Whatcha Sawin' 2024 ??

[olcowhand]

And I also milled a 7"x7" Spalted Maple Mantel for one of my best Customers. Hobby Sawmilling for fun & $$$$$

[Magicman]

Purdy. 

[olcowhand]

Purdy. 

"Does this money in my wallet make me look fat?"

[doc henderson]

Nope!  no more than usual!!!               

[WV Sawmiller]

Okay, My first off-site job of the year. 51 miles away, past the 38th Parallel, past the big Boy Scout Campground and just short of the famous "Longest Single Arch Bridge in the Northern Hemisphere"  (Was the longest int he world till China built one longer. Reminds Me "You sit here. No talk. I go work on bridge. Come back for you later -maybe").

    The customer asked for a 9:00 start which is late for me. Usually is is first daylight till can't see no more! I stopped by HF and got some more gloves and a 4 gallon sprayer they had on sale and I had a coupon. I arrived 2 minutes early and nobody was there. I made a couple of calls and visited with her dogs then 15-20 minutes later the lady came up from the barn. Her help was a no show so just her (Us?) and her boyfriend I had met and who had referred me. She showed me the logs which were very scattered so I picked a fairly central down hill spot and set up while she dragged pallets out and we waited for her beau who showed up with a trailer load of round bales he had to unload first.

   I cut off a 6' chunk from a scrap log and he loaded it on the mill and I sawed stickers while she arranged pallets for stacking different lengths and sizes.

[WV Sawmiller]

    We finally got rolling and the two of them were fair but not great help so I ended up moving more logs and slabs than I like but they were nice folks and I was enjoying their company. We sawed toll about 5:30 or so, 4.8 hours on the mill. 3.4 gallons of gas. One blade change which immediately hit a bullet and knocked one tooth out of set.

   I left the mill set up for tomorrow and tools scattered around as she is at the end of the road with 4-5 big alert dogs. I did not tally today but probably 1100 or so BF of mostly 8/4 poplar, mostly 12' with a little 8/4 and 4/4 8' boards. We'll start again tomorrow and hopefully can finish. I hope she finds more help as we wore her 70+ y/o boyfriend (and this old miller) to a frazzle. I'd guess we finished half the logs in the mix. We are already set up. The mill is working good so hopefully we can knock out the rest. Once we finish the framing lumber it will be a lot more 8' and 4/4 siding.

   The lady has a very large farm and rents out one house as a BNB and part of the attraction is a farm tour. If she can con them into stacking hay and castrating pigs she will be golden. She says it is amazing the city slickers who love the farm life! She is retired from the park service and moved here from Massychoostits.

[Magicman]

Sounds like you are gonna make a good situation out of it after all. 

[WV Sawmiller]

  Yeah, I met the guy years ago sawing logs for his neighbor. he brought his tractor in and moved some logs and lumber for us then set it for me to do a workshop for the USDA and WV Forestry people and I got more customers and contacts from that so I can do a little more here than for some. He also told me about a kiln service the Amish near here have set up which is open to the public which is a very good thing to know.

[Stephen1]

Some jobs are like that, sometimes more labour than we have planned but all good. especially the 1st job of the year. 

[SawyerTed]

One of my repeat customers is tight with his money.  Oh he's got money, he just hates to part with it.  The last job for him was a white oak job.  He wanted a "few" 12/4 live edge pieces,  mostly 8/4, 6/4 and 5/4 all 6" and 8" wide.  On the phone I suggested he get a helper for the day.

On the day of the job, I asked did he have any help coming?  His response was, "we can handle it."  Reading between the lines, I heard, "I ain't paying for help, I have YOU!"  

I bit my tongue before I asked "We?  Do you have a mouse in your pocket?"  Instead I resolved to just do as he wanted.  So I cut a 12/4x20" wide 12' long early on.  We slid it off on the bucket of his little 23 hp Kubota BX TBL/lawn mower.   

After we got it moved and resting on some dunnage, he said he only "needed that one."   

