I bought a 7800 dollar ball cap...

[zopi]

and just to be nice they sent me a shiny orange sawmill...

just waiting to get off work this afternoon was killing me...so I said to hell
with it and left. (what're they gonna do? Fire me?..nahh I know too much..)

showed up at Rowland Equipment, those fine folks were kind enough to fetch the mill off the truck
for me and load it on my trailer...so I got it home, pulled all the boxes out, played with the cant hook..
Me likey da logrite... 

Then...I started scratching my head...how, is all 140 lbs of me s'posed to get an 800 lb mill head off of
the bloody pallet and onto the bed....uhhhhhh ohhhhhhh....nobody mentioned that I'd need a forklift or such..
and i'm fresh out. jeeeeezzz...

So how did our intrepid hero solve his perplexing quandary?

I cheated.

and i'm not telling...it'd make some of you guys queasy..

Let's just say it involved a very old tractor, some heavy timber, alot of chain, a hardhat (Stihl ;D)
and a chainhoist...not pretty, but very effective.

The mill went together pretty easy..mostly...I put two bed sections together on the trailer once I got the
head installed on one..probably not what the folks at WM had in mind..but it worked..rigged the mill up to walk off the trailer,
and promptly had one of hte back mill feet plow through my trailer decking (short pause for colorful language here)
guess I will have to mill myself a new tailer deck. she who must be obeyed thought that was pretty funny...

So, I finally yatched the foot of the mill through the bloody decking..got her stood back on her own 8 feet and rigged her off
trailer..

installing a blade for the first time should not be attempted in the half dark...it seems to be a neat trick at best.

So that's as far as i got...didn't even start the engine yet, tomorrow I will once again attempt to Git R Done...last bed section
and all the little doo dads installed...way scrapers and such.

the construction of this beast impresses me..I know good engineering when I see it, and WM has a good thing going,
I work with some massively over engineered equipment at work...and this mill is right up there.

the rope feed often asked about works well, and is simple...any good sailor loves simple things that work well. (I
had to crank it up and down the ways a few times of course..just to make sure it works ok.. :D)

For those of you who are on the fence about the Lt15...at this stage of the game, I do not believe you will go wrong with one,
of course I have not sawed with it yet, but i'm sure you will hear about that in nauseating detail in a few days.

I took some pictures..but I am too bloody tired to resize them and post..

And its ORANGE! 8)

[WDH]

Welcome to the club!!

[SwampDonkey]

If I were in the market for a mill I'd go with a LT15 also. I wouldn't have any intentions of custom milling or doing it for a living. But, not against the idea of someone bringing a few logs by to make sawdust.  ;D

[ErikC]

  There's no stopping it now.....you've been exposed to a fatal sawdust infection. Exposure to wood will only inflame it. Yer wife will miss you!!!

Erik

[zopi]

  There's no stopping it now.....you've been exposed to a fatal sawdust infection. Exposure to wood will only inflame it. Yer wife will miss you!!!

Erik

nahh..she want to learn how to run it too...she can't hope to run my big chainsaw mill...but this one will be a breeze for her...or..maybe it'll be too much work for her and she will want an LT40hdg25...or something..<G>

There is a couple of dirty jokes in there somewhere... :D

[ErikC]

  In all seriousness, theres several ladies on the ff who saw. My wife enjoys ours when she has the time. You may become green chain puller and not sawyer if she gets her hands on it!  ;D

Erik

[SwampDonkey]

I dunno, some of you fellers have an act to getting your women folk to pull chain across muddy creeks to skid logs, while sitting back in a warm dry tractor cab.  :

[zopi]

  In all seriousness, theres several ladies on the ff who saw. My wife enjoys ours when she has the time. You may become green chain puller and not sawyer if she gets her hands on it!  ;D

Erik

s'ok...i'll just go play with my CSM...make WIDE boards. 

[zopi]

I dunno, some of you fellers have an act to getting your women folk to pull chain across muddy creeks to skid logs, while sitting back in a warm dry tractor cab.  :

She can open the gate...she got out first....

Cab? what is the Cab you speak of? :

[Dave Shepard]

Congrats on your new mill! What hp and what size blades are you running?

I believe SwampDonkey is referring to an older post involving Norm and Patty. ;)


Dave

[sawguy21]

So where are the pics of your shiny new toy mill poking holes in your trailer deck? Huh  ??? Inquiring minds need to know. ;D This sounds like the start of a serious addiction.

[bandmiller2]

Ever notice wives around the mill always seem to be in management,and know more than you do.

[zopi]

So where are the pics of your shiny new toy mill poking holes in your trailer deck? Huh  ??? Inquiring minds need to know. ;D This sounds like the start of a serious addiction.

