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Does bark daul blades?

Started by Kingmt, November 05, 2015, 07:38:26 PM

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Kingmt

I put one of my new blades on my saw & cut a few Virginia Pines and then started cutting Oak. I cut several & pretty happy with how long it lasted when I started cutting the pine again & has to change blades. However I only got a few more logs cut when I had to change again. I trailered all of these kids in & washed any dirt I found in them off. I did skin the bark of the last log I cut after switching blades & I think it sawed much easier but it might have just been the brand new blades. I know the last blade didn't cut that easy to start with tho.

I'm using Kasco 4° blades.

This shining bark is a great deal of work if it has to be done for every one of the logs.
Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

customsawyer

One of the things some people don't think about is how much the rain has washed sand into the bark of a pine over the years. Most debarkers won't cut deep enough to remove it all. Fresh pine is a blessing and a curse.
Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

tmarch

Most likely the logs have been drug thru the dirt and it was embedded in the bark.  Pressure washing will get rid of most of it, but not all.  Debarking is a pain, but most often the best solution.
Retired to the ranch, saw, and sell solar pumps.

4x4American

I can see your southern accent in your spelling  :)


It doesn't take much to dull a blade when it's spinning as fast as it is.
Boy, back in my day..

Kingmt

I cut & hauled these. They weren't pulled through the dirt. The only dirt was from tree being fell & where it was laying on the ground.

Not saying dirt doesn't blow for four the most part we don't have sandy soil. Something killed a blade fast tho unless it wasn't any good to start with.

I cut with the first blade first about two weeks ago so I don't really remember how it cut to start with. I mostly cut Oak with it. Then I cut a pine that it cut straight but seemed daul so I changed & it cut better but didn't seem that great. That was yesterday evening. I cut a few more today & it just got worse fast till it was making really wavy junk. I put on another new blades & debarked the log & it cut like hot butter.

If this is how pine has to be sawed I don't think I want anymore.
Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

Kingmt

Quote from: 4x4American on November 05, 2015, 07:57:59 PM
I can see your southern accent in your spelling  :)


It doesn't take much to dull a blade when it's spinning as fast as it is.

I'm sorry for misspelled words but I had a learning disability growing up that I never could spell & have a hard time with using English correctly. The rules that almost always are an exception confuse me.

I do well with math tho since it is a constant.
Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

barbender

  I don't think 4X4 was trying to insult ya', we just like to have fun poking at regional differences on here  ;) A tree has lots of sand and grit in the bark before it is ever felled and transported to your mill. Saw until dark sometime and watch the sparks fly, off of clean logs.
Too many irons in the fire

dgdrls

Yes it does and some bark is worse than other.
Debarker, strip the bark or saw your logs to minimize sawing
the bark on the leading edge seems to help.

Dan

Magicman

Quote from: 4x4American on November 05, 2015, 07:57:59 PM
I can see your southern accent in your spelling  :) 
That was a rude remark, and quite unnecessary.
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

Ga Mtn Man

4x4 has southern roots so I think we should give him a pass.  I'm sure it wasn't intended to be rude  :)
"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.

Kingmt

No insult was taken guys. Just trying to help explain why I have misspelled words. I'm just hear for the knowledge. ;)
Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

sandsawmill14

well you have come to the best place on the net for information :)
hudson 228, lucky knuckleboom,stihl 038 064 441 magnum

4x4American

I meant it as a good thing, listening to a southern accent is like music to my ears!  I didn't mean to offend anyone.  And that's right, thank you, Paul, my father's side is from GA, and I'ma tell you, any time I visit or talk with any aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents from his side, they always make sure to inform me that I'm a yankee!  It's all in good fun.  I also had (well still have lol) a learning disability, pretty good at spelling, really slow at math.  Not knockin ya cause you spelt something wrong.  Lynn you've corrected me multiple times before!  My granma, we called her Lallah, always corrected me, nothing wrong with it, I'd rather know the proper way for next time anyhow.


smiley_fiddler
Boy, back in my day..

4x4American

If you're sounding out "dull" in a southern accent, op had it spelt right anyway! 
As a guide for us Yanks:
Oil = all
Soil = sawl
Boy, back in my day..

