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Sawing For Schools

Started by nopoint, April 26, 2017, 02:27:18 PM

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nopoint


Any one on here participate in "Sawing For Schools" or similar activities? Sawing for schools is a Woodmizer supported project that has some neat newspaper articles that can be reviewed. I would like to get something going with my students here in Necedah Wisconsin, which is in the center part of the state.  To back up a little, I teach Technology Education (shop) to students in grades 7-12 here at our small rural school. We do everything from engineering and electronics to welding and construction. Our wood working classes and construction students could benefit from a program like this. I would like to introduce some timber framing to my students and this seems like a great way to make this possible. I have a mill but it is not portable, would like to be able to do this at school.
Questions I have for you folks:
Anyone doing this with a school already?
Suggestions, tips etc?
Anyone in the Necedah area want to help some kids out, or a contact?

This seems like a great PR tool for anyone looking to expand customer base on portable sawing. I would like to build this into a yearly event. Gosh even cooler if someday the school could have their own saw. We do have a school forest, if the word got out I bet we could come up with some logs from the community as well. 
Thanks
Carl

WV Sawmiller

   I am portable and I have offered the same thing to our local HS. At this point I am just waiting for the asst. principal to call me and tell me when. I took some lumber to the wood shop as a donation for the Lion's Club for which my wife is a member (but I end up providing the wood) to make a couple of picnic tables for our middle school. They sounded like they liked the idea but have not done more to finalize the date.

    I think it is a project that would be good for the schools to help educate the kids and good PR and some advertising for for us sawyers.
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

johnnyllama

I've done a couple demonstrations for our local school's technology classes and for the FFA class. I setup in the parking lot and bring a log with me. After the demo we answer questions, etc. Mine's a manual mill, so I explain about the hydraulic mills too. The kids seem very interested, but we haven't gone further than that.
Turner Bandmill, NH35 tractor, Stihl & Husky misc. saws, Mini-excavator, 24" planer, 8" jointer, tilting shaper, lathe, sliding table saw, widebelt sander, Beautiful hardworking wife, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 23 llamas in training to pull logs!!!

Tom the Sawyer

I have been milling for Kansas University, through the School of Art, since 2011.  We normally do a couple of classes per year.  We mill salvaged local urban lumber, student logs, and I have supplied logs.  We have milled at several locations on campus, and here at my home. 

Class topics have included Sustainability in Art and Build Smart.  The University has sponsored timber-framing classes with Jim Rogers, and currently has a project going, supported by the Kansas Forest Service, where students building timber-framed EAB kiosks, using timbers milled from urban-salvaged trees.
07 TK B-20, Custom log arch, 20' trailer w/log loading arch, F350 flatbed dually dump.  Piggy-back forklift.  LS tractor w/FEL, Bobcat S250 w/grapple, Stihl 025C 16", Husky 372XP 24/30" bars, Grizzly 20" planer, Nyle L200M DH kiln.
If you call and my wife says, "He's sawin logs", I ain't snoring.

TKehl

Wait.... Kansas has a forest service?!?  Where are you hiding the trees? ???  LOL  :)
In the long run, you make your own luck – good, bad, or indifferent. Loretta Lynn

Tom the Sawyer

Yep, you can see the trees from the yellow brick road.  :o :o

Tree density seems to be in the eastern 1/3 of the State.  West of Topeka it is mostly grassland (The Great Plains), and well into Colorado.
07 TK B-20, Custom log arch, 20' trailer w/log loading arch, F350 flatbed dually dump.  Piggy-back forklift.  LS tractor w/FEL, Bobcat S250 w/grapple, Stihl 025C 16", Husky 372XP 24/30" bars, Grizzly 20" planer, Nyle L200M DH kiln.
If you call and my wife says, "He's sawin logs", I ain't snoring.

caveman

I have had some of the kids from school come out and offload from the mill when I have sawn stuff for their projects.  A year ago, they wanted to build a pallet wall for the FFA banquet backdrop.  I suggested that we saw up some pine logs and make a backdrop that resembled a pallet wall.  Also, we made a plywood sled that we will mount small logs on and saw into boards on the shop bandsaws in the ag shop.  The students can use the wood on their projects.  I have threatened to bring the mill to school but have not done so yet.

