Sawmilling experiences

[petefrom bearswamp]

This forum is wonderful. A wealth of information and tips on many subjects from all over the world.
Maybe this type of thread has been covered before but here goes.
I first started sawing in 1998 with my neighbor's "spare" lt40HD prototype which was all hydraulic.
I had about 2mbf of small Cherry logs and a few basswood and maple.
He rented it to me by the hr and gave me some instructions as to how to operate it.
He supplied 1 blade per hr as he must have expected me to dull the blades rather quickly but I didn't need this many..
After the first day of sawing alone i have never been so tired in my life as in addition to the physical work there was the mental aspect worrying about sawing the side supports  and other blunders.
I managed to saw with this mill for 6 days with miniscule production, but as I got the hang of it i wasn't nearly as tired at day's end.
This gave me the bug and I bought an LT15 from WM Hannibal NY.

My first log was a 24" 8' Beech.
I couldn't turn the dang thing with my 5' cant hook so tried to turn it with my 4020 tractor and knocked it off of the mill and the mill off of the foundation I had made.
Got it back on and managed to get it sawed in about 4 hrs.
Plus this was in mid summer and in the full sunlight.
I found the between the sun and the engine heat it wasn't pleasant to operate.
I sawed with this mill for 2 weeks and as WM had a 30 day return policy I took it back.

My next mill was a 1995 LT40 HD with onan eng.
I added the de barker and a homemade manual drag back as well as a pressurized lube system made from an old windshield washer pump and reservoir and the rollers on top of the side supports.
I made the requisite mistakes hitting the side supports a few times and sawing into the loader cross arm with my chain saw.
I sawed with this mill until 1998 when I sold it to Chuck white.

My current mill is a 2008 LT40SHDD51 computerized setworks lube mizer and high performance blade guides which I have removed.
I love this mill, but am retired and only a hobby type so it only has about 400 hrs on the meter.
Haven't sawed into the side supports yet, but have nicked the rollers on the top as well as skimming the clamp a time or 2.
It is under cover in my pole bldg mill shelter and I saw a lot on rainy days when my friend who does roofing for a living tails for me.
Would love to hear from a bunch of you with your sawing history and anecdotes, mistakes, nasty customers, great customers etc.
If anyone gets into central NY I would enjoy a visit.
Pete

[Chuck White]

Great thread you've got going here Pete!

I started out tailing for my FIL on his 1992 LT40G18 manual mill in 2005!

I tailed the mill for 1½ years, then FIL said "you take the mill and get a few jobs for the summer"!

So, Sheila and I took the mill and sawed the rest of 2007 and through till May of 2008 when we bought Pete's 1995 LT40HDG24 Hydraulic mill.

Pretty soon, I had a good number of regular customers who repeat almost every year.

I now have a list of 76 people that I have sawed for.

My sawing total is real close to 300,000 board feet of mobile custom sawing!

[petefrom bearswamp]

Mistake in my post, I sold the 95 mill to Chuck inn 2008, not 1998.
Pete