Newbie Question

[RJJ]

Another newbie on board and have many questions.

My most pressing question  ??? is I looked at some Ponderosa Pine this morning and am looking at purchasing a semi load of it.Cost looks like it will be around $500.00 per truck load, distance is about 60 miles for delivery.

The majority of the logs are from bug kill and for the most part have little bark left on them. One concern that I have is that these logs are from what I can tell relativley dry already. Being that they are pine do I still stand to have a hard time with blades sawing them.

I am for the most part looking at timbers for a saw shed,  and also millling log siding out of the better logs for a shop I currently have under construction.

I have just purchased a WM LT-15 (Starting out small) and rather anxious to get under way sawing, but at the same time do not want to start off on the wrong foot.

Any advice I would really appreciate!!!

Thanks

[slowzuki]

You're in way over your head, please freight me your LT-15 and that will solve your and my problem  :D :D



Actually I'm just starting out and still comparing mills, lots of guys will have good advice.  My advice is to read through previous posts in the forum.  There is a ton of excellent reading that will give you a huge jump start.

[Minnesota_boy]

Dry pine saws harder than fresh green pine and wears the blade faster, but I sure wouldn't let that stop me from milling that ponderosa for my own use.  Sure, you may have to sharpen the blades a few more times, but I think it is well worth it.  you sure won't be able to buy the timbers and have them shipped to you for the difference in cost for sharpening the blades.

[Mark M]

Hi RJJ,

I sawed some of that dead ponderosa pine once and it sawed really well, but like MN boy said it's harder than green pine. I wish I had a couple of truck loads of that stuff.

Mark

[redpowerd]

my dry red pine saws well, not as nice as green. gotta keep the blade wet or it wont go thru too many logs. saves on dustmasks!

[DanG]

Go for it!  If Pondarosa is anything like SYP, sawing that stuff will be an education in itself.  SYP gets real stringy at that stage, and will give you fits, while still yielding some good lumber. The clear stuff won't be too bad, but the knots are hard!  The up-side is, you won't be too worried if you mess up the occasional board, 'cause you got it cheap, and you can afford to experiment on it. Also, when you "graduate" to some fresh green stuff, you will be amazed at how easy it is to saw. 8) 8)

Welcome to the Forum! Keep us posted on your progress.

[ARKANSAWYER]

Put a squirt of dish soap and about 1/4 cup of pine oil in your water jug and keep it dripping on your blade while you saw.  13 degree blades work well in pine and you can cut pretty fast in clear wood but in knots over 2 inches will get a chatter.  10 degree blades will saw it and do better in the large knots.   0.055 blades really work well in knotty pine but they would be a bit much on a LT15.  Welcome aboard and post pictures if you can and if knot let us know how it is going.
ARKANSAWYER

[Ron Wenrich]

I know that wetting down the logs help during the dry season for most hardwoods.  It should also help for that dry pine.

[rl]

if those logs are not off the ground thew won't be dry.. i sawed some year old pine last fall . except for the worm i would have thought it was green oh ya and the bark falling off  . the  worms are actualy white grubs    later    rl

[RJJ]

Well the newbie got his feet wet this weekend and finally got to test out the new WM. 8) 8) And I can safely say I have been bitten by the bug.

Went ahead and got the semi load of logs had them delivered and started sawing!!

What little we did get to saw went great. The logs are fairly dry and towards the end I noticed the blade had more of a tendency to dive when it hit a knot. So from what I have read on the forum I am assuming my blade is starting to dull somewhat?

Another challenge I have soon realized is the need to move these logs with a little more ease. A skidder to pull behind the truck is what I am currently thinking. I thought I had seen a post earlier that recommended a site that advertised a skidder trailer that you could hook on to a truck?

And before I forget thanks to all who offered advice on my initial post, I really appreciate it!!

[RJJ]

Picturs from the first time out!!