First cut?

[EZ]

The manufactory says with my mill after the first cut, the next cut I will be out of the bark. Will say with a 20 inch dia. log, the only way I can do that is cut the first slap about 4 to 6 inches thick, and then saw it up after I'm done with the log. Is this what they are talking about, or am I doing something wrong. I usally saw a thin slap off first and then saw what ever until I can get out of the bark. I hope this makes since, cause sometime my little pea brain knows what I mean, but cant write it.
EZ

[Tom]

Their documentation should read, "after the first turn of the cant". :D

Nobody can tell a sawyer how much to cut off of a log.  They may recommend an amount or face size but the sawyer is the only one who can see each log and know what he wants.

Mills that dog on the same side of the bed as the blade enters the wood, tout "clean wood".  You can't reach the clean wood until you turn the cant though.

[Jeff]

And that depends on how ya turn it.

[wiam]

It also depends on how deep you cut before turning.  You could go all the way around cutting into bark (I don't know why you would)

Will

[ladylake]

I would say that EZ has a saw that the blade turns away from the stops which would be quite a bit less bark in the blade. Kind of hard to rotate the log away from the stops after the first cut. On my first custom sawing job a nail on the first 2 logs none since,about 10000 bf .

[Tom]

The saws that claim "clean wood", dog on the idle side of the mill.  Actually you can turn the cant away from the dogs and present more bark to the blade but that is self defeating.  If you make the first turn 180 degrees and lay the first face on the bed you will present bark to the blade as well.  Clean wood on the first turn only works if you turn the first open face 90 degrees and place it against the dogs.  Yep, it only works on saws that dog on the side that the blade enters the wood too.

Keep your fingers crossed on the nails.  I guarantee that you will hit more before lt's all over. :D :D

[EZ]

My blade enters on the locking dog side. If the logs are real muddy I turn the first cut side against the locking dogs, which is a pane in the butt cause then I get the framing square out and set it on a bunk and move the log until square. But it does save the blade. One of these days I will have a de-barker.  ;D
EZ

[Tom]

Then you will have something else to break. :D :D

If your dogs are square to the bed of the mill and the blade is square to the bed of the mill, turning 90 degrees and putting the open face against the dogs is ok. The cant should be square.  

I hear all of these tales about getting out measuring tapes to level logs and measure each board for width and thickness and having to level the cant with a framing square each time and don't understand why the mill hasn't been set up square to begin with.

A sawmills job is to break up logs not to be a finishing tool but being square is important,  No production can be gotten if each board has to be treated as finished product.  Somewhere you have to depend on your sawmill and a good eye or you will never see the bottom of the log pile.  

[woodmills1]

bet you can't find just one nail. :D :D they alwasy seem to run in a pack or at least on the buddy system.  Tip: if you want to find a nail put on a new blade. :D

[Tom]

Tom's philosophy:

Folks won't use a nail in a tree if six or eight will work!

[dail_h]

   Dail's rule
     You'll never hit anything smaller than 20d casehardened :( :( :(

[Larry]

I always thought sawing into clean wood was the only way to go.  After switching to 180 degree sawing that was a mute point for me.  180-degree sawing might be something to try especially with hardwoods.

[EZ]

Tom, I dont flip them muddy logs towards the locking dogs all the time. Only if there are 3 or 4 logs to saw up. Usually these muddy logs are so covered with mud, I have to do something to save the blade. Sometimes I think the customers do this so they think there really getting their moneys worth.  :D
EZ

[Brian_Bailey]

When I get a really muddy one, I'll use a log wizard ( www.logwizard.com ) to get the majority of mud out of the blade's path both sides of the log. Then use the mud saw on the mill when actually cutting.

Larry,  I'm a convert to 180 sawing also. Even use it on small softwoods to get a balanced 2x.

[Tom]

Pretty boards, Brian.  Tell us about them.

[Brian_Bailey]

I guess I should a been more descriptive of the picture, sorry.

The picture is of some red oak that I had sawn using the 180 degree method of sawing Larry mentioned.
Using this method you get a lot of wide balanced grained boards.
This will pretty much eliminate boards that will warp ( side bend ) when sawing for grade the usual way, such as sawing deep on a clear face, then turning to the next best face.
It's a method of sawing that I have come to favor on larger dia. hardwood logs.