Putting the new (to me) Timberking to work.

redprospector · February 25, 2016, 12:14:06 AM

Well, tomorrow's the day! Well kinda. :D
Going to move my Bobcat tomorrow for log handling. Friday morning I'm moving the B-20. I thinned the trees on this customers land last year, and he's now ready to mill the logs.
I've got the feeling that I'm going to really enjoy having hydraulics. ;D

Maybe I'll get the hang of the hydraulics before I'm through here. ;)

barbender · February 25, 2016, 12:37:27 AM

That's a nice whack to get up to speed on ;)

redprospector · February 25, 2016, 12:40:53 AM

I'm just hoping I don't mess anything up too bad while figuring it all out. This job is a long way to anywhere.

sandsawmill14 · February 25, 2016, 02:36:34 AM

you will get it pretty quick

soon as you get comfortable with which lever does what turn the hyd flow control to where it is pointing parallel with the mill with the notched end toward the back it was actually easier for me to make it smooth with more flow then all you have to do is get used to how much to push the lever. it helped me alot when it did that far as the head being jerky may not work for you but you might try it. those valves will work just like the stick on a circle mill but the handle is so short it was hard for me to get to where i wasnt going to far /fast or stopping instead of just slowing down. now i speed up slow down as needed throughout the cut ;D

ladylake · February 25, 2016, 05:45:46 AM

I push the lever all the way ahead and use the flow control valve to control the speed. Don't forget to lower the toe boards after you get a flat side on the bed. Steve

drobertson · February 25, 2016, 06:51:10 AM

That's a good jag for sure! keep us posted!

sandsawmill14 · February 25, 2016, 07:41:57 AM

Quote from: ladylake on February 25, 2016, 05:45:46 AM

I push the lever all the way ahead and use the flow control valve to control the speed. Don't forget to lower the toe boards after you get a flat side on the bed. Steve

i wonder if i have a problem with my flow control cause i never could get it set to where i was happy with it 1 was to slow and 2 was to fast :-\ may have been the logs were so big when i was trying to learn to use it was the problem i sawed alot of 21" wide boards on the beginning

Chuck White · February 25, 2016, 07:55:46 AM

You'll be a pro at it by the time you get through that stack! ;)

redprospector · February 25, 2016, 11:50:01 AM

I've mostly got to get the levers memorized. Which one does what, and which direction to move it. I've still got a lot of wasted motion going on. But it beats doing it manually.

barbender · February 25, 2016, 02:54:44 PM

Everything happens so much faster with a hydraulic mill. When I went from my manual to the WM LT40SHD, it took me quite a while to totally get the hang of it. I still wouldn't call myself a "pro" on it, I don't get to run it enough. If I get an actual 2 weeks sawing time in a year, I'd be surprised. Actually, it occurred to me that something that requires a similar "skill set" or mental bandwidth is a cut to length processor- lots of numbers going through your head and stuff moving at you fast ;)

redprospector · February 25, 2016, 03:57:46 PM

You're right, things do seem to happen a lot faster with hydraulics.
And speaking of things coming at you fast...the speed of the saw head coming back is almost frightening. :D On my old home made manual mill I could stack a board while it was coming back, and be there to stop it before it came to the end of the track. My old methods ain't working on this one, but I'll figure it out. ;)

redprospector · February 25, 2016, 11:16:28 PM

Bobcat's on the job now. 8)
One more 80 mile jaunt with the mill in the morning, we'll see how long it takes me to get a method to my madness.
One bad thing is there is no cell phone service, so I can't check in on the forum in the middle of the day. :D

sandsawmill14 · February 25, 2016, 11:20:15 PM

you gonna be by yourself or do you have an offbearer ???

redprospector · February 25, 2016, 11:32:08 PM

I thought the land owner was going to be there, but when I dropped the Bobcat off about dark:30 he said he was going back to El Paso early in the morning. So it looks like I'm on my own. That's the way I usually have to work anyway. Just gotta be extra careful, and not take chances.

