Finally got started making lumber

[Tramp Bushler]

Finally got started ! Thank God !

Note from Admin:  Pics must be in Forestry Forum Gallery.  Please read rules.

Species is Alaskan White Spruce. Some of it from blow downs or spruce bark beetle killed trees.
Milling 16' 8x8s , 2x8s , 2x10s and 2x4s.
At least that is my target sizes. Some of the 2x8s are 8'+ some 9'6". floor joists are 16' 2x8s for the 2nd floor joists and 16' 2x10s for the ground floor.

I'm learning stuff with every cut. Actually learning at least as much from log and cant set up and dogging as from the sawing.

[Tramp Bushler]

So what's the deal with posting pics in the gallery before I can put them in my post. ???

[Ianab]

Have a read here. 
http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=100194.0
By uploading the picture to the FF server they stay in your posts, no matter what some other random photo hosting outfit decides to do. 

Lots of other forums lost most of their pictures when --Photos MUST be in the Forestry Forum gallery!!!!!-- started charging actual money to host them. The FF didn't, because they are all kept on the actual FF server.  

[Tramp Bushler]

 



Logging 16'6". I'm loading them on my woods trailer to keep them out of the dirt. 

[Tramp Bushler]

 

 

My wife Really likes seeing boards come off the mill.
Happy wife= happy life !



Red mill , red hard hat. :D
 I gotta get a hard hat with vents in the top. 96° in the sun where I've been working. 

[Tramp Bushler]

 I got 4 logs home this afternoon. Hopefully the sawing will go well in the morning.


  Hopefully I'll get 1 beam from 1 log and at least 4, 2x10s from the other log. And an 8x8 from one of the shorties. The other I'll be lucky to get a 6x6 out of.


I put a drop receiver stub on the 4 wheeler after the first truck load . it really helps to keep the small end out of the dirt.

 

[RAYAR]

It's great that you're milling your own construction lumber.

[Tramp Bushler]

 Seems you have a similar tractor/ skidder as I use. 

 

[Tramp Bushler]

 

 
Making sure I am reading the scale right.



 
Sometimes I'm happy just to get a good slab off without and mistakes made on my part.

[Tramp Bushler]

It's great that you're milling your own construction lumber.

Once we got a piece of land that we wanted. I figured the cost of the framing lumber I would need to build a small house and garage. It came out to more than this mill cost. Granted, the mill is used. But it saws nice lumber when I do my part correctly. And if I take care of it I will be able to saw many more houses worth of lumber with it. 
 And I like doing things like this myself. 

[thecfarm]

All looks good!!!

[RHayes]

Good to see you are up and running.  What caught my eye was your MightyMite Gen ll.  I have the same mill.  Mine was originally  flat  wheels and 2" bands which I converted to 19" sheaves  running loose v belts (now tight polyurethane) and 1-1/4" bands.  I also changed the roller guides and have had years of trouble free service.

The tilt table has been good for me and will produce some primo beveled siding.

Enjoy!  

[Tramp Bushler]

 The tilt table  >:(
The previous owner thot it would be a good idea to weld some lgp small DOZER track pads onto the stationary frame cross members And to the tilt table.
 Cuss cuss cuss !!!!
I want to use the tilt table for bevel siding . But even more for sawing shingles.

That's cool that you have a Gen ll. !!

[Tramp Bushler]

 

 

I got a nice beam out of that log . and a 1 by that I'll have to edge. 
 You can see the welded on low ground pressure track pads . On the frame of the mill. 
 
 I sawed 265 board feet of good lumber today. Plus added about 10 pieces to the reman/ resaaw pile. Thick slabs and wany 2nd cuts. 
 I think I figured out how to get my 2nd slab cut to be square with the 1st slab cut.  Put the log dog in the middle of the depth of the log . Or slightly higher. 
 

 

 I had been having a hard time with that. 

 When I'm building our house with this lumber. I'll remember some of my (challenges)  8)

[RHayes]

I see the welded on track pads, looks like there are three.   I fully get what the original owner was trying to achieve, especially if he wasn't into beveled siding.  The tilt table is narrow and when manipulating/rolling timbers, they may want to fall on to the bed.  My cure is to have a few pieces of 2-1/4" x 1-1/2" lying around.  They are notched to fit under the tilt table for about 1/2" making the whole bed width the same height. I simply wedge two or three in and problem solved.  They can also be used as occasional toe boards if 1-1/2 or 2-1/4" is needed.

