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Identifying bottlenecks

Started by Brad_bb, May 17, 2016, 06:58:29 PM

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WV Sawmiller

   I'm interested in that cant storage. I don't have the support equipment to handle them or would try it.

    Do you sticker stack the cants or flat stack them? I'd think if they were flat stacked they would not check too bad. Do you store by species or just by length? How about marking - do you crayon mark the ends with species and original cut date? Do you seal the ends with anchorseal or such? I'd think if you want to use a cheat sheet with a predetermined start point to end on your final mark you could trim 3 sides to eliminate one future trim cut. (I've just recently started that procedure after reading several contributors here and I am liking that tip.)
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Magicman

Without stickers they could surely mildew.
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

Brad_bb

WV Sawmiller, I use stickers that are two 2x4 4footers screwed together.   Makes it easy to get the forks under the layer.    It is very easy to identify the species just by sight. Walnut, Ash, oak, cherry are pretty easy to identify. I store them in my shed(Morton building gravel floor pile barn)  so they are not out in the sun greying or anything like that.  I do not date them, as I will likely be cutting them to size within a month. My only concern, is if the outside of the camp starts to dry a little bit creating tension in the outside woid.   I'm wondering when I go to cut outside boards away if they will curl up or cup quickly? We will find out. Again, the Timbers or what I'm really after,  The boards are a byproduct for me.  I have not sold anything yet as I use most of the wood for me.
The ends of the logs are sealed with anchor seal when they come into my yard. I just remembered though, I do need to go out and fog the cants with Timbor.
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

Brad_bb

I was just re-reading this thread and can add some info.   Storing Cants Is not a good idea I've found. As MM said, you get checks that you don't want for boards.  It's better to cut to the actual size for use than to cut the largest cant.  The smaller it is, the better it will dry.  If cut to a board it will have less chance of checking.  The same is sometimes true of logs.  I had a good size walnut log that saw in my barn for a long time.  It checked and when I cut it up for 4x8 brace stock, some of the sticks were junk due to a big check running through.  On the other hand , Ash that has dried on the stump seems to often stay pretty tight.  Cherry I'd prefer to cut as soon as possible.  I've decided that cant storage is not preferable.  I do cut all my timbers oversize by 1/2"  because I'm going to come back and plane them.  I cut Ash timbers 1/4" oversize because they are already down in moisture content and won't move as much and I can usually get away with 1/4 inch over size in each direction.
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

bandmiller2

An edger with a manual mill is a "nice to have" item but really not worth the investment. If you have a paid helper standing around picking his nose wile you edge on the mill an edger will pay. Small time sawmilling is a hot, heavy, hard job some unpleasantness we can't avoid. Just suck it up and do it the least aggravating way for your operation. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

red

Can't storage is not a good idea. But when you run out of storage space for incoming logs. I have cut two sides making all low grade logs 12 inch . Instead of just having firewood logs. Having a uniform height makes stacking and storing much easier.
Honor the Fallen Thank the Living

Brad_bb

Well I'm ready to try a track saw for edging.  I think I want the festool, but which one, the 55 or the 75?  Probably 90 percent of my cuts will be on 5/4 stock or less, which would suit the model 55.  But....the 75 would be able to rip glue edges on upt to 3" slabs.  So the question is, Do you do the smaller saw making 90 percent of the cuts easier(smaller saw, 3lbs lighter), or the bigger saw to do every thing?

I also have been working with a lot of oak barnwood for window and other trim work.  After de-nailing and cleaning you typically rip one edge, and barn wood is seldom straight.  We were doing this all on a portable contractor table saw.  If you've tried to rip long boards on a saw like this, you know it takes two guys to keep the board feeding straight and is still awkward to do.  So I also want to try the track saw for this stuff too.



 


 


 
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

D6c

Brad,
I don't know if it would help you out or not, but I have a leftover toe board jack I made for my LT40.  It's made from a small trailer jack that's mounted upside down on a track that allows it to slide back and forth.  Swings up out of the way for transport.  Since I'm converting to hydraulic it's just a leftover piece of iron.  If you think you could use it, it can be had for the price of the postage.



