New (Older) Sawyer Getting Started - LT15

bradpjohnson · July 03, 2020, 02:50:48 PM

Greetings to all and happy holiday weekend. I am a first-time poster, long-time lurker; I've been hobby woodworking all my adult life and have been interested in milling for decades. About ten years ago I went to the New York State Woodsmen's Field Days and decided I needed/wanted a Wood-Mizer LT15. I have 20 beautiful hillside acres in the scenic NY Finger Lakes, about half treed. It's hilly enough that my woodlot was never really logged off, at least not for decades, and has a nice stand of 18"-30" Red Oak that I'd love to turn into a timber frame someday. Also lots of White Ash, now under insect attack, so I have lots to salvage before it goes to waste. I have a great deal of Black Locust, a fair number (couple dozen) that are tall enough and straight enough to possibly be turned into 6X6's up to 16' long for my future sawmill shed. Definitely need advice on blades for cutting those!

A big part of my decision to pull the trigger on the sawmill purchase is the interest of my 16 yo grandson, who lives nearby. He has recently gotten very interested in woodworking, and with my help and that of an experienced friend of his has launched into several projects in my workshop. He recently asked me if he would be able to cut up any wood from our little forest for woodworking lol! So yesterday he and I headed into the woods with tractor and chainsaw and safety equipment. I led him to a moderately sized reasonably straight ash, and spent time explaining what I know of the art and science of falling (Game of Logging was instrumental for me). After careful preparation of site and escape lanes, the tree was safely felled, bucked off at the straightest section and dragged out to the shop area. This morning I showed him how to peel it, and I set it up on a pair of Black Locust logs for cutting with the Granberg Small Log Chainsaw Mill. Needless to say the intense physical effort needed to cut this White Ash, 9'+ long, 13" inside bark small end log was fairly intense. Set up, cutting, stickered stacking; in all about 3 hours today for 6 - 1"+ boards, maybe 35 bf. But the sense of satisfaction for both of us was special. And OH! So far I seem to have forgotten to mention to him that in about a month that LT15 will be on-site? I knew he'll never take it for granted after today's efforts!

Gere Flewelling · July 03, 2020, 04:13:40 PM

Welcome Bradpjohnson! Your post brought back some great memories from long ago. When I was 16, my grandfather who was in his 80's used to spend winters living with us. He was an old farmer woodsman from the early 1900's northern maine and NB. He wasn't physically capable of the work anymore, but he knew I was and we spent many hours cutting fire wood and splitting it with his old double bitted ax. The tougher it was, the more excited he got. Not so much with me. I did learn how to fit a ax handle and did it often until my skill and patients improved. He has been gone for many years now, but thanks for helping me to remember those special times in my life. I hope to someday show my grandson how to use my knetic splitter.

I hope your grandson will have fond memories in the future of his time spent with you. Good luck with the new mill.

thecfarm · July 04, 2020, 05:50:06 AM

Good to see you posting.
You will need a cantdog or a peavey form Logrite. Sponsor on the left, nice people and made in the USA. Website will tell you the difference of a peavey and a cantdog.
Sawing is fun.
How many hp is that tractor? What's on the front of it?

Chuck White · July 04, 2020, 06:30:13 AM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, bradpjohnson!

GAB · July 04, 2020, 09:31:52 AM

bradpjohnson:
You wrote: "And OH! So far I seem to have forgotten to mention to him that in about a month that LT15 will be on-site? I knew he'll never take it for granted after today's efforts!"
I don't think I would tell him then it would be a bigger surprise.
GAB

bradpjohnson · July 05, 2020, 11:15:58 AM

Quote from: thecfarm on July 04, 2020, 05:50:06 AM
Good to see you posting.
You will need a cantdog or a peavey form Logrite. Sponsor on the left, nice people and made in the USA. Website will tell you the difference of a peavey and a cantdog.
Sawing is fun.
How many hp is that tractor? What's on the front of it?

