I joined this forum about a week ago and have really enjoyed it thus far. Just wanted to say hello!
I just placed my order for the EZ Boardwalk Jr mill. I would have loved the larger model but it's all I can afford. I've recently come across about 25 acres of hardwoods (yellow poplar, water oak, southern red oak, white oak, hickories, etc.) that I'm going to harvest, and stack over the course of the next several months. Although I'm good with tree identification and have helped a friend who owns a slightly larger mill a few times, I'm very new to sawmilling. Hopefully you guys can help if...no...when I start screwing things up! ;D
Welcome to the forum Deese. You will be impressed with the quality of that EZ. Hope you have some support equipment. :)
Deese,welcome to the forum. You said harvest and stack? As many have said,the best way to store lumber is standing trees. What's the plan for all the lumber? How are you getting the logs out of the woods? You will enjoy having a mill.
Welcome,welcome ,welcome
I'm sure you will find most of the help you need.
Good luck with the new mill
Hey fellas! Thanks for the greetings.
The logs will be cut and stacked for drying in an abandoned commercial chicken house with the ends open and side walls removed. Basically, it's a HUGE pole barn. The chicken house is roughly 3-4 hundred yards from where my timber is standing. I have a 60-something hp 2wd Ford Tractor (no front-end loader), an old rusty rebuilt 23hp Takeuchi track hoe, and an old Komatsu D20A dozier. My buddy has a bobcat with tracks and a grapple for loading the logs onto a trailer. This is definitely going to be an adventure...
Oh yeah--my wife and I plan on building a house within the next 2-3 years using a lot of this lumber.
Plus--I'm getting into woodworking (just had a bunch of OLD craftsman saws given to me). Table saw, router table, wood lathe, band saw, etc...so I want to build stuff! Haha!
Sounds like a good plan to me, and I would like to suggest, from the git-go, go ahead and take some of the logs and make your own stickers, can never have too many, and while you're at it, if you find some that are junkie in the heart, make some stacking cleats, 4x's or bigger if you need they will come in handy, having these ready from the start is a bonus for sure, hope all goes well, have a friend who owned an ez, works good, take care, david
Thanks for the tips drobertson. I will definitely be on that.
One of my main concerns (other than all of the back breaking work) is properly drying the lumber. I've researched it until I'm blue in the face...I know that you've got to have a level foundation, evenly place your stickers, etc...
But I've heard that Oak can be prone to twisting/warping etc... I would say that my new place is 95% hardwood/oak.
I want to do everything "by the book" but I'm still concerned about the drying process and final lumber quality...
I bet that if a piece of lumber is going to twist, cup, warp, etc...then it is going to no matter what is done to prevent it from doing so no matter how much weight is on the pile. But by proper stacking we can minimize distortion? Am I on the right track?
I bet wider cut boards are more prone to cupping than narrower ones...
I've read that there are ways properly saw the cant to minimize distortion during the drying process...
I'll try looking back through some past discussions the forum and see what I find...I've got a million questions but I realize that experience is the best teacher...Sorry for the rambling but i'm just thirsting for knowledge and ready to cut some boards :)
Welcome Deese!
It is amazing how you read...and read...and read - things still just aren't as clear as you'd like them to be. After a few days with the mill going, a lot of that fuzziness leaves. Great place here at the Forum.
Looks like you have a dandy helper to offbear in a few years.
CC
I'm thinking you will figure it out soon enough, mature oak timber will yield better lumber the small, not to say small is a loss. I might suggest sawing out some for a drying shed or modify your coop for the same purpose, this will give you a good idea on how logs and lumber react in addition to learning how to dry. A good stack of 30 to 40 layers with a weighted top will be a good start. You will need dry stickers for anything that requires the finished polished look. We have successfully air dried thousands of feet of red and white oak with no issues at all. Like you said time and experience with some good advice along the way is the key, later, david
welcome to the forum..
There, you have some support equipment. Better than me with just my 40hp tractor.
Welcome Deese!
