Dustbunny

[sprucebunny]

I cut up my first log today 8) 8) It was a blast...... except the wind blowing the wrong way :

Thank you very much to Marcel for meeting me in Quebec City to help with everything. I really appreciate it. M. Gilbert showed me how to coil a blade and it wasn't too hard or scary but we should have had gloves on




This is the saw on the trailer safely home . The roads were very rough in Quebec.

[sprucebunny]

It took a bunch of jockeying around to get the saw and it's trailer on my trailer and to unload I needed my support equipment ;D



All I had around to cut up was a crummy chunk of beech with sweep and lots of other defects.
The most handy thing around my sawmill today was a sawzall :    had to free the blade a couple of times 'cause the dogs slipped on my little log. But the saw cut EXCELLENT 8) I'm very happy.




This was my second attempt at cutting a spiral. Didn't get quite as far the first time . Should have the spiral thing mastered soon. :D :D :D

MORE LOGS      I NEED MORE ;D

[sandmar]

CONGRATULATIONS SB! yup...you dun got it....more logs...more logs....more logs  : Have fun!

Sandmar

[beenthere]

Great going and thanks for the pics. Hope the long hair is tied up when working around the saw or anything turning.  :

I expect you knew that already, but ..... just in case.

[sprucebunny]

For those who are thinking about buying a sawmill these are the reasons I chose this one.

Honda engine 20 hp
20" band wheels
heavy wall, stiff, welded frame
removable trailer
stable 4 post head that is nice looking... not boxy ;D
cuts 20 feet +
all parts that aren't welded on beautifully are available at any auto parts store
And most of all  It's green ! :D

This is alot of saw for the money. I'm sure it's not perfect for everyone but it suits my needs . It's simple, strong and bunnyproof ;D :D :D

Thanks guys ;D

Yes...that is a rare shot of my hair

[Fla._Deadheader]

Hey SawBunny. Nice Mill .  8) 8)  Like the support equipment.  ;) ;) ;D

  I just gotta ask. You were waiting for a couple of weeks to pick up the mill. WHY did you not have a whack of logs standing by ???  : : ;D ;D :D :D

  I pity the Timber around your place,  now.  ;) ;) :D :D :D

  That first board is a sweet feeling, no ??? 

[sprucebunny]

Thanks, Harold.

Where I live at the moment and where I have land with wood are not the same place, they're an hour apart. Maybe this weekend I'll tow the saw up to the land or load up some logs to bring home.

What I really want is a BIG log to saw up ;D

OUI ! The first log is a good feeling 8)  Cutting a log into someting useful will be even better ;D

[Patty]

WAY TO GO, JOAN!!! 

The saw looks like a really nice one, you did good. I'll never forget sawing up our first logs. We sawed down the trees, skidded them up to the mill, and made ourselves some LUMBER!  8)  8)

[Bibbyman]

Say!  I've been looking for a way to saw boards from logs with defects all the way around.  Now you've found the way - the spiral cut!

Is that a standard feature or does it take special training?  ;D

Congradulations on the new mill! 8)

[leweee]

Congrats... Spruce(sawyer)bunny you got sawdust in your viens now. 8)

Only one thing finer than maken them boards....is building something with them boards. ;D Play safe & have FUN :D

[Dan_Shade]

nice!  I've found uncoiling blades to be a bit more hairy than coiling them.  Gloves are a very good idea.

congrats on the new toy

p.s. it's nice to have somebody show you how to coil the bands, it took me forever to figure it out, and wow is it easy after you know how to do it!

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Uncoiling blades is easy for me.

I just throw it on the ground, teeth up, and it jumps from a coil to a big circle!

[Teri]

ALRIGHT!!!!!!!  8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

Enjoy your new toy!  ;D

[Tom]

It's time to go to the Knowledge base, Sprucebunny... er.....  Dustbunny.

Opening a band blade

Closing a band blade

There's some neat stuff there, written by members over the years. 

[mike_van]

Weekend Sawyer - I used to just throw 'em too - no gloves 'cause it was too hot - One of those tips put a slice in a finger that could have used a stitch or two - I stopped using that method after that -  Sprucebunny - Nice mill, will there be a large clearcut near you soon? :D

[Tom]

Throwing a blade can damage teeth too.  It's better, and more impressive to customers, if you use a little finesse.  Then you go on about your business and listen to the oo's and ah's behind you while you smile and try to be nonchalant.  :D

[sprucebunny]

Thanks to you all 

Mr Gilbert showed me very well. I've got one of those car window shades that coils up and I could never deal with it but the blades are easy.I surely do like finesse ;D
I got Woodmizer blades .045s. They are packaged so you don't have to uncoil but it's great to know.

I always had sawdust in my veins, Leweee ...just needed something bigger than an 8+1/4 circular saw ;D As soon as I can make some useful logs , I'll make a little generator/tool shack.

Mike ...There is already too much clearcut near me. Some of my land is pretty hard to get to and could use some thinning to increase the growth of what will be left. That should yeild plenty of 5-12" spruce ... enough to build a log house or two and alot of corduroy. I bought the saw because it seemed pretty stupid to buy a log cabin kit when I had all those extra trees out there that weren't worth a logger's time to cut in a responsible way.

I'm very thankful to the Forestry Forum for helping me gain the knowledge and confidence to go this route. I had always wanted my own saw ( backhoe, skidder, etc ;D ) but I certainly couldn't have made THIS leap without the experiences shared here.

[tnlogger]

 congrats joan now thats a good looking mill there  8) I like the color contrast between the head and frame too.
and yup dont forget drying shed, klin,then ther's planer/moulder and so on so forth. ;D

[sprucebunny]

Thanks , Gene.

Yup...gonna cut some good size balsams into 6x6 and framing lumber and get a pole barn of some sort started.

There is a big stud mill down the road with a big kiln. I'm going to ask if they dry other lumber.
I have a litttle planer...12" will be enough for what I got that will need planing.

[Stump Jumper]

great pics  8) nice suport equipment  8) congrats

[Brad_S.]

Tom said

Then you go on about your business and listen to the oo's and ah's behind you while you smile and try to be nonchalant.

:D :D :D :D :D I love that feeling! But it only works with people who have a shop bandsaw and have tried to do it before. Someone who's never tried it doesn't appreciate the art.

Congrats Sprucebunny. Won't be long before you have friends oo'ing and ah'ing with all that fine home made liumber! 8)

[Dan_Shade]

I need a video of that opening thingy

[woodbowl]

There is good reason sometimes to throw a blade to open it..............Had a dog get after me one time so I threw a cocked blade at him. You know, that dog didn't bother me any more....Dog gone!   ;D ;D ;D

[Norm]

Cool saw Joan! 

[Furby]

Way to go Joan!
8) 8) 8)