Getting better with the Swinger?

[Qweaver]

I'm just not very good with the Peterson.  I'm better than I was when I first started but I'm faster and much more accurate with the Woodmizer.  I've received many hints on how to improve my sawing and tried them all,  but I'm still running behind the curve.  I know that the swinger, run properly,  can compete or beat the bandmill...but not with me running it.  But it's great that I can saw these 46" logs now.  So I love it for that. 

[Chuck White]

You'll find that things will get a little more streamlined in your operation as time goes by!

That Peterson can do stuff that the Wood-Mizer can't without a lot of work like quartering logs!

[Seaman]

Hand in there, I pick up a thing or to each time I use the swinger, but I got a LONG way to go yet. I keep hearing that we need 10,000 hours at something to be truly good at it. That's a LOT of stickers !
FRank

[sigidi]

Frank and Quinton, don't be so hard on yourself, the swinger isn't such a mysterious machine. By far and large the most important speed saving with my Lucas is log handling, if log handling can be cut down production will drastically increase.

With regard to increased production, an old guy told me you don't need to speed up the blade in the timber, you need to speed up when the blade isn't in the timber...

[Seaman]

Zactly !

[scsmith42]

Frank and Quinton, don't be so hard on yourself, the swinger isn't such a mysterious machine. By far and large the most important speed saving with my Lucas is log handling, if log handling can be cut down production will drastically increase.

With regard to increased production, an old guy told me you don't need to speed up the blade in the timber, you need to speed up when the blade isn't in the timber...

Truer words have never been spoken!

[Qweaver]

Hey Steve,  what is that beside you?  Also, do you have a slabber for your machine?  Is it practical to build one?

[scsmith42]

Hey Steve,  what is that beside you?  Also, do you have a slabber for your machine?  Is it practical to build one?

Quinton, that's Ricochet (Shea for short), our Belgian Malinois....

Oh - you might mean the slab.... it is a black oak slab 4-1/2" thick, 14' long and close to 6' across.  Here is a link to a thread about slabbing it:  https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,80427.0.html

Yes, I have a slabber that I designed and a friend of mine and I built.  I started with a spare Peterson carriage that I bought from Craig Blake years ago, and then we fabricated all of the support structure from aluminum and stainless steel.  With your fabrication background you should be able to build one fairly easily.

Scott