  

 




Alligator

Esterer Sash Gang is a  Money Machine

mstahl

Edging flitches on the sawmill was so frustrating and slow that it just about made me quit milling. However, I mill for a living so a solution to that bottleneck had to be found. Several years ago I bit the bullet and purchased a double blade edger and have been so happy with the results that I could never imagine using anything else. The boards are much truer than anything the sawmill could edge and the speed is incredible. My customers are so happy with the product that now I pretty much edge all boards up to 2" thick.

As far as $$ per hour of product produced, I figure that with a helper off-bearing and stacking I can run a board thru every 30 seconds or so resulting in $400-$800 worth of finished boards per hour from the slabs that otherwise have very little sales value. This machine paid itself off in less than a year with the only additional operating expenses being fuel, oil, filters and one set of blades in over 400 hours.

Of course the problem with bottlenecks is that when you solve one the next one pops up downstream. So now my bottleneck is trimming the boards to finished length. Anyone have any ideas for that?

Brad_bb

Thanks D6c,
I bought a manual toe board for an LT25 to retrofit on my LT15.  I started the install but drilled one hole off and have to fix it.

Does anyone edge with a track saw?
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

paul case

I have an edger and have had a few. I really like using one vs using the mill to edge boards. I think the track saw idea would be too slow, way slower than say a wm single blade edger. Without lasers and after a little practice your off bearer can keep up with your flitches and it wouldn't take long to get the hang of it.

just my $.02 worth.
PC
life is too short to be too serious. (some idiot)
2013 LT40SHE25 and Riehl edger,  WM 94 LT40 hd E15. Cut my sawing ''teeth'' on an EZ Boardwalk
sawing oak.hickory,ERC,walnut and almost anything else that shows up.
Don't get phylosophical with me. you will loose me for sure.
pc

jcbrotz

Quote from: Brad_bb on October 08, 2017, 08:24:27 PM
Thanks D6c,
I bought a manual toe board for an LT25 to retrofit on my LT15.  I started the install but drilled one hole off and have to fix it.

Does anyone edge with a track saw?

I have the 75 festool tracksaw great saw, edging with one would be the last thing I would want to do with one, but it is a wonderful addition to a woodshop.
2004 woodmizer lt40hd 33hp kubota, Cat 262B skidsteer and way to many tractors to list. www.Brotzmanswoodworks.com and www.Brotzmanscenturyfarm.com

YellowHammer

Quote from: jcbrotz on October 09, 2017, 05:44:50 AM
Quote from: Brad_bb on October 08, 2017, 08:24:27 PM
Thanks D6c,
I bought a manual toe board for an LT25 to retrofit on my LT15.  I started the install but drilled one hole off and have to fix it.

Does anyone edge with a track saw?

I have the 75 festool tracksaw great saw, edging with one would be the last thing I would want to do with one, but it is a wonderful addition to a woodshop.
I agree, it's a great tool but its best use is for precision, jointer quality edges, not any kind of mass production. 
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

Brucer

Quote from: mstahl on October 08, 2017, 08:18:02 PM

Of course the problem with bottlenecks is that when you solve one the next one pops up downstream. So now my bottleneck is trimming the boards to finished length. Anyone have any ideas for that?


It could also pop up upstream ;D.

For trimming I used a DeWalt chop saw -- one that swings down, not a slider. I built a small shed for it , 4'x5', open on both sides, with 16' feed tables out both sides. I mounted rollers on the feed tables and put stops on the outfeed (left) side. Stops were located at standard distances from the saw blade and could swing up above the rollers when needed. I could also clamp a stop anywhere on the outfeed table for non-standard sizes.

In operation, I would stack trimmed boards next to the infeed table, sorted by length. When trimming I would lift a board onto the infeed, roll the end under the saw, and cut it square. Then I'd roll it along until it hit the stop (which I'd preset) and trim the other end square. Trimmed pieces were piled on 8x8's and when I was done, I could move the whole works to the drying stacks with the FEL.

I kept a simple wooden bin behind and to one side of the chop saw shed. When I trimmed a board I could just fling the trimmed piece over my shoulder and it would land in the bin. Bin was designed so it could be picked up with the FEL.

Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

bandmiller2

I mill alone on my bandmill. Boards that need edging are put on close sawhorses and clamped to cants on the mill. In other words if I have a cant that will get an 8" cut I clamp  boards that needs an 8" cut. Sounds complicated, but not really, you edge as you go. Frank C.
A man armed with common sense is packing a big piece

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