iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Where to start...how did you learn?

Started by Mesquite Man, October 24, 2002, 10:18:53 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Mesquite Man

All right guys, me again.  If I am bothering anyone with my questions, please let me know.  I am trying to learn as much about milling by reading posts and asking questions.

Can you recommend a good source of information, either printed or on the net, that will give me the basics on how to properly mill a log?  How did you learn?

I know I could probably take a class some where but I do not have the time as I am only doing this as a hobby and own and run my own business that takes up a lot of my time as it is.

I could visit a local mill and ask questions and watch but there are not many mills in the area.  There is a guy I know that has a WM that he uses in his log cabin business but he does not know anything about really milling.

Does anyone have any good suggestions for a hobbist sawyer wannabe?!  I really want to learn as much as I can so that I can be the best I can possibly be.

Curtis
"Mesquite Man"
Curtis O. Seebeck
TimberKing 1220

Tom

Yep, check out the knowledge base under bandsaw milling and then ask a bunch of questions. There is a world of help here on the forum for the asking. :P

ARKANSAWYER

CURTIS,
   The best way is to come up to ARKANSAWYER 101  learn how to do it by doing it and watching it done.  It is not easy and you can still learn something after a million bdft.  
   Get some ole junk logs and saw away and look at the boards.  If you know what a good board is you will soon learn how to get them out of the log.  Then you will learn how to read logs and know where the boards are before you open it up.  
  Doc Gene's book "From Woods to Woodshop" is good.  Alot of it will make more sense after you make some sawdust first.
   And if any one does not like you asking questions then they need to log on to OLD CRAB.COM  >:(  but you just ask away and we will have some fun.
   If your new mill came with a tie stretcher and you are not going to use it can I borrow it?
 ARKANSAWYER
ARKANSAWYER

Tom

Perhaps, if I ever get that far north again, I'll have stop by and see the wonderment ::) :D

Noble_Ma

Curtis,

I've only been sawing since early March and learn something new every time I fire the mill up.  I've been lucky to get a lot of free logs and have used them to learn on.  Practice is the best learning tool for me and I think most would agree.  I read on a few forums prior to purchasing my mill and learned a lot.  I did buy  some tapes sold by Timber Harvester about grade and quarter sawing.  They were a little expensive but they did go over a lot good info.  Tthey show you on a portable band mill which makes it nice to apply what you see.  They cover how to determine the best face before you make that first cut.  They also show when it's time to turn the log and look for better grade.  They even go over how to grade the boards.  I think that determining grade is something that you need to learn first hand from someone who knows how and can show you first hand.  I know I've heard a few guys on here say that the best thing to do is keep the blade in the wood.  Good luck.

Bibbyman

Speaking of videotapes,  our state department of conservation has a library of thousands of tapes available on loan for free or just for shipping - more than a hundred on sawmill and woodlot themes.  Some I've seen are dated back to the old circle sawmill days but the application is the same - just turn your head 90 degrees and picture the log setting still. ;D
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Bro. Noble

Bibb,

I learned more about grading lumber and sawing for grade from those videos.  Did you see the one about the BIG MILL at Grandin, Mo.  Jeff would enjoy that.

If they will send those tapes out-of-state,  there's something for everyone on the list.  Some very good ones on forest management.

Those tapes and some marketing advice from other local millers is how I got started.

Noble
milking and logging and sawing and milking

Bibbyman

Noble,

Man oh man yes!  

We bought a copy of it and "Mark of Distinction" for my Dad for a Christmas gifts.  The Mark of Distinction is old footage from a news real from some St. Louis tie company (TJ Moss?)  showing them hacking and sawing ties out, floating them down the river,  haul them out and hand load them on railroad cars. None of those guys had a weight problem!!

Great stuff!
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Bro. Noble

Bibb,

What's that old saying about 'Great Minds' working the same?

Also bought the Big Mill tape for my Dad.  Also enjoyed the tie video and one filmed in Maine (I think) where the lumber was transported by sailing ship.

Maybe you could call over to their office and see if they will send tapes out-of-state.  They sure have an exceptionl collection of videos.  The only cost was the return postage which was $1.00 the best I remember, for library rate.

Noble
milking and logging and sawing and milking

Bibbyman

Nob,

It's been a while since I've been over there.  They had a list of tapes and a lady that worked out of a room in the basement.  I'd go over on my lunch break with my list and see what was in and what was out.  Watched about 20 before I got through with the ones I wanted to see.   The one on lumber grading was done by the most boring guy you'd ever see on video but he no doubt knew what he was talking about.

I looked around their web site this afternoon and didn't find it online so maybe it's the same lady and list in the basement. I'll see what I can find out Monday.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Bro. Noble

Bibb,

I looked at a whack of the tapes,  I think the boring guy was from North Carolina.  There were several good tapes from there but they sure needed someone else to narrate them.  There was a really good tape ( I think the mill was in Lousiana) on sawing for grade.  It was a big bandmill and the background music was the song "Working at the Sawmill".  I played it over and over.

Noble
milking and logging and sawing and milking

Mesquite Man

Does anyone by any chance have any of the mentioned tapes they woudl be willing to sell, rent, or loan?  I would really like to see one.

