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A noobie Day at the mill

Started by Dad2FourWI, April 29, 2015, 12:51:57 AM

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Dad2FourWI

Hi all,

I have to admit, I did not really want to post this... my kids insisted that I did (two are watching me type this...)

I read the posts here often and feel sooooo ... well, I would like to say "old" but many of you are older than I am and you are such amazing sawyers.... You are an inspiration to me and at the same time, I keep feeling like ... "I could NEVER do that!!!"

I have successfully "put-off"/delayed/postponed work on milling up our walls, ceilings, and floors.... of our new house/cabin... but I think I have pushed it too far... the "boss" (aka wife) is grumbling....

Well, yesterday we cut down a nice tall Red Pine about 12" dia ... and I thought that I had delayed another day when the wife and kids suggested we "mill it up...."

My first thought... PANIC!... my memory is sooo bad, I have a difficult time remembering past experiences!!!

Well... long story short... it went pretty well! Maybe this crazy idea of using our own Pine for the walls, Maple for the ceilings, and Oak for the floors is not quite so crazy....???

Some Red Pine on the running gear


 

Cutting a small log


 

... a little "dust" but much enjoyed!!!


 

Some wall boards... eventually, and some 2x and 4x material for barns, and some odds-n-ends...


 

So, if any other "noobies" are reading this... yes!, you can do it!!! If I can (eventually) figure this out, it should be a snap for you!!!

Many thanks go to all of you "senior" (not in years, but in experience) sawyers out there who answer our questions, who give us guidance, and encourage us noobies to continue on!!!

Please keep sharing!!!   :) :) :)   We do appreciate it!! ;D

Many thanks!!!,
-Dad2FourWI
LT-40, LT-10, EG-50, Bobcat T750 CTL, Ford 1910 tractor, tree farmer

Geeg

QuoteMaybe this crazy idea of using our own Pine for the walls, Maple for the ceilings, and Oak for the floors is not quite so crazy....???

Not a crazy idea at all, I plan on doing the same thing. Great job Dad2FourWI, thanks for sharing and as you mentioned thank you to all the seasoned sawyers that bring so much wisdom to the table to share with us all.
Retired Airbus 380 Captain. Timberking 2200,  Kioti RX6010PC,  Nyle Kiln KD250, Polaris WV850

Pa Pa Jack

Thanks for sharing your experiences with the rest of us newbies. I haven't built or bought a mill yet, but have the same apprehensions as you. With all the knowledge and help on this site, I see no reason to fail. Every trip begins with the first step. 

ladylake



Good job.  Try and nail that red pine up before it gets too dry as it like to twist as it dries.   Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

drobertson

Good job, should turn out to be fine, and surely wont' be the last project, ;D you are going to get your wife fired up and she'll being finding all sorts of jobs for you ;D
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,

Chuck White

Got some nice lookin' lumber out of those Red Pine.

That's the same way we haul logs around my brothers farm.
~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!

Magicman

Thank you for sharing your adventure.   8)
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

brb

Looks like a good days work and a nice pile of lumber.

Dad2FourWI

Thanks all !   :)

Yes, it was a little frightening (and I know that sounds a bit odd.... but I worry that I will forget something or mess something up!!!!) but it ended great... feeling much better about what is ahead of me!

I badly blew out my back out a while ago and we have decided on bringing in some more equipment to help us out around the farm... Up to now, we have always done things the hard way... but my boss/wife has slowly shown me to work smarter, NOT harder!

I (and the whole gang) cannot wait for the "new help" to arrive!!!  :D :D

-Dad2FourWI
LT-40, LT-10, EG-50, Bobcat T750 CTL, Ford 1910 tractor, tree farmer

beenthere

You going to leave us wondering?   ;D
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Magicman

Sounds like some "grunt" is on the way.   ;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

Dad2FourWI

OK, I admit... I am grinning like a Cheshire cat... the old Ford 1910 (circa 1985) has been a real work horse! - but it has troubles with the large stuff... it is about time to bring in the Calvary...

We have continued to limp along, and when I blew out my back my wife said enough manually moving logs on the LT-10 and the (new to me) LT-40 came home... but the logging part of the mix was pretty much still the same...

So.... we have been doing lots of "research" and have decided on "adopting" a compact track loader... a "tank" with the ability to attach lots of different tools!!!

Being a "tractor sort of guy"... the ideas "feels" a bit odd... but the more I see what these machines can do... it is amazing!

"Tank" (as my sons have named it) will be arriving soon along with a grapple, post hole auger, palette forks, and a heavy duty bucket...

Next on our list will be a stump "auger"... imagine a giant drill-bit that just grinds the stump out from the top... _much_ faster than a grinder and more efficient! We have many plantations (Red/Norway Pine) that are getting close to 60 years and are ready for the last thinning and many areas where disease has taken its toll... These areas will need to be prepared for replanting... the stumps need to be removed and at $2.5K/acre to have someone else handle this... well, I think we will be handling this ourselves! LOL!!!

I am soooo looking forward to posting pics when "tank" arrives.... (kid with a new toy syndrome!!)

I am hoping that it allows this old guy with a very bad back to continue sawing/logging/farming for as long as possible!!!!