thecfarm, My brand new peavy didn't photo bomb this picture but it sure came in handy. My 45hp (2310 model) NH Boomer busted a hydraulic hose Thursday at 4:30 just as I was preparing to position the log, fortunately my NH dealer is 10 minutes away and they made up a new hose for me. While waiting I got the Peavy; they sell Stihl so that's the brand I now have. On front of the tractor is a hydraulic "root rake" grapple. I've bent the teeth up something awful over the years but it still does a nice job lifting logs and will be essential for milling for me.

bradpjohnson · July 05, 2020, 11:20:10 AM

Quote from: GAB on July 04, 2020, 09:31:52 AM
bradpjohnson:
You wrote: "And OH! So far I seem to have forgotten to mention to him that in about a month that LT15 will be on-site? I knew he'll never take it for granted after today's efforts!"
I don't think I would tell him then it would be a bigger surprise.
GAB

GAB, that was me being "cute", he doesn't know and if things work out perfectly it will be on premises to surprise him, either on its pallet or already assembled, as he will be away for a couple weeks late August. I'm already rehearsing my response; "You sure I didn't tell you about this" lol. He's pestering me to build a kiln now. I welcome his pestering. My own grandpa was instrumental in my early life and I want to follow his example.

Nebraska · July 05, 2020, 11:22:05 AM

Good on you there grandpa!

doc henderson · July 05, 2020, 12:11:16 PM

The rest of us old codgers appreciate being invited to watch this surprise. welcome.

GAB · July 05, 2020, 03:47:19 PM

bradpjohnson:
I hope you can capture his reaction and hopefully you will share it with us.
If it comes on a skid I hope you have him help you assemble it.
I think you have have an educational opportunity coming for your grandson(s).
GAB

firefighter ontheside · July 05, 2020, 04:58:49 PM

That's great. You and he will love the LT15. I love mine. If I'm not mistaken, the woodmizer cant hook is a logrite in orange disguise. I have that one and a much larger one that is valuable with large logs.

bradpjohnson · July 05, 2020, 05:30:11 PM

Quote from: firefighter ontheside on July 05, 2020, 04:58:49 PM
That's great. You and he will love the LT15. I love mine. If I'm not mistaken, the woodmizer cant hook is a logrite in orange disguise. I have that one and a much larger one that is valuable with large logs.

firefighter ontheside, I think you're right; I see other Logrite merch on the WM site. I ordered the "Pro Package" which include the cant hook; it will go perfectly with my just-purchased Stihl peavy (Orange, meet orange!)!

terrifictimbersllc · July 05, 2020, 05:54:51 PM

Stihl peavey is also Logrite.

bradpjohnson · July 08, 2020, 07:27:50 PM

YouTube

I think Noah will find the LT15 to be a noticeable improvement! This was our weekend fun, to give him a sense of how much work it can be (short of an 18th century Pit Saw!).

Southside · July 08, 2020, 11:15:50 PM

You know, Noah is of the age and generation that can find anything online, add into that his interest in sawmills, the Forums status on Google, and it's not a far stretch to think that he may be reading this.... :P

bradpjohnson · August 16, 2020, 06:54:29 AM

So I took WM at their word for a 5 week delivery, and while grandson Noah was away for 2 weeks I enlisted the help of his good friend to get this base built for the LT15. Meanwhile he returned still with no LT15 in sight. He was curious about the structure; this was from his text to me while I was at work.

N: Also, what's this up here at the plateau that you're building?
Me: Could be a rail gun for shooting dog toys into the field?
N: Haha. Is it the solar kiln then?
Me: Or maybe a base for a trebuchet for smashing pumpkins!
N: Oh now that sounds fun. I was wondering where the gravel went, and when I saw the base on the plateau the kiln was my first thought, but second guessed myself at a closer look. Not quite sure why.
Me: A mystery appeared among us!

I was just teasing him along, poor lad! But more time has passed, and I finally had to reveal the mystery. He was quite thunderstruck, and very excited. Now if it arrives this coming week he'll be staying the weekend to help assemble it; still no shipping email as we head into week eight since ordering. I called a couple weeks ago and was told by sales it was scheduled to be finished 8/14 and shipped by Monday. Time will tell.

