sawing school - what FF sawyer would you like to hang out with for a day?

[Dan_Shade]

I was thinking, I'm a self trained "sawyer", i've read a lot of stuff, learned a lot reading here, but man would it be nice to get some hands-on guidance, and boy would it be nice to apprentice with some of the "big time" guys around here.

I pick Tom to hang out with for a day to pick his brain, and watch how he goes about the business.  only I can't eat peas (wierd allergies), and I'd bring my own spoon!

who would you guys like to saw with for a day or so?

[SawDust_Studios]

Can I pick three, maybe four?

I feel like I've already learned so much from the experts around here.  That is a tough one, because there are so many guys around here that know way more than I'd ever know, so I'd be thrilled to spend a day with alot of them.  I'm sure I'd learn more in that day, than I have the last 6 years on my own.  But If I had to choose, I'd probably go with Ron or Arky.

[Dan_Shade]

in all honesty, there are many guys here that know a lot.  seeing how the guys like Ron and Jeff (used to) do it would blow my mind.  anybody that's sawn a million board foot has to know something. 

I picked tom, because I know he likes to take breaks.  Maybe I should have picked DanG!

[DanG]

I'm gonna hang out with Tom tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day.

[Radar67]

I spent a day with Woodbowl and his miser, and a few days with Phil L and his Petersons. Best learning experience ever. I would gladly spend several more days with either, or both, and Dang sounds like he could teach me a thing or two as well.

Stew

[brdmkr]

Dang sounds like he could teach me a thing or two as well.

He sure helped me a lot.

[treecyclers]

Here's my list:
Jeff B for his wisdom on production rigs
Cedarman for his knowledge in the cedars
Tom for his infinite wisdom and levelheadedness
Furby for the hoots and hollers
DanG just for kicks (Anyone whose name is used as the "official cuss word" of the FF has GOT to be a character!
Bibbyman for his geographical location (I don't think I have ever been that far north)
And the list goes on and on and on. I could list every one on the FF, but I have been up since 4, it's already 9, and I still have to eat my supper!
SD

[DomR]

 I'd hang out with any of you guys in the forum.  I'm not so sure I could keep up with any of ya but I'd try.  I learned along time ago that you learn alot of both good and bad  by watching and helping, asking and sometimes just listening the sounds of work.  I don't think Tom would be that bad to work with despite what CHARLIE told me at lunch and yes, I'd eat peas and bring my own spoon. No time to carve but I reckon I'd learn that from him too!
DomR

[DR_Buck]

Defiantly a tough decision.  There is so much knowledge on this forum to gain from many of the participants.   My first thought s were to say Arky. But then DanG made his post....

     

I'm gonna hang out with Tom tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day.   

...... and I had to reconsider.   So I pick Tom.   If not for his sawing knowledge, Tom's philosophy is quite entertaining.    Besides he comes with Dang!         ......a 2 for 1 deal! 

[bcraw98]

I think I'd have to go with Pro Sawyer Mary because she's the only one so busy that she doesn't have time to post!  I also figure she has some tricks for sawin' on a manual mizer that she could share with me. Plus, I get Bibbyman which makes it a two for one 

[WkndCutter]

I'm with Dr. Buck.  Tom gets my vote.  So much knowledge from any of the sawers here on the forum.

[Bibbyman]

We’ve had the good fortune to hang out with a lot of great guys and learned and shared a lot.  Some not mentioned above include Bro-Noble, Joey-Lowe, Rmay, ElectricAl, and others.

On my list of places I think I’d like to go, watch, talk, and learn would be the LT300 operations of  Mike Raynor and his Rock Island Lumber Company and the Wood-Mizer sawmill in Madisonville.  If I couldn’t pick up some ideas, I could at least dream.



The Rock Island Lumber Co. Eldon, Mo.



Tour of Wood-Mizer Sawmill Facility – Madisonville, KY.

