First sawdust - and first nail

[crtreedude]

 

Finally got a morning free while workers were available. Being such, I decided it was high time to make some sawdust. We have more than a few Laurel logs around ready to cut. Nothing really big - between 10 to 14 inches. Pretty dry too. Not too long so they were good for practice.

My sawyer is Juan Lewis who has many years experience in a woodshop making furniture. My thought was who knows better how to cut the wood correctly than a person with lots of years using it? I made sure everyone was aware, I am not after speed - but quality and to use as much of the tree as we can. We had one of my chats about the value of wood and why I don't want to race through cutting. They got it the first time.  ;D

The sawing crew is Juan Lewis, Juan Carlos and Coco. Juan Carlos has many years experience with an Alaskan Mill and Coco is licensed to drive our large truck (Class III here). He also can drive the tractor, etc. We might add a fourth to the crew if necessary.

We have a Baker 18M if you can't tell. We decided the bolts that level it had to go - no way do I want to bother with them. Too easy to cut a a few chunks of wood to level. It didn't take long to make it reasonably level (level side to side with a slight pitch lengthwise.

After reading so much on the forum, I actually had the idea how to proceed. - We will see from everyone's reaction if I was right. First, lock the log on with the dogs so that you can make you first cut or two. This makes one face square. After one face is square, rotate the log so that the square edge is against the straight bars of the dogs - and dog it down again and make another flat face. Then rotate the widest fact down and cut until your are down after locking down the log.

This seemed to work very well - and produced very good results for us. The 20 HP Honda has power and to spare. It went through the Laurel like it wasn't even there.

The blade also went through a pretty big nail too - of course.  : Must have been pretty soft metal since it cut it right into and didn't even slow down and we couldn't notice problem with cutting afterwards. I was surprised to say the least. But, I think for the future we will use a metal detector first.  :D

So - all went well for the first day and I got a crew up and going. I helped with the first log, they did nearly all of the second log and then I got out of the way afterwards. This is MY type of sawing.  ;D I think we are ready to run. Down at the first finca we have about 50 logs ready and just bought another finca (140 acres or so) with lots of trees ready to cut.  Our woodshop is operational too - and the transformers to give it enough power just arrived as well.

I think everything is coming together just fine.  8)

[tcsmpsi]

Congratulations Fred!   (nail and all)   ;D

[crtreedude]

It is nice to know I am as good as the rest of you in finding nails.  :-\

Having no experience with other sawmills I will comment on something I like about the Baker. If you use the guage for cutting on the side, your last cut gives you two good pieces. I was very pleased how well all of it worked. So far my early opinion of the Baker is very favorable. Solid construction and simple. Very easy to use and understand.

I will say that the manual does assume you know what you are doing in regards to how to use a sawmill - perhaps a mini-manual with tips and tricks might be a nice addition. But then again, that is what FF is for - right?  ;)

[leweee]

Welcome to the club Fred. 8) First metal strike and all. ;D Looks like lots of hands ....you should do well with the 18M. Do the metal detector thing on the boards......planers don't like nails.

[crtreedude]

 

Notice the grain of this wood - this is a particularly nice looking piece of Laurel. Almost lookes like Fudge Marble doesn't it?

Below is how the wood is used - Doors made of Laurel are very nice. Strong but not very heavy and very very stable.

[crtreedude]

We really didn't need so many people but I didn't have the heart to send anyone way. For them it was like Christmas to use a sawmill like this. A lot nicer than an Alaskan for sure.

I do find times like this very interesting. Some people figure things out almost instantly - and others have almost never even seen a tool other than a machete.

Of course with more people, there is less chance of me ending up on the wrong end of the log I am thinking...

As much as I like the idea of helping cut, the truth is that with my schedule, I really can't do very much. And, if I am the sawyer, then if I am busy, all the cutting stops. It is better if I spend my time doing what I do best. Now if I could only figure out what that is...

[solodan]

It is better if I spend my time doing what I do best. Now if I could only figure out what that is...

Uh,  coffee breaks,  right. ;D

That is real nice looking wood, what kind of Laurel is that? I am curious if the California Bay Laurel we have here looks simimlar. ??? I guess I'll have to try and saw some.

