iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

First sawdust from the new mill

Started by btulloh, July 05, 2015, 05:11:03 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

btulloh

In between showers, storms, hotdogs, fireworks, grass cutting and all the things going on this weekend I managed to finish getting the saw set up and adjusted.  Of course it's not possible to sit around with a shiny new saw and not cut something, so I took a log from a red cedar that blew down back in the winter and made some sawdust out of it. 

The new saw works pretty well.  It needs a couple tweaks now that it's getting a little workout, but all in all it runs good.  I ended up with an 8x8 cant out of the log, which I'll either saw up or maybe use as a timber.  To be determined at this point. I'll probably just saw it up, because it's hard not to.  I've got to cut some cribbing and make a permanent base for this saw before I knock it off the blocks.  It was pretty stable with this little log but I know I'll knock it off when I'm setting a log on it or rolling a cant. 

I used a little screw jack as a toe board which actually worked out ok. It needs some refinement, but it worked better than it should have and it's better than nothing.  I smell a project coming on.

I hope everyone had a good 4th of July weekend.


  

  

 
HM126

dustyhat

Your hooked now, and saw dust is good to be hooked on :laugh:

gww

I found on my 8x10 little shed project, that it takes a lot of logs for a project and I am slow.  I like the cutting the best and the rest is hard work. 
I could not sit on an 8x8 cant if I just got my mill.  I don't have enough will power.
Have fun and congradulation.
gww

btulloh

You're absolutely right.  Even if you have a nice hydraulic mill it doesn't make felling, limbing, hauling, stacking, stickering, and all that any easier.  Getting a new mill is almost like getting a new pair of post hole diggers.  But cutting is fun.  For a while.  Slow is good though, with post hole diggers AND sawmills.  Unless you're in the business, I guess.

I'll probably get up in the morning and cut that cant up before I finish my second cup of coffee.  It's raining again or I'd probably be over there right now.  After all, it's too heavy to take the thing off the mill.
HM126

gww

b
QuoteI'll probably get up in the morning and cut that cant up before I finish my second cup of coffee.
Mine is new enough that that is how I roll also.  I am sure the excitement will wear off sooner or later.  I do believe the excitement wears off a little quicker with post hole diggers.  That was a great analogy though.
cheers
gww

Ocklawahaboy

Be very careful with those forks around your new mill.  Bending a rail would ruin your week. 
Other than that, congrats and enjoy. 

I haven't sawed nearly as many logs as most on here but each log is unique and therefore every one is a fresh exciting experience for me.

DMcCoy

Quote from: btulloh on July 05, 2015, 07:09:47 PM
You're absolutely right.  Even if you have a nice hydraulic mill it doesn't make felling, limbing, hauling, stacking, stickering, and all that any easier.  Getting a new mill is almost like getting a new pair of post hole diggers.  But cutting is fun.  For a while.  Slow is good though, with post hole diggers AND sawmills.  Unless you're in the business, I guess.

I'll probably get up in the morning and cut that cant up before I finish my second cup of coffee.  It's raining again or I'd probably be over there right now.  After all, it's too heavy to take the thing off the mill.
Oh man, you got me laughing.
Yup, 'I need a board'.  Now I need a tree.  Ok, after felling, limbing, hauling, sawing, dealing with trimmings, now I have a board.  Now I can start my project.



gww

b
Your 8x8 cant is too heavy to move.  I cut my oak to 2x12 and am done and it is still to heavy to move.  I do a lot of dragging, picking up half at a time and rolling.  I built my mill out of a weight set and I garrentee I am lifting more weights now then I ever did or would have with the stupid weight set I cut up.

I still don't seem to be trading fat for muscle but do get yelled at alot more for dragging sawdust into the house.
Cheers
gww

fishfighter

Congrats sawing your first log. For the toe board, I used a floor jack. Now if only I could get back to sawing.

btulloh

I thought about the floor jack but I can't figure out the clearance for the handle.  Seems like the rail would interfere with the handle or the mechanism.  A floor jack wood be sweet.

