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OldJarheads Milling Thread...

Started by OlJarhead, April 06, 2016, 02:06:53 PM

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OlJarhead

First day done with it's fair share of troubles but still worked out to a decent day :)  To start off I arrived with a flat!  Darn nails!  Picked up on on the highway and the passenger side tire on the mill was destroyed.  It lasted to get me to the site but I had to get it off, run to Les Schwab and get a new one (and a spare) and rushed back!  I didn't start milling (after setup) until 10:45am.

I arrived though surprised that the home owner decked all the logs in one pile though they were a little too high and needed some work still.


Got busy and the first couple logs came off the mill reasonably well while training the helpers to off-bear.


Log three loaded up, it's a 350bf 20 footer!  Loaded no problem and I began to mill.  Got one side milled down and rolled it 90 degrees, setup and began -- ZANG!!!  You know that sound right?  *DanG!  Hit a nail, changed out so a Bi-Metal and dropped it down thinking "I'll come under it and slab heavy" DING!!!!  5 more nails!  The Bi-Metal was no match for them and we bucked off 4 feet of the log, changed bands again and milled that sucker down to 2x4's :D


Then the logs started going up and the lumber coming off! 


6 hrs of milling in the sun was enough for me and I called it quits at 6pm after bucking some logs, milling 8 of them, limbing some, cutting off horns (branches sticking out and in the way) and generally working my butt off :D

Finished with 1400bf milled for the customer so far and learned something valuable:  when milling burned trees, if they got hot then slab them deep!  The outer wood is pretty *DanG hard and gave me waves like a worn band only, get under the hardened outer shell and the band went back to nice smooth straight cuts.  Can't say I expected that!  So no I'll slab em deep to save having to trim the waves out. 

Also the Bi-Metals (only actually used one today for about 4 hours) seem to cut well and faster than the double hard 10 degrees.  I could probably keep milling off the one I ran this afternoon but will change it out in the AM and go with a nice fresh one :)  After I go over the mill of course as I found some loose (not too but still not tight enough) bolts etc.

Could probably add a lot more but I'm tired, a little sunburned and my bed is calling me soon!
Cheers

PS.  The customer brought out her metal detector and started using it ;)  She even said "you did tell me I should do that if I had one and I said I would and then I forgot"
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

justallan1

Eric, sounds like it's all coming together great for you.

Chuck White

I have one more point that I advise some of my customers on!

Sometimes when I arrive I have noticed that there are some 16' logs in the stack, but no 16' lumber listed on the cutsheet, when I question the customer, they usually say we'll cut the lumber in half after it's sawn.

Then, I advise the customer that usually the sawyer can get more board footage out of two 8' logs than one 16' log, plus it's easier to handle!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Peter Drouin

Very good point Chuck, I don't cut long unless they need it. Don't forget OIJarhead you try to make the customer happy, But, you're the boss. ;D
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

OlJarhead

Yup, pointed that out several times to them.  They had a faller there yesterday but he had more fun off-bearing than bucking logs.  I'm hoping I can get them to do it today but if not I'll mill 'em long.

They have no need for 20 footers but that's mostly what they left me to mill.  It was the faller who bucked them into that length.  I guess he's a family friend or relative and 'doing them a favor' type thing.  Nice guy, good with a saw, but they are getting a lot of 20 foot lumber they don't need.  All they need is 10,12,14 and 16 footers and a lot of those 20's and 16's would make more lumber if they were shorter.

Today I'll start with three tens...funny thing, they don't need much ten foot lumber either so I'm making them into 2x6's figuring they can use them for something else.  Discussed it with the customer but she was pretty beat at the time and said "do what you think is best."
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

Magicman

I regularly tell customers to buck those long logs into the size lumber that they need.  No need to saw 20's when you only need 16's.  They get more usable boards from the 16's, it's easier for me to set up and saw 16's, so we are both ahead.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Lonely Sawer

Jarhead. Where is the location of this job? I have a place close to Leavenworth, Wa. Just wondering.

 
Norwood LM29
Sthil 020 16" bar
Sthil 039  24" bar
Kubota L3130 HST W/Backhoe
78 Ford F-800 Boom truck
2017 Ram Laramie Longhorn 3500 Cummins 4x4 crew
Yamaha Viking SXS

PC-Urban-Sawyer

Lonely Sawyer,

That's some nice place you got there...

Herb

OlJarhead

Riverside -- about 100 miles north of Wanachee.

Long day today with 7.5hrs of milling in :)  Lots of sunscreen and water!  It was a hot one, or seemed so and about half way through the day after a fill up the saw didn't seem to be happy.  It kept almost stalling when I engaged the blade or hit the forward switch, I'd stop, and restart and everything would be ok.  I stpped and checked filters and oil and all seemed fine, ran some more but it sounded sorta off and I wondered if I had some bad gas ???  Then after lunch (so about 1:30) it ran fine for the rest of the day.

