Two Firsts for my sawmill

warren46 · December 11, 2013, 10:07:37 PM

I had two firsts at the mill today - one good and one not so much.

I got my first paying job today. The owner of a lot just down the road from us is planning a house. He has located a batch of hand hewn beams from a historic barn. He wants to have it sawn into lumber to use in the house. He asked me to pick up the beams and saw them, sticker them at my mill till spring.

I think that will be a good thing if I can find the nails before the band does.

I also had my first band come off the wheels today. I tried to back the band out of a cut about a foot into the log. Remind me not to try that again.

Scratch one blade.

mmartone · December 11, 2013, 10:37:54 PM

I have done that a few times with limited success, many times it goes just like that,, bang.

shortlogger · December 11, 2013, 10:49:02 PM

If I have to back my blade out of a cut I disengage it and wedge the the gap open with a chunk of wood then back it out .

warren46 · December 12, 2013, 06:46:22 AM

Quote from: shortlogger on December 11, 2013, 10:49:02 PM
If I have to back my blade out of a cut I disengage it and wedge the the gap open with a chunk of wood then back it out .

That is what I will do next time for sure.

Chuck White · December 12, 2013, 08:00:50 AM

Agree, disengage the blade before backing out of a cant or log!

bandmiller2 · December 12, 2013, 08:03:28 AM

I repeat myself but if you have plywood covers over your bandwheels most of the time you can save bands that are pulled off the wheels.If you have steel covers and space glue thin ply under the cover. Frank C.

Deese · December 12, 2013, 09:16:41 AM

Whew! I bet those timbers have quite a bit of metal in them

Ocklawahaboy · December 12, 2013, 09:25:29 AM

What a great tip. I'll file that under the "why didn't I think of that" file and implement it shortly.

Quote from: bandmiller2 on December 12, 2013, 08:03:28 AM
I repeat myself but if you have plywood covers over your bandwheels most of the time you can save bands that are pulled off the wheels.If you have steel covers and space glue thin ply under the cover. Frank C.

warren46 · December 12, 2013, 06:16:42 PM

Quote from: bandmiller2 on December 12, 2013, 08:03:28 AM
I repeat myself but if you have plywood covers over your bandwheels most of the time you can save bands that are pulled off the wheels.If you have steel covers and space glue thin ply under the cover. Frank C.

I do have plywood covers on my mill but unfortunately the band got a sharp kink.

dboyt · December 13, 2013, 12:36:24 PM

The plywood trick works well, except I used pan head bolts so that I could remove it, if I need to. Got a pair of plastic tree felling wedges and a hatchet. They stay with the mill just for the purpose of opening up a cut so I can back out the blade. Even if the blade is near the end of the cut, you can still back it out. Sometimes you need the second wedge so you can get the first one out!

Looks like your blade is disguising itself as a pretzel. I did that a couple of times before I figured out the wedge trick (always with the blade stopped). Live & Learn!

Magicman · December 13, 2013, 01:51:15 PM

I noticed some ole man try to back out of a cut in Texas this week. Didn't work for him either. :-\

Bill Gaiche · December 13, 2013, 03:22:51 PM

I thought what happened in Texas stayed in Texas. bg

Magicman · December 13, 2013, 03:27:35 PM

Quote from: Bill Gaiche on December 13, 2013, 03:22:51 PMI thought what happened in Texas stayed in Texas. bg

OK, I will not tell on you. :D

POSTON WIDEHEAD · December 13, 2013, 03:56:40 PM

Quote from: Magicman on December 13, 2013, 01:51:15 PM
I noticed some ole man try to back out of a cut in Texas this week. Didn't work for him either. :-\

....and he will one day try it again, if he's alone. ;D

Magicman · December 13, 2013, 07:04:40 PM

He was not alone. :-\

wwsjr · December 14, 2013, 07:54:31 AM

The plastic wedges did work. Did not take the kinks out of the blade.

EZland · December 14, 2013, 09:01:32 AM

Thanks for the Plywood in the guard trick. I am only just out my rookie year with my mill and this has happened to me several times. Either nails or totally my fault. So I keep wedges handy and it works about half the time.

Instead of plywood on the covers what about that plastic shower wall stuff. I bet it would stay clean and not have any saw dust stick to it. I will try it and let you know.

BUT you gotta love that BANG as the band come off the wheels.

Stephen1 · December 14, 2013, 05:57:26 PM

Quote from: Magicman on December 13, 2013, 01:51:15 PM
I noticed some ole man try to back out of a cut in Texas this week. Didn't work for him either. :-\

Brain Fart?

Magicman · December 14, 2013, 08:31:01 PM

You got it. It does not take but one "closed up" kerf to ruin your day as well as a blade. Of course, that was a fresh blade. :-\

warren46 · December 15, 2013, 06:52:40 AM

I am glad that I am not the only one who occasionally does something he knows could result in unintended consequences.

Warren

PineNut · December 16, 2013, 07:57:11 PM

Had a similar problem last week. I was sawing up some old logs for firewood. Was careless and fed it a little too fast and the blade jammed in the log. It was only about 3 inches from the opening end. Nothing was going to get it too move. Finally decided to remove the band from the mill while the band was still in the log. Moved the head out of the way and a chain saw make quick work of removing the band from the log.