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15-Wide

Started by jemmy, July 08, 2020, 11:00:35 PM

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jemmy

This is my thread documenting my path with this mill.

I have been a part of the forum for a few years at this point and have sunk a fair bit of change, time, blood sweat, and sanity into a circle mill and I have finally broke down and invested into a LT-15 Wide with 2 extensions, extra clamp, saw head cover, and power feed. I have contemplated this for over a year. This mill appears to be the tool that fits what I need for the money I can spend. I wish I could have an LT-70 or a cooks high end hydraulic, but that's not a possibility currently. I have a lot of other tools/projects I need to do/buy now such as a tooth sharpener, setter, planer, edger, kiln build, multiple buildings, etc. When I'm ready to upgrade, these mills appear to hold their value amazingly well for a machine. The combination of the mill holding its value while providing lumber for my needs should allow for a nice ROI. Factoring in lumber sales I should be able to come out pretty well after all is said and done on this purchase.

What foundation that I should choose for my mill? I plan to make it mobile so I am thinking of pouring a polished concrete pad 8ft wide by 40ft and 6" thick 4k PSI. fiber mesh and the thickest metal road mesh sitting on 2ft of .304 stone. One of my trades is polishing concrete and I figure it would be an easier surface to clean then a brush finish. Personally, I like the look and I want to finish a concrete floor the way it should be for once, people are cheap. This pad will be poured in a fashion that it will be advantageous for my circle mill and overall farm application. Also the 15-wide will sit in a fashion so that it could receive cants directly from the circle mill once it's operable. 

Is there a holy book or thread that all should read before operating a band mill? Like a CIRCULAR SAWMILLS AND THEIR EFFICIENT OPERATION but for a band mill. I am still brand new to milling with a whopping 40 terrifying brdft on my circle mill under my belt and need a solid source of info that I can reference off of to give myself a baseline understanding of band milling.

I take it the cooks band saw sharpener and dual tooth setter are worth every penny?

I got A LOT of red oak to get started on and to practice with.

My plans are to build a one barn over the circle mill and lt-15 with a fair bit of drying space and farm storage. I have put some time into designing a building for the circle mill but I do not know what layout I want or what would be prudent. Are there any books on stuff like this? 

I have been working my butt off for my father restoring a grand foyer in my college's 40+ million dollar business building, I have spent 5 months on 4 mosaic floors and 30 marble steps. I have done everything from single tile replacements to full marble staircase rebuilds and floor mosaic setting. It is my proudest work and I think I will share it in the forum sometime. 

I could not be more excited/nervous to get this mill and get to sawing, I finish this project tomorrow and I will have 3 weeks to prep for the mill to arrive. I need to do a lot of research and work to prep for this mill to arrive.
Plan for the worst, hope for the best, and take what comes with a grin. - Grandpa Chuck

Woodpecker52

Set up mill on a level area, cut a few logs not to big at first, roll the log on to the mill bed, I use a cant hook, clamp, lower the head and start sawing.  I cut then turn to 180 then cut, turn 90 then cut, turn 90 and cut now I have a cant the proper dimension of lumber I want to make, usually one inch boards and then cut boards, it is not rocket science. You will like the LT-15 it will come with a manual, READ, and Cds, you can also get on Utube and look at a zillion people using this mill, also watch woodmizer site.  You will learn more just doing it than thinking about it, You will make mistakes, and cut some things which don't need cutting but that is just part of learning. Have fun once you use a bandmill you probably will not want to run the circle. Woodmizer has videos of how to cut etc. but just get a few crap logs and practice you will get the hang of it.
Woodmizer LT-15, Ross Pony #1 planner, Ford 2600 tractor, Stihl chainsaws, Kubota rtv900 Kubota L3830F tractor

Brad_bb

You learn the most by doing.  You will find that you will continue learning for a number of years, picking up tips and tricks along the way. You'll also get to know your mill, and how to maintain it.  On of the biggest frustrations for a new bandmill sawyer is dealing with wavy cuts and figuring out why they happen and what to do.  It takes time to learn.  The key is drive belt tension-ed correctly, sharp band, don't be afraid to change it, and finally the feel of the blade in the cut and knowing when to slow down and cut slow.  Since I mentioned it, order a drive belt tension gauge from Woodmizer, then watch their youtube video on setting the tension.  I do it more often now that I am very accustomed to doing it.  When a belt is new and you've set the tension, check it again after a week of cutting and see if it has stretched at all and the tension gone down.  I trust that you have a machine to move logs.  As this is a manual mill, with big logs you will need a machine to rotate them.  Smaller ones you can still do manually.  
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

Weekend_Sawyer

I've had my mill set up on 2 concrete pads, both outside, no roof. I do prefer brushed because the one that had a smooth finish when it got wet leaves on it would make you dance the boogie woogie till you got it cleaned off.

Not only are you going to need a level place to set up your mill, you will need a nice level place to stack lumber. I cover mine with corrugated roofing.

Enjoy
Jon
Imagine, Me a Tree Farmer.
Jon, Appalachian American Wannabe.

jemmy

I hail from the former black swamp so there's lots of two great things for milling, big hard wood timbers and flat rich soil. My base of operation is my parents farm. I have 10 acres of clear, FLAT hay field to work with. That is where my circle mill and stacks of logs currently reside. Everything is accessible by a solid stone drive, being a former swamp our clay will not allow access indefinitely sometimes so best practice is to insure stone accompanies something that requires a machine to fetch.  The field sits west of the woods on the property so the weather blows the leaves away from the mill. I also plan on having a roof over head immediately so I wont need my skates to balance the polished concrete is wet. I am drawing the building now and figuring costs of concrete and steel roofing. I am also thinking of just quickly building a hut over top the saw head that is able to slide in skids, that way I can have my saw head well protected buying time for the large structure. 

With this farm I have a kubota front end loader with a pto and bobcat with a grapple and fork attachments. I also have a multiple trailers and 7.3 4x4 350s at my disposal as well. 

I know that doing will teach me the most. I just dont want to wing it. Im gonna try and spend a day or two with some sawyers so if anyone is within 2hrs driving of Toledo, wants a strong helping hand, and willing to talk to my chatty self then please pm me. 
Plan for the worst, hope for the best, and take what comes with a grin. - Grandpa Chuck

jemmy

Too many words, and Im already to busy to type, thought you guys would enjoy an update  :)

 

  

 

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Plan for the worst, hope for the best, and take what comes with a grin. - Grandpa Chuck

WV Sawmiller

   I thought the Black Swamp was Washington DC but your pictures don't look like it. Where are you located? I love the pix. I suspect everything you need to know about band mill sawing is here in this FF somewhere. Good luck and keep the posts coming.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

jemmy

Quote from: WV Sawmiller on July 08, 2021, 11:07:59 AM
  I thought the Black Swamp was Washington DC but your pictures don't look like it. Where are you located? I love the pix. I suspect everything you need to know about band mill sawing is here in this FF somewhere. Good luck and keep the posts coming.


 
Plan for the worst, hope for the best, and take what comes with a grin. - Grandpa Chuck

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