First Real Day of Milling

[tcsmpsi]

Managed to get in Sat. afternoon, get everything set, adjusted, checked, greased and oiled without the clouds and thunder dropping rain on our spot.  Milled a couple of small logs and everything checked out much better than originally (which was a bit surprising, 'cause I thought it pretty good to begin with).

Yesterday morning, after doing some necessary regular chores, getting all set up, the boy lined out on mowing and weeding, a few logs debarked, washed and racked:



Starting to get a few boards cut:




Working on getting my smaller diameter, longer logs milled first.  Before the little borers get down in too deep and for my longer boards first.

Got about half-way down the stack of smaller logs by the end of the day.  Was going to take a couple of pics, but the batteries were down in the camera and daylight was waning.

Yesterday, got about 280 bf of 2X8s, 6s and 4s.  Not counting the stickers and occassional 1X s.   

Since the boy and the wife and daughter had other pressing chores, that left me to my own designs pretty much.  ;D

[DanG]

Lookin' good there, tc! 8)  Feels good to finally get going after a long wait, doesn't it?

[tcsmpsi]

Aye, Brother.  Makes one feel....necessary.  ;)

[Radar67]

Since the boy and the wife and daughter had other pressing chores, that left me to my own designs pretty much.  ;D

I know exactly how you feel. I've spent a lot of time milling alone and it does tend to slow production down. It doesn't really matter if your having fun though.  ;)

Stew

[brdmkr]

I cut pretty slow when milling alone, but it is kind of therapeutic.  Good looking stack-o-lumber 8)

[Part_Timer]

Looks like a fine mill and a nice stack of lumber.

Keep up the good work.

[tcsmpsi]

I can actually afford to have a bit of fun when running the mill alone.  When others are around, I'm always watching them out of my extra eye. 
My wife really enjoys it, though, she's going to have to quit wearing them high-water britches working around it.

Getting things lined out and spots to put everything, I did as much actual cutting last couple of hours yesterday as I did most the rest of the day.

By golly, you know, it is working out to be a good little ol' mill.

My wife remarked yesterday at how much better looking lumber it was than the last load we bought.   

The boy at the house is at that age where he's promising out of the gate, but it don't take him long on the track to lose focus.   ;D

Of course, at 100 + degrees and about 127% humidity, can be pretty intimidating. 

Getting the finish framing for house additions/finishing and mill shed lumber cut first. 

Have two folks with cedar logs and one with oak already waiting til I get my cutting done, so there is just a little push in the matter.  Though, not too much, because part of the whole deal was/is, as you mentioned brdmkr, of a more or less theraputic nature.   ;)

[PawNature]

Nutting makes a man (ie person) feel good like snorting sawdust.

[joelmar10]

Working on your first whack!  Outstanding!

[wassaw]

good  for the soul and what ails you good luck

[OneWithWood]

Therapy IS what it is all about.



The wealth and fame are just side effects  8)  :D

[tcsmpsi]

I used to have a deal worked out with one the mills, Paw, I would gather up that mixture of nose juice and sawdust, and in the mornings, gather the particles washed out of my eyes during the night, and they used that to make particle board with.   ;)

This sawmill machine actuall throws away from a feller.  Shucks, that's enough to cause a feller to  8) right there.

Yeah, joelmar, that first stack just ain't going down very fast.

Rained again yesterday, and speaks of more today. 

Now, my wife wants a shop.  She wants to carve and paint the flitches. 

I can see this is all going to be quite interesting. 

[Part_Timer]

Glad you have some family help.  It makes it a lot of fun when the kids get involved.

My son will help if I threaten to take away the video games.  ;)

A couple of months ago We were cutting a big white oak and my daughter insisted that she was big enough to help now.  I was informed that 9 was the right age to start if someday she is to take over the business.  I was cutting 1x8x16 foot boards and she was inserting the wedges and dragging the boards off the log and into a pile.  When the pile got to big we'd shutdown and stack it properly.  I shutdown to reset the depth for the next row and get a drink.  When I turned around I found this.



Guess 9 is almost big enough.
Have fun and enjoy it.  Some day they won't want to spend time with you.

Tom

[tcsmpsi]

I agree with her.  That log was made for that moment.   ;)

Never be too busy to read Life's notes.

We've got them pretty scattered.  One in the 101st in Iraq.  One travels all over for her job.  One parts unknown  :.   And the oldest...well, when you lose one, really makes you evaluate even more every available moment with them.

The 16 yr old is already been looking around the property to see where she might like her house. (of course, all that could change)  ;D

[Part_Timer]

Sound like our family

Brother in FL, Mom,dad,sister in VA everyone else scattered around

My daughter wants to live with us on the farm.  I asked her what makes her think we want her around.  She just giggles and asks when my opinion started to count.  Mom runs our house and she knows it.

[tcsmpsi]

Oldest daughter came into town for a little while yesterday.  She had to pick up some rifles one of her co-workers had her drop off some time ago for a safari he's about to go on.  I was having class, but no one minded taking a bit of a break.

Our 16 yr old just notified us that the boyfriend (ex, now) had tried to incorporate her into going on a killing spree with him.  I had been kinda waiting for something similar from him.  Dealing with that little problem at the moment.  She's a bit shaken and remorseful she hadn't paid more attention to ol' dad's warnings.  At the present, she is even more reluctant to think of moving off anywhere.

This morning, early, I was informed that a friend of mine's son (14 yr old)(Dallas area) was just shot twice in the chest answering a knock on the door.  Was a 16 yr old male just looking for someone convenient to start his killing spree.

Fine with me if they all come home and stay.  We'll make the room.