Squaring a barn beam - blade choice??

[sorensonsmill]

I am trying to turn an old barn beam into a mantel.  The first cut went great. Rotated 90 degrees and tried to make a skim squaring cut. Multiple tries with all failures.  The blades/beam start sparking and leave burn marks on the beam.  The edges seem to cut but it is leaving a crown.  Using TK ultra max blades. 

Another note on blades...I mainly use the Mill to resaw oak and Maple into survey stakes.  Any recommendations on a blade brand, type, degree?  Obviously longer life and smoother cut.  The carbide tips worked great but didn't last long enough to justify the cost.

Thanks for the time.

[WV Sawmiller]

   What happens when you replace the blade with a new sharp blade? I sawed some red oak heartwood yesterday that has been cut 2 years.  The first cuts sounded like yours with black marks and band marks, crown and dips. I was using an old 4 degree WM DH blade. I replaced it with a new sharp, 4 degree DH blade and it cut straight and true. 

   What kind of wood is the beam? Any chance you hit metal on your first cut? I don't know if the wood is hard enough to knock the set off or not but the first step is change blades. Good luck.

[sorensonsmill]

Ive tried 2 newly sharpened blades.  Pretty sure it's a white oak beam.  

[Brad_bb]

A dry white oak barn beam is much much harder than a green white oak log.  I've cut a number of hardwood barn beams.  I have a woodmizer LT15.  I only use 4 degree Double Hard bands.  That is also what I'd recommend even if you have a more powerful mill.  They will dull quickly in a barn beam, not only due to the hardness, but also the dust and dirt they've accumulated over time.

I was cutting white oak barn beams, then I cut into one and had results like you describe.  Turns out that one was a Hickory beam.  If dry white oak is super hard, Hickory is much worse.

I've metal detected and de-nailed barn beams, but 80 percent of the time, there is one or two that was missed and you will find it with your band.  You'll go through a band every 1-2 faces in my experience even if you don't hit metal. It can be worth it though if it's good material being put to good use.  I have a job waiting right now where I need to slice two 3" faces off of hewn barn beams to create two log walls that will be chinked.  I don't see signs of nails....famous last words.. hee hee.

My recommendation, try not to make thin slices on oak beam faces.  The hardness will try to push your blade out of the cut.  If you have to make a thin cut, use a slow feed rate.

[sorensonsmill]

If going thru bands that quickly how are you pricing the job?  I'm doing an hourly mill rate, but if I'm having to burn thru blades it seems the cost of the blades would eat up my rate pretty fast?  I don't often do these small niche type projects so I've struggled to figure out pricing.  

The customer dropped off one beam,  I cut it to length with a chainsaw, and made 2 cuts to square it.  The other half off the beam is so loaded with nails that I am not going to bother. I was only supposed to cut that one in half.  With changing out a blade twice, still around an hour, I've eaten half my mill rate up sending out 2 blades for resharp.  I'm trying to walk that line between knowing the customer doesn't have many options to do this with but also being reasonable with my pricing.  

Feel like my hourly rate on these should be $120 an be hour

[Nebraska]

If you already set price you are stuck if not, be fair to yourself on the bill with an explanation. You have a blade fee don't you?

[sorensonsmill]

Yea, I charge for $25 for replacement for metal.  I just gave an hourly rate for the project and metal hit cost. This project is just my lack of experience with this type.  I think if i were to do it again.  I would may tell the customer it'd be my hourly rate plus like $20 per cut.  Then my shop/labor is covered by my hourly rate and so would the excessive dulling of blades, or just lump sum calculate the project with that in mind.  Live and learn.  

[terrifictimbersllc]

I charge $15 for a "blade prematurely dulled by dirt, grit or abrasive wood.  A prematurely dulled blade is one which cuts less than about 500 board feet before becoming dull".  

Also I think of 3-4 blades being used for a normal day of sawing, and if blade usage exceeds that I consider whether to make that blade charge.