Sawing Over-length Logs with Wood-Mizer...Hazard Warning

[Ga Mtn Man]

Not sure if there's really any point in me posting this warning since I was aware of the danger but still let it bite me.  Hopefully you guys will be smarter than me.  I'm in the habit of resting my thumbs on the hydro box lid overhang when operating the levers and I imagine most of you do the same.  If sawing over-length logs using the technique outlined in the forum Knowledge Base where the end of the log extends over the hydro box, when you raise the rear toe-roller, the end of the log will slam down on your errant digit, pinching it between the sharp edge of the up-turned lid over-hang and the full weight of the log .  If you're lucky you will just lose your thumbnail.  If unlucky and the log is large enough, I suspect you could lose your thumb.  I was aware of this danger but still, out of habit, couldn't manage to keep my thumb out of the danger zone.



 

This was from 14" pine log.  If it had been a large oak, well... :'(.  It may be broken and I will definitely loose the nail.  Even after doing this, I still caught myself putting my other thumb in the danger zone.  But you guys will be smarter than me.       

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Wow, that sticks out like a... well, you know.

[fishfighter]

Wow, that sticks out like a... well, you know.

I'm sorry, but did make me  :D

Just OUCH.

[Kbeitz]

You need a guard on that guard....

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

It may have been worth it depending on what you charged to saw an over length log.  ;D

[Ga Mtn Man]

 _grin

[reswire]

It may have been worth it depending on what you charged to saw an over length log.  ;D

Suppose he had charged an "arm and a leg"?  sorry had to type that...... ;D

[sandsawmill14]

sorry bout the thumb just be glad its still there ;) im not gonna make a joke about it looks like these other guys have that covered 


week_end sawyer that made me :D :D  :D

[WV Sawmiller]

GMM,

   Sorry about the thumb. Glad its still attached. Are you and the MM comparing blue body parts these days?

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

GMM,
Are you and the MM comparing blue body parts these days?

A bunch of SMURFS.  :D

[Magicman]

So sorry for the hurt Paul but thanks for the heads up.

No blue here anymore.  Now it is sickly shades of green and purple.  Still mighty sore, but better,

[Ga Mtn Man]

Thanks for the kind words guys (well, some of you anyway ;))

MM, I missed that injury report.  Where's the thread?

[caveman]

I think MM's injury is chronicled in Whatcha sawing.  That thumb looks like it smarts.  The only thing I can add is that it will feel better when it quits hurting.  I am glad it is still attached to your hand.

It would probably be wrong for me to suggest that they ought to make a rule regarding resting your thumbs in harm's way-a rule of  .  I am constantly pinching and mashing my fingers with the manual clamp and backstops. 

[Brucer]

I have managed not to do that, even though I've sawn a lot of overlength logs. The reason? Because I cut myself a special piece of blocking that rests on my hydraulic control box. It's exactly level with the bed rails and supports the overhanging end of the timber. It also, by chance, prevents the end of the timber from coming down on my thumb when I lift the far end.

There have been a couple of times when I realized (after the fact) that the blocking had just save my thumb .

[Magicman]

Paul, my tumble was only an excuse for me not sawing for a week.  Heck, I could not even drum up much sympathy.   :

If you must look:  LINK

Concerning Pat's cardiac "scare".  She scheduled a heart evaluation where many different test are made to determine if you have cardiac issues that should be pursued.  When the results were in, they got her an appointment with a Cardiac Surgeon.  This caused us much concern, but it was a misdirection.  Her appointment should have been with a Cardiologist.  We met that appointment today and an echocardiogram was done.  We will now await the results from that.

Actually I don't quite consider it as a total misdirection but rather as prayers answered. 

[Ga Mtn Man]

I looked and regret doing so...that is just ugly.  You have my belated sympathy for your pain and suffering.  :'(:'(  Can you feel the sincerity?  I don't think you ever said exactly how that happened. ???  Pat will be in my prayers for a good outcome.

Caveman-   When I give my safety briefing at the start of each job, I always say the most common injury is mashed fingers.  I figured a demonstration was in order.

Brucer-  I was thinking that a spacer would interfere with leveling the log, but after giving the geometry of the situation another round of thinking, I see that I was wrong.  A spacer is an obvious and easy fix.  Do you saw your over-length logs using the same method shown in the FF Knowledge Base?

[WDH]

Woodmizer does not offer thumb parts, last time that I checked  .

[Sixacresand]

I hate you got hurt.  Congrats on mastering milling over length logs.

[Percy]

GMM,
Are you and the MM comparing blue body parts these days?

A bunch of SMURFS.  :D

Sorry for your misfortune Ga.....but this thread delivers.... I had a "hitch-hiking Smurf" spiel all ready cept Poston beat me to it... :D

[4x4American]

See now if you had figured out how to include your hydraulics in your wireless controller this never would have happened!! 


That looks like one of those things that happened in a moment and left you saying in the next moment, wow, I wish I hadn't done that.  I've had those moments...


People sometimes look my fingers over when they ask what I do and I say I run a sawmill.  And I tell them it's hard to lose a finger to one of these modern bandmills... but I digest


I second what Caveman said, it'll feel better when it stops hurting :D

[4x4American]

On the thumb spacer idea, saw a bunch of rr ties and it will mash the lip that sticks up down and you'll surely have plenty of room for the spacer

[Delawhere Jack]

Paul, were you wearing gloves? I got reminded a few weeks ago how important they are. Was wearing an old pair that were split at the seams near the finger tips. A slab slid back against the base of the forks on the loader and split my right thumb open. Right were it was poking out from a hole in the glove......

It's healed up now, but I'm not cheaping out on gloves anymore.

[Brucer]

...  Do you saw your over-length logs using the same method shown in the FF Knowledge Base?

Nope. I keep the small end toward the front (operator), but I set it up so I can enter at that end. If there's a lot of taper, I might start my opening cut part way along the log. I saw as far as I can, wedge open the kerf, and carefully bring the head back. Then I drop down and cut another board. When I've got a mostly flat surface, I saw off the slabs and flitches at the end of the cut (i.e., where I ran out of mill).

Next I turn the log 180° and repeat.

Since I now have a flat surface on the bottom, I will lift the log on the toeboards and shift it toward the front of the mill. Then I bring the blade down to just touch the flat surface on top and finish sawing off that side of the log. Turn the log 180° again and finish sawing the original side.

Then I repeat the whole process on the other two faces.

[Ga Mtn Man]

 4x4-  Yep, I instantly regretted the move.  I stood there for a few seconds afraid of what I would find when I took the glove off.  It wasn't as bad as it could have been.  I have given some thought to adding the hydros to my wireless, but the cost of the 12V valves is prohibitive.  It would be cool though.  Hmmm.... 

Brucer (and all)-  Am I correct in thinking that, whichever end of the log you have overhanging beyond the end of the mill, the max over-length is limited by the distance from the last (or first) fixed bunk to the "cut line"?

Sixacresand-  I'm far from mastering over length logs.  I've only cut three and we all know how the second one went. :  I do think that by the time I'm through with this cut list, I will either be pretty good at it or be completely unable to operate my debarker or moveable blade guide.  I'm hoping Bruce's spacer will save me from that fate.



 
In case you can't read it, there are 14 over-length timbers on the list.

[Sixacresand]

Maybe you should do a video of the next one you mill (without the thumb mashing part).  Interesting post. It made me go read the info in the Forum knowledge base.  I learn something new almost every day