I'm just a few miles Northwest of you in Autauga County. You are most welcomed to come and check out my mill and my farm. I'm about 50/50 hardwood and pine. Most of the hardwood trees are various species of Oak. There are a handful of Sweetgum and a few Pecans. Love to have you visit when you have the time!
Happy sawing!
Thanks everybody.
Hey grweldon--I really appreciate the invitation! I may have to take you up on that sometime in the near future!
thanks again.
Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Deese!
As you've noticed, this is a great place to hang out!
Deese.....we all screw up.....some of us just don't post it. :D
Tell your friend with the slightly larger mill to join the FORUM. :)
WELCOME!.....and I see you have a little helper to go with your new mill. smiley_thumbsup
Welcome to the gang!
You will find a pltior....plathor...well, anyway, a lot of experience on here. Some of us can't spell a lick, but someone can usually help you with anything that comes up.
Franl no....Frank
Welcome aboard Deese,
great site with even better folks.
When's the mill scheduled to arrive?
Better start loading the log deck now, don't want to get behind :D
Best
DGD
Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Deese. :) We will be looking forward to seeing pictures when you get the EZ.
Welcome! Looks like that you are getting started right.
Dang, thanks fellas for the warm response! Y'all seem to be pretty good'ole folks...I'm new to this forum business so nobody get your panties in a wad if I don't respond appropriately :-) (Trying to be macho)
But in all seriousness, I mailed the check today and I'm sure he will ship it as soon as the check clears...by the way, message me if you want to make a donation!! HA!
I've got some pretty cool photos of really nice black walnut, swamp chestnut, etc that I would love to share...I'll try to figure it out tomorrow.
Oh yeah--yes I do have a new little helper! He is 7 months old and is definitely going to keep his daddy on his toes :-)
Hey DGD---I ordered 5 gallons anchor seal today from the manufacturer...I've gotta work the Buckmasters Expo in Montgomery AL this weekend and cutting will begin shortly thereafter! Hopefully I'll be finished no later than late January...if so, I plan to replant in long leaf pine no later than the end of Feb...
Deese
Pics are pretty straight forward, beginning with having them in .jpg format on your computer.
Then go to "Home" and down to the "Behind The Forum" forum and the first thread listed is a primer for setting up your own gallery in your profile, and how to proceed from there to get pics in a post.
Once you have your gallery set up, then clicking on the blue hi-lighted line below this post window "Click here to add Photos to post" will take you through the steps.
Quote from: Deese on August 15, 2013, 12:00:38 AM
Hey DGD---I ordered 5 gallons anchor seal today from the manufacturer...I've gotta work the Buckmasters Expo in Montgomery AL this weekend and cutting will begin shortly thereafter! Hopefully I'll be finished no later than late January...if so, I plan to replant in long leaf pine no later than the end of Feb...
It's great that you already have a replant set for the lot, your little helper will have his own harvest to grow with.
best
DGD
You won't regret buying the anchorseal. You will also need two LogRite cant hooks. Since you have a manual mill, turning the big logs can be a challenge. I would recommend the 60" cant hook and the 78" Megahook. You will be amazed how big a log that you can turn by yourself with the Megahook. A 48" cant hook is too small for a manual mill. Can't get as much leverage to turn the big ones with the shorter cant hook. They will be two of the best tools that you will ever own.
I'll second WDH's advice that a 48" cant hook is too small. I have one. I can't budge much over 18" diameter logs when trying to turn them on the mill. The 48" works well though for rolling the logs up to the mill but the largest I've ever moved is the one that I'm milling now, 23.5" DIB at the butt swell. A larger hook would be handy rolling it on the ground as well.
Welcome aboard, you will find lots of help here. You mentioned you plan on cutting all your wood for your house. Make sure you check with your local building department. Where I live I cannot cut my own Structural lumber. Wished I lived somewhere where I could.
matt
I'm suspecting that rural Montgomery county, Alabama is similar to Autauga county. You are required to pay a licensed professional to test soil percolation and design a septic system and the county will inspect it. Power company won't put in a pole until septic is in and documented. After that, no permits are required and no inspections take place. You could build a house with cardboard and they will place an assessment value on it! Pay your taxes and all will be well.
