I come to a conclusion

[lyle niemi]

Im still to sick to work on the mill much but I thought I would try to saw one of them big poplars up yesterday. My saw still wants to lead into the big log alot. I have gotten the blade hammared and sharpened so that part should be good. everything seems to be lined up correctly. The fella who fixed my blade up suggested I get a heavier blade, he said mine is under the standard blade thickness. He told me that I should try to find a 48 inch with a 6/7 thickness. Mine is a 46 inch and under that 6/7 thickness, I cant remember the numbers he told me.
Do you guys think Im going in the right direction by finding a thicker blade???

[apm]

Lyle,

The 6/7 is the gauge of the blade. It's 6 gauge at the eye and 7 gauge at the rim. I've always use an 8/9 saw and have sawed lots of large poplar. I don't mean to discount the advice of your saw doc, but do know an 8/9 which is thinner than a 6/7 should work fine. I'd look in a few other directions before giving up on a freshly hammered saw.

Greg

[lyle niemi]

Lyle,

The 6/7 is the gauge of the blade. It's 6 gauge at the eye and 7 gauge at the rim. I've always use an 8/9 saw and have sawed lots of large poplar. I don't mean to discount the advice of your saw doc, but do know an 8/9 which is thinner than a 6/7 should work fine. I'd look in a few other directions before giving up on a freshly hammered saw.

Greg

OK, I guess if your sawing poplar with it I should be able to. I must not have something correct on my mill. I will check things out again. Thanx

[ALWOL]

   The problem is not the gauge of the saw. Even if your saw is as thin as 11/12 gauge, it should still saw great after being hammered and tuned up. My best sawing saw is 52" 8/9 gauge, and I have a 48" in the 11/12 gauge that works well also.
   Is the saw speed holding steady in the cut? It should be easy to find out with the mandrel tachometer you have! If the speed is holding steady, you might want to try running the saw faster and maybe even slower, and find out how it saws at the different speeds.
   Most of what I saw around here is Oak/Walnut/Hickory, but last week I sawed a very large Poplar yard tree. It was 38" in diameter, and it sawed very easy compared to Oak and Hickory. I would think that your Poplar logs would be very good for getting the bugs worked out of the mill.
   Hope you get to feeling better.

       Alan

[beenthere]

lyle
Do you have the Stan Lunstrum pub?

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/misc/circsaw.pdf

If not, then it may be a helpful reference to track down your frustration.

[captain_crunch]

Two things will cause this issue on my Belsaw Check saw guides to make sure outside block is not pushing in on blade. Changes in temp as in warm day or cold amazeing how much this tweaks things.
Second is timberbind if it is a butt log funny things can occure. Old timers have told me to roll log 180 and slab it to help remove tension. I have ran into 2 logs that were just impossible to saw. But once ripped in half with powersaw finnaly gave up

[bandmiller2]

Lyle,it sounds like you may have a little too much lead into the log.Its hard to give you a figure as mills are all a little different.Try a little less. Frank C.

[dail_h]

I'm thinkin lead too

[lyle niemi]

if the weather is nice in the morning Im gonna try another poplar and reset the lead and double check some other things.

[customsawyer]

Can't offer any help as I am a band miller but am enjoying learning with you. ;D

[dail_h]

Mine's leadin in just a bit yesterday,, but think i swaged too hard on log side last time. Bits 'bout had it, got new standalls today. Will change in the mornin , n see what happens. might hafta take tad lead out

[ALWOL]

   It could very well be the lead. As others have said, I have never had any success setting the lead to a nominal specification. Trial and error works best for me. I like to watch the saw as it is slicing through the wood, especially at the rear of the cut near the splitter or riving knife. The saws teeth should just clear the cant enough to keep from touching it or causing the saw to heat in the center. If the rear of the saw clears the cant by more than a quarter of an inch, you likely have to much lead and it will tend to steer your saw into the log. If your saw requires that much lead in order to keep it from heating in the center, it needs to be re-hammered.
   Also make sure the guides are set to clear the saw with it running at operating speed. From what I have seen of your saws guides, I really like the way they are remotely operated with some sort of linkages. Checking the guide material for wear can give you some very good clues to what is going on. If one side is wearing much faster than the other, suspect a problem with lead, or uneven teeth.

       Alan

[Ron Wenrich]

No roof on the mill yet, is there.  The sun will play funny tricks on a saw.  When you say poplar, I believe many of us call it aspen.  In my neck of the woods, poplar is tulip poplar. 

I'll also go with a little too much lead.  Lead requirements can change from saw to saw. 

[lyle niemi]

No roof on the mill yet, is there.  The sun will play funny tricks on a saw.  When you say poplar, I believe many of us call it aspen.  In my neck of the woods, poplar is tulip poplar. 

I'll also go with a little too much lead.  Lead requirements can change from saw to saw.

Hopefully before winter I will have a building over the mill, Thats if I have the energy and the money..lol I plan on making a pole building around the mill with tin exteror walls

[Sprucegum]

Before I change too much on the saw I would flip that log 180 and see if the blade dives in on the other side. If it does my next check would be the RPM's. If it cuts straight on small logs but not on big ones I suspect you are bogging down a bit and loosing rpm's. I added an hydraulic carriage drive and have to really watch my speed until the oil warms up.