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I just got home with a 2011 LT35HD - I need your counsel on how to succeed.

Started by MikeySP, January 30, 2019, 05:14:30 PM

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charles mann

Mike, look in your area and see if there is a place that recycles (crushes) concrete and or asphalt. fo rme, it has worked great. when its raining and muddy out, i dont worry bout getting stuck or being able to operate stuff on the crete. only down side is, gotta watch out for, and pick them up as you see them, or spread and run a magnet, and that is nails and wire in the concrete. i pulled a forgetful amount of nails and mesh out of my tractor tires, which didnt go through, but did on my tck. i occasionally find a straggler here and there, but nothing, until i had 6 12 yrd load brought in to set ym conexes on. will bring probably 4-6 more loads once my mill is operational and i can get some of the trees out of the way without having to move them 2-3 more times before getting them on the mil. 

usually, or for the areas around me, crushed crete and asphalt is cheap, around $5-7 a ton minus delivery fee. 
worth a shot to look and see prices if available for you. 
Temple, Tx
Fire Fighting and Heavy Lift Helicopter Mech
Helicopter and Fixed Wing Pilot

doc henderson

Not that you want to run out and buy a different skid steer, but I upgraded from wheeled to 18 inch wide rubber tracks.  something like 22 pounds per square foot for wheeled and 4 pounds per square foot for wide tracks.  can drive on loose sand and only make a 1/2 inch impression.  care when spinning or turning.  We did this when we put put pool in.
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

Southside

Do you know of anyone who works in a papermill or is there one within striking distance? Mill felt which runs on the machine and forms the paper makes for excellent road base. Water will run down through it but your road surface material won't sink in the mud, basically it's a free version of geotextile cloth and will last the rest of your lifetime. Many mills are happy to give it away when they change it out as they don't incur the disposal expense as a result. 

You could probably get away with rolling out the felt and putting down a couple inches of top material and never have a problem again. 
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

charles mann

Quote from: Southside logger on February 09, 2019, 07:52:01 PM
Do you know of anyone who works in a papermill or is there one within striking distance? Mill felt which runs on the machine and forms the paper makes for excellent road base. Water will run down through it but your road surface material won't sink in the mud, basically it's a free version of geotextile cloth and will last the rest of your lifetime. Many mills are happy to give it away when they change it out as they don't incur the disposal expense as a result.

You could probably get away with rolling out the felt and putting down a couple inches of top material and never have a problem again.
@Southside logger i wish i could find some. nothing in my area and the mill in my hm town, after installing a new machine, closed up shop. 
Temple, Tx
Fire Fighting and Heavy Lift Helicopter Mech
Helicopter and Fixed Wing Pilot

doc henderson

If you know anyone at a big road construction co., check on the fabric.  i got 8 rolls for 25 bucks each, my brother works there, 14 x 300 feet each.  dupont I think, could barely cut with scissors.
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

MikeySP

Thank you for the ideas gents. 

I will look into the material options, but the tracked skid can't be on the menu anytime soon.

YellowHammer

Green crushed concrete is the best mud base I've ever used.  All (most) concrete plants have green tailings, waste, and other pieces that don't cast well, such as concrete block, and will crush it and sell it for $7 per ton here.  I get it routinely by the dump truck load, and when put out thick on the ground, say 6 inches or so, and packed, will finish curing and will set up a hard as concrete within a few months.  We once built a road into a 20 acre swamp with this stuff, and it is still being used 20 years later. Significantly cheaper than gravel.  
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

MikeySP

Thanks for seconding that tip with your experience Yellow Hammer. I will make some calls Monday to see what I can find.  -Mike

MikeySP

Howdy! 

Can anyone help me understand the correct rotation direction of a debarker? One of you kind gents sent me pics of a debarker and it looked pretty simple, so I got hold of a debarker manual. After reading about direction of rotation and then seeing the debarker manual, I think I had it backwards. The manual makes me think rotation direction is as my images below depict. However, when I read men's comments about rotation, it sounds like the rotation is the exact opposite of what I have depicted below. Knowing that there are times when a blade is used in the opposite direction from convention, I wanted to get the facts. Thank you for the clarification. -Mike
 



 



 

Manual image... my red arrow.

Southside

Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

MikeySP

Thank you SSL!

Look at the images. On left is illustration of LT35 debarker and on the right, I think, is an LT40 debarker.

Notice the bearing and support on the right. Wondering which way to go? I assume they have the same motor. I have a woodmizer 3/4HP motor for my build. Would not cost much to add a support and bearing, but if it ain't broke, why fix it. Anyone with experience with both? 

Of interest: when editing image for this post, I was surprised to see the debarker rotation is opposite in the two images. 



 

Magicman

My Debarker shown on the right does indeed climb out of the cut and throws the chips toward the operator.  I understand the reasoning behind this technology and am completely comfortable with it. 

The Debarker shown on the left turns in the opposite direction and needs a limiter plate to prevent it from digging too deeply, stalling the motor, and kicking the breaker.  Of course it throws the chips away from the operator.

I have no thoughts regarding the support bearing and was not aware that the other did not have one.
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

Chuck White

I have a friend who has an LT35, and the only issue he has with his debarker is once in a while he moves it in too soon and runs it into the end of the log, and it wants to just saw into it.

He's new and he's catching on, and learning that the debarker has to contact the log on the side!  :)
~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!