[Warren]

Interesting thread.  I quit my real job 2 weeks ago to get started full time in sawing / wood working.  One thing I know for certain is that I don't know very much about sawing.  Sooo..  I've spent the better part of the past 10 days (and about 2,000 miles) hitting the PB Show and spending a few hours to most of a day with several FF members who agreed to show me their set ups.  

My goal for the past two weeks has been to:
1) Understand what type of mill to upgrade to for production work.  My LT15 is a good mill.  But it is not a production mill.
2) "Go See" how other sawyers set up their shops and machinery.  Currently I am working outside.  I would rather learn from other folks experience than re-invent the same old mistakes.

I won't mention the names of the folks I have visited with because I didn't ask their permission.  But basically, I stayed within about 200-250 miles of my home base.  Much of what I have learned so far is the common sense stuff that is openly discussed on the forum.  Some of the stuff I picked up,  I hadn't thought about previously:

> Hydraulics are good.
> Having sufficient horsepower is good

Everyone I visited who is sawing fulltime:
> Uses a log deck to improve production (50% live, 50% dead).
> Uses some type of dust collection system or strategy
> Uses some type of roll case / conveyor to move materials between processes
> Most do at least some if not all of their own blade sharpening
> Wishes they had a bigger building

A few Ah Ha's:
> Ensure that ALL by products and waste streams are sold or marketed to generate income.  At a minimum, ensure they do NOT cost time or $$$'s to remove them.
(easier said than done...)
> After increasing horse power to a certain point, the blade's ability to handle the horsepower may become a limiting factor instead the motor's ability to pull the blade through the wood.
> With a good crew, somethings like turning a small cant, may still be faster with a cant hook, especially if it frees the sawyer to focus on something else.
> There is no ONE way to set up a milling operation.  Each shop was set up distinctly different. But still effective for their given purpose.

I am still struggling with the remote console versus walk along. I would much rather use a remote console for high volume work.  But I am envisioning a small percentage of my business being in the 25 to 30 foot range for barn posts.  My understanding, the remote WM mills can only be extended to about 26 feet.  I am not certain walking all the time will be worth the small incremental amount of business.  Probably not.  But I hate to turn it away.  I have a neighbor who is a barn builder.  He builds 6 to 8 large tobacco barns a year.  Each barn pattern requires 25,000 to 35,000 bf of lumber.  I'd love to be his "one stop shop" for all of his barn lumber.  Currently he is hauling in from out of state to get the longer posts.

Final learning was that FF members are good bunch of folks !  Everyone I visited with was very friendly, open and informative.  I appreciate everyone being willing to take time out of their schedules to help me better understand the sawing and wood products business.

Warren

[ely]

i would pick tom if had to choose one person.

[Larry]

Guess I would pick a full time sawing team that specializes in sawing hardwoods, drying them, grading, and selling wholesale as well as retail...Linda and her partner ElectricalAl.

Got an opportunity to saw a whack of SYP next spring...don’t know nuthin bout pine.  I’ve read numerous times to let the log tell you what it wants to be.  Know there would be a whole herd of you southern sawyers that could further my education so I won’t pick one here.

No matter who you would pick I think most will agree sometimes a new trick or technique can be learned from even some very inexperienced sawyers.  And I wouldn’t pass up a chance to visit with any of the forum members.

[Modat22]

I have enough experiance running a sawmill to be very dangerious to myself, others, farm animals and garden gnomes.

I can't choose who'd I'd hang out with on the forum but Tom and part_timer are high on the list.

[OneWithWood]

Great question!

I have learned so much from talking to various FFers in person at the piggy roast and other functions and of course the information shared on this site has been indespensible.   

I could list a number of people but I would probably still leave out some inadvertantly.   Each person on this list contributes to my knowledge base.  I wish I could spend time with you all.

[twoodward15]

I think I'd pick Scott Branbury.  He's doing what I'd like to be doing (urban sawing).  I'd like to see his operation and/or work with him a few days to see how he gets things done and gets trees from people.

