Free logs

[Bruno of NH]

got some spruce logs delivered for free from a tree service.
I know spruce is no fun to saw but will do it any way :D

  

  

 
Im going to wait till it warms up a little ;D
Getting soft as i get older dont like the cold as much.
I also need a double knee replacement so the cold binds up the knees .
Thanks Jim /Bruno of NH

[Ocklawahaboy]

I get plenty of free logs but never delivered free.  Enjoy.

[bandmiller2]

Its good form to get to know the tree service guys, many times they want to get rid of stuff too large to chip. Most are open to deals where they get some lumber and hardwoods for truck racks and beds. Frank C.

[DeerMeadowFarm]

No sawing experience (yet), but why is Spruce no fun to saw?  ???

[Bruno of NH]

DMFarm
The knots in spruce make it hard to saw
You can get some wavy cuts
I have sawn it before with 10 degree bands
I now have some 7 and 8 degree bands hope it saws better
Jim/Bruno

[shinnlinger]

You might find it actually saws better when frozen as the softwood is hard like the knots....

[shinnlinger]

No lube or pitch issues either...

[fishfighter]

What is that white stuff covering your logs?

Sun shine and 77F here today. Got a little burnt. :D

[Bruno of NH]

We got 2-4 more inches of it coming for Friday  !
It's that time of year .
Jim/Bruno

[4x4American]

I've found that norway spruce saws really easy.  I sawed out some frozen ones (I mean covered in ice and boards sticking together right after you sawed them frozen).

[Peter Drouin]

DMFarm
The knots in spruce make it hard to saw
You can get some wavy cuts
I have sawn it before with 10 degree bands
I now have some 7 and 8 degree bands hope it saws better
Jim/Bruno

Just need a sharp blade, will cut fine

[4x4American]

haha I just read above what shinnlinger said.  That makes sense, as the reason it deflects is because you're going from soft wood to hard knots.  As tim cook says, it is easier for a band to saw straight through hard knots, as long as the 5 factors are properly adjusted.

From my house it looks like you may have some black blotches on the end of your logs?  That is indicative of metal.  Be careful be careful

[Peter Drouin]

haha I just read above what shinnlinger said.  That makes sense, as the reason it deflects is because you're going from soft wood to hard knots.  As tim cook says, it is easier for a band to saw straight through hard knots, as long as the 5 factors are properly adjusted.

From my house it looks like you may have some black blotches on the end of your logs?  That is indicative of metal.  Be careful be careful

It deflects because the blade is dull.

[4x4American]

Yea you're rite

[Southside]

haha I just read above what shinnlinger said.  That makes sense, as the reason it deflects is because you're going from soft wood to hard knots.  As tim cook says, it is easier for a band to saw straight through hard knots, as long as the 5 factors are properly adjusted.

From my house it looks like you may have some black blotches on the end of your logs?  That is indicative of metal.  Be careful be careful

Whaatt???  A yard tree with metal in it?  I don't believe it, everybody always tells me they know nobody has ever stuck a nail in them, ever!!

[4x4American]

easy guy, you don't want to have a heart attack over it!

[5quarter]

It deflects because the blade is dull.

Sharp blade is not always good enough. blade also needs .028"-.030" set and higher tension. ;)

[Peter Drouin]

It deflects because the blade is dull.

Sharp blade is not always good enough. blade also needs .028"-.030" set and higher tension. ;)

 
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[4x4American]

Holy whack Peter think you got enough tension? 

The guide rollers also have to be flat and the band wheels need to be properly aligned.

That's alot of set, 5 quarter.  I set my Munkforsager bands to around .022 and I just talked with Cook's they told me that if I'm sawing frozen logs, the blade will clear the sawdust better if I set the bands to .015"  otherwise they should be set around .018"-.022"  I believe was their numbers.  That's for their duratooth super sharp.

[FarmingSawyer]

You might find it actually saws better when frozen as the softwood is hard like the knots....

I love sawing spruce! It definitely saws better frozen. It doesn't seem to matter what degree blade is used, just that it's sharp and you adjust your feed rate to the amount/size of knots.

[shinnlinger]

Farming,

Do you know Terry Lamont in Linconville?  He is actually the guy that gave me the idea to saw frozen in the first place...

[FarmingSawyer]

I know a few Lamont's in the area, but not Terry. Is he the fella on Slab City road? I go by there often......

[5quarter]

4x4, Yeah, frozen is different. you can run your Duratooth fine right out of the box. Sawing blue and Norway spruce in the fall (hundreds of knots per log >:()? Not going to happen under .025" set. I bump mine out to .028" and problem solved. I have a band hanging in the shop tagged "spruce".  ;)

[FarmingSawyer]

I had an odd one yesterday....a fresh me-sharp band....I cut 2 cedars and a frozen pine no problem. Nice and flat, cutting like butter. I get to another cedar and by the end of the log the band was 3/16ths higher than the cut. I changed to another fresh me-sharp and the same thing was going on. The cedar was narrow--probably 8" and wide--around 16". It came off of a wye and had split, so it was frozen mostly through with a lot of ice in part of it.

