Getting to a desired cant size

[Florida boy]

I just bought a mill and have sawn two logs so far. It's a manual Cooks mp32. The first log was half rotten and small. The second log that I put on today after work was 14" diameter and 12' long. I opened the first face up to about a 4" flat and the cut a 4/4 board. That gave me a 7-8" face on the small end. I then flipped 180* makeing sure it was flat on bunks with no debris.
  Cut another 4" face then 4/4 board. Then took a shim cut to 10" on  the regular ruler. Then flip the "cant"  90* an cut just under bark. Always making sure to be square with bunks with no debris. From there  I cut straight down the 4/4 scale. I always tried to make the cuts line up on the 4/4 scale some where. Ended up with a piece about 3/4 to 1"  with bark still on on the bottom.
I got 3 flitches that turned into 2 1×6's and a 1×4 and 8 1×10's. I feel like I could have gotten another board out of that bottom flitch. Am I going about this in the right manner? Is this how most you guys go about  opening up a log for a desired cant and board size? I'm just a young guy who just started and will probably have lots more questions for everyone.

[sandsawmill14]

first determine what size cant/lumber you want then take off slab and however many flitches it takes to get the face you want i find it easier to just turn 90*  then do the same on 2nd side then turn flat side down and count up in 1 1/4" increments from what the cant size will be whether the cant is 10" or 1" doesnt matter then do the same on the 4th side and with a little practice it will work out without a shim cut  counting by 1 1/4" will give you 1 1/8" lumber which is standard for 4/4 ( 1" ) lumber 

if you turn 180* after the first cut it works the same you just have to do the math when the flat side is down on the mill bunks or you will end up with a shim cut or a scrap board    good luck

[bandmiller2]

FB, you done good, each of us has our own style. Go slow for a wile look before each cut and work smart not hard. Myself I slab so my first board is 6" turn 90 then cut until I get a square edge flip and figure from there. My mill is stationary and level when I turn 90 I use a carpenters level to get my right angle. Speed will come on its own schedule. Frank C.

[Okrafarmer]

Basically you're going about it the right way-- that is, using your head.  You will make a few "mistakes" as you learn, so don't kick yourself too bad if you waste a board here and there-- some of us who've been doing it a while still mess up from time to time. The important thing is to work it out and use all the factors at your disposal to come up with a system (or systems) that work well for you and your mill. I came up with a number of different strategies for the two mills I used. The more you do it, the quicker and more intuitive it will become. Sometimes I wrote cheat-sheets on my mill with permanent marker, especially for thicknesses not included on my board scale. Also, if you know you're always going to be cutting down to a particular size cant, such as a 4x4, 6x6, 7X9 railroad tie, or whatever, you may want to come up with a cheat chart to remind you all the heights on your scale that you need to hit to arrive at the right size.

Do it enough, and eventually you'll be mostly doing it in your head, anyway-- sounds like you're mathematically inclined, so I have great hopes for you!  ;D

[Florida boy]

Did better today. Got my 12.25" wide for the  board width then flipped and squared it up on top. Flipped 180 and 4/4boards with no shim cut. Only part I messed up on is not watching for squareness when I flipped 90 after my open face. Checked because it looked funny and sure enough out of square. Took a small shim cut after I readjusted and whalla, square.
   Man making sawdust is so addicting! One question I have after today is how do you keep the square edges of a cant from chipping when turning into back rest?

[WV Sawmiller]

how do you keep the square edges of a cant from chipping when turning into back rest?

   Are you talking about chipping from the log turner? If so you may just turn the cant  with a cant hook.

    Your process sounds similar to what I generally do (although I will often vary as the mood strikes me). I open the first face to the minimal board width  I want (usually 4"), then take a flitch or two, rotate 180 degrees, determine the cant size I want, take off a slab and flitch or two to get to that mark, rotate 90 degrees, take off a slab then cut a flitch or two, rotate to the final face, check my cheat sheet for my mark to end on the mark with no trim cuts required. When my cant gets below my finished board sizes for my fitches, I stop and edge against the cant then resume sawing to the bed.