Just kidding out about the little red cedar cant being heavy.  Probably the lightest  thing I'll ever saw unless I throw some Paulownia on there.  And I apologize to all saw mills for comparing them to a pair of post hole diggers.

HM126

thecfarm

That looks good. Build yourself a place to stage your logs beside the mill. Have it a little higher than the mill to make rolling the logs on the mill easier,just a few inches higher is fine. I use 2 pieces of ¼" X 4" flat stock as a bridge. I suppose a piece of wood would work too. I think 4X4's would work ok,just could not put alot of logs on at one time.This way the tractor will be away from the mill. My tractor is 6 feet wide so my supposrts are just a little wider than 6 feet. The few times I sawed something shorter I just put another support in the middle.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

petefrom bearswamp

Now you have done it.
You have self inflicted with sawdustosis, an incurable disease suffered by many on this forum.
best of luck sawing
Pete
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

dboyt

I use a scissors jack for a toe board, too, with a socket wrench to turn it so it fits in the tight place available.  The advantage of a scissors jack is that it lifts straight up, and the floor jack move in an arc.  Cfarm's advice about building a log deck is right on.  It is one of the best add-ons you can put on your sawmill.  When you cut into your first log stop or clamp, you'll be a full-fledged sawyer.
Norwood MX34 Pro portable sawmill, 8N Ford, Lewis Winch

btulloh

Thanks for all the good suggestions.  I look forward to cutting into some metal soon.  Might as well get that out of the way.

I do want to add a log deck, plus I plan to build a saw shack like fishfighter's. I have to make permanent base for the saw tracks first, since the blocks aren't a good long term solution.  I think I'm going to use RR ties for the mud sills and cut some 6x6's to run in the same direction as the track.  You can't beat creosote for ground contact, and used RR ties are the only way I know get creosote now.

Just by cutting the first log I'm starting to realize how much organization it takes to make the process go smoothly.  I keep putting stuff in my way and then move it to where it will be in the way in a few minutes.  All part of the learning process I suppose, but I'm getting plenty of exercise.
HM126

fishfighter

Quote from: btulloh on July 06, 2015, 06:28:12 AM
I thought about the floor jack but I can't figure out the clearance for the handle.  Seems like the rail would interfere with the handle or the mechanism.  A floor jack wood be sweet.

Just kidding out about the little red cedar cant being heavy.  Probably the lightest  thing I'll ever saw unless I throw some Paulownia on there.  And I apologize to all saw mills for comparing them to a pair of post hole diggers.

Took a sticker, ax it down to size, about 8" long for the handle. Fits and works good. ;D Also, a couple blocks under it and one for the lift lip to close in space.

gww

Bt
I built my mill out of a weight set.  I am also unorginized.  I garrantee that I get much more exorcize now then I ever would have out of the weight set.  I have a suggestion that has been handy for me.  I keep all my junk at the end of my track in between the rails.  By junk I mean wedges to put against the log to keep it from turning when I want it to lay a certain way or while loading with a cant hook.  A block of wood when I want to move only one side of the log side ways, I will use the block to keep the other side from moving also.  I use wood stakes on my mill as log rest or to turn the log against.  I keep differrent lenght ones.  Lastly, the one thing that has been most handy is just a long (about 5 foot) 2x4 cut down to fit my slots on the side that I put the log up against with stakes inserted in them.  I find this long board is great for sliding and prying the log all over the place.  I can slide one end or the other.  Pry on the ground at the end and on the smaller ones slide the log forward.  Use it when loading in the slot on the oposite side to keep the log from rolling on and then off the mill.  Who would have thought that just a long board that fits your hand would be so handy.  I also use a bottle jack at the end to raise one end or the other of the log during sawing.
Have fun
gww

btulloh

Good stuff to factor in to my learning process.  Thanks. 

The junk seems to grow pretty quickly.  I like your list of junk.  Sounds like junk that I need to keep handy. 

Just put another log on, but got rained out.  Second log from a freshly cut SL pine.  It's not a trophy size - about 15" at the small end.  Lot's of pitch.  I got some old gloves to use for this one.

(I promise not to report or show every log I saw, unless they're trophies.) 