I had a couple troubles today and only managed about 1300bf (Int 1/4 Scale -still working out the math on actual production but it looks like 1560ish and about 200bf/hr) partly because I was doing some flitch resawing and partly because I was having trouble with wavy cuts.  Changed band and still wavy, slowed down and it seemed to cure it for a while.....but I wandered, as I saw more at the end of the day if I was going too slow or just asking too much out of a band ???  The last log scaled out at 232bf and I'd milled about 90% of a 123bf log just before it.  Maybe I'm asking too much of the Bi-Metal bands?  Is 350bf (Int 1/4Scale) about all I should be getting?  Or maybe I'm trying to go to fast or too slow?  I've been (lately) with the dial about the '-' sign (pretty close to 11 o'clock or maybe a little slower).

I'll post pics shortly....then I need some rest! :P
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

OlJarhead

       

Some pics from the day.  Still fighting a cold which doesn't help.

Don't know if I mentioned I was having trouble squaring up cants on some of the logs and lost time fixing them.  I found that if I used the roller to get the face cut tight to the stops and then clamped it seemed to help but boy I was struggling at times!  I'd like to get my milling rate up closer to 300bf/hr with the bigger logs (or better) but so far the day ends around 200+ and no more.

Oh and after re-asjusting the outriggers I found the bed to be perfect.  No need to adjust (thanks for straitening me out! ;)

Now I think I'll relax a little more before crashing!  It was a hot one today and I'm feeling it!
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

Bandmill Bandit

Hey Oljarhead

sounds like you have fun and it sounds like the learning curve is getting a bit flatter.

At 1300 BF on your mill in your first job with some issues you are doing fine. check your fuel line clamps. I had a  loose one when i got my mill home and depending how the line was hanging off the tank it would suck air and act like your describing. Also a bad o ring in the steel quick connector will do that too IF your mill has those parts.

The wavy lumber is part of the learning curve too. What species are you cutting? Big knots in pine and spruce can be a challenge. Keep your bands tight. Speed of cut is affected by a quite a few thigs but you will get so that you hear the harmony of the mills song and that is the best way to describe the right speed that I know of. From your Notes id say your in the zone but i couldnt know for sure unless i heard the mill. 

Do you have a belt tension Guage? Check your belt tension. That the first thing i check when i start to get wavy lumber. A new drive belt needs about 2 initial adjustment in the first 15 to 20 hours of install to get it seated. Make sure to adjust the brake when you do it.

In a good production set up with good logs and good help I run an average of 300 to 35 BF and hour. I start with a fresh band in the morning and the first one comes off just be for lunch. Second one comes off around 5 - 5;30 allowing for a half hour coffee break around 3. Average day is about 10 ish hours including coffee, lunch, clean up and maintenance. All hours are calculated in the BF for the day.

You are doing great.

I get between 1200 and 1600 BF per sharpening depending on species and a few other factors. Id say 1250 to 1500 is average on the double hard 10 degree 1.5 inch 055(?) bands. I sharpen my own bands and I set  30 to 33 for offset. ALL of my bands come out of the box onto the setter and then the sharpener back on the setter and then on the mill.

If your using Bi metal you should do at least half again as much as I do in the same conditions.

If you have and Iphone and can do face time Id be happy to help that way too. 
 


     
Skilled Master Sawyer. "Skilled labour don't come cheap. Cheap labour dont come skilled!
2018 F150 FX4, Husqvarna 340, 2 Logright 36 inch cant hooks and a bunch of stuff I built myself

Chuck White

Lookin' Good, Eric!   ;)

If your engine keeps wanting to stall out, check the gas tank vent, that has been an issue on my mill a couple of times in the past! 
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

terrifictimbersllc

Tell the customers to put their logs into a word processor, and center-justify them   :D :D :D

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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

Magicman

Quote from: OlJarhead on April 11, 2016, 12:12:52 AMI'd like to get my milling rate up closer to 300bf/hr with the bigger logs (or better) but so far the day ends around 200+ and no more.
Stop worrying or even thinking about your productivity and concentrate on your lumber quality.  The productivity will come with time.

How many bf a blade saws before it dulls is immaterial.  When it is dull, it is dull.  Look at the teeth (with a magnifying glass if necessary) and if the outside points are rounded and shiny, the blade is dull.  Scratch your fingernail with a fresh blade and compare that with a used blade.  If those logs are "case hardened" by the fire, you may have to resort to 4° blades.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Dave Shepard

I've had issues with the little vent, too. Make sure it's opened all the way so it doesn't vibrate closed.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

OlJarhead

Running good today.  Slowed down feedrate and better product. 
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

ncsawyer

Quote from: Magicman on April 11, 2016, 08:00:53 AM
you may have to resort to 4° blades.

