrimeministerAus]

Where’s the minibike video? That’s what brought me here!

[@DonnDIY]

Minibike grand finale will come!👍👍

[@PrimeministerAus]

@@DonnDIY never doubted you for a second 😉

[@valdevieira8258]

👏👏👏👍

[@AntonioM.696.]

🤟🤠

[@goodnough1]

Hey Don, quick question. Do your stihl chainsaws come to you country from Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA ?

[@DonnDIY]

I'm not sure. Have to check.

[@jwiereng]

20:50 Is it true for all Stihl saws that the top edge is oiled better?

[@DonnDIY]

The oil is inserted into the saw bar from the top. If you remove the cover and saw bar you can see the bar oil opening on the top edge. However, others have said that the bar sprocket will be overloaded and might fail when cutting with the top edge. I'll continue cutting and see wether I can wreck the sprocket or not.😬😀

[@barthanes1]

I thought you were cutting with the top of the bar so it would throw the chips away instead of toward you.

[@DonnDIY]

That too!👍

[@joosepkunder]

Taaskord: vinge töö! Kui kaua tundsides seda ehitasid? Palju materjalidele kulutasid?

[@DonnDIY]

Tänud! Kokku läks umbes neli päeva, tundides reaalset ehitamist päeva jagu, sest prototüüpimise käigus on nuputamist alati rohkem kui reaalset ehitustööd. Materjalidele kulus suurjärk 350 eurot. 👍

[@PeterNetped]

[@kathrynwhitby9799]

is there just the one video?

[@DonnDIY]

Yes, I built this mill in a hurry for a project. 👍

[@pauljoseph8338]

All the European KZbin guys wear pants with built in knee pads. I like it.

[@DonnDIY]

The work trousers have the pockets for the knee pads by default. I personally don't use the knee pads in these pockets even though I think it would be super comfortable. :)

[@PEWpewVida]

Hey , can you watermark your KZbin link on the videos, that’s annoying to keep looking at it, it draws people’s eyes towards it, and takes away from watching what you are doing/building. Love your videos🤟🏽

[@jackrenet572]

met un casque anti bruit travail a 4 pattes

[@tarmoleede7366]

tõsta kõrgemaks,et mitte põlvili möllata

[@DonnDIY]

👍

[@Taevasilm]

Where's the fatbike?

[@DonnDIY]

On the welding table in the left up corner in the beginning of the video. It'll be finished up soon.👍

[@user-jq4lf3qc3o]

Зачем ???? У тебя две пилорамы !

[@DonnDIY]

I sold the bandsaw mill, but I still have the swingblade circular sawmill. This chainsaw mill is for portability and for smaller on-site jobs.

[@user-jq4lf3qc3o]

Малодец

[@deangood8908]

Ok, why would you want a small sawmill?

[@DonnDIY]

For portability and smaller on-site jobs👍

[@andrewwilgress4100]

nnj

[@Agrompapas]

У тебя есть ленточная пилорама, зачем тебе это чудо?

[@DonnDIY]

I sold the bandsaw mill, but I do have the swingblade circular sawmill indeed. This chainsaw mill is for portability and for smaller on-site jobs.👍

[@eugenezakharkin9925]

not relable desing

[@RiverGroveGarage]

Nice video