I Got an Education Today

[WDH]

Today, I had the opportunity and pleasure to meet Customsawyer (Jake) and MrsCustomsawyer (Lorraine) and see their operation in Hazelhurst, GA.  This is a first class operation!  As a wannabe sawmiller, I saw the real thing up close and personal.  I can see why this operation was one of Wood Mizer's Business Best Winners 8).  DanG stopped by on his way home from Augusta on Monday, but I could not make it by until today.  I am sure glad I did.

This is a big log operation!  As you can see, Customsawyer is no small guy, but this log makes him look that way.


The operation is laid out in a very efficient manner to minimize handling.  The logs are loaded via a chain infeed. 


As the boards are produced off the Woodmizer LT 70, the boards proceed via roller tables either to a resaw, an edger, or to the product stack.  MrsCustomsawyer operates the edger.  Mr. Jose handles the final sorting and stacking.  Here is the layout.



Customsawyer is known as the "Log Whisperer" ;D.  I hear that the logs talk to him and he is the only one who can hear what they say ;D.


MrsCustomsawyer gave me a lesson on the fine points of edging.


Here is Mr. Jose stacking product.


They produced some fine red oak lumber today.  These boards are 16" wide.


With this wet inventory, there will many more of these to come!


This is a real professional operation.  If it were not for the Forestry Forum, I would have never met them ;).  That is what makes the Forum great 8).

Thank you Jake and Lorraine.

[Bibbyman]

I'm proud to say I thought him all I know.  He figured the other 99.9% out on his own...  ;D

[MikeH]

Looks Great 8)

   Thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!

[customsawyer]

I enjoyed the visit I had from both of my good friends and about all I can say is thanks to Bibby for all the knowledge. ;D

p.s. Yall come back ya hear

[blaze83]

very cool report and some great photo's

[DanG]

I had to scratch through my files to find some pics that didn't look just like the ones WDH posted, or the ones I posted last year.  Jake and Lorraine's operation is very consistent and rythmic, which is one of the keys to their success.  They work hard, but there doesn't seem to be any rush.

The partners working together.  Maybe this is the part Jake learned from Bibbyman. ???



Lorraine gives Jose a hand with stacking while Jake turns the log.  She never stops moving while the mill is running.  The little building in the background contain's the hydraulic power unit.  It is much faster than the original LT70 pump, and would be a good investment for anyone that is stationary.  He copied the Bibbster on that one, too.




The Cat backhoe is an important part of the operation.  It moves logs and lumber, as well as keeping the place clean and neat.

[customsawyer]

I would like to point out that I do have the easy job. All of the work I do is run the equipment and the Mrs. and Jose do most of the heavy lifting of the boards and slabs now and then there is one that my Mrs. is a little lite in the britches to handle but I promise all of you she is carring her end of the stick when it comes to the job. I can't thank Dang and WDH enough for including them in the pics. of our operation.
I wish both of these gentelmen could have been there today and helped out as we cut a 8.5X10.5X32' and I found out that some times I am a little light in the britches too. ;D

[DanG]

I would like to point out that I do have the easy job.

I noticed that, right away. ;D  There ain't no doubt that Lorraine can handle her end of the log.  Jose is a gift from Heaven, too.  They're doing a fine job of backing you up. 8) 8) 8)

[thecfarm]

Nice pictures and a nice operation.Thank-you for the tour.

[Don K]

I would like to stop by and see that 70 eat those big logs. ;D

[WDH]

Yep Don, those were some big logs.  The big red oak in the pics yielded 9 8"x8"x16' cants!  With the side boards that came off to square the log, that is well over 1200 - 1300 bd-ft in a single log (maybe more as I am just guessing).  That LT 70 ate that up in about 30 minutes .  On my LT 15, with a very dedicated and hard working partner (maybe you!), we could not do any better than that in over 8 hours :D.  But it was not the logs that was the impressive part.   It was Jake, Lorraine, and Jose that did the impressin'.

[customsawyer]

Don K you are welcome anytime you just need to stop off in Perry first and pick up WDH since I done gave him directions and he keeps bragging on my operation I think it would be handy to have him around. :D
All jokes aside any one that wants to is welcome to stop in anytime.