[DWM II]

Ditto on Scott Banbury, I aint into naked slipin slide, but the urban logging interests me pretty good.

[oakiemac]

Good question.

I'd pick Arky for his knowledge on sawing and jawing. I'd also pick Sawmilljohn for his impressive know how on the MD's. I would also like to hang out a day or two with the Bibbymans.
 I had to laugh when someone said that they had never been that far north. The Bibbys live in Missouri-that is south! So far south that the heat will fry your brain like an egg. I think anything south of Indianapolis is southern and I only venture down there in the cooler parts of the year. But that is a whole different subject.

[arj]

I`d pick anyone one that would have me, I`ve learned so much here,
I don`t have to ask many questions you guy`s answer them before I
think of them. When I was looking at mills to buy I was able to visit a
lot of mill, learned some thing at each one. Also went to some WM
training deals when they sold a mill near me. For me I like to watch
and ask why you do that. I think you can learn something from anyone
rookie or old pro. Sometimes the new guy comes up with a way to do
something simple I`d think how could I not have though of that.
                  arj

[Bro. Noble]

Well I'd sure like to visit Tom too,  as well as DanG and Marcel,  and Paul H,  and just about everyone else.  I wouldn't want to see any DanG sawing though ,  I'd want to see the local scenerry and visit the local eateries

[JimBuis]

Food!!  The answer has to be food!  I have so far thoroughly enjoyed meeting each of our members.  If I had to pick only one sawyer to hang out with for a day, I would pick the one who'd feed me the best in trade for tailing boards for him/her.

IMHO,
Jim

[pigman]

I suppose if I wanted to learn how to saw fast with a band mill, it would be customsawyer. Now, if I wanted to just learn about sawing and cooking steaks, it would have to be Tom.

Bob

[Chris Burchfield]

     All right, I can't keep my fingers shut any longer. I'd vote for Arkansawyer. Please understand, the folks on Sawmills and Milling, each and everyone are some kind of kin folk where they like it or not. Even if it's only the sawdust in our veins. Blood with sawdust is thicker than water. I've been fortunate to have Scott Banbury here in Memphis and had pleasurable visits. I had the distinkin pleasure of inviting myself to the Ozarks and meeting Wanda with encouragement from Arkansawyer. This was immediately after picking my mill up from Will and the guys in Mo. I offer the following, which is one of my first post, here for your consideration." Please realize, Arky has relocated his operation from his home since the following post.

Arky 101:

     A word or two about the Professor, the campus and his family. Don't try to use MapQuest to find Arky's campus, you'll be lost and about seven miles away from where you'd like to be. I was told the Professor would be working through Wed. afternoon but to come on. I arrived on campus and met Renea who showed me Arky's office and where I would sleep. She explained I could turn around at the end of the drive. The new mill and I stopped outside the mill shed area where Wanda sleeps. The temperature was comfortable in the shade for reading, this is the Ozarks and not as hot as the flat lands. About 7:30ish, while reading material for my new mill, I heard something. Looked and it was a Doe and a fawn off 200 feet away. I watch for a while, they were eating their supper and could care less about me. I was summoned to supper which turned out to be some of the finest Hickory smoke grilled pork chops. I was uncomfortable with eating before the Professor had arrived. It was stated they were use to it and not to worry. Sure enough, I was through eating and washing dishes when he arrived. We sat and talked a while. I explained, as a kid waiting on Santa, I didn't get much sleep the night before picking up the mill. I didn't get up at the standard 5:30 campus time, but was moving about 07:00 hrs. Coffee, breakfast and we were off to meet Wanda.

