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Training

Started by vfauto, January 28, 2016, 06:54:28 PM

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vfauto

 Where could some one go for hands on training for operating a band mill?  more about reading a log and determining the best way to set it up and mill it?
The definition of insanity is to do the same things over and over and expect a different result!

WV Sawmiller

    Are you looking to learn about a particular kind of mill or just mills in general? Woodmizer has a Pro-Sawyer network who often demo their mills. You could start there. Visit their site and look under services, select find a local sawyer and enter your state and see who is close.

   You can call the manufacturers of the other name brands (or click on their tab on the left) and ask who has purchased one of their mills in your area. They may have a similar network. They are normally real good about referring new customers to existing users.

   Once you find a local sawyer I would contact him and offer to come off-bear to learn how to run a mill. If you were near me I'd be glad to have the help and show off my mill. Most sawyers are pretty outgoing and you should be able to work with them.

   I suspect most questions you have about milling will be addressed here. I'd (and I did) go back and read all the posts here.

   Good luck.
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

jmouton

we are always looking for  free labour ,,if you want to come to michigan we can teach you a few things


                                                                                         jim
lt-40 wide ,,bobcat,sterling tandem flatbed log truck,10 ton trailer, stihl 075,041,029,066,and a 2017 f-350,oh and an edger

drobertson

 do what you are doing, get some rollers if need be, plan for fewer steps between stacks and slabs and you pretty much have what everyone else has,
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

vfauto

I am on my second timber King Mill I just went from a 1600 to a 2000 w/set works.  As far as operating the mill I am OK with that I am just looking more for a formal class about milling in general. Things like best way to saw, like quarter sawing , etc.
The definition of insanity is to do the same things over and over and expect a different result!

Tom the Sawyer

WERC puts on a small sawmill workshop each year.  I think it is sponsored by NC State and Sawmill and Woodlot magazine.  The last one was just after Memorial day, 2015 in Princeton, WV. 

There is also a one day small sawmill workshop scheduled for March 17, in Oak Brook, Illinois.  It is being taught by Dan Cassens.  He is a professor at Purdue and wrote a book on operating a small sawmill business.  Information on the Events board.
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.

Larch

Heartwood School in the Berkshires puts on a Converting Trees to Timber class that's about a week long that will teach you all about what trees do when they grow, how to cut them down and what they will do on the mill.  You're nearby there and it might be worth it.

Looks like it's June 27 to July 1 this year.

http://www.heartwoodschool.com/coursefr.html

WV Sawmiller

Quote from: Tom the Sawyer on January 28, 2016, 11:10:42 PM
WERC puts on a small sawmill workshop each year.  I think it is sponsored by NC State and Sawmill and Woodlot magazine.  The last one was just after Memorial day, 2015 in Princeton, WV. 

There is also a one day small sawmill workshop scheduled for March 17, in Oak Brook, Illinois.  It is being taught by Dan Cassens.  He is a professor at Purdue and wrote a book on operating a small sawmill business.  Information on the Events board.

   I attended this workshop last year in Princeton WV and it was well worth the time and money especially since I was only 25 miles away. Marty Parsons with WM did a demo and cut a log or two and I saw a few things I needed to do differently but mostly the seminar was on profitability of small sawmills. It was not the same as hands on working and running a mill under supervision.

   Many of the lessons we all learned came from just operating our mills, sawing into the clamp a time or two, rolling a log off, forgetting to lower the leveling rollers, cutting too fast/slow, knocking a few bands off the rollers, etc. A good mentor with us could have speeded us through these learning curves but I think hands on training on a running mill is going to be the best technique for most of us. Kind of like reading about driving a car vs actually driving one.
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

terrifictimbersllc

The big wood shows like Boontown or Paul Bunyan usually have a technical program with classes.  I went to the PB in Ohio a couple years back and went to a class by Brian Bond from Virginia.  It was enjoyable rewarding and well worth the modest cost.  Get to interact with the instructor and other participants.  At the end we went out to the WM display and the class discussed how to saw a log for best grade and the operator sawed it according to the group consensus.  Sawing by committee.  :D :D  Was fun but set no speed records.

Probably no info there that one couldn't get from reading here at FF, Sawmill & Woodlot, or other places, but I'd do it again probably next time I go to a show.
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

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