sandsawmill14 · February 25, 2016, 11:37:29 PM

yep be careful

if you are gonna saw full time a offbearer will more than pay for himself with a hyd mill. for me anyway seemed like i spent more time walking back and forth than sawing or stacking :-\ but you will figure out whats best for you and good luck tomorrow

redprospector · February 25, 2016, 11:48:09 PM

Thanks.
I know a good off bearer would pay, not cost........But you know the old saying, good help is hard to find? Well around here, any help is hard to find. :D One old guy said that around here if they're worth a durn, they've already got their own business. :D I'll eventually have to find someone.

sandsawmill14 · February 25, 2016, 11:54:16 PM

i know what you mean the young folks around here dont want to work if you can even get them to show up they whine or just wont do anything :

my offbearer is 49 and the best help i ever had

thecfarm · February 26, 2016, 06:01:25 AM

You'll be having so much fun sawing,you won't want to check in on the FF. ;D

dgdrls · February 26, 2016, 07:26:37 AM

Quote from: sandsawmill14 on February 25, 2016, 11:54:16 PM
i know what you mean the young folks around here dont want to work if you can even get them to show up they whine or just wont do anything : my offbearer is 49 and the best help i ever had

I thought 49 was the new 19 :D

D

sandsawmill14 · February 26, 2016, 07:35:11 AM

it all depends on which side of it your on ;) :D :D :D i remember asking my dad if he thought he would be round when the year 2000 rolled around he just looked at me and laughed and said i sure hope so :D he turned 53 in 2000 but i was 6-7 years old when i asked him and that seemed a life time away at that time. now i think 49 is just getting started ;D it is amazing how time flies now

redprospector · February 26, 2016, 10:42:56 PM

Well, it was a rough day today.
First thing that I learned was that if I'm going to do much mobile sawing, I'm going to have to invest in a pair of fenders.
Second thing was more of a refresher. When a customer says that it's good and dry, and you shouldn't have any problems getting in with the mill...Doesn't necessarily mean that it's dry, or that you won't have any problems getting in with the mill. ;)
By the time I got the mill set up, it was after noon. I hate muddy hillsides. >:(
I shook it off, and started sawing when the throttle started going down on the main engine. I pulled her apart to see what was up. The governor appears to be working fine, but for some reason the linkage for the throttle isn't holding. ??? ??? I messed with that longer than I should have, and finally let the redneck that was oozing out of me take over. I tied a little mini bungee cord on the throttle linkage, when I'm ready to throttle up I pull the bungee tight, and hook it. So far it's working good, but it's going to the repair shop to get fixed right as soon as this job's done.
I sawed till dark, only got 3 logs sawed up. Oh well, we'll try it again tomorrow.

sandsawmill14 · February 26, 2016, 11:11:56 PM

it will get better

i have the same bungee cord design on my throttle too ;D great minds think alike :D :D :D

redprospector · February 27, 2016, 07:57:27 PM

I knew there was something I liked about you. :D :D :D

sandsawmill14 · February 27, 2016, 07:58:32 PM

:D :D :D

sandsawmill14 · March 01, 2016, 11:23:11 PM

happy birthday red 8) hows it going with the b20

redprospector · March 02, 2016, 01:24:03 AM

Thanks.
B-20's doing good. Sawing small lumber outa small logs still.
I'll be glad when this job's over, but I think I like the B-20.

sandsawmill14 · March 02, 2016, 07:12:59 AM

hard to get anything done with small logs im still sawing poplar scragg logs myself it takes a hard day to get 2mbft but i will be back in saw logs in a day or 2 i hope ;D glad your liking the mill

redprospector · March 03, 2016, 09:15:03 PM

Quote from: ladylake on February 25, 2016, 05:45:46 AM

I push the lever all the way ahead and use the flow control valve to control the speed. Don't forget to lower the toe boards after you get a flat side on the bed. Steve

I thought of this advice several times in the last few days...while I was cutting the taper out of a cant. :( There is a lot to get ahold of learning to use a hydraulic mill, after years of doing it the hard way. But I like it.

