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Techniques for New Sawyers

Started by Privacyleech, December 13, 2014, 09:43:10 PM

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Privacyleech

So after purchasing my gently used Woodmizer LT28 last weekend I finally got to cut a few decent logs on it today. They were some pine logs about 12'6" long and 18"-20" diameter. I just plain sawed them into 2x12's and 2x10's as we were fighting the daylight.



 

These were unloaded in a guys yard from a tree job a few weeks ago. He said I could have the lumber if I would come cut them up and get rid of them. This was a perfect opportunity for me to get a little experience on the mill as opposed to my milling experience via Youtube and The Forestry Forum  :P



 

We were a little slow getting going but once we got the mill leveled and loaded we were making sawdust in no time.

I was thinking of turning this post into a small gathering of information for techniques and methods for those of us who are just getting into milling or are pursuing it in the near future. I know there is a lot of information on this forum, but maybe you guys wouldn't mind sharing some of the "tricks of the trade" and digging up some of the links to older but informative posts that come to mind.

beenthere

What trick do you use to roll a log up the ramps and over the jack stand that is in the way?

Or do you just slide the log down to miss it?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Privacyleech

Quote from: beenthere on December 13, 2014, 09:45:43 PM
What trick do you use to roll a log up the ramps and over the jack stand that is in the way?

Or do you just slide the log down to miss it?

My favorite trick. . . Luck! It lined up just right where it rolled right next to the jack stand. I think we pushed the log farther up the mill as we took some weight off of it and that let me get the mill head down to where we could finish sawing it up.

Ocklawahaboy

I don't see a logrite in your pics.  If you don't have one, Order one. Looks like you have a good start.  I use thinner leveling material.  Those outriggers start to get in the way of the blade when the can't gets thin and you want those last few boards.

Privacyleech

Quote from: Ocklawahaboy on December 13, 2014, 09:53:04 PM
I don't see a logrite in your pics.  If you don't have one, Order one. Looks like you have a good start.  I use thinner leveling material.  Those outriggers start to get in the way of the blade when the can't gets thin and you want those last few boards.

The gentleman I bought the mill from threw in his logrite it just happens to be camera shy. . . Funny thing is that I started trying to roll the logs by hand before I remembered that I had it in the truck bed! DOH!

Good idea on the outriggers. The engineer in me takes over sometimes and says 4x4 stronger than 2x4 but like today i quickly found out that the outriggers sure do get in the way as you mentioned. Do you think 1x4s are too thin for this application?

Thanks for the suggestions

Magicman

The tops of the outriggers need to always be below the sawmill bed rails, even if you sometimes have to dig them in.


 
It keeps "bad" things from happening.  Put the plug back in the hole when you finish sawing.   ;D
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

reswire

Keep an eye on those log stops too!  They seem to inch up when you least expect. ::) ::)
Norwood LM 30, JD 5205, some Stihl saws, 15 goats, 10 chickens, 1 Chessie and a 2 Weiner dogs...

Privacyleech

Quote from: Magicman on December 13, 2014, 10:24:38 PM
The tops of the outriggers need to always be below the sawmill bed rails, even if you sometimes have to dig them in.


 
It keeps "bad" things from happening.  Put the plug back in the hole when you finish sawing.   ;D

These are the tricks I was talking about. I didn't even consider going below grade. . . I just thought "Hey I have a few extra feet at the other end of the mill so Ill grunt and strain and get the log over there so I wont cut into the outriggers..."

Thanks for the tip!

Delawhere Jack

Put your outriggers right on the ground. It looks plenty solid. I usually only put blocks under the feet if I'm working on a paved surface, to protect  the paving. Easiest if you keep the mill head to one end of the mill, and jack up the other end, then move the head to the other end, and jack the opposite end.

If you leave the outriggers stickup up above the bed, you will eventually try to saw one.......

Know where your backstops and clamps are in relation to your vertical scale. Get in the habit of sighting down both sides of the log to insure that you don't hit them.

Mostly, spend some time searching and reading the FF. Search for and read up on terms such as taper, leveling pith, sway, curve, hump and horns, etc. A few hours spent reading here each week will quickly get knowledge that would take years to learn on your own.

Welcome to the forum, nice mill you've got there!


Delawhere Jack

Close the doors and windows on your truck if the wind is blowing from the mill towards the truck!  ;) There are few things more annoying than cruising down the road and having sawdust blowing around inside the cab of the truck.