 
Caveman

nopoint

Cool projects and ideas, thanks for your comments and suggestions.

dboyt

I hope you find a portable mill to come out.  Very worthwhile for the students.  Maybe you can find a mill on Craigslist.  I've also done cutting for local schools, and the biggest problem is administration afraid of liability when they have no idea of what a portable sawmill is.  Having worked around a Belsaw "portable" mill, I can understand that.  The school keeps the wood for student projects.  I always pose a problem like "the top of the cant is 8-3/4 inches above the deck.  I want a 1-1/8 inch thick board and the blade takes a 1/8 inch kerf-- what setting should I use for the next cut?"  After a few seconds of blank stares, I told 'em that whoever got the answer first could cut the next board.  Pretty soon, a girl comes up with the right answer, and got to push the mill through the next cut.  After that, others figured out subsequent cuts and had their turn.  I used to teach Industrial Arts.
Norwood MX34 Pro portable sawmill, 8N Ford, Lewis Winch

Ben-jamin

I think the Idea of a mill for the school is an awesome Idea. I teach Ag. at our local high school and thats how I ended up with my mill. I was working toward getting one for the school when the local board found legislation prohibiting the operation of sawmills by students. They use band saws and table saws, cutting torches and welding devices, tractors and mowing machines, but they cant use Woodmizer LT 35 because it too dangerous. I said that to say I hope Wisconsin is more forward thinking lol. Woodmizer offers some great discounts for schools and those guys are amazing to deal with. Before and after you buy there product they are happy to talk to you at length about the mills. 
Wood-mizer Lt35

caveman

Ben-jamin,  It is good to have a fellow ag teacher on the Forestry Forum.  You can do a lot of teaching when you start turning logs into lumber. 
. xylem
.phloem
.insects
.genus/species
.grading
.growth rates
.board feet calculation
.grain orientation
.the list could go on.

Some students are fascinated by this stuff and some, like several in one of my classes, are going to have to rely on the hard work of others for the rest of their lives in order to keep eating the government cheese that has sustained their existence thus far. They won't take an ounce of shut the heck up and listen/learn. 
Caveman

WV Sawmiller

Caveman,

   All that is correct. You can also use the opportunity to teach some basic math including bf, volume in a cylinder and cube, environmental science, etc. One real good thing about sawing at schools is it is an opportunity to teach the kids a little bit of application of the theory the teachers have been teaching. Helps make the kids understand there is a reason to know some of what they are learning. Plus it is fun and gets them out of the stuffy classroom for an hour or so.

   Heck if nothing else get a couple of the kids to off-bear for you and and teach them that is minimum wage work they can expect to do the rest of their life if they don't get and apply some kind of education or training. :D
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

Sixacresand

As a school event I bet it will go over well.  At a festival the kids would rather listen to the rapping guy
"Sometimes you can make more hay with less equipment if you just use your head."  Tom, Forestry Forum.  Tenth year with a LT40 Woodmizer,

nopoint

I have learned over time, there are kids that like to work and their are others that will do anything to avoid work. It is pretty easy to see when a project gets started which kids are expected to work at home and which ones don't. Its always neat to see a 100 pound freshman outwork a big football player. It gets even more fun when a girl outworks the guys. We are a rural area but don't have too many farms as the soil is pretty poor, not too many farm kids which is a bummer.

WV Sawmiller

   Well, I'm set up to go saw tomorrow at our local HS. Our shop teacher quit and the kids will just have a sub for the rest of the year. She is not certified as a shop teacher so the kids can't use the machines and she is looking for things to keep them occupied. My wife use to teach with her there and says she is a good lady.

  I loaded 3-10' pine logs I got from a tree service several months ago. One is 16", and 2 are 14" on the little end and were a little heavy on the rear end on my 5X8 trailer. I towed them the school to a clear, flat spot next to the genset compound right there on the banks of the New River. I tied a long 1/4" cable to a big sycamore and drove out from under the logs one at a time then rolled them over a few feet. There is plenty of room to just drive the mill between the genset compound fence and the banks of the river. I chained the trailer to the corner post and will load the boards on it as we cut them tomorrow. The logs actually came from a tree service 1/4 mile from where they are now and I had a customer call wanting sheeting for a that so that is what they will become. He lives about 2 miles down the road so the first part of his order should get to him tomorrow. He need 750 bf so I'll do these then finish the 3-4 smaller ones on my lot and finish with a poplar I cut and bucked yesterday.