Deese, congrads ont he mill. I also have a EZ Jr. and really like it. I ahve pushed it to the limits on the size of logs and learned tons.
An you are right keep reading and reading. I really lot this forum, just a bunch of guys sharing there love for sawdust.
Here is a list of things I have learned. Most of it by error. lol
- 60 " logrite cant hook is a must. two are better....ok maybe one 60 and one 48. Heck I am so impress with my logrite log cant, i might like it better than my mill. Awesome to beable a 1600 log by yourself.
- you never can have enough stickers, I saw stickers out of every slab I discard. And have even sawn a whole log into stickers. You never have enough dry ones when you need them.
- I switched my mill to water lube/soap lube. You use more, but less expensive.
- figure ways to wedge large logs, some times to they just to big and will not be able to be clamped.
- if I was you, buy the extention at least 5 feet to saw longer lumber. It is one my list to buy......
- being that you are in the south(like me), being able to saw at night is your friend. pile my logs in the day and saw for the night. Much cooler.
- have a good stack of blades on hand. I am rotating ten right now. I do not sharpen my own yet and I ship 4 off to sharpen at a time to a guy in North GA, Jordan Bandsaw. He has a 3-4 day turn around.
- if you are cutting wavey, change the blade. if it not "that blade" you can always put it back on.
and if you are confused about your mill, call Ed Zimmerman. that guy is great. There are about dozen guys on here with the EZ jr or 40. They are great too.
Sound like you have great start, can't wait to see pictures.
still learning everyday,
Ed
Welcome to the forum Deese. Lots of good info to be found here. Have fun with the new mill as you learn.
Thanks everyone for the advice!
I talked with Ed Zimmerman about an hour ago about the cant hooks that they make. He seems to be a very honest man that stands behind his products. I will definitely post pics of the mill once it is delivered...hopefully one day next week.
Also--I have got 7 very big, straight loblolly pines to remove at work. There is a ton of good lumber in these trees. There's at least 20' of straight trunk before the first limb on most of them. I measured the dbh on all 7 trees yesterday. They measured 25.6", 33.3", 27.7", 26.7", 34.3", 23.7", 39.7"
ED Zimmerman and I had a brief discussion about the capabilities of the Boardwalk JR, and although it says its maximum log diameter is 30", he said that it's actually designed for 24" logs and smaller. He said the key to larger logs is a good, sharp blade and move through the log SLOWLY and just listen to the motor...
So here are my questions regarding all of this:
1--The trees have to be removed. If I don't get them, someone else will. I simply cannot afford to spend any more money at the moment, and did not purchase the 5' track extension with my mill. So, my mill will only cut a 12'2" long log. Would it be a mistake to cut these trunks into 12' sections to fit my mill? Or should I cut them into 16' sections and seal the ends with anchorseal until I can purchase the track extension?
2--If I decided to cut them 16' or longer and seal the ends with anchorseal, how long would they last until wood quality is compromised? They would be kept out of the sun and rain.
3--I will somehow have to trim the logs over 30" with a chainsaw (I guess) to make them fit on my mill. I really don't want to go through the aggravation of making a chainsaw mill jig...Is there any other way to accomplish this? I guess it doesn't have to be pretty as long as it's narrow enough to fit---then I simply clean it all up with the bandsaw, right?
What would y'all do with the logs if you had my size mill? (13hp Honda)
Here's one of our best looking black walnuts on our property.
Guessing 20"-24" dbh...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/33361/IMG_1502.JPG)
Quote1--So, my mill will only cut a 12'2" long log. Would it be a mistake to cut these trunks into 12' sections to fit my mill? Or should I cut them into 16' sections and seal the ends with anchorseal until I can purchase the track extension?
What's the intended use of the wood?
