Rookie question on wavy cut, EZ Boardwalk

EZland · September 23, 2012, 07:13:16 PM

I think I know the answer or at least part of it. Why am I getting a wavy cut, really wavy. I know my blade is not sharp, but what else? Could be the mill is not level? It was slightly out of level , but the whole mill was on the same plain or out of level all the same direction.

By the way it did not start happening until I changed from cutting poplar to white oak.

Chuck White · September 23, 2012, 08:04:37 PM

Some things that will cause wavy cuts!

1. Dull blade
2. Not enough tension
3. Not enough lube
4. Feed rate too fast

As long as the mill is all on the same plane, it shouldn't cause waves.

Other than that, lots of knots in a soft wood tree, ie: Spruce comes to mind!

Jeff · September 23, 2012, 08:07:57 PM

If you know your blade is not sharp, you have your answer.

Sawdust Lover · September 23, 2012, 08:36:28 PM

Whenever I start to get wave I do 3 things. Change the blade, turn up the lube, and check the tension on the blade. When that doesn't work I start tuning the mill.

Dan_Shade · September 23, 2012, 09:01:01 PM

poplar is one of the softer domestic woods, and most of the time very easy to saw.

White Oak is one of our harder domestic woods.

If your blade is dull, and you're cutting white oak, it's going to be tough to get a straight cut.

When your saw is acting up, put on a new blade and see how it behaves. many times poor saw performance is a dull band, or one with bad set.

EZland · September 23, 2012, 10:26:30 PM

Thanks,
Just wanted to make sure I was not crazy.

Ok, I was sawing with a dull blade. I do like Chuck's nice check list. See an another Military guy, knew it. Very systematic.

Quote from: Chuck White on September 23, 2012, 08:04:37 PM
Some things that will cause wavy cuts!

1. Dull blade
2. Not enough tension
3. Not enough lube
4. Feed rate too fast

As long as the mill is all on the same plane, it shouldn't cause waves.

Good notes. fresh blade tomorrow! You know it is, it was the last couple cuts.

DanG · September 24, 2012, 12:43:13 PM

There are several factors that seem to make wavy boards a more common problem among newer sawyers. EZland, at least you knew your blade was dull. Many new guys are just plain mystified when it happens. Typically, a newby doesn't have many blades, so he needs to get all the goody out of a sharpening. It is a lot easier to justify a change when you have a hundred or more bands on hand, and/or your own sharpener. Also, experience will teach you to recognize when a blade first begins to lose its edge, so you can change it out before starting that next log. Nobody likes to stop in the middle of a log to change a blade. Heck, I even saw ol' Tom cut a wavy board or two when trying to get through with a log. :D

EZland · September 25, 2012, 09:42:26 AM

Yea, It is all kinds of fun when you know that the blade is dull and want to push it just one more board. YUK. it has caught me twice. Once I had to cut the blade out with a chainsaw, but all good. Learning is awesome. ;D

I only ordered three blades at first. I totally under estimated the number of blades i would go through. I have two more on the way and would like to get a good rotation. What is a good number to have on hand? I am just slightly more than a hobbyist. I am selling furniture on the side. and trying to get enough cut to dry for later projects.

This forum is great to get tips, saving me tons of frustration. Or at least confirming the things I almost know. lol

Where do you get your blades sharpened? Or do you sharpen them yourself?

thecfarm · September 25, 2012, 09:52:37 AM

A wedge for felling trees work good to help out when a blade gets stuck.
I use to have 12, blades. I'm down to 8 now. I'm kinda like you are,just sawing for myself. That's why I don't sharpen my own. I asked at a hardware store and got a real good guy. Looks like he's been doing it for years by the looks of his shop. All different types of blades and circle ones too. Most charge around $6-8 a blade. I don't think I spent more than $150 this year in getting blades sharpened.

Chuck White · September 25, 2012, 10:17:43 AM

I saw between 35&70K bf each year and I have one unopened box (15 blades) and 6 new blades in my sawbox at this time.

In January, I'll order another box of 15 blades.

I usually go through 6-8 blades a year, and I sharpen and set my own and average around 8 resharps per blade.

So, doing the math, 6 blades times 8 resharps = 54 times in service each, that's counting using it when it was new!

EZland · September 25, 2012, 08:16:19 PM

C farm,
I checked out your mill, nice manual deal very much like mine. Good deal. Great place to learn. I bought in thinking I would make more lumber for furniture, but know I have build a kiln. Who knows that may lead for a full sawyer deal like Chuck. I am learning a lot reading all the post and might jump to a WM 40. Some day.