Sitruc
"Mesquite Man"
Curtis O. Seebeck
TimberKing 1220

Bro. Noble

Sitruc,

Bibbyman will find out if you can get them from the Mo. Dept of Conservation.  If so you can see all of them and a lot more.  The ones Bibb and I bought were historical tapes that they (I'm pretty sure ) produced.  They lend those out also but may not send any of  them out-of-state.  That's what Bibb is going to find out.  He works in the capitol city.

Bibb,

Do you suppose if these guys see all the videos we watched they will be as smart as us?

Noble

milking and logging and sawing and milking

Mesquite Man

Noble,

If you only watched 10 of those videos 2 times and got as smart as you are, then I should be able to watch those same 10 videos 4 times and become twice as smart as you, right? :) :) :)

Sitruc
"Mesquite Man"
Curtis O. Seebeck
TimberKing 1220

Bro. Noble

Sitruc,

Well, I suppose, maybe------better ask Bibb,  I didn't say I was smart at arithmatic.

Noble
milking and logging and sawing and milking

Noble_Ma

Hey guys I looked for those videos and couldn't find them.  Any links?  

Bibbyman

When I started out with my sawmill,  I went over to the Missouri Department of Conservation (that the Forestry Department is under) and walked into the big empty main lobby and told the nice lady setting at the desk in the middle what I was there for.  She directed me to someone who acted like they'd been there 20 years just waiting for me to come in and ask for stuff.  Two hours later I walked out with an armload of material and they were disappointed I didn't take more.  The head of the department followed me back to the front doors and encouraged me to come back soon or at least call from time to time.

The point of my first post was – The Forestry Department in Missouri has all kinds of information – including great videos.  Probably the Forestry Department in your state (or equivalent agency) has lots of info too.  Those guys are there waiting for someone to talk to and have tons of information for your area.  That's where you should probably look first.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Jeff

QuoteSome I've seen are dated back to the old circle sawmill...

Hey!
 :D
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Bibbyman

You caught that!  Perdy good for an ol' guy that still runs a circle mill. :D
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

MM

Curtis,

 In 1999 I was able to buy a Lt40hdg25. I had never run a sawmill before. I had welded and built my share of them. (I work for WM). I remember the first log I was sawing. My neighbor brought it over. We made boards. Thats about all we did. Made boards, not so good boards. I didn't pay attention to knots, grain or anything like that. Just sawed. I had no formal training on the mill. Like I said, I just built them. I got the hang of it. I learned new stuff on  every log I sawed. The more I cut the more I learned. The best advice I can give is watch others saw, ask questions, Ark. 101 I hear is good. And just do it.  If you ever get around Indianapoils stop in at wood-mizer. Maybe I should give a 101 class in Indiana!  Now three years of sawing under my belt and training I don't know how many new owners on their mills. I still run into new things. I work as a Customer Service Rep on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. and I run my Mill on Wed, Thurs,Sat. and some Sundays. So, I get a lot of time behind the mill and get to hear what others do........... Ark. bleeds orange because he want to.  I bleed orange because I have too!! I wouldn't have it any other way!!!!!!!!!  Matthew Morrow
M.L. Morrow
812/614-1825

DanG

Hey, Matthew! Welcome in.  We have a bunch of guys that use Woodmizers, and a few that have built sawmills, but I think you're the first that actually built a Woodmizer. Hang around and share some of your knowledge with us, ok?
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

ARKANSAWYER

GREAT!    8)  Another for the Orange Team.
  
   Matt.  You need to come up with a cool sawyer name like M&M or something.  Did you build "Wanda"  she is a 2000 model?   I have been lusting for one of them  LT80's.
ARKANSAWYER
ARKANSAWYER

ohsoloco

I'd have to say that the best way to learn is the HARD WAY!  The first batch of logs I cut on my mill was cherry...and I ended up cutting them "through and through."  By the time they air dried for months and I was going to load the boards up to take to the kiln I ended up cutting several hundred board feet up for firewood  :o   I quickly learned what grade sawing was all about.  I'll never come close to knowing it all, but I always love learning new things, and I learn something new every time I cut up another log  :P  Start cutting and have fun!

Noble_Ma

I guess I'm one of the few that use a blue machine.  I love it and have managed to get a few bd/ft under my belt.  I just wish I had the money to add some hydraulics to it!  I have a good method to get them up on the mill, it's turning and leveling those big suckers that hurts the old back!! :-/

Bibbyman

Welcome to the Forum Matthew,

I'd like you to pass along to the guys at Wood-Mizer that cut, weld, paint, wire, plumb, and assemble the mills a sincere thank you from us Wood-Mizer owners.

We'd like you to know how important the quality of your work and attention to detail is to us.  When a customer comes to our sawmill,  the Wood-Mizer mill is the centerpoint of our operation.  I give them a quick overview of the mill and show them the welds, paint, how the hoses are routed, etc.  Then I show them examples of the product that comes off the mill.  All are impressed.  Keep up the great work.

Oh yea,  Say Hi to John Hicks for me.  That crazy man kept me out in the cold and damp and sleet pulling boards for him for three days running.  But I made him look good. ;)
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Thank You Sponsors!