 
HM126

btulloh

In case somebody new like me reads this -

My tractor has a 4in1 bucket so it's not a simple thing to stick forks on it.  I've been using forks on the back of the tractor and despite all the limitations, they work pretty well.  Much better than I expected.  Much better than nothing.  Hope this helps someone.
HM126

deadfall

I think all these mills should feature a strong 20 year old lad, programmed to work on voice command.  Blame the engineers.

My tractors have quick release loaders, both stock and after-market (another addiction).  I built log forks with the tines 75 inches on center.  Works great for logs and lumber.  Great for bucking firewood too, as I can't do much of that bent over a log on the ground.
W-M LT40HD -- Siding Attachment -- Lathe-Mizer -- Ancient PTO Buzz Saw

============================

Happy for no reason.

btulloh

I guess I need a new tractor.  I'd sure like to be able use quick-release attachments.

Over the course of the week I managed to find a little time to spend with the mill and actually made some lumber. I started sawing up a syp I cut down a couple weeks ago into some framing lumber.  The first two items to build are a saw shed like fishfighter's and small hunting cabin.  The hunting cabin is actually going to be right at the mill site.  (It's impossible to get out my house and into the woods in the morning 'cause every deer in the county can see me leave the house and walk across the field.)

Many thanks to all the posters like magicman and the others for the thread about framing lumber.  Even with all that information it's a little challenging to make framing lumber the right size and uniform when starting out sawing.  I came pretty close on both of those and I'll call that a win.  With improvement coming as a I get some experience.  I ended up with usable stuff. 

I expected more trouble with this first pine log since it came from a leaner, had an off-center pith and a few waves here and there, but it gave me less trouble than it should have.  Once again - thanks for all the good info that's been posted here.  It really helped me avoid some problems.

For what it's worth - using Pinesol and water in the tank worked fine and the blade stayed clean.  This was a really pitchy pine (it even clogged up my nose wheel when I felled it) and the pinesol mixture kept my blade completely clean.  Maybe dawn or cascade would have worked just as well, but I guess I'm gonna stick with pinesol. 

A final note - deadfall, I didn't see a strong, twenty year old lad in the crate, but I like the concept.  I feel like I've been using a pair of posthole diggers.
HM126

deadfall

Here's a closeup of my log forks.   I had to notch the back of a couple of the fork frame uprights for the after market quick attaches on my Cub Cadets, as they differed from the stocker on the LS and wouldn't fit.  The after market QAs cost over $700 each.  I have the fork tines in upside down because I bent them on a huge log that I probably shouldn't have messed with (but it's lumber now, eh?).  I thought I had enough steel in the short end of the tines, but mild steel is mild steel I guess. 


Back of frame during build:



Fork tine build detail:





W-M LT40HD -- Siding Attachment -- Lathe-Mizer -- Ancient PTO Buzz Saw

============================

Happy for no reason.

Gideon_70

I may be wrong, but it looks like your deck is a little catty-wampus.  If it is, then your boards are going to be a little off.
You cannot reduce crime by disarming the victims!

btulloh

Deck's fine - the ground is catty-wampus though .  This setup is temporary until I can cut some 6x6's to use to set the saw up better and add the extension rails.

FYI to new guys like me - a box of new blades when banded together have a surprising amount of energy stored up.  When I cut the bands on the bundle I was prepared for some excitement, but I got a lot more than expected when I cut the last band off the blades.  I was in a safe position, but next time I'll find a way to release the tension in more controlled way.

Even though I'm used to coiling and uncoiling blades, these are bigger and thicker than what I've worked with up to this point.  I need to study up on the subject in the knowledge base of this forum.  My uncoiling technique needs a little improvement.  Lot's of good stuff in the knowledge base - if you harvest it.
HM126

btulloh

Deadfall, you do some nice fabrication.  I wish you lived down the street from me.
HM126

thecfarm

Just so others will know,go to EXTRAS,Same line as HOME,HELP is on,a drop down menu will appear,click on to Knowledge Base,go to Milling Bandmills,you should find uncoiling-coiling a blade.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Thank You Sponsors!