in defense of the lt10 and happy thanksgiving

stormyweatherman · November 14, 2011, 10:16:09 PM

greetings to all.

haven't posted anything in quite a while. i've been reading through many threads tonight as I often find many interesting and valuable tips, topics, innovations, perspectives.

i've had my lt 10 since april 2010 now and haven't been on the board for months. i thought i would offer this posting for the small mill guys out there and individuals who might be interested in a mill for reasons similar to mine.

i often see the term hobby mill applied to the lt10 and perhaps other small manual mills. i think for most small mill operators this is not really an accurate description.

my experience is that the lt 10 is an excellent machine for its intended purpose. its perfect for small to medium logs. its light in weight (under 500 lbs). and it produces excellent lumber. with the 10hp motor i have sawed logs up to 26" in diameter with relative ease. i set mine up to slide in and out of my pickup. with logs staged parallel to the mill i have routinely sawed 70 to 100 bds per day (5-6 hrs sawing time) without help. i can load, break down, unload and set up my mill now in about an hours time.

i don't saw for fun. its hard work, but profoundly satisfying. the mill has never really slowed me down. log handling is the key factor here. as a point of reference, i'm 50 and pretty strong but certainly not in tip-top shape. working alone i can do three logs in an hour on average (depending on size), loading the lumber into my pickup as i go and setting slabs and flitches aside. i stack my flitches near the mill by estimated width. about twice a day i will load flitches on the mill and edge them down into boards. i cut these down in 1 inch increments and get stickers as i go. i bundle the 8 or so foot stickers together with 2 bungee chords and cut in half with a chain saw to make 4 foot stickers.

in june i had an acquaintence ask me about taking down some pine trees on his property. he had 14 trees between 14 and 23 inches dbh. i took them down one afternoon and got about sixty logs. i brought the mill over and set it up. i have a cheap log arch, a cant hook, an old anchor rode from an even older sailboat (now deceased), that i use with a couple of blocks, to twitch bigger logs with my truck. it took me a week of rain days (i never run my mill if i can do other paying work but with all the rain this year in my area i had some down time). it took 5 days to mill the logs and 2 more days to cut slabs. i now have about 600 boards stacked out by my shed. last year i cut spruce framing lumber on a friends land. i took half and left the rest with him. lots of work for not much lumber but needed to learn the mill. good investment. you can see the shed to the left of lumber piles. all the framing is from last year's milling. this summer i bought a little ryobi planer to see how things would go with my rough lumber. hey, i have my own lumber now!! ;D i cut my slabs to stove length, bundled and stacked them to dry. they will heat my shop this winter.

i would like to say thanks to everyone here for all the great posts. i knew woodworking and logging a bit when i started but nothing about milling. i did my homework here and basically absorbed enough to get out and give it a go. i bought an lt10 mill outright with investment money that wasn't going anywhere fast. i'm learning something new every time i get out to the mill. i just got a call from a guy that heard i had a mill. he makes guitars and wants me to mill up a cherry tree for him. custom job, one day, a couple hundred bucks. a new contact.

i'm not a high production miller but i could make enough with jobs like that and the lumber i trade for my labor to make it well worth the investment. the rest is just the satisfaction i get from seeing a tree that would otherwise be laid to waste or burned become something beautiful. my lt10 is definitely not for sale. hope you all have had a safe, happy and productive year.

Magicman · November 14, 2011, 10:51:12 PM

I enjoyed reading your post. Nothing is a one-size-fits-all. It seems that your are comfortable with your situation and I admire you for it.

And a Happy Thanksgiving to you.

WDH · November 14, 2011, 10:52:59 PM

You invested your money wisely, in my opinion. I, too, enjoyed your post.

zopi · November 14, 2011, 11:28:27 PM

The perfect tool, is very often the on which does just enough.

schakey · November 15, 2011, 04:56:27 AM

Thank you for the post, I really love to read stories about all types of mills,the operations and
owners.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!! digin_2 smiley_turkey_hide digin1

Don K · November 15, 2011, 05:37:55 AM

You are happy and that is what it is all about. Enjoy life and thanks for sharing with us. Happy Thanksgiving to you.

Don

TimGA · November 15, 2011, 07:39:58 AM

Thanks for sharing every one has different needs and or wants isn't that what makes the world go round. Happy Thanksgiving, God Bless America.

paul case · November 15, 2011, 08:20:10 AM

Hey you did alright!

There is nothing wrong with a manual mill. Another big plus is how easy it is to go to sleep at night when you run one all day.
I hear what you are saying about investment money and a mill is a great investment. I think too many folks go into this thing with thoughts of easy money. It certianly is not. It is however an ''honest'' living.
Thanks for this great post. I enjoyed it. PC

thecfarm · November 15, 2011, 08:24:58 AM

I know what you mean. I have an all manual mill. Heard more than once how "they" could saw quicker than me when I told them how long it takes me. Never on here,just in person.But I did not spend $15-40K on my mill either.

paul case · November 15, 2011, 08:44:20 AM

Paid cash,not borrowed money, for my mill.
The first project was lumber for my house.
The mill paid for itself with the first project.
It owes me nothing, however, it has made me a good living ever since.
I enjoy the work even though it is manual labor. It iss very rewarding to take a tree and make it into something sellable or useable for the owner.
The only thing wasted at my mill is time, sometimes.