     I tailed with direction from the professor while he loaded and open some fine cedar. There was a good bit already cut and stacked. Late morning we went down to the new Super. The professor provided some good size cherry logs that needed to be cut. I don't know much but, I know this would/can bring in some dollars if you don't butcher the job. I'd never loaded a log and had not done enough at Mt. Vernon on pick up, to be comfortable. So the pressure was on. I was shown various defects about the logs both the cedar and cherry. The best approach for an opening cut, based on what would be done with the log after that. I did as I was told and soaked up every word. The mill would do just about anything I asked, even if it was a little backwards at times from what I though it should be on the controls. Though the 51 hp cat is a brute, though a hard cherry knot will smoke a tri-belt while the 51 keeps on ginnin. By the end of the day, I'd learned a mill can lead to work but an edger will work you with a knowledgeable feeder. But a good time and fellowship was had by all. I can not begin to share how thankful I am for the day of instruction, which imposed on his personal time with his family.  The Arkansawyer and his family are some of the finest people you could ever have the pleasure to meet.

     My dad who past in 1998 was named Glen. I also have a favored cousin from my dad's side of the family named Glenda. As my mill was paid for by some of my inheritance, it was not long before she was named "Glenda." Just a note, though not named at the time she was orange and got along very well with Wanda.

[car]

I would like to work with Tom down in Jacksonville Florida. Partly because of his knowledge and experience ,and also because Lynyrd Skynyrd is from his home town. Tom ,maybe we could saw up some maple for Gary Rossington so that he could have a new Gibson Les Paul made.

                                                         Charlie

[Texas Ranger]

Eazy, any one south of the Mason-Dixon in winter, and north of the Mason-Dixon in the summer.  Since I have kin and friends in Tennessee and South Carolina, my dream vacation is a round about through Missouri, over to Tennessee, Carolinas, Florida, and back home, visiting any FF'r that'll take a Texan on.

Oh, and it would be better if they understood cold beer, bar-b-que, and grits.

[DR_Buck]

Oh, and it would be better if they understood cold beer, bar-b-que, and grits.

You better stay way south of the Mason Dixon line if you want grits! 

[Part_Timer]

Well I'd like to hang out with any FF member for a day. the short list would be Faron,captain,modat,GOI and Burlkraft for starters. 

If we're talking about serious sawing school I'd have to go with Captain,Husband, or Ianab These guys are tops on the swing mill class schedule. 

[Minnesota_boy]

I think I'd like to spend a day with Percy.  Find out just what kind of wood they have in British Columbia and how it saws.  See his wood handling technique first hand and pick his brain on how to make my handling better.

Oh wait!  I already did that.  Thanks Percy!   

[Don K]

If I had the chance I would like to saw with Tom for his experience with SYP, which I mostly saw, and Arky because he saws alot and don't have time to talk much, but I bet he knows a thing or two about hardwoods. Of course there's Woodbowl,DanG, Bibbyman, and on and on,    Shucks, I want'em all. Then I would have all bases covered..

[ARKANSAWYER]

Pro Sawyer Mary gets my vote,  If'n you ain't had none of them cookies then yous just missed out.  Next I would like to go see Swede just to see how they do it on the other side of the pond and expose them to grits.

  All are welcome here and many have come.  Bring gloves and your own beer as this is a dry county (ask Scott) but grits we got as well as BBQ.

[customsawyer]

I would like to visit with just about any that would have me, but my biggest problem is that I'm greedy and I would want more than just a day. It has been proven that I will take what I can get just ask Tom.
Ditto on what Arky said any of you are welcome here anytime.

[Dakota]

I want to hang out with Tom, while he's hanging out with DanG.

[solodan]

To choose just one would be too hard. That's why we have the FF. I think in some way, I have learned something from everyone here. We all have different types of mills in different types of settings, some of us are mobil, some of us are stationary. In some way we all add to the pot, and even the guys or gals that come here who are green, still add to the pot. Sometimes I have started thinking in a whole new direction, based upon the questions and ideas of those new to this trade. Fresh new ideas is how we got this far. But if I really could only choose one, I would have to pick Tom, at least I wouldn't go hungry, and I do like grits.

[Duncan]

Well,

One of my most enjoyable meetings with a sawyer was when a friend of mine (another sawyer) and I met Frank Pender at his tree farm.  An enjoyable character.