Then I started on 8/4 x 8s and 8/4 x 6s 12' long.  It was funny how as the day went on he wanted more and more 5/4 lumber and we finished with 4/4.  

Sometimes I give a little discount for a good day with good help.  That wasn't one of those times...the rate is the rate if I'm sawing or moving lumber!

[doc henderson]

that may be why he has money, but at some point, it will cost him more.  you were surely the highest paid help there that day.  that is why I charge (when I charge) by the hour, and it starts at my drive as we unload the logs and ends with a handshake before they leave.  If I spend an hour helping them load, talking about stickering etc., that is included.  If they are a vet, or a family that I work with, I am generous to the point of no charge.  If they are an affluent out of the blue person, I charge a hundred bucks and hour.  If I enjoy them and we chat a bit, no charge for that time.

[WV Sawmiller]

    I went back today and the lady had located a good young man who turned out to be a decent helper. Not the best I have had but I've sure had a lot worse. Unfortunately he had to leave at 5:30 pm to go to his regular job. We had 3 logs left in the pile to cut. I have an important engagement tomorrow afternoon I cannot miss ( 12 y/o GD birthday party) but I agreed to come back in the morning. She has 3 logs in the original pile and 3 oak log on the entrance road. One is real big but has a big split in the middle that I may have to split with a chain saw. She mentioned a cherry log on the other side of a fence so we will see if she tries to bring it in. 

   We had one gnarly 8' poplar log with sweep and swell and loaded off center that was a bear but finally produced after way too much effort. My drive belt jumped off one time and I have no idea why but was a quick and easy fix to jump it back on and back to sawing. I'm having an issue with my debarker not wanting to swing out properly at times. I better check in the AM to see if something is stuck in it like a piece of bark. I'd like something simple. Worst case the WM service loop team can look at in in a couple of weeks as I signed up for them to come visit.

    Still no tally but we did a quick estimate on the 8' stack of 4/4 boards on the right int he picture below. Tallest stack. It has 700 bf in it but there may be more in the 12' framing stacks and I have some 4X6 posts which add up quick. One 12' log for tomorrow I think will yield 5 more such posts.

   I've had many better jobs but many were worse and it was good company. I used 4 blades - one of which broke through normal wear and tear. 4.9 engine hours and used 3.8 gallons of gas.

[WV Sawmiller]

  Well, I went back and arrived at 8 am. Unfortunately our big strong young helper did not show up till noon. We only had 3 logs left to saw. The one in the picture with the hole we did not bother with. The long one I cut into a 12' and a 7'. The big 12' one we cut into 4X6X12 posts. I think I cut 10 out of it but one was only 10' due to bark on one end. They were a handful for this old sawyer and a skinny 68 y/o lady client to tote! But we got them stacked. I forgot to take a final picture as I was rushed to get loaded and back to a BD party for my 12 y/o GD. I came hoe, left the tools covered in my truck, threw the cover over the mill and left it hooked to the truck to unload tomorrow.

    Final tally for the job was 2718 bf. The lady was thrilled with the lumber and paid with a nice tip. I enjoy working with people who appreciate the effort I put out and skill I have developed. It makes all the hard work worthwhile even though I normally don't plan on stacking heavy timbers and lumber. For special people you can do more.

   My debarker is still not swinging out of the way properly and I haven't figured out why. It seems to struggle to swing out of the way. I did find if I swing it all the way in it seems to give it more momentum an it swings out better. 

[barbender]

Howard, I do believe your mill lives outside like mine. The shaft that the debarker pivots on can get gummed up from moisture, even though you keep it well greased. That will hinder it from moving freely. That's what happened to mine once, anyhow.

[Magicman]

I realize that my 3/4 hp Leeson motor is much heavier but I tend to set my mill up with the loader side a bit higher to allow the weight of the debarker to provide some advantage.  If the loader side is much lower, it may/will not pull tightly into the log. 