I checked the band alignment, I re-leveled the mill. I still couldn't shake the 3/16 deviation, and on one pass through the 16" wide dimension I got a lot of wave. So I switched to a brand new SuperSharp and hey, presto! It cut like butter.

I don't know if my set was off on the other bands, or just not a quality job on the sharpening....I had to then take the wide dimension and cut it in 1/2. I was trying to get a 5-1/2" cant by whatever so I could make 1/2" lap siding for an order. I'd messed up the 5-1/2" dimension with band wander. SO I cut the flitch in to 2 5-1/2" square cants and worked my 1/2" material from the other direction. I lost about 4 boards messing around, but at lease I solved the problem and salvaged the log for some material. The next frozen cedar cut like a dream......

It didn't help that I was getting pelted with frozen rain and snow..... :D

[Chuck White]

When sawing Spruce, your feed speed has to match your band sharpness!

With a sharp band, if you're getting wavy cuts, you need to slow down a little!

[Peter Drouin]

For me When I have frozen logs and I don't care what kind, I see a lot of guys slow down with the cut thinking it will cut flat. What happens is the sawdust friezes in the cut and will give you fits. I just cut like I do in the summer or very close to it and push through it. If the blade is sharp it will cut flat. If not it's dull, And I have taking new blades out of the box and It cuts like a junk one. I do push my set out some. 

Sometimes Free logs will cost you. :D :D

[Dave Shepard]

Only sometimes? :D I find most free things are worth what you paid for them.

[Peter Drouin]

Only sometimes? :D I find most free things are worth what you paid for them.

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Chuck White]

For me When I have frozen logs and I don't care what kind, I see a lot of guys slow down with the cut thinking it will cut flat. What happens is the sawdust friezes in the cut and will give you fits. I just cut like I do in the summer or very close to it and push through it. If the blade is sharp it will cut flat. If not it's dull, And I have taking new blades out of the box and It cuts like a junk one. I do push my set out some. 

Sometimes Free logs will cost you. :D :D

Not always!

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Free logs have been very, VERY good to me. 

[Peter Drouin]

For me When I have frozen logs and I don't care what kind, I see a lot of guys slow down with the cut thinking it will cut flat. What happens is the sawdust friezes in the cut and will give you fits. I just cut like I do in the summer or very close to it and push through it. If the blade is sharp it will cut flat. If not it's dull, And I have taking new blades out of the box and It cuts like a junk one. I do push my set out some. 

Sometimes Free logs will cost you. :D :D

Not always!

Have you had trouble?

[4x4American]

Peter from more than a few posts I've got the feeling that you saw like Mario Andretti! I'd love to see you saw in person.
I remember one post awhile back you said something along the lines of: there's a fine line between quality and junk lumber, and you need to saw right up to that to make money.

That's stuck with me I try to remember that when I'm sawing cause I go slow a lot, sometimes I'm just waiting for a loud BANG or a BOOM

[Allen S]

I get some free logs from a tree service crew some good some bad but never had a chance to saw a frozen one yet   

[4x4American]

I stumbled upon it somehow:

"When you cut wood for some years you will find how fast you can cut with your mill and have nice lumber and not junk. The trick is to find the line of making good lumber or bad, And cut right up to it."  -Peter Drouin

[petefrom bearswamp]

I have sawed Red spruce which is very easy to saw and Norway from 75 year old plantations which was not.
Norway logs were 18 to 22 " dia.
Dave Scott at WM Northeast sold me some .055 7degree blades and told me to crank up the tension al la Peter Drouin.
I did this and eventually the v belt on one wheel crushed to the point that the blade was running on the metal.
These were WM Goodyear belts.
I have sawed a few Norway since then which weren't as bad but I will stick to Hemlock and White pine as much as possible.

[Peter Drouin]

I do push myself and the mill.
I started with a LT40 manual and a WM rock sharpener and setter. Then to a LT 40 hydro. I spent time tailing for a circular mill and all most got one, but I wanted to work alone. I have had as much as 20+ guys working for me in the construction biz and was sick of that. :D
Then I ordered the LT 40 supper The WM edger with the cats, The CBM sharpener and dual setter and been very happy. I'm not a race car driver, But I like to test myself all the time [ just the way I am] Just the other day I wanted to know how long it would take to cut and split and stack a cord of firewood, For planing on some things I'm doing. 1Hour and 15 min
Not bad for a man at 60 years old. :D