This is what I have done, as I saw mostly pine.  I run the 0.055 by 1.25 inch blades and they have performed very well for me even on wide cuts with hard knots.

I hate to hear about your tire.  When something like that happens to me, all I can think is "The first "x" number of logs I cut on this job will pay for that tire"  :-\
2015 Wood-Mizer LT40DD35
Woodmaster 718 planer
Ford 445 Skip Loader

Magicman

Sometimes it takes a whole job to pay for a particular tool or maintenance item.  I just look to the next job and am thankful that it is there.   smiley_thumbsup
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

OlJarhead


1st Log of the day was that 315bf burned pine :)  Took a while but I found slow an steady got me through it nicely with better quality lumber.  This jarhead learned to back off and take the slow road :)

My next log scaled out at 151 and went well too.  THe first two I actually learned to square the cant up by using the log roller to get it flat against the rails, slab it, check with square and if needed roll it a bit and skim it off.  I also stopped (thanks to MM) milling 1" flitches and started making the cant to suit what I wanted to produce:) Worked like a hot *DanG!


After those first two I began to get into a smooth groove :) and knocked them down one by one!


I began to plan out my cants an cuts to fit in the flitches so I could mill them along with it.  Worked very well!


Some time in the afternoon I skimmed a side support (non hydraulic) and made it a little shiny! LOL but I changed out the band and rocked on :)


Funny thing, I slowed down and knocked out 1500bf (scaled logs) and about 1700bf actual.

The Bi-Metal band did it's thing as I cut a large nail but it didn't stop!!!  It kept going and finished the day with this last cut a bit rough so I stopped there.  I'll change it out in the AM and do the last 10 logs and the job will be done!


That's a wack of lumber!  The customer is very happy and their builder said "wow!  Nice lumber!  Can you mill some Russian Olive for me?"


After day three there are only 10 logs left to mill!  We pulled out some pecker poles that aren't really worth the trouble and they don't need them so were happy to drag them out.  They also are planning about job and their Dad left yesterday saying "He's hired!  I better get a cut list ready!


Russian Olive...never done that before..might be interesting.

All in all a fantastic day! :D

Can't wait to get back and finish the job :)
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

Chuck White

Eric, I've notice in reading that it seems you leave your band on, overnight!  :o

I would recommend band removal for sure at the end of the day!

I've noticed that even during a lunch break that a band sitting still on the belts will start to stain/rust, and I hate a rusty band!  :-\

~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Magicman

I always remove the blade at the end of a day's sawing.  Even with the blade tension off, it will also leave fiercely caked sawdust pinched between the blade and bandwheel belts.  I install a blade and start every morning with a freshly brushed/cleaned bandwheel belt.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Kbeitz

I have read that almost everyone takes the tension off there blade at the end of the day.
On my home made mill it's not that easy to do. So since the day the mill was made I
never ever released the band tension. I have not seen any problems from this.
I'm happy with my blade life so I don't think I ever will start doing it ether.
Is there any one besides me that leaves the pressure on your bands besides me?
Collector and builder of many things.
Love machine shop work
and Wood work shop work
And now a saw mill work

WV Sawmiller

    I always remove my blade overnight for safety reasons so never thought about the releasing the tension.

Eric,

   You talk about getting in your groove. When I get in a real good groove is usually about the time I cut a groove in something else - like a side clamp or something. I've said it before - the advantage of a bigger, faster mill is that you can make mistakes a whole lost faster.

   Good looking lumber. I assume that last whack has more sweep than the rest you have been cutting. Ever notice how the customer always seems to leave their worst logs for last.
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

OlJarhead

I've been letting off the tension each night and replacing the band in the morning as part of my routine.  Easy enough to change that.  Do you transport blade off or on?

Yup, got in a grove and cut one right across a side support  :o :( :snowball: but then I got back into it and finished up the day anyway.

I felt VERY good last night....a little sore this morning but then I usually am.

Yup, the last logs, even yesterdays, have some 'fun' built into them but I've asked them to buck them all to 16 feet starting with 'those butts'.

Fortunately the fallers get it, but the customer didn't quite understand, for some reason, that cutting the logs to the size of the lumber makes it easier and faster.
2016 LT40HD26 and Mahindra 5010 W/FEL WM Hundred Thousand BF Club Member

Magicman

Quote from: OlJarhead on April 12, 2016, 09:16:47 AMDo you transport blade off or on?
I have left the blade on to relocate the sawmill at the sawing site.  The sawmill is designed so that you can transport with the blade on but I do not.

My daily routine is to remove the blade and brush the B57's at the end of each day and the fuel & blade lube tanks get filled.  The sawmill lube is done in the morning before sawing.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

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