    Occasionally I cut a slab that because of flare and such I see it will make a board or two, even if a short one. When I see that I throw the slab on the loading arms and when I finish sawing the cant I put the slab on the mill and , if it lays flat, I saw a 4/4 board or two off the slab then edge them basically using my mill as a resaw device. I admit it is tense as I am working real close to the clamp. If the slab bows up off the mill it generally goes on the scrap pile as I would only get a thick and thin board.

[Florida boy]

WV, I'm talking about the squaring arms hitting the corner of the cant when I turn it into the arms with my can't hook. I don't have rollers on top; maybe that would help?
 
No Turner on my mill but I do have a cant hook and tractor with boom pole. Does anyone know of a good J-Hook (with the right geometry)for turning logs? Any suggestions on a brand maybe?

[ozarkgem]

not sure how much damage is being done on you corners. Will it plane off? I put some bearings on the top of my backstops. Improved the ease of turning 100%. I also wrote down the settings for  1 1/8,1 1/4, 1 5/8 and so on so I can just glance at the board(I wrote them on a piece of wood) and not have to calculate in my head. You will get if figured out.

[Magicman]

Is it possible to slide a (taller) piece of pipe over the side supports while you are turning?

[scouter Joe]

If you raise the backstops above the corner of cant before turning it will help quite a bit . Don't forget to lower them before cutting again . scouter Joe

[kelLOGg]

I do like Magicman suggests. Longer square pipes over the arms does the trick.
Bob

[kelLOGg]

Does anyone know of a good J-Hook (with the right geometry)for turning logs? Any suggestions on a brand maybe?

Talk to Cooks about that. My MP32 came with a J-hook.
Bob

[Magicman]

If your question is about a cant hook, Logrite is the go-to.  They are a FF Sponsor listed on the left side of this page.

[Kbeitz]

You can buy these off E-bay...
I just bought this one.



 

[Florida boy]

Yeah that the kind of hook. Didn't know Cooks sold them. I'll have to give em a call.

Magicman I didn't think of a longer piece of pipe to put over it. Great idea!

My cant is taller than my squaring arms fully raised. They have an angle miter on top but a patently a couple rollers would help.

Thanks everyone for the replys

[clintnelms]

You can also slide the cant awake from the backstops a few inches then rotate the cant. That's what I do a lot. Just use a logrite cant hook to help give you leverage to slide it over some.

[Magicman]

If you fail to find a hook, Logrite sells them.  I made mine from broken logging tongs.


 

[clintnelms]

You can buy these off E-bay...
I just bought this one.



 

What do they call them on Ebay?

[Kbeitz]

You can buy these off E-bay...
I just bought this one.



 

What do they call them on Ebay?

Just type in cant hook... Then look down at everything...
I count 18 listed right now...

[clintnelms]

You can buy these off E-bay...
I just bought this one.



 

What do they call them on Ebay?

Just type in cant hook... Then look down at everything...
I count 18 listed right now...

I started looking after asking the question and found a lot of 3 of them and bought them.

[WV Sawmiller]

   When you buy your LogRite be sure to let Miz Tammy know you are a FF member and ask for your discount. (Every little bit helps).

[Okrafarmer]

I agree- get a Logrite, they are the best. The only thing that could possibly break is the (highly-replaceable) bolt holding the hook to the handle.  ;D

[Florida boy]

Already have one on the way.  60" cant hook. Should be here next week. I was browsing thier website and saw the cant hooks and peaveys special for sawmilling. Any experience with those?

[Okrafarmer]

I prefer the peavey, some people prefer the cant hook, it's a Chevy-vs Ford kind of a decision. I mostly like Peaveys because you can poke the point between things and pry them up with them, and because you can stick them in the ground standing up, ready to be grabbed.  ;D

[thecfarm]

Okrafarmer,The Maine part of you is showing up if you like a peavey,the one with a point,over a cantdog.  ;D But the point can also damage the cant too. That's where the candog comes in.