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free logs with tramp metal

Started by Noble_Ma, November 07, 2002, 06:43:50 AM

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Noble_Ma

I have a chance to pick up about 4 or 5 thousand bd/ft of logs for free with tramp metal in them.  I drive by this small mill every day on my way to work.  The owner said some have lots and some have a little.  He says he's going to chip whatever I don't take.  I have a metal detector and lots of free time.  ( A real lot if Lucent decides to lay me off! )  I'm going to build a timber frame barn in the spring/summer so I'm thinking I can spend the winter picking through the logs and get my flooring and whatever else I can get. How hard is it to mill white pine when it's starting to dry?  I'm not to worried about the borer holes in them as I have trees on my property that I plan on using for the timbers.

Tom

Don't know about "white" pine, Norm, but syp and cypress both heat the blade pretty bad when the sapwood begins to dry.  I cut a lot of standing dead and get about 1/3 -1/2 of the life from the teeth that I do when the wood is fresh.  You just have to slow down and not rush things. It's difficult to judge how much lubricant to use too.  the wood soaks it up. Too much makes mud, too little and you smoke the blade. Too little set and you'll really fight a wandering blade.

Nothing wrong with the wood though.  Sounds like a win, win situation if he can chip what you don't want.

Here's a little tip.  Make sure you put the tramp metal you find into a can or pile away from the logs.  I have the hardest time when my "help" pulls a nail and drops it right there. The metal detector doesn't care whether the metal is in the log or not and after awhile you end up having to clear the work place because the detector goes off everywhere.

GarryW

White pine is not too bad to mill when it is drying or even mostly dry. You will have to watch around the knots, since the density difference is even greater. I've cut stuff that was down for 3-4 years, and other than the worm holes, a few living worms ( :o), and the gray/blue staining, it cuts really nice.

And, the bark peels off nice and easy too.

garry
Garry

woodmills1

dry pine cuts ok, I have cut a bunch of dry and a whack of tramp metal.  Use some spray paint for the metal you detect and don't find close to the surface, so you dont loose it after a pass or two of the mill.  If the pine is really dry on the outside watch out for smalle edge and slab wood, it can be lethal.  Sharp and dry points like to find skin to pierce(from experience) >:(  Take your oldest blades, sharpen them up and have at them.
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

Noble_Ma

I was wondering if I should have more or less set in the blade?  Thanks for the tip woodmills1.  I was thinking that I would slab heavy and go from there.  Normally, I wouldn't even think about doing this but these logs are straight and huge.  The smallest ones are around 14" in diameter and some are to big for my mill.

GarryW

I just use the standard set on the WM blades (0.042 and 0.45) -- no problems. I cut up some 30+ inchers and produced some decent 4/4, 5/4, and 6/4 stuff. Maybe I'm just lucky  ;D (well sometimes)
Garry

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