Ocklawahaboy

Quote from: Delawhere Jack on December 13, 2014, 10:53:53 PM
Close the doors and windows on your truck if the wind is blowing from the mill towards the truck!  ;) There are few things more annoying than cruising down the road and having sawdust blowing around inside the cab of the truck.
Also, Keep in mind where the sawdust is blowing vis-a-vis your neighbors.  Like me, your running a mill very close to them and you don't need to give them a reason to get upset about it.

Chuck White

You might try searching here on the Forestry Forum for "Sawmill Gremlins".

There are lots of them out there and they will show up when you least expect it, like when you have a bunch of people watching you run the mill!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

slider

Always take a shovel when you go portable.
al glenn

shinnlinger

I saw a post somewhere were somebody hung a 5 gallon bucket on his sawdust chute to catch most of the dust.   Just gotta empty it once in a while but could be a good way to try to contain the mess. 

Don't split the pith or try to box your heart.   

Good on you for getting you blade in the wood.   Wood happens so don't get too worried about getting it right all the time. 
Shinnlinger
Woodshop teacher, pasture raised chicken farmer
34 horse kubota L-2850, Turner Band Mill, '84 F-600,
living in self-built/milled timberframe home

Sixacresand

Quote from: slider on December 14, 2014, 09:19:06 AM
Always take a shovel when you go portable.
Sometimes there is not a bathroom available.
"Sometimes you can make more hay with less equipment if you just use your head."  Tom, Forestry Forum.  Tenth year with a LT40 Woodmizer,

YellowHammer

Always set your clamp lower than your backstops, or you will eventually forget where it is and saw into it.  The backstops are on the visible side, the clamp is on the hidden side.  So if you clear the backstops, you will clear the clamp.  Also, go ahead and buy a small can of Kubota Orange and another can of black spray paint.  That way when you saw into our mill, you can quickly cover it up before somebody notices.  :D. Of course if somebody is there when you saw into your mill, they will know pretty fast!

YH
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

goose63

The bucket helps a lot bought 95%less saw dust on the ground

  its easer to dump the bucket on the tractor than shouvle the dust off the ground 

  
goose
if you find your self in a deep hole stop digging
saw logs all day what do you get lots of lumber and a day older
thank you to all the vets

Magicman

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

Dave Shepard

I had a bucket on my mill for a couple of cuts, but it fills up too fast. Maybe two passes, if you are lucky.

http://youtu.be/tySbzAfTzdo
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Chuck White

Privacyleech, you might want to do one of the first things I did back when I first got my mill.

1. Know how low your blade can go before hitting the log stops (uprights).
    My blade will clear when it is 11¼" or higher.

2.  Know how low your blade can go before hitting the clamp.
     My blade will clear when it is 5½" or higher.

3.  Make sure that the tops of your outriggers are below the bed.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Knute

Set your mill up so the prevailing winds are at your back when sawing. Keeps much of the sawdust out of your face.

Foxtrapper

Wood-Mizer's log scale will tell you when you need to check the stops or the clamp.  It has a different color to it when you get to 12", and red when you get to 1".  Just have to pay attention to it.  Also, don't know if your mill has the log deck package, but it sure does make the job of loading and turning easier..
2014 WoodMizer LT28

goose63

Dave I can make 4 passes if I shake the bucket real good on the third still beats that ol scoop shovel
goose
if you find your self in a deep hole stop digging
saw logs all day what do you get lots of lumber and a day older
thank you to all the vets

Dave Shepard

I guess it depends on the size of the logs. I was experimenting with the idea of making a box with a dump on the bottom so I could open it over a vacuum port. The problem was that on a long and wide cut, like a 40' timber, I was going to have to dump at least twice per cut, or have a huge box to catch it in. Wasn't going to be practical. Now, I just blow it all in a windrow and bulldoze it out of the way with the tractor.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Piston

On the other end of the "sawdust containment" tip, is the idea of leaving the sawdust right where it lies.  If you mill in winter with snow on the ground, or your milling on a concrete pad or paved surface, let the sawdust build up, then spread it out a bit to make a walking "path" along the mill.  Keep widening it out until it's a good few few wide and the length of the mill.  A good bedding of sawdust will keep your feet warmer than just walking on the snow will, it also helps with traction after packing down the snow.  Likewise, it helps out on a hard surface by giving you a nice soft surface to walk on, and your feet will appreciate that after even a couple hours of milling. 

JimRogers gave me this tip and I've used it many times.  Of course, it may not take long before you HAVE to move some sawdust, but leave a good bed to walk on.