Cheers!
-Dad2FourWI
LT-40, LT-10, EG-50, Bobcat T750 CTL, Ford 1910 tractor, tree farmer

4x4American

Congrats!  It is amazing what those little machines can do, and you can tow em with a pickup!  Don't take the skidsteer out back during mud season though, they sink easy, the track ones are much better than the wheeled ones at least.
Boy, back in my day..

beenthere

Dad2
QuoteNext on our list will be a stump "auger"... imagine a giant drill-bit that just grinds the stump out from the top..

Do you have a stump auger in mind? What brand name is available in the states?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Wallys World

Fecon makes one now. They have a video on their web site. Looks interesting, though I am use to my Rayco traditional one.
Wood-Mizer LT28G25, Wood-Mizer EG10 Edger, Wallenstein Timber Talon log loader trailer, Wallenstein GX640 wood splitter, Wallenstein WP835 Fire Wood Processor, Kubota BX 22 TLB, JD 445, JD Gator, Home made arch, Stihl 024 Super, MS251, MS311, MS440 Magnum & MS660.

Peter Drouin

Looks to me, you have a good plan. Go easy on the back  :D
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

Chuck White

Quote from: Dad2FourWI on April 30, 2015, 11:09:23 PM
OK, I admit... I am grinning like a Cheshire cat... the old Ford 1910 (circa 1985) has been a real work horse! - but it has troubles with the large stuff... it is about time to bring in the Calvary...

We have continued to limp along, and when I blew out my back my wife said enough manually moving logs on the LT-10 and the (new to me) LT-40 came home... but the logging part of the mix was pretty much still the same...

So.... we have been doing lots of "research" and have decided on "adopting" a compact track loader... a "tank" with the ability to attach lots of different tools!!!

Being a "tractor sort of guy"... the ideas "feels" a bit odd... but the more I see what these machines can do... it is amazing!

"Tank" (as my sons have named it) will be arriving soon along with a grapple, post hole auger, palette forks, and a heavy duty bucket...

Next on our list will be a stump "auger"... imagine a giant drill-bit that just grinds the stump out from the top... _much_ faster than a grinder and more efficient! We have many plantations (Red/Norway Pine) that are getting close to 60 years and are ready for the last thinning and many areas where disease has taken its toll... These areas will need to be prepared for replanting... the stumps need to be removed and at $2.5K/acre to have someone else handle this... well, I think we will be handling this ourselves! LOL!!!

I am soooo looking forward to posting pics when "tank" arrives.... (kid with a new toy syndrome!!)

I am hoping that it allows this old guy with a very bad back to continue sawing/logging/farming for as long as possible!!!!

Cheers!
-Dad2FourWI


If the trees are as old as you indicate, don't get in a hurry to replant!

After the thinning is done, you should start seeing little trees popping up.

As for the stumps, if you cut them close to the ground, the remainder of the stump will be gone within just a few years.
~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!

Dad2FourWI

Hey Beenthere,

Yes, Wally is spot on - Fecon makes one and it looks interesting but the price tag... 20K .... OUCH!!!

Caterpillar bought out the rights on something called "Stumpcat"... but they ended up taking it back to engineering and it will be a while before it is ready for prime-time.... looks very neat... but again, it sounds like it will be in the same price range!!!

Wally, do you have a link on the Rayco one? I have to admit that Fecon looks as "as slick as snail snot on a pump handle"!!!!


Hiya Chuck, (Gosh, I feel like Peppermint Patty from the Peanuts... dating myself there!)  :D :D

While I agree with you that it does not take long for Red Pine stumps to rot... that is only if they do not "graft" with their neighbors!!! Over 90% of our stumps are still solid as a rock... they are still "living" via their neighbors... a great way to increase root resources and a GREAT way to pass/transmit diseases too!!!! :(

We have some areas where the White Pine have moved in... __very nice__ ... We have had some very nice regeneration in areas of "Red Pine Pocket Decline" and now... 20 years later... I can start to see that these young vibrant trees are not feeling so well...

So it looks like we will be turning these areas over to hay for a while!!!

There is always something going on... always something to learn... :)

-Dad2FourWI
LT-40, LT-10, EG-50, Bobcat T750 CTL, Ford 1910 tractor, tree farmer

Wallys World

Look at http://www.raycomfg.com/products/stump-cutters.htmt . I have a small one, RG1625 Super Jr. I dare say it has taken out 1000 stumps. I bought it new in 2002.

  

  It uses carbide teeth, 18 of them to do the job. I now run "Greenteeth" brand, an indexable concave tooth.
Rayco makes small to very large stumpers, plus a bunch of other forestry equipment right in Ohio.
Wood-Mizer LT28G25, Wood-Mizer EG10 Edger, Wallenstein Timber Talon log loader trailer, Wallenstein GX640 wood splitter, Wallenstein WP835 Fire Wood Processor, Kubota BX 22 TLB, JD 445, JD Gator, Home made arch, Stihl 024 Super, MS251, MS311, MS440 Magnum & MS660.

Dad2FourWI

Wally,

Thanks for the extra info... I will add that into the mix as well!!!

It is a daunting task... lots of stumps!!!  >:(  >:(

-Dad2FourWI
LT-40, LT-10, EG-50, Bobcat T750 CTL, Ford 1910 tractor, tree farmer

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