Not all logs are the same, That said, I just like to see what I can get cut in a day. You will find you will spend a lot of time feeding the mill logs so when I'm cutting I try to make the most of it.
With the new CBN sharpener and setter will open doors for you to cut better and faster. You have to not be afraid to try new things or just what the mill will do or the blades will do. And that's how you find the line.
I will say with the sharpening stuff it made a big difference, [I can play with the set] I can make the blades better than new, That oil bath is where it is for me.
Maybe I might sound like I'm boasting sometimes But I'm not and the last thing I want to do is pith off someone here.
And never the BOSS.  :D :D :D :D :D
I think the speed of the cut should be the same most all the time. But all I have to go by is a Wood Mizer. What others do with other mills or makes, I have no idea.
I'm trying to share what I have learned over the decades of cutting wood.
So 4x4 go for it and take it by the horns . :D :D :D 8)

[Peter Drouin]

I have sawed Red spruce which is very easy to saw and Norway from 75 year old plantations which was not.
Norway logs were 18 to 22 " dia.
Dave Scott at WM Northeast sold me some .055 7degree blades and told me to crank up the tension al la Peter Drouin.
I did this and eventually the v belt on one wheel crushed to the point that the blade was running on the metal.
These were WM Goodyear belts.
I have sawed a few Norway since then which weren't as bad but I will stick to Hemlock and White pine as much as possible.

I do go through a lot of b57s :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Cedarman]

Got the CBN sharpener last summer.  Let the hired help do all the sharpening until a week before Thanksgiving when I figured that I might as well take over sharpening and let them saw wood.  LOVE the oil bath sharpener.  Teeth sharper than a razor after a good stropping.
Used a dual tooth setter years ago.  Just did not trust the set.
I use the old single tooth setter to make sure every tooth is close to what I want it to be.
Board foot sawn has went up, number of blades needing sharpened has went down as more feet get sawn before blade dulls.
Hired 2 high school kids to come in at 3:30 after we shut down to do clean up.  That has speeded up footage through mill and got rid of some work the employees just "loved".
Peter , you are right, got to keep thinking and experimenting.

[FarmingSawyer]

After a frigid morning of malfunctions--who foresaw the gob of frozen grease dropping on one side chain that raises and lowers the mill head and causing the chain to wrap around itself..... and the head to fall 2 inches.....I didn't--DanG polar gremlins..... I have made it though most of the cedar on the deck and am up to the 2 spruces on my cut list...... Hopefully they're frozen....and hopefully they're clear. I have an order for oar blanks, boat masts and booms.....all need to be clear and straight grained....or I've got to go source another few logs.....

I've put on a fresh sharp blade and after this cup of tea and my hand thawing out, I'm millin..... 8)

[Jeff]

Does anyone have an idea please what topic this post is disconnected from so I can put it where it belongs? I just spent 10 minutes looking and didn't connect the dots.

[beenthere]

Maybe @Peter Drouin or @4x4American can help out.  I couldn't find it either.

[Bruno of NH]

Hi Jeff
I think free logs
One of my post
Thanks Jim /Bruno

[Jeff]

Thanks!

[Peter Drouin]

I started a new post when I answered 4x4 I don't know what happened

[Chuck White]

For me When I have frozen logs and I don't care what kind, I see a lot of guys slow down with the cut thinking it will cut flat. What happens is the sawdust friezes in the cut and will give you fits. I just cut like I do in the summer or very close to it and push through it. If the blade is sharp it will cut flat. If not it's dull, And I have taking new blades out of the box and It cuts like a junk one. I do push my set out some. 

Sometimes Free logs will cost you. :D :D

Not always!

Have you had trouble?

Yup, when I get most wavy cuts, it's usually with small Spruce, around 12-14" in diameter  :-\, but a few years ago, I had a customer who had some big spruce, 26-30" in diameter and they really sawed nice! 

[4x4American]

I was wondering what happened!  I got a notification saying I was tagged but couldn't see the post.  I figured it was in the forbidden section.    Yes this was the free logs post originally. 

Thanks for the reply, Peter!  I have alot of respect for your opinions.  I just don't think you could pith me off!  One of your threads was the first one I read when i joined The great FF, i went through all 32 pages of it and loved it.  it was the a day sawing wood thread.  it helped keep me sane whilst waiting for my mill to be ready.  thanks!

[4x4American]

4x4, Yeah, frozen is different. you can run your Duratooth fine right out of the box. Sawing blue and Norway spruce in the fall (hundreds of knots per log >:()? Not going to happen under .025" set. I bump mine out to .028" and problem solved. I have a band hanging in the shop tagged "spruce".  ;)

I haven't sawed any of it in the fall yet.  Only in nice warm 10*F weather. :D

the logs i was sawing were from 14-16" dbh trees and didn't have many knots near the butt.  they had alot once i got up but at that point the logs were real small so not really worth sawing.

[Peter Drouin]

Chuck, I had pushed the set out to 30 instead of the 24 WM sets at with 55/7° with the blade tight helped me cut flat. And yes spruce sometimes can be a hand full.

[Peter Drouin]

4x4 I'm glad if I can help. Now I hope the boss is ok with me messing up this post. :D :D

[Dave Shepard]

I think it was the Boss that consolidated everything. ;)