OldJarheads Milling Thread...

[OlJarhead]

3736bf yesterday (and for Peter that's based on actual dimensions ;) )

Lumber yard owner came by (I didn't know as I was milling away) and spoke with my customer and told him I will take ALL of the logs you have in 7/8 x 11 7/8 and that he was looking for 30Mbf of the stuff.  I gave my customer a price of $350/Mbf to mill it up and away we go but first I have to finish off the above cut list which seemed to grow (don't they do that often?) minus the 4x12's which were switched to the 1x12's (for the lumber yard guy)....

I think there is 6Mbf left on that list or so BEFORE doing the 1x12' so I'll likely not get to them until my next trip but I plan to take next weekend off

Then it will be go go go

[Ljohnsaw]

He wants 7/8 x 11-7/8, is that the green size or dry?  If dry, what size are you cutting?

[OlJarhead]

He wants 7/8 x 11-7/8, is that the green size or dry?  If dry, what size are you cutting?

Green.  My guess is he figures it will dry to 3/4 x 11 3/4.

I made a point of telling my customer to make sure the guy specifies what he wants me to mill to and as he buys lumber for a living (both dry S4S and rough / green) I'm hoping that means he knows what he's doing lol but we'll find out when the cash is handed over ;)

I'm doing this job on a Net7 basis.

[paul case]

I saw dimensions like that for  a lot of people. Makes good rough sawn barn siding, decking, sheating paneling all the way down to bird houses.

Most of my customers have the opinion that it is like 3/4 you buy at the store except rough. Some like the rustic look.

PC

[OlJarhead]

I saw dimensions like that for  a lot of people. Makes good rough sawn barn siding, decking, sheating paneling all the way down to bird houses.

Most of my customers have the opinion that it is like 3/4 you buy at the store except rough. Some like the rustic look.

PC

I believe that is exactly why he wants it.  He sells it to people specifically for that purpose.....probably at $2500/Mbf too.  Probably will advertise as 'locally milled specialty' lumber or something (and I will sneak into the lumber yard and find it once it goes on sale and see what he's getting for it

I just wish I had a stamp I could thump on each board with that said ManleyPortableMilling on it :D

[paul case]

Be careful what you wish for.
I quit advertising and my sign at the gate is unreadable. I got tired of getting too many phone calls from people I cannot help.

PC

[Peter Drouin]

You're going to try to cut your dog board 7/8"?

[Darrel]

My first milling job was for 7/8" X 6" knotty pine. I just dropped the head 1" every time and the result was close enough that if it was off a wee bit, you couldn't tell using a tape measure.

[paul case]

That is the way we cut it. Set on 1''. no kerf allowance.

PC

[OlJarhead]

That is how I'll cut it (and intended to) but admittedly I hadn't thought about the last cut.  I'm not going to worry though.  I'll square the cant to 11 7/8 by whatever even I can get to and set the simple set to 1" and rip her down and then do it all over again :D

Starting to look like a lumber mill here at my customers (3rd weekend I've been here) and people are starting to ask "do you sell lumber?"

Yesterday and today I'm cutting ~6000bf for a friend of my customer (the friend is paying for my cutting time and the logs) and I've cut for nearly all of the family members now, plus I am supposed to mill some 24" pine for another customer and then the 30Mbf for the lumber yard....my camper is coming in handy! lol

Gotta love it though because I have 3 or 4 other jobs in the works just no date yet and when I'm done a LOT more people will know about me :D

[Ljohnsaw]

Gotta love it though because I have 3 or 4 other jobs in the works just no date yet and when I'm done a LOT more people will know about me :D

Pretty soon you are gonna have to cut that other 9-5 M-F job loose so it stops interrupting your millin' time!

[OlJarhead]

nah, won't do that any time soon!  It pays too well ;)


Walking out the camper door first thing in the morning on day one


The weekend was a lot of work but breaks were large gatherings


Another big log on the mill...I must be up to 60 or 65 logs now...


6x12's coming off the mill


Big Larch the customer wants 1 1/8 x 17 1/2 inch wide plank flooring out of....