If you need 8ft studs, then trim the logs to 8'6" and saw them like that. No point cutting 12 ft boards when you need 8 ft ones. Likewise if you need 12ft boards, keeping the logs at 16 ft is pointless. You should also actually recover slightly more from 2 x 8 ft logs vs a 16 ft long as you have less taper and/or sweep to deal with. The shorter logs also simplify your log handling. Turning an oversize 16ft log is MUCH harder than an oversize 8 ft one.
Quote2--If I decided to cut them 16' or longer and seal the ends with anchorseal, how long would they last until wood quality is compromised? They would be kept out of the sun and rain.
Pine doesn't keep well in log form. It tends to stain and be attacked by bugs quickly. I'd get it sawn and start drying it ASAP, even if it's shorter lengths.
I'd also consider the option of sacrificing a bit of the oversize butt log. I know it's a waste, but it's going to be a lot of work to saw, where lopping couple of feet off that end might get you down to the 30" that the mill can handle. Need to weigh up the time spend whittling the ends of the logs, vs the value of the wood you recover?
Ian
Welcome to the forum.
Do yourself a favor, and talk to the real cant hook makers.... Tamiam at Logrite.
Sponsor on the left column. ;)
Good on the pics. If that is a vine showing on that nice walnut, be a good idea to clip it off as it does the tree no good.
Hey--Thanks Ianab for your sound advice and insight! I can't say enough about this forum and how informative it can be.
QuoteWhat's the intended use of the wood?
That's a great question...and that is part of my problem LOL :-\
Oh---I'm having a vision...I'm imagining my living room interior walls made from beautiful lightly stained 1x12's :)
No, No...now I'm thinking of big, thick exposed beams over my kitchen...
Now do you see my dilemma? ;D
I'll probably just cut them in 8" lengths as you suggested...makes the most sense. Thanks again.
Here's a pic of one of the big pines outside my office window
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/33361/IMG_1558.JPG)
Deese, that is one NICE walnut tree. All good suggestions coming in so far. One other item that helps a lot with a manual mill is using a winch to turn the logs on the mill. Not sure is EZB offers one as an accessory, or you might need to rig one up. Mounted on one side about midway along the mill. Cant hooks are a must, but having a winch also is like having an extra set of hands when running a manual mill.
I started with a manual mill with a 13HP Honda, and it will get the job done, just takes a little longer.
Welcome to the FF.
There is really no reason to seal the ends of SYP.
Quote from: beenthere on August 15, 2013, 05:30:30 PM
Do yourself a favor, and talk to the real cant hook makers.... Tamiam at Logrite.
Sponsor on the left column. ;)
Good on the pics. If that is a vine showing on that nice walnut, be a good idea to clip it off as it does the tree no good.
Yeah I will definitely be purchasing one from one of those guys.
That vine will be cut shortly
Quote from: Magicman on August 15, 2013, 05:59:46 PM
There is really no reason to seal the ends of SYP.
I didn't know that.
This is great stuff I tell ya!
Pine bleeds resin and seals itself so end check is a very rare if ever occurrence.
Thank you for the info Magic Mike....I mean MagicMan! Ha!
Hey EZland---it sure is nice to hear from someone who has personal experience with this mill...I may be bugging you with questions in the near future!
If your mill will only cut 12 feet 6 inches,not much room to spare. Much easier to cut 8 footers. It's mighty hard to move a log lengthwise on a manual mill. I have one and know that for a fact. I can cut 20 feet on my mill,so not much of a problem cutting up to 16 feet.
LogRite cant hooks are superior to all others on the market. You will need two cant hooks, so buy at least one LogRite. There is a reason that they are so highly recommended.
Deese, belated welcome to FF! 8)
welcome deese, now the fun begins
Quote from: Deese on August 15, 2013, 04:14:22 PM
Also--I have got 7 very big, straight loblolly pines to remove at work. There is a ton of good lumber in these trees. There's at least 20' of straight trunk before the first limb on most of them. I measured the dbh on all 7 trees yesterday. They measured 25.6", 33.3", 27.7", 26.7", 34.3", 23.7", 39.7"
So here are my questions regarding all of this:
1--The trees have to be removed. If I don't get them, someone else will. I simply cannot afford to spend any more money at the moment, and did not purchase the 5' track extension with my mill. So, my mill will only cut a 12'2" long log. Would it be a mistake to cut these trunks into 12' sections to fit my mill? Or should I cut them into 16' sections and seal the ends with anchorseal until I can purchase the track extension?