Magicman

All is OK, but the remark caused a member to feel the need to defend his grammar use which prompted my response. 
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

Kingmt

It's really OK

But it might help pointing out which word next time. 😉 I just now figured out which word ya'll were takin about. (Yes the last sentence was for you 4x4American) 😀

Auto correct helps me out but sometimes it can't even figure out what I'm trying to say. 😕
Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

dustyhat

To the bark ? yes some bark could and i believe shag or scaly bark hickory would and dos in my opinion . but its just hard to get all the dirt and mud off of  logs sometimes.

Cazzhrdwd

Anyone got a good suggestion on a bought or homemade debarker?
96 Woodmizer LT40Super  Woodmizer 5 head moulder

Magicman

I regularly intentionally misspell words and overuse punctuation to emphasize because the written word sometimes has no feeling.  I am also glad that Jeff provided a host of emoticons to add personality and express feelings. 

Back to the topic, yes, sawing bark will dull blades.  My Debarker is a great help clearing a path for the blade when sawing logs, but it is of little use when edging flitches.  I find myself sometimes sawing through what I avoided the first time.  Tough, but dat is sawin'.   ;D  :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

Kingmt

Quote from: dustyhat on November 05, 2015, 09:41:26 PM
To the bark ? yes some bark could and i believe shag or scaly bark hickory would and dos in my opinion . but its just hard to get all the dirt and mud off of  logs sometimes.
Sorry I quoted the wrong person.
Quote from: Cazzhrdwd on November 05, 2015, 09:45:11 PM
Anyone got a good suggestion on a bought or homemade debarker?
I was at the metal yard the other day. This was the new metal yard but they bring over stuff they took in as scrap at the other yard when they think they can resale it. Anyhow I found a tool to debark with. I don't know what it is called but it kinda looks like a spoon with a knife edge on the edge. It should have a handle something like a rake but it was missing & I haven't made one yet.
Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

Magicman

Quote from: Cazzhrdwd on November 05, 2015, 09:45:11 PMAnyone got a good suggestion on a bought or homemade debarker?


 
I regularly use these in addition to the sawmill Debarker.  I will mention that there is a huge difference between a new/sharp Debarker blade and a dull blade.  They dull slowly & gradually so the difference is not noticeable until the teeth are rounded over.  Wow, what a difference when you install a new/sharp blade. 
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

Cazzhrdwd

Good point about the blade on the debarker.

I was thinking of a chainsaw debarker, any thoughts on those? I hate to dedicate a chaisaw to one but they seem to work well.
96 Woodmizer LT40Super  Woodmizer 5 head moulder

4x4American

Quote from: Kingmt on November 05, 2015, 09:59:34 PM
Quote from: dustyhat on November 05, 2015, 09:41:26 PM
To the bark ? yes some bark could and i believe shag or scaly bark hickory would and dos in my opinion . but its just hard to get all the dirt and mud off of  logs sometimes.
I was at the metal yard the other day. This was the new metal yard but they bring over stuff they took in as scrap at the other yard when they think they can resale it. Anyhow I found a tool to debark with. I don't know what it is called but it kinda looks like a spoon with a knife edge on the edge. It should have a handle something like a rake but it was missing & I haven't made one yet.




It's called a bark spud
Boy, back in my day..

SAnVA

Virginia pine or field pine has some terrible knots in it that will make a good blade dive, use the same blade on another species and it might cut fine!

Kingmt

Quote from: SAnVA on November 05, 2015, 10:24:12 PM
Virginia pine or field pine has some terrible knots in it that will make a good blade dive, use the same blade on another species and it might cut fine!
I know what you mean. I've seen this already but I've been saying a few. The one blade is definitely shot. It was even cutting slow through the soft stuff.
Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

Ox

I've noticed trees with deeper and rougher bark dulls a blade quicker.  Gnarly old black locust is pretty rough stuff and the older the tree the deeper the furrows in the bark.  Real fibrous bark but I think it's filled with grit.  Not to mention the harder,  tougher wood.  As was mentioned before, the only real solution is to remove the bark where the blade needs to be.  I don't and probably never will because the time I'm allowed to do anything physical is dwindling quickly these days.  Pressure washing will help with logs that have been skidded, no doubt, but pressure washing "clean" logs is likely a waste of time and money.  I truly believe that all trees have some grit in them.  Bark, wood, whatever.  Grit.  As sure as taxes.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

Stuart Caruk

I've been weighing this for a while, since I have 3 or 4 friends with Woodmizer mills that tell me a debarker is a waste of time, effort and money.

