Milling Small Logs

[vfauto]

This is an Idea I tried and worked rather well. I used a wooded dowel so it would not hurt the blade when cutting threw it. There is a little waste on the last couple of boards but well worth the cost of a blade. Basically mounted the log on a 2x4 (after one cut)so it sat on the bunks flat and clamped securely.

  

  

  

  

[Ocklawahaboy]

I have always found a 1x6 on the bunks and a 1x4 in the back worked quite well.  Everyone has their own trick.

[drobertson]

I reckon I am a dummy, not sure what you are doing there? but if it works then heck yea!

[beenthere]

You are not alone. I'm waiting for an overall shot of what is happening with the 2x4 and "small" log. Meaning short, or maybe small diameter?

[vfauto]

Small diameter, the 2x4 holds it off the bunks and steadies it so you can cut down to the last piece.

[Magicman]

I guess you turn it all over and place the 2X4 on the saw bed which then acts as a spacer and that the last few boards have a dowel hole  ???   smiley_dizzy  I guess.

[barbender]

So, you must not be able to saw down too close to your bunks? I think some of the older Woodmizers only sawed down to 2" above the bed, is this a similar issue?

[learner]

I'm guessing that it helps to get some usable lumber from smaller diameter parts of the saw log.  Here, there is some demand for 8-4" cedar un-sawn but for other woods it isn't worth the trouble to saw smaller than 8".  Unless of course there is a demand for blanks from that type of wood.  If I can't get at least a couple 1x6's and 1x4's from a log then I won't put it on our mill.  The hours on the 51hp cat just aren't worth the amount of wood you get from the smaller than 8" logs.  For those smaller logs I would recommend a lower hp electric mill.

[customsawyer]

When I am cutting lots of smaller dia. logs I load them two at a time. This speeds up the process.  ;)

[Bibbyman]

I reckon I am a dummy, not sure what you are doing there? but if it works then heck yea!

Including me in the same group.     smiley_dunce

[frye]

looks like you have a timber King sawmill like me.I had the same problem with my mill, the log stops seem to be in the wrong spot so I made two small log stops out of square tubing and a manual log clamp to make it easier when edging boards by myself.

[Peter Drouin]

 
say_what

??

[JohnM]

I guess you turn it all over and place the 2X4 on the saw bed which then acts as a spacer and that the last few boards have a dowel hole  ???   smiley_dizzy  I guess.

I think MM's got it, that's what I was thinking at least.  Whatever works, right?!!

JM

[vfauto]

Correct, Sorry it was so confusing I thought the pictures would tell the story.

I guess you turn it all over and place the 2X4 on the saw bed which then acts as a spacer and that the last few boards have a dowel hole  ???   smiley_dizzy  I guess.

I think MM's got it, that's what I was thinking at least.  Whatever works, right?!!

JM

[Magicman]

My confusion was that there was no picture of the clamped final setup with the 2X4 on the saw bed.   

[frye]

looks like you have a timber King sawmill like me.I had the same problem with my mill, the log stops seem to be in the wrong spot so I made two small log stops out of square tubing and a manual log clamp to make it easier when edging boards by myself.

 

This is an Idea I tried and worked rather well. I used a wooded dowel so it would not hurt the blade when cutting threw it. There is a little waste on the last couple of boards but well worth the cost of a blade. Basically mounted the log on a 2x4 (after one cut)so it sat on the bunks flat and clamped securely.

  

  

  

 

[isawlogs]

 Alot of mills don't saw down the 1 inch of the bed, I am lucky i have one that does. but i have had to saw guitar backs and violin fronts and back for the school where a friend taught instrument making and i needed to '' raise '' the boards to saw them. I put a two inch flat peice of wood on my bunks added a 2x4 along the sides , put the board to be sawed on this and sawed away, we only needed to hand hold the peice on there, sawed the peices 5mm thick so that they would not have to much to take off.  If the peices where hard to hold down, one would stand on it and I would saw towards him, stop, he would then come and stand on the other side and I would finish the cut..... no toes where lost doing this.

  I once sawed a red pine plantation thinning, nobody wanted to saw those little pine trees, they only had a 2x4 or two in them, I agried to saw it as long as they would have help around, we sawed three peices at a time side by side, once in a while you would get one that slipped some and would not be square, but nothing really serious. The owner was quite happy to have the wood sawed he was wanting to make a small cabin and was going to frame it with this wood. 

[Sixacresand]

To rip a 1 inch board I have gone so far as to use wood screws to hold it down to a board underneath.  Saw up to the screw, stop the mill remove the screw and reinsert it behind the blade.  Not something I would want to do all day long.  If you need thin boards, just cut them off a thick cant.

BTW, I like Jake's idea of cutting two small logs at a time.  On the WM Lt10, two logs might be a stretch. 

[Magicman]

 

 
Seeing Sawing Double.   

[Sixacresand]

Magicman,  Looks like one of those would be all a LT10 could handle.  There is only 17 inches between the inside roller guide and the log stop.