   I came back and loaded up the tools and equipment including 3 -6' live edge benches for the the teacher and any kids who need them to sit on. I included a 1"X 12"X 1', a 2"X 6" X 1', a 1"X 4"X 3' and 2-1"X 1" X 6' tomato stakes and plan to ask them which of these is a bf. It will be interesting to see how the kids react.


 
Loaded and ready to go to school


 
Logs unloaded on the back lot of the school grounds next to the banks of New River
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

samandothers

Good for you on helping the lady out!   Beautiful setting there.   It will be interesting to see how the kids answer your board foot question.

Savannahdan

It would be fun to be there with you.
Husqvarna 3120XP, Makita DCS7901 Chainsaw, 30" & 56" Granberg Chain Saw Mill, Logosol M8 Farmers Mill

WV Sawmiller

   Got up, hooked up, and shuffled to the school. I signed in and set the mill up, put up some safety tape, put out my 3 benches at the end of my truck and about 9:15 am the first couple of classes came out. Throughout the day I guess I might have had 100 kids from different groups. A few breaks in between groups. Last group ended at 3:00 pm so was a pretty long day. In almost every group there would be one or two kids who had operated their dads or grandfathers mill. A couple of these mills were home built and a couple of other brands. As far as I could tell all were manual mills and they did like the hydraulics. I'd get one kid out of each group as my tailgunner and outfitted him with gloves, ear muffs and glasses. All were decent but not overworked. I discussed bf, log scales, circumference divided by pi to get diameter of a standing tree, touched on log and lumber grading, quartersawing vs flat sawing, etc. I did demo edging against the cant. As luck would have it the last log had a 3 wire fence in it. I thought was staples and tried to cut deep to get under them but no joy so flipped 90 degrees and salvaged what boards I could above and below the fence. Final result was only about 239 bf. I strapped down the lumber and locked the trailer to a nearby CL fence, brought the mill home and sawed 2 more pine logs. That gives ma about 350 bf on a 750 bf order. I'll deliver that and return the trailer tomorrow and cut the rest out of a poplar I cut and bucked up in the woods already.

   Not all the kids were excited about seeing a mill in action but enough were to make it well worth the time and effort.

   The most disappointing aspect was that none of the administration bothered to come out and watch or get involved. That was one of the reasons my wife was so ready to retire from there 6 years ago. The teacher coordinating this event is a sub who used to work with my wife and whom Becky speaks highly about.


 
Mill set up with safety tape for out of bounds areas


 
"Classroom" set up. I sat on the tailgate with a dry erase boards and markers, several 1 bf samples, etc while the teacher and students filled the benches. The benches were live edge ash so were also samples with the EAB tracks highly visible.


 
Final result of 4/4 lumber. Odd part is the trees came from a tree service 1/4 mile away and final client is only about 2 miles down the road.
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

paul case

Good Job, Mr. Green. You deserve an A+. And an orange star smiley_book2_page

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

caveman

Caveman

WV Sawmiller

   On my bf demo I had a 3' 1X4 in the mix. I told one group when I was their age the teacher or principal would have carved a handle on one end and used it for corporal punishment which was allowed when I was their age.
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

3Dog

Nopoint- I just did a demo on Monday for of Madison area students.  Very cool event.
I would be willing to bring my mill (LT40 Super) to your student group if you care to try and schedule something.
2002 Woodmizer LT40DSuper Remote Accuset 2, 1952 Allis Chalmers CA, 2001 John Deere 240 skidsteer, Nyle L200, Ebac 800,  and a fulltime job.
Citywood Treecycling

nopoint

That would be really great! I will send you a PM.

Crusarius

My wife teaches at an Rochester Institute for Technology. It is very well known for its engineering program.

It is amazing how many students in that school cannot use a simple tape measure.


samandothers

WV
Good for you! Glad it went pretty good.  Glad you were able to work the volume and diameter math problems in there.

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