[crtreedude]

Here is a link describing the wood.

http://www.fincaleola.com/laurel.htm

Not sure if it is the same, after all we a more than a little south of you.

[Tom]

That 18m has a good reputation and will make a good starter mill.   You won't wear it out, but you might outgrow it.  Sawing with the band is so much more productive than the  chainsaw mill that you might have to boost production on the finishing and value added end before your fellows grow out of the 18m.  A 20 or 25 horse motor is a real production machine when it is just pulling a band.  Good for you for getting the larger engine.  It won't be long before your "crew" is spoiled.  :D

Just a word of caution.  The nail isn't something they could have avoided, but the time will come when they hit the mill.  It will happen.  Just know that any sawyer will be embarrassed to tears when it happens and too much ridicule might cause irreparable damage.   Sawyers have a tendency to beat themselves up over little things anyway.  They will definitely be making miscuts or doing something that each thinks should have been done differently. You just have to remember that every sawyer sees the log differently and must be given leeway.  Being different doesn't mean being wrong, necessarily.

I've also noticed a childish quality associated with the folks down there that is really neat,  It would be a shame to see them lose that attitude and get turned into the serious, production-oriented, no-frills-life-style that is eating up this country.      Most folks here have forgotten how to live, have fun, have a family-life and be in wonder of simpler things,  I see the people of CR as being its treasures,

[crtreedude]

Good words Tom.

I have a box of 20 blades if I remember correctly - I am ready for the nails!

No, there was no way to avoid the nail, it was buried. Perhaps we might have found it with a metal detector, perhaps not. Just part of the job. Since I was the Sawyer at the time, I paved the way for future problems. :D

I totally agree with you - the fun is part of the job. So much so that I will remove people who are downers if I have to. I want people who are eager to show up to work. No one down here wants to work themselves to death - and there really is no need.

Even though the mill is rated for up to 1,500 BF a day, if we get even half that, I will be happy. I made sure everyone knew today that quality was more important than quantity. Take your time and do the best you can, no one can ask more than that.

Since they exceeded my expectations today, I was very very happy. This is to be expected when you are working with people that between them have maybe 60+ years experience in making furniture and processing wood. 

[crtreedude]

Our woodworking shop needs between 2 to 4 thousand BF a week we estimate. We are making doors, flooring, molding, cabinets and things from a lathe.  I think the first Baker will handle the load just fine (we have a bit of a start - 7 thousand BF). But, as we grow, we will need to expand into another saw. My thought so far is to have another about the same size. We don't need large as much as more than one. The Baker will cut faster than we wish to push it.

[bandmiller2]

Congrats,the only way to learn sawmilling is to do it.When I started with a circular mill I was surprised how few books on the subject.I guess sawyers are not writers and writers are not sawyers.Bandmills have changed the whole nature of milling it's not a major industry anymore,the average guy can make lumber in his back yard.Nails are not that big a deal.Fred are you going to sharpen your bands??Kinda being at the end of the supply line it would pay.Your lucky to have dedicated help those guys are clever.Keep us posted Frank C.

[crtreedude]

I am still deciding on whether to sharpen my own - just an hour away is a city where there is someone who does a good job sharpening the blades. There are other bandsaws in the area. We have lots of other things for him to sharpen too (17" bandsaw, table saw, etc) so it makes sense to have a weekly trip. We have enough blades and such to have some at the sharpener and some in the field.

We also have a dedicated person who deals with maintaince on the vehicles, rebuilds engines, etc. He has to go to the city probably once a week anyway for parts and such. So, it should work just fine.

Yeah, yeah, I know I am spoiled. We currently have a bit more than 20 workers. 

[sawdust]

I just gotta say it...

"a bit more than 20 workers"

You keep a supply of spare fingers and such? :D :D :D


I worked on the ambulance WAAAAy to long.
I really have searched under table saws for "parts"


sawdust

[dad2nine]

Just a word of caution.  The nail isn't something they could have avoided, but the time will come when they hit the mill.  It will happen.  Just know that any sawyer will be embarrassed to tears when it happens and too much ridicule might cause irreparable damage.   Sawyers have a tendency to beat themselves up over little things anyway.  They will definitely be making miscuts or doing something that each thinks should have been done differently. You just have to remember that every sawyer sees the log differently and must be given leeway.  Being different doesn't mean being wrong, necessarily.