I do machining and fabrication work for a few real sawmills (guys that produce 160,000 BF a day) and oddly, one of the first steps for them is to debark every log that comes into the mill, well before it sees a sawblade. I figure they might be on to soemthing.

So I've sawed without my debarker and with it. On really big logs it actually gets in the way, but then those logs are technically to big for my little mill anyway. ON the bread and butter logs it works great and I can get probably 3x the life from a blade before it starts to make marks in the lumber, telling me it's time to change the blade.

Interestingly, these guys say I don't need to use saw lube either, but I sure get a better cut without it, and I rarely have a blade take off and dive into a log ruining it. I've learned that for big beams, I'm way better off to use saw lube, as I get a better cut and much less chance of ruining the beam. ON boards and batts, I typically run dry because it's less effort to clean up the mess.
Stuart Caruk
Wood-Mizer LX450 Diesel w/ debarker and home brewed extension, live log deck and outfeed rolls. Woodmizer twin blade edger, Barko 450 log loader, Clark 666 Grapple Skidder w/ 200' of mainline. Bobcats and forklifts.

bkaimwood

Dgdrls and dustyhat hit the nail on the head...bark definitely dulls blades quicker...shaggy and hardwood bark the most noted as mentioned, as well as a few I'm sure I haven't run into. Interesting and appreciated debarker wheel comment Magicman... I never really noted the decline in my debarker wheel performance, until on day I tried debarking my log clamp...didn't work, knocked all the teeth off it...I put a new one on after receiving it overnight, and immediately noted the noodles, chunks, and garbage being slung off by it, something that obviously had gradually disappeared from the old one, me not noticing.. As your you guys debarking logs...my hats off to you!!! I can believe, being the time consuming, labor intensive job that it is, that debarking logs in even close to cost effective. To me, its much more cost effective to just saw the log, and change and resharpen the blade twice as often, or however more frequently the situation calls for. Big mills and productions, with big machine debarker rigs, a different story...in many of these cases, the bark ends up being a sellable product as well. I only debark logs when its bout falling off, and takes less than a minute or so...
bk

Chuck White

It would be called a debarking spud!

EBAY LINKS NOT ALLOWED. PLEASE REVIEW FORUM RULES

I like the one shown here with the blade shaped like a spoon with a hook on it!

This one is on ebay now for $9.99 and it's a deal, I've seen them for $45.00, plus the fact they don't make them anymore
~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!

Kbeitz

Quote from: Chuck White on November 06, 2015, 06:47:44 AM
It would be called a debarking spud!
EBAY LINKS NOT ALLOWED. PLEASE REVIEW FORUM RULES
I like the one shown here with the blade shaped like a spoon with a hook on it!

This one is on ebay now for $9.99 and it's a deal, I've seen them for $45.00, plus the fact they don't make them anymore

No nuy it now.... Auction only...  It will bring around 30-45 $$$ at the end.... Been watching...
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

drobertson

I would have to put shagbark  hickory bark at the top of the list, but as a few have mentioned many times it's what is hiding just inside the bark that does the damage, blow overs and dozed timber has its fare share of the hidden little pebbles coming off the root ball.
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,

ScottInCabot

I have a pressure washer, but I only use it at the house.  Haven't figured out a way to carry enough clean water to a site to use it....  I've had 'farm ponds' at sites, but I don't want to suck up a bunch of leaves or worse and then have to rebuild the pump.


I've found those Eastern Red Cedars to be the hardest on my bands....with pine being a really close second.  Oaks, Maples, and Elms are all about equal.

BTW, I use 7* WM bands




Scott in Cabot
Timber framing RULES!

Magicman

Quote from: ScottInCabot on November 06, 2015, 08:00:33 AMI've found those Eastern Red Cedars to be the hardest on my bands....
ERC contains silica, so it is not just the bark, but the wood itself.  Yes, it takes more blades to saw ERC than any other species that I saw.
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

Kingmt

I guess I got a deal at $2 then.
Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

Chuck White

Sometimes we get lucky!  ;)

My Brother gave me one some time ago, then I found one on a restaraunt wall as a decoration and I asked if it was for sale, got it for $20.00, then looking through a junk/antique store, I found one that was all rusted up and no handle for $8.00.   ;D

So, I'm all set!  8)
~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!

