Setting up and using a bed extension

[Southside]

I have an order for a decent volume of long beams and pulled the trigger on a 24' bed extension today.  I have done some 28' on my standard bed in the past and won't ever do that again.  Can anyone give me some pointers on sawing with an extension?  Anything special to look for / be concerned with either set up or operation?  This will give me the option of sawing up to 45' long timber and nobody around here does anything like that so I figure it will give me a niche in the future.  

[Stuart Caruk]

I'll assume you're planning on stationary milling, or you're a glutton for punishment. I added an extension to my Woodmizer LX450 and it works very well, but it's bolted to the concrete and leveled like a CNC laser cutting machine, so the bed it very accurate. I added 3 toe rollers to my extension. Not so much to help level the logs, although I do use them for that, I use them more to roll cant's back and forth on the bed. Next time, I'd make split rollers. Sometimes you want to stockpile boards on the rear of the deck, and roll beams back and forth. With a single roller, you get stuck, so all you can do is go up and down if stuff is parked in the rear section.

The extension is the easy part. You'll need a longer log deck, and easy way to handle the big heavy logs, and the beams you remove that are finished. I found the biggest PITA with long logs is getting them loaded close enough to the dragback end of the mill, that you can drag stuff back off the mill without hitting the ground or coming up short of my rollcase on the off feed end. I've ordered up a set of powered toe rollers from Woodmizer, and that will help that issue.

Of course the single chain turner I have works great on 20' logs, but sucks on 40' logs. I need to add another one, but for now I simply parbuckle them with the telhandler.

Then you'll need and extra log clamp to help position and clamp things, extra stops... the list seems endless.

Good Luck.

[Brucer]

I added 12' to my mill (6' at a time :D) and learned a few things.
 - take your time setting it up and getting it aligned.
 - the legs aren't adjustable. You will need shims -- cut a bunch before you add the extension.
 - I like to place a longer, thicker board under the legs and set the shims on top of those.
 - Once the extensions are installed and leveled, align the mill to the extensions.
 - Saw with the small end facing you so you -- that's the end where the toeboards are ;D.
 - The long logs will sag in the middle when one end is up on the toeboard (a lot more than you might think ).
 - You will need assistance loading longer logs. I set up a temporary log deck.



It's a lot faster to load several logs with the FEL than to put them on the mill one at a time. On the other hand, you will have to have an easy way to get the finished timbers off. And the slabs.

For every foot of log over 20' I added $0.06 per BF to my price. When the log was over 26', I bumped the per-BF-price up another $0.50. The extended price gets applied to the entire timber, not just the overlength part. If this seems excessive, remember that you'll have a lot more material handling to do. If you're sawing timbers, you'll also get a higher proportion of lower value side lumber.

Remember, this is a product that isn't easy to find.

Make sure your customers have figured out how they're going to transport the stuff. You don't want to be sitting around on a loader waiting while they figure it out.

[Southside]

Thanks guys, didn't realize the legs were set, guess that makes sense as it's not designed to be portable.  I don't plan on using the 35 mobile for too much longer so she will stay set up as a long mill.  

I have seen sag in longer logs like that - when I did those 28' it was a problem.  I figure I will set my resaw about 10' from the far end to make siding production easier.  That would give me 30' of beam capacity without having to remove it, anything longer then I will just take it off.  

Handling the big stuff is not a problem, will have to come up with a way to address the side boards so we are not trying to manage insanely long lumber, but I have equipment enough to set the beams and logs on and off of the mill and then even load them onto customer trailers.  

I was thinking about creating a retractable shelter for the set up so that when it's not in use it's under cover but I don't have to build a super span building.  Something along the lines of two car ports, one taller and wider than the other, set on wheels so they can be rolled away from the mill when in operation, under one another.   

[Dave Shepard]

Concrete is a good idea. Even on gravel it will move around and get out of adjustment. Try to price some long timbers before you set your price. I found that anything over 40' couldn't be bought in native species. 

If you have access to the long logs, consider leaving room for adding another extension. 

52':

[mike_belben]

Regarding the sliding shelter.. Take a look at conestoga type flatbed trailers, they might give you some ideas.  I saw one that was a bunch of bents that slid on a track once and thought it was pretty cool. It stretched the tarp out as the bents traveled.  

Your idea of two shelters is good too.  It'd be just like a way cover on a CNC.