Here is a thread that you may find interesting.... JimRogers was kind enough to offer to come over to my house and show me and a friend some really great tips and tricks and a general class on "introduction to milling" when I was brand new in 2009.  I documented a lot of that here.  He also shows some good pics of the bucket idea as well how to cut and store/dry stickers and I believe he goes over making pallets and lumber handling as well.  I haven't read that thread in a while so I'm sure there is more than I can remember.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,40309.0/all.html
-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

Privacyleech

Great tips and suggestions. I really enjoyed the link to the LT15 post/sticker technique.
Sawed some 3/4x8x12' boards today. . . not sure what they are for but the misses asked  for them so I produced :) Ill try to get some pictures tomorrow as i worked till after dark today. . . back to the 40hr work week in the morning to pay for my new addiction!

Piston

Quote from: Dave Shepard on December 14, 2014, 03:18:35 PM
I had a bucket on my mill for a couple of cuts, but it fills up too fast. Maybe two passes, if you are lucky.

Dave,
For the size logs you mill, you would need an entire dumpster to ride along next to your mill.   :D
(I was just looking for that picture you've posted in the past, the one with an over 40' log on your mill?  That's a great pic)


This is also an excellent idea that Dave Shepard came up with.  It's a sticker jig, and makes it easy to perfectly lineup the stickers when stacking off the mill, then just lift up the whole stack with the tractor forks. 

I haven't built one yet, but it looks like it would work excellent. 


-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

AnthonyW

Quote from: reswire on December 13, 2014, 10:33:02 PM
Keep an eye on those log stops too!  They seem to inch up when you least expect. ::) ::)

Mine seem to fall down. Especially every time I get a log near the top of the loading ramps.  :D
'97 Wood-Mizer LT25 All Manual with 15HP Kohler

Magicman

 :o  And that only spells grief.   ;D
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

Dave Shepard

Piston, was this the one you were looking for? That's definitely a three bucket log. :D



 
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

YellowHammer

Privacyleech,
I just noticed we are almost neighbors, just one county over.  I even used to live in Lacey's Spring. 
I've got to ask, what's the story behind your Forum name? 
YH
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

FarmingSawyer

I've been using the bucket to catch cedar sawdust to keep it out of the pine and spruce dust I share with some farming neighbors. Too much cedar irritates their critter's eyes.
On the flip side, I have some customers for cedar sawdust now, so I empty the bucket a couple of times in to feed sacks. It takes doing, and remembering to do...so I don't think I will do it too much when I'm sawing on the road. But in my barn, it saves on a ton of clean up.
Thomas 8020, Stihl 039, Stihl 036, Homelite Super EZ, Case 385, Team of Drafts

Privacyleech

Quote from: YellowHammer on December 15, 2014, 05:11:08 PM
Privacyleech,
I just noticed we are almost neighbors, just one county over.  I even used to live in Lacey's Spring. 
I've got to ask, what's the story behind your Forum name? 
YH

YH,
I actually think I emailed you a few times before purchasing a mill. I was very close to purchasing a new LT15 (even made a down payment) when I found a deal on the LT28 for nearly the same price...double the mill for the same money. . . had to make a weekend roadtrip to NW Arkensas but it is turning out to be well worth it.

As for the forum name. . . My girlfriend and I got tired of always having to give out our email address for anything from buying groceries to getting a burger at McDonalds and then getting spam mail out the wazoo so we created email addresses to use since we felt likeour privacy was being sucked out of us. Hers is Privacyvampire and mine is Privacyleech... petty but it makes us laugh. . . kinda just stuck

Piston

Quote from: Dave Shepard on December 15, 2014, 12:56:30 PM
Piston, was this the one you were looking for? That's definitely a three bucket log. :D



 

That's the one Dave  :o :o :o
-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

Dave Shepard

I didn't need buckets there. I just blew the sawdust on the ground until there was 15 or 20 yards then used the three yard loader to scoop it up.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Piston

Quote from: Dave Shepard on December 15, 2014, 08:43:00 PM
I didn't need buckets there. I just blew the sawdust on the ground until there was 15 or 20 yards then used the three yard loader to scoop it up.

:D :D :D
-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

Gideon_70

Quote from: Dave Shepard on December 14, 2014, 03:18:35 PM
I had a bucket on my mill for a couple of cuts, but it fills up too fast. Maybe two passes, if you are lucky.

http://youtu.be/tySbzAfTzdo

I have a few pieces of coroplast corrugated plastic that I lay down.  It's slick, and when I need to get rid of the dust, I bag it and sell it.
You cannot reduce crime by disarming the victims!

YellowHammer

PL, good to have you onboard. 
YH
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

blade69001

Privacyeech I get it.
Stupidshopper@gmail.com  is the one I give out.
I check it so rarely I have to keep the password on a jumpdrive so I can remember it.
Sean P.
Just being me, But it is ok you do not have to like me.

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