 
And away we go


Dead center of a large pine...and I mean dead center, was this very large (guessing 4 1/2") spike.  Had to buck off about 3 feet on the 17 1/2 foot log.  Admittedly when I hit it I knew I'd hit metal but I couldn't find any on the surface and scratched my head a little...I'm 60ish logs into this deck of oversized mill logs and hadn't hit a nail one and couldn't see any signs of one either.  Bucked off the end and customer split the cut off and sure enough, right in the middle was this sucker.  We're guessing spotted owl vintage maybe.....later the same day I came dead stop into a rock in the bark on the other side from the debarker.


My customer is becoming a regular dealer in the area ...here is some live edge (one side) 24" wide by 1 3/4" pine slabs off a very large Ponderosa.  I took one pass at 24 5/8" to ensure he'd have 2$" of wood at the center of the log with one flat side and then began slabbing at 2" (2 1/8" simple set) until I got to my target (I'd marked it with lumber crayon) then switched to 1 7/" and slabbed off the middle.  Had to bump that sucker to the left a bit and reset it square and then chisel off some bark but got it done in about 90 minutes total.

Trying to stretch it a little.  I knew I could push it over a little more but was happy with it where it was and hate to move it again.


This guy has a small kiln (not big enough for these) and understands what he's doing so I have no doubt it will turn into some very high end stuff :D


Finally back to milling 2x8's.  I had 130 to do for the day but only managed to get 50 in.  I will have to finish the next trip.


Getting pretty darn close to 30Mbf on this job now :D 

Now time to go pay the bills! :D

[nativewolf]

The nicely sticker'd stack of wood porn has got to be attracting attention if it is visible from the road.  Looking good!

[OlJarhead]

It really is!  People think he's starting a local sawmill operation

Had a guy from New York stop and look at the Mill.  Guess he had an old bandmill (on the ground but can't remember the make) and milled some oak and cherry with it back in the late 90's and was looking to get back to it when he returns home to NY.

Lots of lookie loos too

This customer has been fantastic to work for frankly and as you can see, they know what to do when the lumber comes off the mill!

[nativewolf]

My only suggestion is to put out a sign/banner with your company and a telephone number.

[OlJarhead]

Got a sign on the door and the mill but I like your idea too.

Maybe a 'Milling provided by...."

Figured my total for the weekend at 10657 board feet for the weekend with an average of 409bf/hr

I would have made more charging by the BF but I'm happy with this and the customer got his lumber milled at $220/Mbf

Best day was 4324 but that took 9 1/4 hours to mill!  Long days but if this keeps up I'll be a happy camper ;)

[Darrel]

A happy camper in the camper!

[nativewolf]

Got a sign on the door and the mill but I like your idea too.

Maybe a 'Milling provided by...."

Figured my total for the weekend at 10657 board feet for the weekend with an average of 409bf/hr

I would have made more charging by the BF but I'm happy with this and the customer got his lumber milled at $220/Mbf

Best day was 4324 but that took 9 1/4 hours to mill!  Long days but if this keeps up I'll be a happy camper ;)

I like that.." Milling provide by..." simple.  Gets the name out there.  Have a stack of flyers in one of those real estate clear box's that attach to for sale signs and keep them dry. 

[OlJarhead]

While updating some ads and communicating with customers this morning I made this up.  It represents the last year of milling

The longest distance is 149 miles (so far) and that was to Coeure D'Alene

[OlJarhead]

Oh and green is where I am heading next ;)

[Upper]

Nice!

[Darrel]

Do I see a total of 23 with 5 jobs coming up?  Pretty exciting!

[OlJarhead]

Very

And one of those has turned into 4 visits and likely another 4!

[rjwoelk]

JRhead. I came through your neck of the woods last week and will be coming back through in 2 days. See the first cut of hay is off. Here in saskatchewan we are just starting to leaf out. It is rather humorous that us guys that don't live near trees have sawmills and can do a busness with it. Keep up the good work injoyed your thread.

[OlJarhead]

Thanks and if in the area let me know.  I'll be in Omak tomorrow but might be in Moses Thursday.