Dogging small logs.

[Dave Shepard]

Anyone have any advice for dogging small logs on a Wood-Mizer? I have been splitting locust for fenceposts, and if they aren't fairly straight, I can't get them clamped for anything. My 30 second rule has become the 3 second rule. >:( (Any log that won't cooperate and get itself leveled, clamped, and ready to be sawn in 30 seconds gets booted off the mill or chopped into firewood) The loose slimey bark isn't helping either. I was thinking of making some sort of dogging spike to go in the hole on the middle two backstops. It would just slip over the stop for doing uncooperative small logs.


Dave

[Bill E]

Hi Dave,

I had a similar question back awhile.  (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,20186.0.html )

The best idea I think was to go with Peterson EZ Dogs
http://www.petersonsawmills.com/press_releases_ezdogs.htm

Someone said they are available in the US -- but I haven't been able to find them.

Bill

[adrean louis]

hi Dave
I cut small logs of red cedar by putting two on at a time, I use a 2x2 or 3x3 by the backstop

[bandmiller2]

Dave,the old feller I cut with is into making red cedar tables and chairs,sometimes I come in and nothing but pecker poles on the brow.I have often thought about putting nubs or teeth on the backstops and clamp but not my mill.What I end up doing is using sacrificial scraps and blocks to hold the little stuff in place ,even that doesn't work everytime.The cedar is worth the fiddle de dee locust for fence posts I'am not sure.

[Wallys World]

I've been thinking about small log dogging also. I just made a fixture out of pipe clamps to hold short logs on my LT-15. You clamp this in the mill and place the log on top off the pipe clamps. It is held by the ends. It will hold up to 4 foot long.  I am sure just by increasing the pipe length you could go as far as needed. I found a thread here with a photo to copy it. I was also thinking something on the line of the WM Lathe Mizer were the log is dogged on the ends. It would be made like a wood lathe but instead of a pulley and drive motor have an index plate for turning it 90 degrees.  One end would have a dead center in it and the other a drive center to keep the log from turning. Just keep turning it to you have a square cant.