Santa came early... or did he really?

[getoverit]

Just wanted to brag that I bought a brand spanking new Peterson 10" ATS today from Trevor at Peterson.

WOOOOO HOOOO!!!

Now all I have to do is wait for it to get here from New Zealand....

Oh well, it will give me time to get that old tractor hauling trailor turned into a super-arch log hauler before the mill arrives.. maybe I can store up a good whack-o-logs so I can create a good pile of sawdust when the mill arrives :P

[Part_Timer]

Way to go Ken  8)  8)  8)  8)

So ya went with the Peterson  8)  8)  8)  8)  8)  8)  8)

What size engine did you end up going with?

Congratulations now if ya can just get the kiln put up.

By the way I got that magazine out in todays mail.  Now you have no excuse's.  There is a real good safe drying rate  chart on the last page of the kiln article.


have a good one and enjoy that mill and send me some pics of the kiln when you get it done.

Tom

[getoverit]

I chose the 13HP Honda engine... I figure I can try one of those cheap diesel engines from e-bay after I get it and see how it does, but no matter if the diesel works or not I'll still have the Honda to back up to.

I cant wait to get the magazine on the kiln too   I've already cleaned out a good spot in the barn for the kiln to go, but have decided to air dry the hickory for a month or so before I stick any of it in the kiln. By the way, it looks like the sawyer I chose to cut my big-ole hickory tree got the jitters about trying to mill it on his LT-40 bandmill, so I'm going to go get the whack of logs I hauled over there and bring them back to the farm for milling myself.

My plans are to actually build my own log arch (already bought the 8000# winch), then mill the tree with my own mill :D, and maybe even try to build or buy my own planer and then tongue and groove it all with the three routers I have in stock. (after kiln drying it with Tom's help and guidance). I'll be sure to include a picture diary of all of this when the mill gets here and also when I get the log arch built. I'm converting an old flat bed tractor hauling trailer into the log arch, using a plan I literally dreamed up one night.

Heck, if I can do all of that, I might as well put the hickory flooring down myself and finish it too. It should give my grandkids something to remember me by?

[Hammy]

Welcome aboard Ken!!

We all look forward to some pics when your christmas present arrives.  ;) Anything we can help with until the mill gets there just let us know!

[BigTrev]

Great to have you aboard Ken, the Peterson elves  are working hard to get your prezzy out to you quick smart  8)

With any luck and L.A customs co-operation it should be out to you by easter  smiley_jester

Cant wait to see what you do with it. You'll have to send us lots of pics and remember we are here to help you put it together, play with it and generally be jealous of your new toy.

smiley_monkeyfight

Better to ask a silly question than make a silly mistake with a sawmill

[getoverit]

Easter???

Say it aint so !!  :D

[Part_Timer]

Trev

That aint funny :D :D :D :D

Ken if it stays this cold up here 0 deg tonight and your mill won't be here till Easter let me know we might be able to work on a road trip.  I'll even help with the kiln if Jan. is colder yet.   ;D :D :D :D

[BigTrev]

well Santas sleigh was full so I went to our alternative courier the easter bunny  smiley_jester

we have a boat we could send it on for january, but really its no easter bunny  smiley_devilish

[getoverit]

Its supposed to be in the high 30's here tonight, then warming up to the high 60's during the day tomorrow. If ya can believe the weathermen, they say its supposed to be in the mid to high 60's here for the next week or so with some intermittent rain now and again.

come on down !! I'm itching to smell the sawdust of all this hickory :P

[getoverit]

By the way, This Hickory tree was struck by lightning several times over the years, and the most recent strike was a couple of months ago. It seems that with each strike, the bark would be split, but for some reason it didnt kill the tree. Im really anxious to see what kind of effect the strikes had on the actual wood of the tree, and am thinking that it possibly caused some kind of burl to develop. Anyone have any experience with trees that have been lightning struck?

[Part_Timer]

Ken

I cut a walnut that had been struck and I didn't notice any differance in it.  We cut it up 2 days after the strike and the only thing I saw was that it was black and gooey under the bark.


Tom

[Kirk_Allen]

I know one thing your are going to notice.  SLOW CUTTING.  Hickory is TUFF on any mill.  I dont know why but I can cut Osage faster than Hickory yet Osage is denser. 

One advantage if that Hickory will be you first log on your new mill is that every other species you cut is going to feel like yoru cutting butter  :D

[Minnesota_boy]

The lightning struck trees I've cut have all been pines and the results are anywhere from perfect inside to a pile of splinters to a rotting streak where the lightning killed that part of the tree.

[getoverit]

I dont think the lightning has done any real damage to the tree, looking at the buck cuts that I can see, but ya never know. I've watched every video I can find on peterson mills in operation... anybody got some good video they want to post?

[Part_Timer]

One advantage if that Hickory will be you first log on your new mill is that every other species you cut is going to feel like yoru cutting butter  :D

:D  :D   :D  :D  :D  :D  :D  :D  :D  :D

There is more than a lot of truth to that statement.  I cut a lot fo osage on the LT-15.  Just before I got rid of it I cut 400bf of Hickory using new Munks. blades.  It was just miserable.