[WV Sawmiller]

BB,

    Yes, my mill lives outside. I am diligent (Anal?) about keeping it covered with the nylon cover but it is getting pretty ragged and I am sure there is plenty of moisture in the area. Any suggestions on how to "ungum" it if that is the case? I squirt ATF up there pretty regular. You'd think just working it would remove any rust and I really don't think it is rust.

  I do have the service team coming on their loop soon and if not fixed by then we will pick their brains about it.

Lynn,

  You may have just answered my problem because I did have the loader side a little higher than the other on this set up so the arm would have had to be swinging more uphill. I'll check it in an hour or two when I unhook the mill and set it up here at home on level ground. I bet that is part if not the entire problem. Thanks.

   It was working good against the log - the spring there works as designed but it was struggling to swing away when not needed.

[Magicman]

I never have a problem with the debarker pulling away from the log, just hesitant to pull tightly into the log if the loader is not a bit high.

When I grease my swing shaft, I get the help to continually swing it in and out while I am pumping grease.  While doing this, I give it a very excessive greasing to completely change out the grease.  That plus use a good high pressure #2 grease.  The cleanup can be a bit messy, but the joint is well greased.

[WV Sawmiller]

Lynn,

   Grease for a debarker? Maybe I'm missing a grease zerk (zert) in my service. Never seen one up there? I just squirt ATF around the moving areas in mine.

[Brad_bb]

"Um, no I didn't get any new logs, I just moved those from the back of the pile" ;)
I finally found a good Ash log big enough to cut a 8.5"x14.5" tie beam to match my other one.  Somehow it's 4 brothers followed me home too.  I couldn't vary well break up the set, could I?

[Magicman]

Grease for a debarker? Maybe I'm missing a grease zerk (zert) in my service. Never seen one up there?

The LT40 and the LT35 may very well be completely different.  There are actually two on mine.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Lynn,

  Grease for a debarker? Maybe I'm missing a grease zerk (zert) in my service. Never seen one up there? I just squirt ATF around the moving areas in mine.

MMs and yours probably different. My old 2001 super and his debarker pivots on zerk-greased shaft. My 70super wide has shaft with bearings no zerk. 

Feeble/erratic in out could come from pivot motor pulley belt loose, pulley roll pin broken, pivot motor brushes almost gone, motor wire connection compromised. Ive had all these happen plus relays giving out. Dont tighten belt too tight will break pivot motor shaft early. Like MM said have loader side 1/2 bubble high in setup helps.

[WV Sawmiller]

   I went out and washed and checked the mill and the debarker seemed to work fine but i have the mill set up on level. The other day when I had problems the arm was swinging uphill and was in more of a strain. 

    I did check and there is no grease zerk on my debarker so MM and I have different designs on our mills.

   I do wish WM had included a chart of the grease points on my mill in my manual. I think I service them all but it would be nice to have a factory checklist to verify against. Maybe the WM folks will read this suggestion and add such a checklist on manuals for future mills they make.

[doc henderson]

I bet the service guy will have one in writing or in their head.

[SawyerTed]

Seems like I was told there were 12 or 13 grease fittings on the LT35.   

I was told there are a bunch of grease fittings on the LT50, I would just have to look for them.   There are six just on the FAOs. 

A chart or diagram would be very useful.  

[WV Sawmiller]

Ted,

  Further to your earlier comment about a possible loose belt I had thought that but the only belt I can find seems to run the blade on the debarker but I don't see where it would have anything to do with the swing in and out function. I honestly have not tracked down or figured that out yet. It always just worked before and the only adjustments I have ever had to make was in the tracking to make sure it runs right ahead of the blade and right now that is perfect. I love seeing that 1/8" band spinning right in the middle of that 1/4" groove from the debarker blade. I had considered changing the the half inch blade but backed off when I heard it could cause the braker to trip more which seems highly likely with more surface area and no additional power to the blade.

   Thinking back that blade is directly on the shaft of the motor I better go check that belt gain because a loose belt slipping would have caused the issue I had the other day. Especially now I remember the blade is directly on the motor.