Didn't think to take pictures of the trailer deck fiasco...I was too busy jumping up and down and cussing.

[bandmiller2]

Zopi,its going to be tough to hook up a steam engine to that mizer.You done it sawdust is like quicksand.Next is the setup to sharpen and set the bands.Your interested in steam,I would love to have a HRT boiler with a dutch oven and a Skinner uniflow engine for the circle mill.Frank C.

[Bibbyman]

Congratulations!   8)

It'd been nice to have taken a series of pictures of the uncrate to the first  sawdust make. 

[OneWithWood]

Zopi, Zopi, Zopi, we thought we had you trained better than this.  Even though you were probably a bit excited when the new tool arrived your first move should have been to grab the camera and record the event for our enjoyment  ;D 
Now you may be lost to us  :(
You will be making sawdust and all sorts of things and probably forget your camera again.  It is a vicious cycle.
STOP NOW WHILE YOU HAVE A CHANCE!
There is still time to take a series of photos leading up to the slicing of the first log.  Don't let us down, Zopi.

Oh, and congrats on the wonderful Orange sawmill  8)

[zopi]

Zopi,its going to be tough to hook up a steam engine to that mizer.

Wanna bet?

http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2007/12/do_you_want_a_nuclear_reactor_in_your_backyard.html

[zopi]

Congratulations!   8)

It'd been nice to have taken a series of pictures of the uncrate to the first  sawdust make. 

I got some pics of the uncrating..but i got a little busy juggling heavy stuff by myself to mess with it during the assembly..I will try to finish up tonight..I will have some good pics of the
First Log tho'....

I do believe a trailer kit for this thing will be in order...can't load the little bugger by myself.

anyone got any torsion axles laying around?  :D

[zopi]

Zopi, Zopi, Zopi, we thought we had you trained better than this.  Even though you were probably a bit excited when the new tool arrived your first move should have been to grab the camera and record the event for our enjoyment  ;D 
Now you may be lost to us  :(
You will be making sawdust and all sorts of things and probably forget your camera again.  It is a vicious cycle.
STOP NOW WHILE YOU HAVE A CHANCE!
There is still time to take a series of photos leading up to the slicing of the first log.  Don't let us down, Zopi
Oh, and congrats on the wonderful Orange sawmill  8)
.

dontchu have a kiln cart to load or something? :D

i'll have some good pictures for you to drool over...

[Part_Timer]

Congrats on the new mill.  I had an LT15 before the Peterson and liked it very much.  It was well built and easy to run.  My daughter wishes I still had it as I won't let her run the swinger yet.  If you get a chance try the Munks. blades.  They worked well for me on hickory and osage.
What part of VA are you from?

[olyman]

I dunno, some of you fellers have an act to getting your women folk to pull chain across muddy creeks to skid logs, while sitting back in a warm dry tractor cab.  :

oh oh--here we go----- ;D ;D

[woodworker9]

Congrats on the new LT 15.  I have serious envy.  In a couple of weeks, I'm going up (for me) to Woodmizer in Wisconsin to check out the LT 15 for myself.  I've been lurking around this site for over a year now, listening and learning.  I build custom furniture and cabinetry, and have been having logs milled for me for about 10 years now.  It's time I did them myself.

This site has been an integral part of my learning curve, and helped me decide which mill I want to start with.  Thanks to all for all the great knowledge, and you'll be hearing more from me, mostly questions :D  , in the near future.

Woodworker9

[zopi]

Part timer...I live about five miles from michael vicks former pet shop... :  just outside smithfield..

Woodworker...feel free to pm me...I have much advice for those putting the beast together...here's some hints..
borrow a loader, forklift or have an a frame or something...you have to lift the bloody head a foot and a half to get the
bed sections off of the pallet...and..put the rope stops on the bed sections >first< don't ask me why I know this.

It is not a one person job.

I will be cutting tomorrow hopefully, I got the beast put together finally..aligned pretty much everything..it was pretty much right on from the factory..I must tweak the up/down assy...the absolute measurements are off...klose enuff fer now tho..
It's a good thing i have done a bunch of combat systems alignments..if you can transfer the centerline of a ship
from the keel to the main deck using theodolites  aligning a mill is playskool stuff...it's also good that I don't have a machinist clinometer..I'd still be out there trying to get it a little more level... :

for those who doubt the rope hand crank...my 7 year old girl can crank the mill up the track....

heh...i was kind of mad because I thought the hose for the water jug was missing...it's under the *DanG jug...glad I didn't
make that phone call...I can hear 'em laughing...

didja know that an lt15 head is about the same size as an electra glide...i needed a cover....

I will have pics soon I promise...we will take pictures ad nauseum of the First Log. I think it wants to be a table..