The shingle making feature worked fine but slow.  I used it a few times to make clear cedar shims.  As a carpenter/door hanger for close to 40 years, I never liked the expensive little bundles of shims, especially when they only went down to 1/4" or so on the thin end. 

[Tramp Bushler]

 The problem I have with the track pads other than them disabling the tilt table. I can't saw any thinner than 2" thick on my bottom/last cut. The roller blade guide contacts it and head rig travel stops.
If we get a good rain I'm going to cut them off with an angle grinder.
I was thinking about laying down some boards, a couple layers. But I like the idea of fitting in some sized pieces. I've been using some 1 1/2" pieces I cut for a toe board . I keep 1 at each end of the mill. I had a log yesterday that only needed about 3/4" rise on the small end so I grabbed something from the slab pile and bucked a 16" piece with the DeWalt 6 1/2" cordless circle saw.  
That saw is proving to be Very handy to have at the mill.  Long slabs that have a thin spot in the middle . Zip and no struggling to get it on the slab pile. Sticker boards, zip zip zip , stickers a plenty.
Another tool that is handy and saves the hands is a 12" set of hand tongs. Especially handy for pulling beams off the mill and stacking them. My set are Husqvrna brand. Real handy for moving smaller logs around.
 Its been real hot here . Today especially. So I didn't go to the woods today. Plenty of other projects needed attention.
 Thanks for the tip !

[Tramp Bushler]

 With the heat wave we are having I put myself on night shift. High 50s low 60s temps are much easier to work in that the 90s plus during the afternoon . Its 87°F in the shade @ 2:30 pm right now. Probably 100° at the mill. Sunset here is around 11:30 pm. But it doesn't get fully dark before the sun rises @ around 4 am. I was in the woods logging @ 3:15 this morning and it was nice and bright out. Got out another trailer load of logs. 
 Night before last I took the time to cut the track pads off the bed frames of the mill. Now I can saw down to 1" 😀👍. 
 Also, I did my very first sharpening of a band blade. I used my Dremil tool with an orange grinding bit in it. Left the band on the mill. Moved the head rig to a place where I could comfortably sit and the band was at a comfortable height. I held the Dremil vertically and moved it in an 1/4 circular motion. Grinding the vertical face, gullet and up the slope to the point of the next tooth. Then repeat. I would do a few teeth then advance the band. 
 It came out Much better than I anticipated. It just flew thru the log. 
 I know that eventually I will need an official band grinder and setter. But for now I'm very happy with how well this worked. 
 Production is still slow. . But the lumber pile is growing steadily if slowly. 

 

[Tramp Bushler]

 Some night shift logging and milling pics.

 

 



Kind of an ugly log . but I got 4, 2x10s @ 8' plus trim for floor joists . And 16' of 2x10 blocking from that log. I bucked it @ the crook. I don't mind rough looking lumber for blocking @ the rim joists. 

[Tramp Bushler]

 Some nice 2x10s x 16'6"

 

 

[Tramp Bushler]

 I discovered that a 6 HP Shop Vac . with the hose screwed into the blower side works great for blowing sawdust and bark chips off the mill.

[RHayes]

Progress!

I don't see anything where the support legs go.  (the square tube receivers welded to the frame x 4)  How do you have it supported?

[Tramp Bushler]

I've been moving along . the legs didn't come with it. I have some square tubing and will make up some screw jacks this winter.
My last log of the day today didn't go according to plan.

[Tramp Bushler]

 

 

 

 

 

 


 So in the morning I'll get busy milling this abbreviated load. 
  Oh, forgot to answer the ? .  I have blocks under the frame. I know its kinda hillbilly . But its a choice between a day building screw jacks or loggin or milling right now. I need to be making lumber. 

[Tramp Bushler]

 

 


My last log of the day. I was too tired by this time to do anything about it . I'll tackle it when go back to the woods.

Alot has improved and speeded up slowly. I started sharpening the band on the saw with a Dremil tool . I got 3 sharpening out of it before I took it off and put it up until I get a real sharpener and setter. I put one on that I had put a bit of a bend in when I got it hung up in a heavy slab cut that I didn't slide any wedges in. I set up a way to tap the bow out of the blade. Took my time and its running real straight and cutting real good. But the 3 rd blade I put on I sawed well over 1,000 board with before retiring it for now.

[WV Sawmiller]

Tramp,

   All I can say is I am envious. How do you get a pretty lady to come help around the mill? You must be doing something right. ;) Keep on posting.