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locust sawing

Started by heavyhorseman, October 08, 2003, 08:49:13 PM

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heavyhorseman

I am new to the sawmilling operations, having just purchased a new Baker 18HD sawmill. I am in the process of cutting some big locust trees, and will be the first logs I cut on my new mill. Can anyone out there give me any advice on cutting the hard locust, and is cutting it any different than any other hardwood. Is there a better blade to use for this wood. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Jeff

Welcome HHM Glad to have you aboard and congrats on the new Baker. Don't know anything about locust cause we aint got any but the others will for sure.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Kevin

Hey Heavy, welcome to the forum.
I can't help you with the locust but all I want to say is don't be disappointed if your mill doesn't cut real well with that stuff.
I cut lots of cedar and other nice milling wood on my new saw before I hit a stressed out poplar.
I knew the mill was cutting well on the other stuff so it most likely wasn't any fault of the mill, and it wasn't.
It was the tree.

Bro. Noble

Welcome,

We have cut a little honey locust.  Don't remember any problems------seems it was about like cutting white oak.
milking and logging and sawing and milking

ronwood

Welcome to the forum heavyhorseman. I have cut around 100 bd ft of locus without any problems. Probably not enough to guage how well it cuts. Have fun with your new mill.
Sawing part time mostly urban logs -St. Louis/Warrenton, Mo.
LT40HG25 Woodmizer Sawmill
LX885 New Holland Skidsteer

oakiemac

I cut several hundred feet of Black Locust a while back. I don't recall any major problems except the wood had an unusual smell and kind of a yellowish color.
Welcome to the forum! :)
Mobile Demension sawmill, Bobcat 873 loader, 3 dry kilns and a long "to do" list.

solidwoods

Welcome Heavyhorseman.
 
This Forum is kind of like the little dish on the counter of the Convenience Store. "Give an idea--take an idea". :D
Locust makes beautiful furniture and fence posts.
If you need questions answered  or blades sharpened, just give me a call.
9318976490
JIM
Solidwoods

Ret. US Army
Kasco II B Band mill
Woodworking since 83
I mill & kiln dry lumber, build custom furniture, artworks, flooring, etc.
If you mill, you'll be interested in some of my work in one way or another.
We ship from our showroom.
N. Central TN.

Norm

Welcome aboard heavyhorseman (have to clue us in on your moniker). We cut both honey locust and black locust. Black locust dulls the blade faster than about any wood we cut. Other than changing blades faster it cuts pretty well. I'm clearing an area that was blown down by a tornado in 89', the black locust that went down is hard as a rock still.

oakiemac

Is there anyone else out there that noticed a funny smell when cutting Locust? Maybe it was just the cow pasture I was cutting in.
Mobile Demension sawmill, Bobcat 873 loader, 3 dry kilns and a long "to do" list.

cut2size

I have cut several thousand feet of black locust and I think that  munkfordsagar or suffolk machinery blades do a better job than woodmizer.  They seem to be sharper and can be resharpened easier.  For pine and poplar, woodmizer blades are hard to beat.  I also tried the frozen/hardwood blades from WM and was not happy with the results.  The munksfordsagar blades are only about $13.50 a blade and can re resharpened many times.
MY  2 cents,
David
cut2size

ohsoloco

David, where are you buying your monkey bands?  That's all I'm using right now (I don't need to keep a big inventory), and I paid $18 a piece for 144" bands...but I got these from a dealer, and I didn't have to pay postage on them either.

Greg

QuoteI have cut several thousand feet of black locust and I think that  munkfordsagar or suffolk machinery blades do a better job than woodmizer.  They seem to be sharper and can be resharpened easier.  For pine and poplar, woodmizer blades are hard to beat.  I also tried the frozen/hardwood blades from WM and was not happy with the results.  The munksfordsagar blades are only about $13.50 a blade and can re resharpened many times.
MY  2 cents,
David

FYI,

I am not a bandmiller, but I did recently pick up a free copy of Sawmill and Woodlot magazine at the Paul Bunyan show.

There is a nice write in that issue (Oct 2003?) comparing the various blades and manufacturers. Good discussion about speciality blades made for specific conditions, hardwoods, softwood, frozen, etc.

Don't recall seeing anything about munkfordsagar though...

Greg

oldsaw

Always liked that album (Heavy Horses).  Always liked big horses.  Uncle has a pair of old Belgians...beautiful animals.

Mark
So many trees, so little money, even less time.

Stihl 066, Husky 262, Husky 350 (warmed over), Homelite Super XL, Homelite 150A

ARKANSAWYER

Heavy,
   Depending on how long that black locust has been down will make you wonder why you did not get more Horses on the mill.   Hickory and black locust are about the hardest to cut and tuff on blades.   I use a 10 degree 0.055 WM blade to cut mine.     You should put a red oak on your mill and saw it first so you will know how your mill should cut.   Welcome and we like photos.
ARKANSAWYER
ARKANSAWYER

cut2size

I get my monkfordsagar blades from Kenne-Saw & supply Co from Kennesaw Ga. Toll free # 877-420-9235.
I have never tried the 55 blades from WM.  The blades that I use are 41/1000 and seem to last much longer than woodmizer 45s.  I have probably broken 40 WM blades in the last 3 years and 0 monksfordsagar blades
I know that different mills do better with different blades and I  have 2 old WMs(86 lt40m and 91 lt40hd), both do well with the monksfordsagar blades.  They just seem sharper out of the box and sharpen more easily than WM blades.
Please remember that this is just my opinion and should be taken as such.  I have no connection with any blade manufactor or distributor other than being a grateful consumer.
David
cut2size

shopteacher

Welcome aboard HHM, glad to have another happy, healthy body to bounce questions off of and receive answers from.
   I've been cutting black locust whenever I can get a tree big enough to get boards from and make post out of the smaller ones.  I'm trying to accumulate enough to replace the treated boards on my deck. Getting pretty close to enough.  I've never found it much harder to cut than any other hard wood. Start with a sharp blade and change when you notice a decrease in power and /or feed speed.  It do get pretty darn hard when it dries. ::)
Proud owner of a LT40HDSE25, Corley Circle mill, JD 450C, JD 8875, MF 1240E
Tilt Bed Truck  and well equipted wood shop.

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