Oh, i almost forgot. Happy Thanksgiving to youall too. PC

stormyweatherman · November 15, 2011, 10:00:45 AM

a couple more pictures from this summer. a little rusty on the upload procedure :D

mad murdock · November 15, 2011, 11:52:12 AM

great post stormyweatherman! Thanks for sharing your succes and your pictures. Inspiring for me, now I want to go and mill some logs! Happy Thanksgiving!

fishpharmer · November 16, 2011, 06:39:12 PM

Welcome to FF stormy weatherman!! 8)

Does your handle have anything to do with the nice looking boat project under the shed?

Sailboat?

stormyweatherman · November 16, 2011, 07:40:41 PM

hey fishpharmer,

yes, among other things i've been responsible for a number of maritime disasters (or close calls) in my lifetime. and as you reckoned from the photo, i'm not done yet. curious about your handle as well. do you raise fish. i would love to get some cats. i set up an experimental aquaponics system this year that worked quite well for goldfish and a bunch of sunfish. and it made some great lettuce, scallion and tomatoes. but i'm looking to raise some meat 8) hear at the waterloo ranch.

by the way, the boat is already named the 'bob n eddy' i learned to sail as a kid from a college friend of my dad's (bob). he just passed away last year at 85. dad is still with us (eddy). i named the boat to honor their friendship, without which I would have never been released upon the oceans

. i hope to finish it in the next year (or two) and that it floats for a while.

kind regards. steve.

zopi · November 16, 2011, 08:27:04 PM

A common thread, is mills paying for themselves...just nailed a thousand bdft or so of yellow pine to a seventy or so year old barn out back, going to finish it in, floors, loft, staircase, etc...once I get the exterior done, this is the second major project for the mill, the first was a twelve by twelve smokehouse turned workshop, that I couldn't stand to tear down because my hundred and one year old neighbor built it and cured his hams in it...mill paid for itself in that job..both in property value and saving the cost of lumber you cannot buy anyway...all manual, and finally mobile...
Still going to have me some hydraulics though...

The lt 10 is a surprising little guy...can get through alot of lumber with one. I am glad I went with the 15 though.

fishpharmer · November 18, 2011, 05:06:17 AM

Yes, produced quit a few fish over the years. Catfish are my specialty. Bass, sunfish and minnows get some production as well. Feel free to shoot me a pm with fish questions.

I too have an interest in in aquaponics. Would like to hear more about your system as well as boat design.

Zopi, do you stay hungry when working in "smokehouse" shop? :D

jackganssle · November 18, 2011, 07:33:28 AM

Stormyweatherman, I know what you mean about maritime disasters! I've lost a couple of boats, the last while sailing alone from England to the US in '92. But the adventures made it all worthwhile.

I've got a little old LT-15 and just love the mill. Never made a dime with it but it sure puts a huge old smile on my face. Gonna get out there today and make some more sawdust.

zopi · November 18, 2011, 08:16:41 AM

Quote from: fishpharmer link=topic=54171.msg782437#msg782437

Zopi, do you stay hungry when working in "smokehouse" shop? :D
/quote]
I am six feet tall and a hundred forty pounds...I stay hungry all the time. But yeah, just thinking about it makes me hungry...Old Gwaltney sat and taught me pretty much all he knows about making old fashioned Smithfield ham....it is a shame that I cannot get peanut fed hogs...

fishpharmer · November 18, 2011, 08:58:55 AM

:D :D

MotorSeven · November 20, 2011, 01:46:47 PM

60 logs in 5 days? That there is right smart sawing

stormyweatherman · November 21, 2011, 11:01:50 PM

honestly,

i was a little frustrated by production on that project. though it helps when i look at the pictures to realize i'm only one guy with a few tools, a small manual mill and a truck.... and those logs are... uhh HEAVY

. i'm glad my mill is on the ground or i think i would be under one of those logs one of these days. Once the logs were on the ground it was just time consuming to get them all staged on stringers to roll onto the mill. So I could do 15 logs a day with the usual roll one on, slab, roll 90 deg., slab, roll 90 deg., slab, roll 90 deg., slab and cut boards or see if there's a better side, etc. But it took me a day over that period of time just to move the logs to the mill.... I did it in two separate efforts (roughly 30 logs each time), and each time it whipped my butt to where afterward i might have milled four logs and felt like i was about 90 years old going up a down escalator. my mind writes checks and my body tries to cover them. just when i started to learn a few things stuff starts breaking down on my assembly line

and i don't expect it to get better over time. thanks for the encouragement. i gotta believe that you all can relate to the pain aspect. ibuprofen is my best friend. gonna be at my house for turkey 8)

zopi · November 21, 2011, 11:26:08 PM

Don't be so hard on yourself...that is a pretty impressive bit of lumber to move on a small portable mill...guy here in the county has a hyd mill, and saws slower than that...
Besides...what counts is enjoying it without killing yourself in the process.

thecfarm · November 22, 2011, 07:12:23 AM

As long as you are happy with the end results,that's all that should matter to you. My FIL always has a quicker,better,faster,cheaper way to do something than I can do it. :

customsawyer · November 23, 2011, 04:52:00 AM

I always enjoy stories like these. There is nothing more satisfying than watching a project come together. One of the things I am learning now days to slow down and enjoy the middle of jobs more than I used to. Mr. Tom is the one that started the lessons by the way.