Well I should have a full five blades sharpen for the weekend. two new and three freshly sharpened. I think I will build up to 10 to 15. Right now I have to mail them to get them sharpened. The postage is killing me more than the sharpening fee. Postage and sharpening coming out to $12 turn around. Still Half the price of Timberwolf new.

Chuck what kind of sharpener do you use?

hackberry jake · September 25, 2012, 08:27:41 PM

It is hard to justify a sharpener. But once you get one you won't regret it. It's the best purchase I have made towards cost saving. I got a great deal on Mine though. I believe boardwalk has one that just sharpens the face for pretty cheap. If you were closer I would just say come on up and use mine. I got 11 bands when I first bought my mill almost 2 years ago. I still have four of those still in the rotation and another 10 fairly new ones waiting on those to break.

EZland · September 25, 2012, 09:03:40 PM

Jake,
Who makes sharpeners? I know EZ has one, but are there others for the same price or less?

I am just gong through blades pretty fast and only getting about 300-500 BF our of them. Well one was my fault one struck the log clamp. Ouch. It only made a ting and cut 50 BF after so not so bad.

Oh yea, do you use the same blades it came with? same blade set? still learning all this stuff.

WDH · September 25, 2012, 09:16:34 PM

If you buy Woodmizer blades, Woodmizer in Newnan, GA will resharpen them for you, and they are just up the road from you. Unless you cut a lot of volume, a sharpener might not pay out for a good while.

I get about 500 BF per blade before resharpening.

EZland · September 26, 2012, 01:18:18 PM

Thanks, that is only 30 miles or so. That would be better than shipping. I take it they sharpen all brands of bands. Do they make blades that will fit my saw there?

POSTON WIDEHEAD · September 26, 2012, 02:55:36 PM

Quote from: EZland on September 26, 2012, 01:18:18 PM
I take it they sharpen all brands of bands. Do they make blades that will fit my saw there?

Woodmizer sharpens WOODMIZER blades. only......unless they have changed policy. I think they sell blades to just Woodmizer mill owners.

Jim_Rogers · September 26, 2012, 03:00:52 PM

I believe they will make blades for other size/company mills. And then if they have made the blade that they will sharpen it.

But you'll need to check with the blade guys at WM.

Jim Rogers

Chuck White · September 26, 2012, 05:04:36 PM

Quote from: EZland on September 25, 2012, 08:16:19 PM
C farm,
I checked out your mill, nice manual deal very much like mine. Good deal. Great place to learn. I bought in thinking I would make more lumber for furniture, but know I have build a kiln. Who knows that may lead for a full sawyer deal like Chuck. I am learning a lot reading all the post and might jump to a WM 40. Some day.

Well I should have a full five blades sharpen for the weekend. two new and three freshly sharpened. I think I will build up to 10 to 15. Right now I have to mail them to get them sharpened. The postage is killing me more than the sharpening fee. Postage and sharpening coming out to $12 turn around. Still Half the price of Timberwolf new.

Chuck what kind of sharpener do you use?

I use Cook's Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.

This is a pic of my setup!

More pics in my gallery!

hackberry jake · September 26, 2012, 06:38:00 PM

I don't know about wm. but Menominee saw sold me some woodmizer blades. I was just sawing some bodark that had been sitting a while. I sharpened the band twice on one good sized log. Me having my own sharpener just saved me between $14 to $24 on one log. I would feel like I was losing money every time I ran my saw if I had to pay to sharpen bands.

Delawhere Jack · September 26, 2012, 07:11:54 PM

If you mill a really knotty log you might get wavy cuts even with a spankin' new blade. I just milled a bunch of cedar today with a super knotty white pine thrown in the mix. Got some waves in the pine, went back to milling cedar with the same blade and milled 4-5 more good sized logs with no problem.

I asked the customer to burn the wavy boards, or at least tell people that I didn't mill them, but he thought they were just swell....... :D

Nomad · September 27, 2012, 06:36:03 AM

WoodMizer will make blades for any brand saw, even home made. You just need to tell them how long the blade needs to be. And resharp only works on WoodMizer blades.

locdogg · September 27, 2012, 07:44:14 PM

i had the wavy cuts too---make sure the blade is clean and sharp. i found it doesn't matter if it's sharp if there's crud on every tooth. i frequently run a wire brush along the blade to keep it clean. my logs are just dirty i guess.