In anticipation i hauled out a deadfall Cherry that could yield some interesting crotch figure. It was a split fork that fell into a forked Black Locust, which eventually split and landed on the telephone line running through the woods and obstructing my logging road. The Phone Co. wouldn't do anything about it so the following year I cleared it myself.

WDH · August 16, 2020, 07:02:52 AM

Very fine job on the LT15 foundation.

dudders · August 16, 2020, 07:32:59 AM

I envy you, having that good a relationship with your grandson. Really heart-warming! I didn't even have children. One of my grandfathers died before I was born, the other was a nasty piece of work. I was 8 years old when he died, and I remember when my mother told me, my immediate reaction was a loud 'good'!

My partner has grandchildren however, and I'm hoping that as they get older, their present childlike enthusiasm for tractors will morph into a genuine interest in things practical and productive. It's not looking good at the moment, as their *!&!* mother keeps putting them onto Wii games and general computer rubbish, and won't even let them into the garden without her being with them. >:(

My generation got to spend loads of time on our own, which was good in a way, as it meant we learnt how to be self-reliant, but I wish my father had taught me a few skills in the workshop - he was a hobby cabinet-maker, could do anything. So I'm keen to pass some tricks on to the boys, but have to stand back until they show it's what they want.

PS: Reckon an 18th-century pitsaw might have been quicker than that chainsaw-mill! :D

Patrick NC · August 16, 2020, 10:04:08 AM

Congratulations on the lt15. It will provide an outstanding opportunity for mor bonding with you and your grandson. My son (18 yrs old) never showed any interest in anything about manual labor until I got my mill. Now he comes to help any chance he gets. He's supposed to be here in about an hour to help me finish some cedar logs I'm cutting. ( He lives with his mother about 40 miles away.) I usually try to pay him, but most of the time he won't take it. Might be hope for him yet.
FYI, I just inquired about ordering a new mill from Woodmizer and was told they are 9 weeks out on new orders.

bradpjohnson · August 23, 2020, 02:33:36 PM

Well, after a more-than 8 week wait the WM LT15 has arrived! Good thing was once it finally shipped it only took one day to actually reach me. Unloading the crate from my 1/2 ton truck was quite a project; with the larger diesel engine, total weight was 1500+ lbs. The main challenge for my NH 40 hp CUT was that the pallet was 7' long, so it was an unfavorable weight distribution. However got it safely on the ground Thursday afternoon, got started on unpacking and assembly Friday afternoon and finished it up early Saturday, making sawdust by 10 AM. Noah was pleased as punch; I gave him the honor of first log, and he sawed up the remnant of the ash that he had chainsaw milled in July. He opined that he preferred the WM to the chainsaw mill, imagine that!

Next up I have just ordered a Uniforest 45M forestry winch with snatch blocks, including a self releasing one to allow me to extract logs from my hilly and overcrowded woodlot. I can hardly drop a tree w/o getting a hang-up, must've been decades since anyone thinned it.

doc henderson · August 23, 2020, 03:03:58 PM

congrats to all and again welcome and thanks for sharing that moment in your family history!

bradpjohnson · August 23, 2020, 06:47:15 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KLbaPw-YvY&feature=youtu.be

Hackeldam Wood Products · August 23, 2020, 07:01:53 PM

good luck with the new mill.

Rich

A-z farmer · August 23, 2020, 07:55:11 PM

Brad you are making memories that will be with your grandson forever very nice .

thecfarm · August 23, 2020, 09:42:45 PM

You will like that winch. Don't pull at a sharp angle, set the brake and lower the bucket each time. Keep distance from the tractor when winching in, that's what the 6 foot rope is for. ;) They will be slash and maybe a dead pole coming at ya. I made up some 4 foot chains for the small stuff. Those winches come with 8 foot chains. Won't pull too many logs needing the whole chain. I got tired of pulling 4 feet of chain through a key hole. Only took me 20 years to make some short chains. :

Did not have the money or the time. ??? I run 6 slides on my winch. Sometimes all 6 are used, sometimes only one is used. They are there, if needed.
Don't look behind you for too long when you have a load behind you. That front end can come up quick.
Use the left and right brake for steering if needed.
Happy sawing and winching.