New member first post

[bandit11208]

This forum is awesome!!!First a little about myself. I'm 52 a lifelong woodworker and hunter. Back in 2000 my girlfriend and I purchased 80 acres in Northern Minnesota, been dreaming of a mill since. Last June Kathy bought me a woodland mills hm 26 band mill (she's a keeper) and in July we had a storm rip threw and we lost about 30% of our trees. Mostly aspen, spruce and balsam. Unfortunately most are less than 10" in diameter but there is still plenty to saw. Been reading this forum for about 4 months and have learned a lot but a lot more to learn.
Just a couple questions for now.
1. When cutting aspen how much lube if any at all?
2. I know some on here do not seal the ends of pine logs but how about aspen?
3. Since wood drys slowly in winter do you need to seal the ends of aspen boards in winter for air drying?Thanks all and have a Merry Christmas.
P.S. I know you all like pics. Hopefully I get it right.
First mill project

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

[paul case]

Welcome to the forum.

Nice pics and good looking mill and saws ya got there. You done well on those boxes and the building.
I know nothing about aspen so I cant help ya there. No doubt someone here has the answer.

When you said ''she's a keeper'' did you mean the new mill or your Kathy? or maybe Kathy is the mill's name? ;D

PC

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Bandit, there is so much I like about your VERY FIRST post, it's like an early Christmas. ;)

You came right out of the Shute and told us about yourself, posted pics. and asked questions.

You really should receive some kind of prize.

From your pics, I love your operation and all you equipment.

Someone else, I'm sure will answer your questions.....but I can say WELCOME TO THE FORUM!  :christmas:

P.S. Do you eat Grits?

[bandit11208]

Kathy my girlfriend is the keeper. The mill works very well but I'm already dreaming of a LT40.

[Jeff]

I've sawn around a hundred million board feet of aspen. Never once saw a sealed end on a log unless it was by mud. Good job on the photos, and on the chest. I'm a bit partial to aspen.

Poston, he could win a prize, he could enter the Christmas Contest and have a chance at several!

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I'm already dreaming of a LT40.

Like they say on the "Price is Right"........COME ON DOWN!



 

[bandit11208]

Poston
   The only grits I eat are after taking a digger off a wet log in the sand. Although I try to spit most of them out. ;D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Poston
   The only grits I eat are after taking a digger off a wet log in the sand. Although I try to spit most of them out. ;D

Good one Bandit.....you're gonna fit right in!  :D

[drobertson]

Bandit, welcome home! :christmas:  nice work you have going on there, up there where the grits have to be better when the weather is so cold, and the snow so deep.  I can think of nothing better than cutting aspen, building all your projects and at the end of the day getting close to a nice, warm, buttery, cheesy bowl of grits ;D 

[thecfarm]

bandit11208,your comment on g...s, you're a keeper.  ;D  welcome to the forum.You have 6 chainsaws,a mill,8n or 9n Ford tractor,looks like a spring tooth harrow in the 3rd picture,a bunch of Logrites tools. You are ready.

[customsawyer]

Welcome to the forum. Very nice looking work.

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

Very seldom, if ever, would we end coat aspen or pine logs or lumber.  The reason it that it has a low tendency to end split due to drying.

Ditto on the previous comments about your work, gf and mill.  Welcome.

[eastberkshirecustoms]

   The only grits I eat are after taking a digger off a wet log in the sand. Although I try to spit most of them out. ;D

Hey, I like this guy already!!!! ;)
Welcome aboard bandit! Nice operation you got going there and crisp pic's too- and right out of the gate. You don't mess around!!

[Leigh Family Farm]

Welcome to the Forum! Grits ain't that bad...they ain't that good either  :D :D :D

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Welcome to the forum Bandit and glad you got a keeper. My wife Kristina is a keeper to. She buys me more tools than I buy for myself. :christmas:

[samandothers]

Bandit
Welcome!  Love the old ?N Ford, real dependable work horse for its size.  Nice looking mill and great job on the chest.   This cutting the top off with the mill is catching on. May have to try it.
  :christmas:

[bandit11208]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone......... Saman its a 49 8n with 27 horses.

[Magicman]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum,    bandit11208.   

Congrats on the post, pictures, GF, but it is obvious that you don't know grit about grits.   ;D

Again, Welcome and  :christmas:

[Seaman]

Welcome, squared away lookin operation you got there. I'm new here myself, and know you will find lots of help.
I know nothing about Aspen, but a thing or two about grits. Butter, cheese, and a bate of shrimp sauteed with onions and butter.
Have fun on here, these Boys are a riot.
Frank

[Brad_bb]

Welcome!  Ditto on many of the other comments.  What is the wooden tower structure in the one pic behind the mill?  Just curious.

[WDH]

Wow!  Good to have you here.  Always add crumbled bacon in the gravy for your shrimp and grits.

[sandhills]

Welcome to the forum Bandit, I'd also like to know about the tower, maybe a windmill?  Nice job on everything also!

[schakey]

Welcome Bandit ;D I really like the 8n when I get a mill will also get a 8n.
Come on guys,everyone can't help but to like grits
:christmas:  :new_year:

[m wood]

bandit, this place is Awesome!  WOW, Nicely done, pics and all.  not to be too presumptuous but you sound a bit like me ( except i couldnt gets pics to post last week :().  acres of woods and a new wife wanting to get that mill as bad as i want it.  How many months did you have to dream of cutting logs and flying dust?  Lately, thats all I can do.  HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR WOODLAND MILLS?  Is that black sub frame i see there come standard?

again...congrats, welcome, nice to meet ya
mark 

[Lud]

Welcome to the forum.  I  like seeing you Ford tractor.  If you weld a bi you can build  stuff to help around the mill.



 

I'd switched from 6 to 12 volt on my Ford so I could hang a winch and here's the mast I hang a snatch block on.  With the blade down ,  you can safely maneuver  a big stick from a safe distance. 



 [img]https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12867/Mill406iopt.jpg[/i
mg]

HAVE FUN AND BE SAFE! :christmas:

[bandit11208]

m wood....this place is AWSOME. Been on here for a couple months and the knowledge I've gained is priceless. I like the mill. There is a learning curve to it and I found out the hard way that blue loctite is your friend. The frame your referring to is a trailer I welded up for it. The wheels are removable by pulling a pin so I can set it up lower for ease of loading with the 3 pt on tractor.

The tower in the pic is the base for an enclosed deer stand. It will be insulated and heated, Northern Minnesota gets cold and I'm getting to old or maybe to smart to sit for hours in 0 degree weather.

Lud, I do weld. So far I've welded up the trailer for the mill and the forks for the 3 pt on the tractor. I have a log arch in the works for the ATV for in tight places and a cultipacker for some food plots I installed on the place.

I'm glad you guys like pics cause I like sharing them. Let me know if you get sick of them.





  

  

  

 

[petefrom bearswamp]

Welcome to the forum.
Nice pics and nice setup.
Tried towing my old LT40hd which Chuck White now has with my ATV down an incline ONCE and got quite a ride.