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Sawmill mishaps

Started by Bigbo1234, August 14, 2013, 06:16:51 AM

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Bigbo1234

Just thought I'd  like to see some sawmill accidents that any of you have. I'm sure there are some mangles mills out there. Any pictures and a story to go with it would be worth reading. Maybe also a bit of advice from the owner   On how to not do what they did.
Bowen

Magicman

Most of my "mangles" are to myself, and not to the sawmill.   :-\
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

nk14zp

When I was a kid working in Dads shingle mill he tried to saw a but log that was to short to square up on the chop saw  after the second or third shingle was sawed the saw grabbed the log and shot it out through the roof.  Shingle mill logs are 16" long.
Belsaw 36/18 duplex mill.
Belsaw 802 edger.
http://belsawsawmills.freeforums.org/

dboyt

Flesh & bone will yield to wood and steel every time.  The #1 most dangerous thing I do is run the chain saw.  It is easy to grab it to knock off a stray branch without safety gear, often in close proximity to the mill.  #2 is having the mill on the road.  Lots of idiots out there.  I rear-ended a car that had stopped for no apparent reason in the fast lane on an interstate.  The passenger in the car I hit had a broken leg, but nothing life threatening, fortunately.  Minor damage to the mill, lots of bent metal on both vehicles.  Other than that nothing but minor mashed fingers a couple of dislocations and fractured ankle on me, and nicks in the clamps and stops.
Norwood MX34 Pro portable sawmill, 8N Ford, Lewis Winch

Ga Mtn Man

Here's one from awhile back:

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,56324.0.html

Anyone know know what happened to zopi?
"If the women don't find you handsome they should at least find you handy." - Red Green


2012 LT40HDG29 with "Superized" hydraulics,  2 LogRite cant hooks, home-built log arch.

John S

We had a local man who went off the road towing his LT40Super (his third Woodmizer) about three weeks ago.  Unfortunately, he did not survive.
2018 LT40HDG38 Wide

drobertson

The only one I ever had that rings a bell is from back in 08'  the outfit I was sawing for kept me loaded with logs, well one morning after returning from the week end, I found the mill off the stands in a ugly position, the loader dude, trying to help got to close with the log load, and pushed the mill side ways, being on a hill, soft on top of it all, needless to say a lil bit of a mess to dig out and re-level,   david
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

red oaks lumber

when i had my old mill(t.k.) i was loading with the loader arms a 16' plummper pine log, just as the log started to roll it kept going into the back stop which in turn tipped the mill on its side ;) i confess i had the mill tilted slighty to the back so logs didnt roll back off the front of the mill. oopps ;D
the experts think i do things wrong
over 18 million b.f. processed and 7341 happy customers i disagree

Magicman

I guess that you could call this a mishap. 


 
Unlike rol above, this only happens when you forget to raise the side supports.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

LeeB

I would have claimed it was a counter weight for a really big log.  :D
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

POSTON WIDEHEAD

I thought is WAS a log stop.  :D
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

papow22

A few long years ago when I "WAS" just in school grade I believe,My Dad was sawing logs for a neighbour,everything was fine the neighbour hired his brother to tale saw and he oldest son to pile lumber,While the neighbour help my Dad roll the logs on to the carriage.Everything was fine till the brother tail sawing lifted a edging 1" x 1" x 10' over the circle saw but not realizing what is about to happen.A split second the saw caught the and was air borne like a spear,meanwhile this happen my Dad was turning to look at at his helper to see him flying backwards with this stick stuck out of his mouth,My Dad drop everything and ran over to help his helper.Well lo and behold the guy pulled the stick out of mouth minus 2 teeth and said to my Dad thing that you not find school books.Well the thing is "DON'T ALLOW ANYONE TO STAND LINE OF THE CIRCLE SAW".STAND OF THE LINE OF SAWDUST FLYING FOR IT BE THE LAST THING YOU DO.So from that moment on my DAD never had anyone else but me to tail saw.For a 4 man sawmill be came a 2 man sawmill.and a lot of changes happen over short period of time.
Like a log stopper,A log turner,also rollers for lumber going off the end,also rollers for the lumber to sit on while I piled lumber also a lumber jack to help jack boards on to the pile.So the mill NEVER had another mishap as long as I was working with my Late Father.The mill now sits quietly forever to remain still,Since JULY 1/2007.Yes it's for sale but not to anyone that don't THINK SAFETY.   
Lives to do sawdust,run a trapline,hunt big game,live life to it's most.Got 4 mills a circle mill,(2 band sawmills) Norwood's 2000, Trim Saw,Beam Machine (chainsaw mill).

