Finally getting 'er done... (with pictures)

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Well the big day has finally arrived.

About three years ago I acquired a whack of cypress logs and then a whack of sycamore logs. Initially I planned to mill them myself using a chainsaw mill.  Fortunately saner heads prevailed and we finally decided to hire someone with a portable bandmill to come in a mill these logs.  I contacted forum member Woodbowl and we agreed that he would mill my logs for me. I've finally got all my ducks in a row and today's the first day of milling.

 


Cypress logs waiting for the sawyer.



All logs on deck, now where's that sawyer?



Woodbowl manuevers his mill into place.



First log loaded and dogged down ready to open.


First cut and away we go.


Olen sighting it in, just like aiming a gun.


First board, edges trimmed up later.


Measure twice, cut once.


Lining up two logs to cut at once.


Two log cut viewed from other end.


Cutting two logs at one time.


Working on turning a log into a cant.


Sawyer readies for another cut.


Opening another log.


Result of day's sawing. A nice stack of 5/4 cypress.


And some special pieces with character.


Olen heading out at the end of the day.


Not much left on the cypress log deck.


But the sycamore is waiting for tomorrow...

Olen did a great job turning my "ugly" cypress logs into good board. He'll be back tomorrow morning to finish the cypress and start on the sycamore.

Me, I think I'll drag my tired behind to bed pretty soon.

Herb

[Magicman]

Tired.....All that you showed us that you did was take pictures......

Congratulations on the sawing.  It's been a long time coming, but the reward will be worth the wait....

[Don K]

You can tell that woodbowl has been around the block a time or two. Good pics. Can't wait for the next installment.

Don

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Tired.....All that you showed us that you did was take pictures......

Congratulations on the sawing.  It's been a long time coming, but the reward will be worth the wait....

Magicman,

I would have got some pictures of me tailing but it's pretty hard to take the picture of yourself and I don't have a remote or time delay setting on my camera...

And you're right, the reward will be worth the wait.

Herb

[DanG]

Lookin' good there, Herb!  I may have to waddle down that way tomorrow to make sure y'all are doing it right.  If I ain't feelin' too wimpy, I'll take over the pitcher takin' duties so you can help pore ol' Olen out a little bit.  We'll just have to see how the fickle pill treats me in the mornin'.

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Lookin' good there, Herb!  I may have to waddle down that way tomorrow to make sure y'all are doing it right.  If I ain't feelin' too wimpy, I'll take over the pitcher takin' duties so you can help pore ol' Olen out a little bit.  We'll just have to see how the fickle pill treats me in the mornin'.

DanG,

You'd be welcome. As a matter of fact Olen mentioned that we probably needed some adult supervision... 

Seriously, I hope you can make it tomorrow. We've got just a few more cypress to finish up and then we'll start opening the sycamore.

Herb

[ErikC]

DanG, Your comment reminds me of my neighbor Paul. He lives up the hill a ways, but can hear my mill, backhoe, etc when I start up. He rides down on his lawn tractor, which he calls "the poor mans atv", and sits on it watching me work. Usually drinking beer and smoking a cigar.....But he wears gloves because he is "chief safety officer". .  After an hour or so he putts on back up to his place. I never mind a visit from him, he's a pretty nice guy and a great neighbor.

[Woodchuck53]

Morning guys, I have a little to do with safety here where I work so I have to throw in my 2 cents worth. Great job and the boards look good. Be mindful of the blade when tailing the saw with out the guards in place and 2 logs on the deck at a time kind of scares me. That being said I want bore you with any horror stories. Stay safe.

[WDH]

I am inspired, so I am heading our to saw some maple now  . 

[pigman]

If I didn't live so far I would be down today to help with that job. I am not sure DanG is up to the task of the picture taking.

[DanG]

I'm not sure either, but we're gonna find out.   I'm about to scramble outta here and try to get there in time for lunch.

Film at eleven.

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

I'm not sure either, but we're gonna find out.   I'm about to scramble outta here and try to get there in time for lunch.