Where do you get the heavy duty cord reel that you use?

sandsawmill14 · March 03, 2016, 09:41:08 PM

i still for get the taper every once in a while :

redprospector · March 03, 2016, 10:03:48 PM

It's really bad when the log was only going to yield 5 boards to start with...and now it's only 3. :embarassed:
I've never liked cutting pecker poles. ;)

sandsawmill14 · March 03, 2016, 10:20:12 PM

yep they are no fun im about 2/3 of the way through these little poplar it was supposed to be 1 tt load but but the logs have stained so he said saw them all since they wont take it cut on a circle mill :

as of today i have cut about 16mbdft and like a couple hundred logs yet

i hope to finish by next tues or wed :-\ im used to sawing 12-15 logs a day and cutting 3000+ bdft a day now im sawing 40-50 logs a day and getting 2000-2500 but it pays the bills and i am glad to have had logs all winter

so im whining not complaining ;D :D :D :D

redprospector · March 03, 2016, 11:34:14 PM

I'm not up to that speed yet...but maybe I'll get there. ;)

sandsawmill14 · March 03, 2016, 11:49:54 PM

i have an off bearer and he will double your production at least

the most shocking thing i did was put a green chain on the back side of the mill. i did it to help with the rr ties but i gained almost 100 bdft an hour on average after i built it

just watch where your time goes and you will figure out how to get faster

but from 18 up to about 26" dia is where i can cut the most lumber. we have cut over 4000bdft in poplar and gum a few times but 3500 is not uncommon

in the hardwoods about 2500-3000 is average

ladylake · March 04, 2016, 03:09:52 PM

Quote from: sandsawmill14 on March 03, 2016, 10:20:12 PM
yep they are no fun im about 2/3 of the way through these little poplar it was supposed to be 1 tt load but but the logs have stained so he said saw them all since they wont take it cut on a circle mill : as of today i have cut about 16mbdft and like a couple hundred logs yet i hope to finish by next tues or wed :-\ im used to sawing 12-15 logs a day and cutting 3000+ bdft a day now im sawing 40-50 logs a day and getting 2000-2500 but it pays the bills and i am glad to have had logs all winter so im whining not complaining ;D :D :D :D

Only 40 to 50 logs. my record is 110 logs in less than 8 hours, 3 siding pecker poles with good help. That kind of sawing takes it out of you. Steve

ladylake · March 04, 2016, 03:22:49 PM

Quote from: redprospector on March 03, 2016, 09:15:03 PM
Quote from: ladylake on February 25, 2016, 05:45:46 AM

I push the lever all the way ahead and use the flow control valve to control the speed. Don't forget to lower the toe boards after you get a flat side on the bed. Steve

I thought of this advice several times in the last few days...while I was cutting the taper out of a cant. :( There is a lot to get ahold of learning to use a hydraulic mill, after years of doing it the hard way. But I like it.
Where do you get the heavy duty cord reel that you use?

I got the heavy duty cord reel off Ebay, every now and then they go at a good price. Give me a PM with your phone number. Steve

redprospector · March 04, 2016, 11:09:40 PM

I'll be glad when this job is over. I cut 23 logs today for about 800 bd. ft. of lumber. Jees, what was I thinking? :D Other than being pecker poles, the thing that's slowing me down more is I'm having to pull these out of a pile, and cut them to length. I hit 3 nails today ruining 2 brand new blades (one of them was on its first cut). :( Tomorrow I've got to cut 6 6x6x10' and a 6x12x12' ( :D biggest log I've got left is 13"), then I'm done with the Pine.
He wants me to cut a 24" dbh Gamble Oak before I leave. We'll see how that goes.