PineNut

Had a near mishap last week. I have been busy and haven't had chance to saw any since late spring. I did all the usual things before sawing like service the engine, check for bird nest in the belt guards, tension the band. Loaded a log, cranked the engine and it started up just like I had used it the day before.  Set the band height and then engaged the clutch for the band. Then I heard a little thump. Looked at my feed and there was a wasp nest, complete with inhabitants. Don't know who was the most surprised but I think I moved the fastest. None of them got me. Made a hasty retreat to my ATV where I waited a minute or so and then took a can of insect spray and took care of the problem. I think I was very fortunate on this one. Usually they get me first.

sealark37

A friend who did custom sawing with his Frick OO and a Farmall tractor, was sawing fence rails from a load of very nice ERC.  He told me that he saw the skirt of the butt log bind between the saw and the carriage.  When he again became aware of his surroundings, he was lying face-up between the rails of the track.  He heard the tractor running at idle, so he thought that he must have finished the sawing.  Far from it, the butt log slab had come off the saw and struck him near his right hip.  Later reconstruction of the time line, (he purchased fuel @ 8:10 AM) established that he had been unconscious for about three hours.  The wide belt had been thrown off the mandrel pulley when the saw chunked the slab.  He had no cell phone, but he rolled out from under the rails and crawled to his driveway, where he was spotted by a passer-by.  He spent three weeks in hospital, and was not able to care for himself and work outdoors for several months.  The old boy was in his seventies when this happened, and he lived about ten years afterwards.  He never regained his interest in sawing, and sold the mill several years after the accident.  He told me, "I knew a mill was dangerous, but I thought that I was quick enough to avoid trouble".   Don't we all!  Regards, Clark

mmartone

I had a very small incident last week. I put was pulling a decent SYP log up the ramps, it was almost at the top and bang the log made its way back to the ground. I dont allow anyone on that side, but it was a bit un-nerving as it made it way to the ground fast! Somehow the shackle that held the cable to the hook had come loose, unscrewed and came apart.
Remember, I only know what you guys teach me. Lt40 Manual 22hp KAwaSaki, Husky3120 60", 56" Panther CSM, 372xp, 345xp, Stihl 041, 031, blue homelite, poulans, 340

kelLOGg

A customer's forklift operator was loading a large old pine cant on my mill for resawing. As an operator he was inexperienced; the forks were not quite high enough and he accidently hit the rail knocking it out of alignment preventing the sawhead from passing. I went ballistic and said things I shouldn't - after all it was MY sawmill he damaged. The rails are just tackwelded to the frame for easy replacement and I noticed that no welds were broken. Fortunately, I had a scissor jack and was able to position it to bend back the 1 x 1 x 1/4 angle iron rail, restoring full operation. I never had to do any further repairs. I over-reacted and apoligized to him but he felt so bad it didn't do any good. I never saw him again at future jobs for that customer. :(
Bob
Cook's MP-32, 20HP, 20' (modified w/ power feed, up/down, loader/turner)
DH kiln, CatClaw setter and sharpener, tandem trailer, log arch, tractor, thumb tacks

m wood

Dboyt said the chainsaw is #1 danger tool, and I agree.  I never would even train my (now adult) children to use it.  no pics of any accidents though and I never plan to!
I am Mark
80 acre woodlot lots of hard and soft
modified nissan 4x4/welding rig
4x4 dodge plow truck
cat 931b track loader
Norwood mark IV
4' peavy
6' peavy
stihl 034
"her" wildthing limber saw
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Ron Wenrich

We've only had one sawmill mishap over the years.  I've always kept everyone clear of the saw.  The vertical edger will throw sticks, and its important to keep people from the rear.  The guy that got hurt put his fingers in a running pulley.  He lost the tips off of a couple of fingers. 

Most of the guys I know that got hurt bad were from logs falling off of log trucks. 
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

beenthere

QuoteI never would even train my (now adult) children to use it.

Which leaves them with no training, and when a need for a chainsaw comes up, they are one of the many using it with no idea what can go horribly wrong.

I've trained mine to use the safety equipment and to know why the saw needs a lot of respect as soon as they showed any interest at all.
When I first picked one up... the old gear Homelite summer of '58, things like chaps, etc. were not anyone's idea of being smart. ;)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Magicman

An old Homelite XL12 caused this to my upper arm.


 
The ER Dr. fixed it with 17 stitches.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

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