Film at eleven.

DanG,

I'm glad you were able to make it down here today. Really enjoy the visit. Thanks for taking pictures of me tailing, just wish I'd got you to use my camera...

Hope you made it home safe and sound.

Herb

[WDH]

That picture taking thing must be a rumor because I do not see any purported pictures 

[Magicman]

I've heard that if you don't have pictures.......it didn't happen.     

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Saturday milling:

Olen (Forum member Woodbowl) showed up this morning and we got right to work milling the last few cypress logs.

After just a few passes with the mill, I mentioned to Olen that he had been really decimating the local lizard population.



Olen's been slaughtering lizards!



Cutting a thick flitch from a special cypress crotch log.




A poor picture of a very pretty flitch.



A better picture of another flitch from the same crotch.



One last picture of Olen cutting that cypress crotch log.

Shortly later Dan (Forum member DanG) arrived and after a few minutes we took off and had a quick lunch at one of the local fast food establishments. Olen claims he always has to take a nap after lunch but I don't think he did, although the mill does have bunks...



DanG arrived and is supervising things.



Cutting the last cypress log.



DanG doing a fine job of providing adult supervision.




Olen keeps playing with lizards!



This lizard's still in once piece.



And away he goes, looking for a new job with a big insurance company.



Hooking up the mill to back it up into the area where the sycamore logs are staged.



DanG makes sure Olen does it right.



First sycamore log on the mill.



Opening the first face on the first sycamore log.



Hard to see in this photo but we have some nice spalting.



Olen turning my ugly logs into pretty boards.



Stack of 5/4 and 8/4 sycamore boards.



Just three or four more sycamore logs left for Monday morning.



Cypress posts, beams and flitches.

All in all it was another good day milling. It was a pleasure to finally meet Dan and we had a good visit while still getting a lot accomplished.

Once again I'm just about wore out and think I'll hit the hay in a little bit.

Herb

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

I've heard that if you don't have pictures.......it didn't happen.     

Magicman,

Well I sure hope Dan save my bacon and posts the pictures he took today...  Otherwise you guys are gonna think I'm getting

In the meantime my arches are falling and my *ss is dragging so I sure hope I tailed today or else I'll have to go to the doctor to figure out what's causing these symptoms!


Herb

[DanG]

Just as I planned, I arrived on the scene just in time for lunch.  Nothing beats experience, ya know.   After lunch, I was able to relieve Herb of the picture taking long enough for him to make a token effort at offbearing.



There was only one cypress log left when I got there, then Woodbowl had to move the mill to this stack of well aged sycamore logs.  That's the runt of the bunch on the mill.  It was barely long enough to saw without making special provisions.  The rest were pretty nice sized, though a couple of them may have "over-spalted" just a tad.



Not all of them overcooked, by any means.  Herb was well rewarded for his "patience."

[backwoods sawyer]

That had to have been a lot easier then using a chainsaw mill.
I wore out two tailors this week myself, I don’t know what is about them but they have a hard time keeping up with the saw and keep asking you to put a dull saw on for a bit.

[ladylake]

That had to have been a lot easier then using a chainsaw mill.
I wore out two tailors this week myself, I don’t know what is about them but they have a hard time keeping up with the saw and keep asking you to put a dull saw on for a bit.

 For sure a lot better than a chain saw mill which might have taken months, wore out a saw and ended up with 2/3's of the lumber.   Backwoods, you must get offbearers like me 3 old guys to carry 1   1x8  x 8'  pine board, had to chuckel to myself when I saw that. That was the same bunch where I was loading a log and one was standing over the end of the loader arm, I was looking somewhere else, looked back over there and he was a foot off the ground.   Steve

[Magicman]

Herb, congratulations on gettin' er done.  Quality time spent with "sawdust friends" can't be measured.  And, you got a nice stack wack of lumber also.  Looks like you made the correct decision to just saw it rather than cutting the ends off.  I noticed very little waste in the pictures.

And I see that you did tail at least one board......