[zopi]

oh...I will be re routing the water hose, I can see already that reaching over the bed/log to kill the water is gonna suck..
i'll figure out where to route it to the operator side and put a little ball valve in...flick the valve just before dropping the clutch...

[WDH]

 

Here you are, Zopi, in a day or two 8).

[woodworker9]

Zopi

I already have a fair amount of support equipment, including a Bobcat with forks.  At one time, I had milled up about 10,000 bf of hardwoods from logs destined for the firepit.  A friend was the project manager of a large building project where they cleared a whole bunch of trees.  Maples, walnuts, cherry's, poplar, red and white oak, and some ash.  I have a 16' dump truck and 20' trailer, so I took it all.  They were going to burn it, if you can believe it.

That's how I started milling my own lumber for my woodworking business, instead of paying retail $$$$. 

I'm looking forward to seeing those pictures of yours, and I certainly do appreciate all the info and "heads up's" you can give regarding assembly.  Avoiding mistakes is high on my priority list.

I'm still in the process of figuring out the best way to set up the mill.  Should it be set on 6" X 6"'s, or on concrete.  If I put it on 6 x 6's, I'll be able to move it to a trailer with the forks if I have to.  Ahhhhhh, I have much to learn, grasshopper!

Woodworker

[zopi]

I thought about making a set of skids for it..but i think i will forgo that..i just have it set on scraps of synthetic decking lumber..i am thinking of making a cantilevered axle that I can slip under it and  roll it up on the trailer with a set of ramps...i will have to noodle that over tho..

i wish I had that kind of support equipment...guess I better git ta sawin, huh?

[Tom]

Zopi,
What I've seen done with an LT15 is run the head to one end.  Put the "light" end on the back of a pickup or trailer, then run the head up the bed to the 'high" end. 

The pick up the "light" end and push the mill onto the vehicle.

It's supposed to come down the same way as long as you don't let it run off of the end of the track.

------------
One thing that I've seen is handy with all of these "ground mounted" mills is to put them on timbers, or blocks, like a railroad tie or a little taller.  It accomplishes two things.  It gets the cant a little higher so that you don't have to bend over so much to pick up boards, and it also lets you shovel junk out from under the mill.

[zopi]

I notice you put "light" in quotes...for good reason... :D I normally work alone, unless one of large hairy biker friends is kicking around...I'm a scrawny little guy..I cant lift the end of the mill..had fits getting it off the trailer..

I am familiar with the technique tho'...grew up around the oilfields..so loading skid units is second nature...

the Idea I have is to build a set of axles..think log arch, which will fit over the mill bed, but with a pin that will go under the mill to lever it up..strap the lever to the bed, just have to figure out where the CG is with relation to where the axle will go in order to
balance the mill...

eh...I'll work on it..the idea has bugs. I may be able to build the thing and have it double as a log arch.

Pics are coming...i am downloading them now...busted up a couple of cypress shorts tonight.

[Part_Timer]

Zopi  I don't know where either of those is.   I had a 10" tilt bed trailer for mine.  The "light end "was jacked up in the air, backed the trialer under it, ran the power head forward and that set the trailer down on the lock.  Reverse to unload.  It took about 6 minutes start to finish.

Don't feel to bad about the water hose. Peterson's hides the keys to the mill around the dipstick. Just takes interupting Husband and Wife on a sunday while they are pouring concrete to find out.

[zopi]

Well..there you have it...wifey wore her new WM ballcap out to take pictures...and log dog came out
to supervise.

[WDH]

I told you so ;D.

[thecfarm]

Now there is some nice pictures of a happy man with a new sawmill.That's life at it's best.Start banging nails now.

[zopi]

Now there is some nice pictures of a happy man with a new sawmill.That's life at it's best.

yes.... ;D

Start banging nails now.

nahhh...air nailer... 8)

[Lud]

Congrats Zopi!

Cutting that first board!  What a joy to be a manual miller.  My avatar is my first board it was so good.

I saw to enable  my wood-working Jones,   and don't have to let it work me  as those pursuing the wood dollars to pay for the mills  and the bills both must.  You bought a good size ,  there's lots of Orange-lovers here that will support  the brand.

Be safe and cautious when you load a log, slice a log,  move a board, stack a board, or open a wallet. 8)

[zopi]

 :D after I cut the first two logs, I told the wife, I only had to cut 7550 dollars worth to justify the mill..

[SwampDonkey]

Some of us can only wish we had such toys and logs to mill.  ;D ;) 8)

[Part_Timer]

congrats on the first sawdust.  It to late to go back now.  Your hooked for life.

[shinnlinger]

Zopi,

Congrats on the mill.

Would it make sense to establish a "Mill Set Up" section at the top of this forum where we all pipe in in what has worked for us with 1,2,3 man arrangments?  Perhaps a manual, hydro, swing etc section?