My suggestion would be to find an acquaintence in the area with a larger mill to help you mill those trees... somebody who would mill them for a split. The first one that comes to mind is ME, but there is another guy close to you that I believe owns a Cooks MP-32. He's on here, but I can't remember his username. He's got a picture of a tractor rearing up as his icon.
My mill will handle a 20' log supposably, the longest I've cut are 15' (specific length for a project). It will also supposably handle a 32" dia. log, but it will only clamp a 24" log. I've had a log on it that measured 30" in one spot and I didn't clamp it until I had 2 flat sides milled. it was OK. I could probably handle the 2nd log from the largest of the trees you mention.
I am certainly not as experienced as others and IANAB is absolutely spot on in the fact that any 8' log is multiple times easier to handle and turn than a 12' or 16' log. That being said, if you don't know what the wood will be used for at the moment, I've found that 12' long is the best all-around length to mill. You would cut those logs 12'6" as previously recommended.
Drop me a line if you need my help. Maybe we can work something out...
Welcome to the forum Deese. 8)
QuoteDrop me a line if you need my help. Maybe we can work something out...
Thanks grweldon. I'll send you a message shortly.
Deese,
I agree with everyone else about cutting log lengths cut a foot or so than finish length. Also its hard to cut logs that are 12 foot. Just because the mill will take, its does not mean you will get it on the mill straight.
I have cut logs that were 29......+.....inches, but you end up doing serious chainsaw work for the mill to pass. And you can not use the log clamps. I wedge the log (I need to take photos next time).
As for keeping pine. I had some logs that came down in a tornado that I left for a year. The ones I stripped the bark off did Ok. They stained but were Ok. Of course they were off the ground too and dry.
I am learning every day too. Keep the questions coming.
This forum is incredibly helpful. Thanks again everyone for the advice/insight.
I'm thinking the first thing I need to do once the mill arrives and is set up--is find some standing dead pines and cut them for stickers...as I currently don't have any, and i want to start cutting/drying lumber right away.
welcome deese. That vine in reply 34 looks scary itchy to me. If its what i think it is ware gloves, dont make sawdust out of it and definately dont burn it. Did you say 12' 2" capacity for the Junior?...thats cutting it close for finish trimming, and ++1 about handling 8'6" hardwood logs with those diameters, compared to 12' plus.
have a blast man!
mark
Quotewelcome deese. That vine in reply 34 looks scary itchy to me. If its what i think it is ware gloves, dont make sawdust out of it and definately dont burn it. Did you say 12' 2" capacity for the Junior?...thats cutting it close for finish trimming, and ++1 about handling 8'6" hardwood logs with those diameters, compared to 12' plus.
have a blast man!
mark
Hey Mark--
Thanks for the greeting.
I didn't buy (can't currently afford) the track extension for the EZ JR, so the maximum cutting length is 12'2" and maximum log diameter is 30".
And yes--it's probably poision ivy. It's a low-lying creek bottom and the whole place is crawling with it.
That's still a MONSTER log Mark.
Quote from: m wood on August 16, 2013, 04:39:44 PM
That vine in reply 34 looks scary itchy to me.
It looks like Virginia Creeper to me. 5 leaves, plus the little "roots" that attach the vine to the tree would be very hairy if it was Poison Ivy.
In my neck of the woods I got 2 climbing vines, grape and poinson Ivy. I get the 3 leaf vs. 5 leaf thing, but why is it every time I see the clingy, hairy vines that make me itch, they have 5 LEAVES on them?? I guess I dont see any Virginia creeper in my area, unless its called something else by us yanks :D
Maybe you are allergic to virginia creeper ???.
My understanding is that virginia creeper only affects some people.