You mean like when a log rolls off the other side of the mill because some guy (me) forgot to stand the dogs up?

Where can I get 20 helpers eager to work? People ask me often if they can work, I say sure, be here at 7:00 AM. They usually show up around 8:00 or 9:00 stand there with sleep in their eyes and watch me work, then leave after about 1/2 hour or so. I think it's work that scares them off  ;)

My son-in-law on the other hand wakes me up at the crack of dawn and tells me we are burning daylight. But he is 3 hours away and only comes to visit every so often. I swear we can get 3 times as much lumber cut and stacked when we run things together than I can do by myself.

90% of the time I work by myself so needless to say It's slow going. I really have no choice, the wood I saw has to be quality stuff because I sure can't get any production doing it by myself  :

Congrats on your first nail  ;D nice looking crew there

Thanks

[crtreedude]

Not sure where you would get that many but we tend to do pretty well hiring people. They get benefits and everything. Oh, and they start at 6:00 am - not 7:00. But if you hired these guys, they would be illegal aliens. But in this case, it is I who is the alien.  :D

Finca Leola, doing its part in the fight against illegal immigration (by providing good jobs in their home country of course).  ;)

[thecfarm]

Sawmills,country and sawing your own logs.Now that's a match.Every country boy should have a mill.My Father would of enjoyed my mill.We looked at the kind I bought at every Fair it was at.I did not know what was going to happen with this place,so everything was up in the air.Glad you are enjoying it and everyone else too.I would be there to,but I don't want to miss out on this cold weather  :D

[Furby]

Congrats on the milling/nail thing Fred. 8)
One tip you might find helpful would be to raise the bed of the mill up if you will be sawing a lot of smaller stuff.
It is much easier for the crew, and easier to see what you are cutting.
Logs can be placed on a dead deck/log deck.

[solodan]

Nope Fred, ours, Umbellularia californicais  is not even in the same family. Ours is in the family Lauraceae.  I think common names confuse alot of people. : even those of us that deal with trees and timber and lumber everyday. :-\   Still real nice wood though. I wish I could get one worker that would show up on time, or do what I asked them. >:(  My wife sometimes has up to 15 workers in her catering businesss, but as someone else who owns a reataurant told us earlier tonight, it's more like adult babysitting. :-\

[LeeB]

Congrats Fred. Like Tom said, your not really a sawyer till slice off a piece of the saw though. I recon a nail on your first run puts you close enough.

I made sure everyone knew today that quality was more important than quantity. Take your time and do the best you can, no one can ask more than that.

Taking the time for quality is important and as they saw moe they will get faster. Sawing faster will get more BF between sharpenings too. You can go too slow, which lets the blade work less than it is capable of by taking a smaller bite but causing the same amount of wear on the tooth. Faster is better up to a point. I think you may also want to get maybe another 20 blades. Some days just don't go well and you may use up 6 or 8 in one day.

Bandmiller2, Sawyers can be writters. Stick around and read some of Tom's posts.

[crtreedude]

LeeB,

I don't know if you noticed, but I have posted more than 3,000 times.  ;) Yeah, I have read a lot of Tom's stuff, and several others. It is probably why we did pretty well for the first day. For the last couple of years I have been up to my neck in alligators. Things have been going too well you might say.

That is a good tip on the sawing about pushing it while cutting. When I meant go slow, I meant take the time to turn the log and set it up correctly. Also, we will be processing as much as we can of the small stuff. There is a big market here for 1 x 3 s, etc.