Bruno of NH

I remove bark if I can with out to much time spent .
My bands last much longer .
Pine has lots of grit in the bark I find .
Jim/Bruno
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

deadfall

Thirty five years ago, every tree around here got its share of Mount St. Hellens ash.  Not bad on most species, but I am pretty sure its in the Douglas fir bark.  The oldest bark is on the outside of the tree. I always liked that idea.  When I see an old growth giant, I think, that thick place between the furrows has been seeing these woods for over five hundred years. Seen that Indian track that deer.  Remembers what the forest was like the last time the Cascadia Subduction Fault moved. Still has a few earlier eruptions' ash in there somewhere. 
W-M LT40HD -- Siding Attachment -- Lathe-Mizer -- Ancient PTO Buzz Saw

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

Happy for no reason.

4x4American

Hud-son I believe makes a debarker attachment for a chainsaw.  Any of you have any experience with it?
Boy, back in my day..

Magicman

The Log Wizard Debarking Tool has been around for a while with marginal success.  There are demo videos on YouTube, but they mostly show debarking an already debarked log.  The Log Wizard website doesn't seem to be working very well, for me anyway.
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

boscojmb

Quote from: 4x4American on November 06, 2015, 06:49:11 PM
Hud-son I believe makes a debarker attachment for a chainsaw.  Any of you have any experience with it?

I have peeled logs for several log cabins with a Log Wizzard.

Even though it's light weight aluminum, it makes the chainsaw feel very heavy and unbalanced.
While using it it vibrates, chatters, and jumps all over the place.

It does work well, especially on frozen logs. It's just rough on the operator.
John B.

Log-Master LM4

4x4American

So does it use a special chain or can you use a over length regular chain so you can still cut wood?  Or do you have to dedicate a saw to it?

Boy, back in my day..

boscojmb

Quote from: 4x4American on November 06, 2015, 08:35:06 PM
So does it use a special chain or can you use a over length regular chain so you can still cut wood?  Or do you have to dedicate a saw to it?

It uses an over length regular chain and does not require a dedicated saw.
You will need to dedicate a bar to it. It needs a hard nose bar (you can remove the sprocket from a modern bar) with two mounting holes drilled in it.

Here is a Youtube video of it. This guy makes it look easier than it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDGgFyBKNLo
John B.

Log-Master LM4

Magicman

This YouTube video shows what appears to be a longer chain:  Log Wizard
To me it looks more like a smoothing tool than something that would dig into rough bark, plus rocks and grit would do a number on those planer blades.   :-\
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

boscojmb

Quote from: Magicman on November 06, 2015, 09:22:53 PM
This YouTube video shows what appears to be a longer chain:  Log Wizard
To me it looks more like a smoothing tool than something that would dig into rough bark, plus rocks and grit would do a number on those planer blades.   :-\

Yes, as I mentioned it does use a longer chain.

It is not a smoothing tool. If anything the logs come out kinda rough. If the logs are to be used for a log cabin, it is sometimes necessary to touch up the logs with a draw knife to smooth them.  :) :) :)

Proper adjustment of the blades is critical. The key is to have the blades retracted as far as possible and still remove the bark. If the blades are set too aggressive, bark comes of in 12" strips and jambs between the cutter head and housing, or turns in to flying projectiles.

I was able to peel an entire cabin kit on one set of planer blades. The blades are standard 5-1/2" available at the big box home improvement stores for about $5.

Some of the log cabins that I have peeled the logs with a log wizzard




Peeled frozen. No touch up with a draw knife.




The log wizard is a very productive tool, and my least favorite tool to operate
John B.

Log-Master LM4

red

Debarking hardwood logs is much different from peeling logs
Honor the Fallen Thank the Living

4x4American

Imagine using the Log Wizard in conjunction with the Lathe-Mizer.  Speaking of which I've never seen one of them in real life. 
Boy, back in my day..

Kingmt

Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

Magicman

Depends upon what you are planning to do.  If it is dirty logs that you plan to sawmill, then I do not think so unless your labor has no value.
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

Kingmt

I've been debarking every log since I out the last blade in. It does cut better but it really sucks to debark.
Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

Ox

There are wheels you can buy for angle grinders that either have a planer like blade on a solid disc or a wheel with chainsaw type teeth around it.  I would do it this way if electric power is available.  I can see a homemade, mounted debarker for a sawmill using the toothed wheel.  A couple pivoting arms and a spring and it should work decently.  Power cord being in the way would be problematic though.  Would need a cable overhead so the cord can slide back and forth.  Or just let it snake across the ground and keep moving it.
K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without
1989 GMC 3500 4x4 diesel dump and plow truck, 1964 Oliver 1600 Industrial with Parsons loader and backhoe, 1986 Zetor 5211, Cat's Claw sharpener, single tooth setter, homemade Linn Lumber 1900 style mill, old tools

boscojmb

Quote from: Magicman on November 06, 2015, 10:57:01 PM
Depends upon what you are planning to do.  If it is dirty logs that you plan to sawmill, then I do not think so unless your labor has no value.