My mill is manual, and what I do is take my FEL and forks and load 10 or so logs on rail road track deck on the "feed side" of the mill an then run the tractor around to the opposite side about 6 ft back and shut it down, level up the mill and run til lunch.

I load the mill with a pevey just rolling onto the mill.  The slab goes right on the FEL forks and the product goes semi organized on some sleepers in the 6 ft area between the MIll and the tractor.  WHen the slab get piled up I run the tractor out to the burn pile and then return and deal with the product I have milled moving it to the stickered stacks around.  THen I come back and throw more logs on the deck if necesary and repeat.  I had a buddy "help" one day, but it was actually more efficient for me to do it by myself.

This knowledge came hard to me.  When I first got my mill and started all day production this thing kicked my Ass and I am a big athletic guy in my mid 30's, but then I figured out a good system (above) and everything worked out.  I am not in production mode right now, but I can go out and do a log or two when I get time off the deck and thrown the slab on a set of sleepers and not even get the tractor involved very often.

Have fun

[zopi]

congrats on the first sawdust.  It to late to go back now.  Your hooked for life.

yeah, no lie..I was out snorting it a minute ago....not intentionally tho...stupid blower...

cypress does smell good though..

[Dan_Shade]

nice, Zopi!

Shinnlinger,  there are several posts around the forum, and a few articles in the knowledge base on area setups to maximize production.  check this out from the knowledge base

[SwampDonkey]

Gotta love that Knowledge Base, it's over there under the Forum Extras beacon. ;)

[zopi]

I just cleaned out the back of the garden shed a little...give me enough room to sticker lumber back there..gonna go get to work cutting some bunks and stickers out..wife and kids are gone to grrrrrl scouts...me and log dog are in heaven.

'cept the hyd pump on the tractor just blew...meh...one thing it's another.

[Don K]

Congrats on the mill, Zopi. Reminded me of the day I got mine. I too realized that the head is impossible to man handle. I couldn't even get it off the pallet the way it was packed. Durn thing weighs about 900 lbs with the 15, even more with the 25 horse. I was lucky enough to have access to a tractor with a boom pole.

I now have a tractor with a FEL and that saved the day the last time I set it up on the 12 X 12 blocks that it now sets on. Makes picking up boards easier on the back as well as cleaning up under it. It does get messy.

Sawmill and Woodlot magazine published a very informative article on the LT15. I have it and it covers how a man adapted his water line to the operators side. Send me a PM with your address and I will send you a copy of the article.

Don

[zopi]

Pm sent!

I may elevate it eventually...it's not gonna stay where it is..I have a nice flat place out back for a sawshed, as soon as I get a little more confident with it and get it aligned, i'll get busy sawing the posts for the shed...gonna roof off of the leaner barn in the pics above and recycle it for a sawshed...I'll floor in the roof partly to store lumber..'cause it looks like i will have a bit soon...

which means i can't get away with building the workshop first...the shed would never get done then... :D

[OneWithWood]

Zopi,
Thanks for the pics.  I feel better now  :D

[zopi]

 smiley_whacko


Things you learn....don't wear short shoes...doesn't apply to those with seats or remote stations... :

the mill head won't roll right because the ways are icy....it CAN'T be that cold..i'm having too much fun.

get a drywall knife for scraping thick sawdust off of boards..the brush you use for cleaning the mill won't do it...

short logs suck. (but that is some pretty pecan..)

the bloody dust chute needs to be longer..or..why am I getting taller?

stickers are fun to cut...

milled off four logs tonight, and if the short one had been a foot longer it would have taken half the time.. :

someone said i would be buried in lumber...true statement...and slabs. (bonfire fuel)

I need a saw shed..it's supposed to rain tomorrow..oh well, I guess you have to sort and sticker sometime..

and a kiln.

seven year old girls are slow offbearers...but they are fun.

OHHHHh...THAT'S what the marks on the setworks are for...now I can ignore the scale more. easy.

[SwampDonkey]

Can ya cut stickers from that slab pile?  :D :D :D


Your daughter didn't know what she was getting into.  Go easy for a couple days. Another slave driving dad, eh? ;)  :D :D

[zopi]

Can ya cut stickers from that slab pile?  :D :D :D

oh heck no...I'm stingy with wood...if it goes on the slab pile you could peel the bark and floss with it... :D

Your daughter didn't know what she was getting into.  Go easy for a couple days. Another slave driving dad, eh? ;)  :D :D

She asked if she could help...she likes to pull the slabs she can lift and pull the mill head back...my teenager won't get
near the mill...but then she has been broken on carrying and stacking firewood...

[zopi]

some pecan from last night...