Furby, I guess we could just leave the wheels on if the logs are small. I don't want the guys to get TOO lazy. After all, they are coming from using an Alaskan.  :D

[crtreedude]

Nope Fred, ours, Umbellularia californicais  is not even in the same family. Ours is in the family Lauraceae.  I think common names confuse alot of people. : even those of us that deal with trees and timber and lumber everyday. :-\   Still real nice wood though. I wish I could get one worker that would show up on time, or do what I asked them. >:(  My wife sometimes has up to 15 workers in her catering businesss, but as someone else who owns a reataurant told us earlier tonight, it's more like adult babysitting. :-\

Well, it helps that I keep myself one or two levels removed most of the time. I will work with people to show them how, but after that, we have very responsible people who make sure everything is done correctly.  I have basic rules and those are to be followed - but after that, people have to figure out for themselves the best way to get things done. After all, what do I know of sawing wood? Only theory. We have people who grew up sawing wood.

We pay better than average, but we also expect better than average. Makes sense. And there is always a line of people who want to work for us. 

Of course, we are comparing apples to pears here. In our neck of the jungle, working for Finca Leola is working for one of the better companies in the area (I think the best. :D ) Better benefits, better work conditions, better future. Anyone who doesn't get that generally doesn't stay long.

And one of the owners is sneaky, really sneaky. (that would be me) I am known for walking quietly through the farms to see who is and who is not working.  :

[customsawyer]

Great job on the wood and the new mill. It doesn't get much better than watching the lights come on in some ones eyes as the see something for the first time or just learned something. You are doing a great thing for those guys.

[crtreedude]

Thanks CustomSawyer,

On the days when the job of Finca Leola gets to me (rare, but it happens), nothing perks me back up like seeing the workers who enjoy what they are doing.  I always wanted a place where I could feel good about showing up to work and enjoy the people I worked with. I rarely did. Now if I don't I have no one to blame except myself.

I do like watching (and I do help too) a log being dissected. You never know what the next board will look like. It is like unwrapping a Christmas present.  8)

Just a personal aside, I think it is this joy in learning that keeps us young. Living in a foreign culture speaking a strange language is probably driving my age down to toddler.  :D

[Quebecnewf]

Congrats on the Baker Mill . I bought mine up here in Canada when it was called Enercraft same saw though. I have hyd drive on this model but all log handling is done by hand. Great mill and i have been using mine for 15 years now.

You will want to get that mill of the ground though it will make things a lot easier. Check out my gallery and see my setup. I also have pics up on --Photos MUST be in the Forestry Forum gallery!!!!!--.


Quebecnewf

[LeeB]

Yes sir Mr. Fred, I have noticed how much you have posted over the years. My comment about Tom was directed to Bandmiller2

Bandmiller2, Sawyers can be writters. Stick around and read some of Tom's posts.

[dad2nine]

Not sure where you would get that many but we tend to do pretty well hiring people. They get benefits and everything. Oh, and they start at 6:00 am - not 7:00.

I am NOT a morning person at all, so 7:00 in the morning is early for me, real early...

[crtreedude]

Yes sir Mr. Fred, I have noticed how much you have posted over the years. My comment about Tom was directed to Bandmiller2

Bandmiller2, Sawyers can be writters. Stick around and read some of Tom's posts.

Well, so much for my careful reading of postings. Sorry about that. I did think you knew who I was so I thought it was a bit strange.

[LeeB]

issawright 

[ADAMINMO]

Any new pics or replys to add here.Whats new with the mill? New tricks your saw guys have picked up? Inquiring minds want to know.

[crtreedude]

Currently the sawmill is at the first finca cutting about 10,000 BF of Laurel. It seems to be working very well, and the best of all, I am not doing it.  8)

It took very little time to train people on using it and now they are off to the races. Life is good.

[ADAMINMO]

Sweet!! Just keep us informed on the progress.

[ADAMINMO]

Well CR ...... I can only hope that no news is good news.Whats new down on the farm?

[crtreedude]

Lets see - we cut up about 45 Laurel trees and ended up with about 10,000 BF - and used about 8 blades (needed to be resharpened). Not too bad - everything ran just fine. Now we are dismantling a bridge that was made of huge corteza logs. The bridge decided to give up the ghost and so it makes more sense to salvage the logs than to try to fix the bridge.

Especially since I have people who want the wood. NOW we will have a test for the saw. Corteza is hard - really hard.

Just a little of the wood from the logs on the bridge will pay to build a new bridge.  8)