Southside

Double checked both of mine to be sure, they both spin away from the operator, the 35 does not have the support bearing or a depth disc, the 70 has the support bearing but no depth disc.  I have only ever tripped the breaker on the 35 once, done it more times on the 70 actually.  I think that's because the 35 has the old hand lever and double spring tension system, it can't dig in as the two springs let it float.   
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

MikeySP

Thanks for the info gents. Odd thing: Woodmizer sent me the LT35 debarker manual and it has a 1/30HP geared motor on top in the manual vs the hand-lever that your LT35 has Southside Logger. Must have been a later development.

Magicman, I hope you were able to get your sawing done on that road trip. We are expecting 7-9 inches of rain over the next few days my neighbor tells me. 

PS. I contacted my first potential customer today. Gentleman who lives up the road a few miles has an 18"x12' walnut log. He asked me if he is to deliver it to me. I told him that he can do that, or I can pick it up or come to him with my portable mill. When he learned I could come to the logs, he wanted to look at having his son cut down several poplar trees to get some 2x6's for some barn repairs and have me come to site. May be some time yet and we did not discuss price yet. He is supposed to call me at some point. I will need to figure out my price. I am inclined to do it by the board foot, so he is not paying for my snail operation as a newb. I have received some good tips from one of you gentlemen on the forum and will likely seek more info as the mission develops. I am thinking for the first few jobs, not to have a minimum for close customers; and, will consider it getting paid to put spurs to this rodeo, and staying in the shallow end of the pool. In my old profession, we had the mission to turn farmers into soldiers under the enemy's nose; so, the early missions of the troops in this theoretical ragtag army were called - confidence targets... these are easier missions such as graffiti propaganda before high risk toe-to-toe missions. I think it would be a great benefit to have a few confidence targets under my belt. Already thought to saw up his poplar 2x6's before touching his walnut log.

Thanks again!
-Mike

Magicman

Quote from: MikeySP on February 19, 2019, 09:54:30 PMMagicman, I hope you were able to get your sawing done on that road trip.
The weather/rain made me postpone this week's sawing, so my plans now are to return next week to hopefully finish that job. 
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

MikeySP

OK Gents, I have an ad up and I have had two inquiries besides the folks wanting to buy my sawmill :).

So, now I need to give the potential customers some info if they start to probe for more. I put the attached PDF together this evening; but, I am flying by the seat of my pants

. So, I request a brutal critique on my draft document. Thank ye kindly!

-Mike

PS. Magicman, I don't know which way you are going on that sawing next week, but we have been getting rain, rain, rain, and austensibly we have another serveral inches coming over the next two days. I am thinking there may be  market for SCUBA Sawyer.

MikeySP

BTW Gents, so I can learn proper forum etiquette: should I keep asking my educational questions on this thread... or should I make a new thread for each new subtopic? For example, the request of a critique on my customer information sheet, should it have been a new thread? Always learning. -Mike

WDH

Keeping everything is this thread will make the your experience easier for others to understand and learn from. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

SawyerTed

Mike, I've enjoyed reading this thread. Your questions are great and you are on the right path.  I've learned a some things as I've read.  

I was in your place a year ago.  The members here have continued to give me excellent guidance.  Much of the success I've had is a result of that guidance.

Keeping your questions here will provide other rookies access to your questions and the responses in one place. 
Woodmizer LT50, WM BMS 250, WM BMT 250, Kubota MX5100, IH McCormick Farmall 140, Husqvarna 372XP, Husqvarna 455 Rancher

terrifictimbersllc

Quote from: MikeySP on February 21, 2019, 10:28:12 PMSo, I request a brutal critique on my draft document. Thank ye kindly!
Good sheet, covers a lot of bases. Minor comments-you might say it saves  two hauling trips logs one way, lumber the other. Also you get to participate in sawing your logs if you like. 

In your bf definition, two points, maybe simplify a bit and  give an example 10' 2x6 has bf = 2" x6" x 10' /12 = 10 bf. 
Also when you mention the scaling of bf in logs it might be confusing how you charge, is it by log or by lumber. 
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

YellowHammer

When quarter sawing I switch over to hourly rate, as setting the log alignment and sawing technique is critical and takes some time to get the best results.  So I like to slow down and get it right, and my board foot production rate suffers.  Also, since quarter sawing has more waste than conventional sawing the board foot production is lower anyway.  
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

WV Sawmiller

MikeySP,

  On setting up your policies and pricing I would go ahead and do that before your first customer but remember you can always waive certain charges such as mileage or set up or minimum quantities or such on any given job until you feel comfortable applying them.
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

GAB

If I am reading your sketch correctly your finished lumber is too close to the mill. 
When you get done you will be locked in.
I charge $10.00 plus what I last payed for blades for destroyed blades.
The $10.00 is to pay for lost production.
Gerald
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

Magicman

With me the finished lumber always goes to the end of the mill, not to the front.  Closer and doesn't require dodging the sawmill head and crossing the sawdust.  Boards are pulled immediately as they are sawn.  I always require that the tailgunners and their activities remain in my sight.

I edge as I saw so the flitches go on the loader arms.  In the event that I need to wait and edge a couple of logs, the flitches simple lay on the staged logs.  I never wait until all of the logs are sawn to edge.

My slabs go where the sawhorses/flitches are shown which is closer so less handling.

P.S.  The weather forecast looks good for me next week.  I am sawing ~75 miles South of Memphis which is ~200 miles SW of you.  Actually you are closer to that job than I am.  :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

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