MM Hit the nail on the head with this one.

The Log Wizard is a viable option for one super special log, or when peeling logs for a log cabin build.

It is not an option to peel saw logs in order to extend blade life.

You can peel a good sized log in about 10 minutes, but you would be lucky to peel more than a dozen in a day without a trip to the ER.




John B.

Log-Master LM4

Ljohnsaw

So I looked up the debarking spuds on eBay.  Curious shape and fairly large.  Are they pretty heavy?   I take it you use the rounded backside down so you get some leverage to lift/pry the bark.  What's the deal with the hook on the end?  Are you supposed to be able to snag the bark and pull it off?

I picked up what I think is a new(er) potato spade for a few bucks at Goodwill.  It is a four tine "pitch fork" like tool, about 4' long with a D handle.  The tines are very stout.  It seems to work pretty well for me but if the tines had a little bend near the end, it would probably work a little easier (more leverage).
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

Kingmt

Mine is a thin metal. I actually use it turned both ways. Most of the time convex side up & running it along the edge of the last pass to cut the bark lose. I turn it over to cut around the knots. It is basicly a knife blade that I'm cutting the bark off with instead of plowing it.

This is my first time using one so there may be a better way but so far this seems to be the best way.

The ones I've seen on eBay look like they are heavy cast so they may be better used in a different manner.
Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

isawlogs

 Having a Log Wizard and using one I can judge it as being a usefull tool for those that don't have a debarker set up on there mills. Having a debarker on a mill is probably the best option one could have, but not the only option out there.
The log Wizard works well with certain types of bark, cedar being the worst one can try to use ot on as it is a stringy bark and will jam the drum and get you to come up with new words in your vocabulary.
I cut a blade and put my Log Wizard on a 034, I had it on a small Poulin it did not like it at all, it killed the saw in no time, not enough speed and humph to keep the blades rotating while working it...
  It works super well in White and Red Pine, where the bark can hold mud deep in its crevisses where even the on mill debarkers cannot reach... then they use all those hand tools to get to the mud  ;) I much rather use the Log Wizard and get the job done quicker.
  I get frozen logs up here.... frozen mud is a grinder to a blade, the debarkers on the mill don't cut far enough into the log to make it a valuable asset to me, it would be good on brich and beech, or thin bark, but those are never an issue, big pine butt logs is where I need the depth that they don't have, next best thing is a power debarker as in the Log Wizard or similar. There is also a debarker that we used in the mill yard that went on a saw that would cut an 1 1/2"pass for the saw in the bucking yard, don't recall where these came out of.. long time ago
  Hand pealing frozen logs gets old real quick....  >:( :-\     ;)
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

mesquite buckeye

Don't forget that lots of kinds of bark are just hard even without the grit and will dull a blade faster than wood. Any wood that has hard gum pockets like mesquite will kill blades. Sometimes one pass is enough to do one in. :(
Manage 80 acre tree farm in central Missouri and Mesquite timber and about a gozillion saguaros in Arizona.

isawlogs

    See I would not know of this as I don't have that here. I have lots of pine that some love to drag out and we have sandy soils where pine trees grow, great combination, thick bark and sandy soils....  ;) :)
A man does not always grow wise as he grows old , but he always grows old as he grows wise .

   Marcel

Kingmt

These were pine that the blade was dull after the first cut. My wife & I started taking the bark off & the blades cut so much better. I haven't tried sawing anymore bark since then but it sure is a bunch of work to remove it by hand. I don't have a quota to make so we have been putting in the work but it sure isn't fun work. Not for me anyways.
Sawmill=Harbor Freight Item#62366
Chainsaws=MS180CBE(14"), MS290(18"), MS038(20"), MS660(20" & 36")
Staff=1Wife & 5 Kids :)
Please excuse my typing. I don't do well at catching auto correct.

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