WDH · November 23, 2011, 07:33:46 AM

Sometimes you have to stop and smell the sawdust.

paul case · November 23, 2011, 08:45:09 AM

I am leaving later today to go to relatives in southern OK for Thanksgiving so ....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING YOUALL

PC

Magicman · November 23, 2011, 08:46:54 AM

At the end of the day there should be two happy people. You and your customer.

If you are also the customer, all the better.

And a Very Happy Thanksgiving to you my friend.

thecfarm · November 23, 2011, 08:59:59 AM

Looks like ours will be on Friday. Thursday we will treat it just like another day. I will be outside working. But lookout Friday. ;D The house will smell just like Thursday,Thanksgiving Day. Any of you that have it on Thursdays and come over to The C Farm and try out Brenda's might fine cooking.

Sixacresand · November 23, 2011, 09:01:22 PM

I bought the LT10 with 10hp engine and an extra lenth of track. I wanted to be able to saw logs into lumber, but not be in the sawmill business. I am able to make lumber from trees that have died either from the pine beetles, drought or storms. It has been a handy tool. I hope to rebuild my barn, build a saw mill shed and a storage building this winter while it is cool.

ForestMan · November 25, 2011, 09:38:28 AM

I also bought the LT10 with the 10hp engine upgrade and an extra length of track. I love my mill. I'm still in the process of building a beautiful one inch thick mesquite porch. It was looking a little weathered, so I took the orbital sander after the steps yesterday and sanded them down, applied mineral oil to them, and they look brand new. Then I applied mineral oil to a mop and mopped the deck as well. Looks just beautiful. I have about two 4x8 plywood sized area to cover to finish my porch. I am taking my time, and the results are amazing to me. It's my first big project after making three small cutting boards. I have hardly used the mill since I bought it, but it is there any time I need it, and I have probably 200-300 board feet of mesquite laying around stickered.

Logs seem to come to me. A neighbor hauled over two huge mesquite trunks with burls on them. I cut them to length with the chainsaw yesterday. I also have three large mesquites out in the pasture that have been blown over in storms that I need to harvest before they rot. For the time I have available, I have plenty of logs and boards to finish my porch. Need time now. It is harder when you have a 5 year old and a 4 month old in the house with a sleep deprived wife. It is a very fulfilling hobby though.

MotorSeven · November 26, 2011, 08:50:31 AM

FM, mix a quart of Tung Oil in with your mineral oil and that will last way longer. The mineral oil will mostly evaporate quickly, but Tung Oil will stay. I use a garden sprayer, just did the entire inside of my cedar log house.

ForestMan · November 26, 2011, 09:04:14 AM

Wow, I'll have to try that. Thanks. I have a few pics of my porch in another thread, or in my gallery if you want to see it.

Busy Beaver Lumber · November 27, 2011, 09:53:54 AM

Stormyweather

As a fellow LT-10 owner, I really enjoyed your post and the topic "in defense of the LT-10". I agree with you that it is an excellent mill and you appear to be enjoying yours as much as I enjoy mine.

For me, it is the perfect size mill for my needs. I do not cut volume like the bigs boys out there. I take my hat off to them in terms of what they produce and the capital they have invested. They probably cut more wood in a week than I cut in a year. Rather than go for volume, I cut for value added and specialty applications where I make much more than 30 cents a board foot on my final products that I turn the wood I cut into.

Built a very nice clamping setup that allows me to cut any length piece, even down to a few inches in length or to cut disks out of the log for small table tops.

You would be suprised at how many people bring me firewood length logs that came from their property and want me to cut turning blanks out of it so they can have the thrill of saying that the items they turned on their lathe came from a tree on their property. Plus it allows me to make a lot of turning blanks out of logs that would have otherwise been headed for a firewood pile. They are a lot lighter and easier to move and at the end of the day I generate quite a nice pile of turning blanks and smaller lenght boards, that at least for me, sell very well.

I primarily cut for two reason. First for use in the production of products that we sell like rustic wood furniture, cat condos, segmented wood turning blanks and decorative shelves, The second market we serve is selling wood to the average woodworker that has a small shop at home. To these people we sell Turning blanks, pen blanks, carving blanks and the likes. Most of the wood we sell these people are pieces you can not find at your local home center of local lumber yard. For example, these guys want 4 inch thick, 8 inch diameter slabs to turn bowls, and you are never going to find that at home depot or Lowes, but they can find them all day long at my place. Besides the milling of logs, we also sell bundled firewood and shipped over 20,000 bundles out this year.

Hope you keep in touch, as I always like talking to fellow LT-10 owners.