Whatcha Sawin' 2021 ??

[firefighter ontheside]

I milled a cherry sort of like that yesterday.  It had 2 turns in it.  Not much useful came out of it, but someone will pay for some 2" live edge slabs that I got out of it.  Then I had a very straight, not huge red oak, but something about the tight growth rings made me try to get some quarter sawn out of it.  Not many true quarter sawn boards, but the ones I got were very cool.  Finally I had a nice size silver maple that was a little past its prime, but I got a lot of 5/4 1x12's that may turn out nice if they dry straight.

[burdman_22]

Picked up an interesting log today that I'm going to turn into live edge slabs....if I even get one slab that doesnt twist itself to death I'll be pretty please. I believe it is two Osage Orange trees that have grown/twisted together. They've been laying for a rather long time as can be seen by the top and bottom. I'm going to cut into 3 inch thick live edge slabs and hope for the best...even if they come apart where they've grown together (which I fully expect to happen), I may be able to eventually incorporate both parts into an epoxy table or something.

Log is just over 9 feet long. Base is about 38 inches tall and 40 inches wide, while the top is about 52 inches wide at the widest. Hopefully I'll be milling in the next couple of weeks (I'll probably livestream it on facebook if anyone gets bored and wants to check in on me, haha). I added some pictures of some slabs from the smaller portion of this tree, just in case folks haven't seen osage orange before (I hadn't before today).



 


 


 


 


 

[quadracutter222]

Not much sawing during the week.  My full time job keeps getting in the way Just a few logs spread over my lunch breaks.

Made up a rain cover, was tired of the constant tarp on/tarp off situation



Moved a few logs from A to B.  Nice to get two logs in one turn !

Nice set up there. Not to change topics really but what vintage is your Long 5n1. I have a Long 3pt hitch backhoe from way back in the day.

It's 70's something, I can't recall exactly now. 
Sat for 10 years, and started right up with a cleaned out fuel system and a fresh battery. Had to add a boat fuel tank as the original had inches of sludge and rust. She can move some pretty big stuff, and no more on/off with those forks.  Used to tong everything.  

[longtime lurker]

Gotta remember to take some pictures of the hacking and stacking part this time.



 

Also the crane getting it onto the mill, because my gear ain't big enough to handle this one.:-\

[Anderson]

Please do take some pictures of that big boy! 

[trimguy]

 

 Sawing some pine. I normally cut on my buddies property because he has a lot more land than I do. They are clearing some land across the street from me. So I made a deal and got these to the house. These will be for a shop for my buddy. So, still a hobby. I measured And marked the end of each log, the size and board feet. I'm going to try to get a better feel for the board feet versus log situation. A couple of these logs have a bow in them, I'm not sure how much I have to deduct for that bow. Lots to learn.

[Dan R]

Some Sunday sawing with my daughter. She wants to build a Barn for some of her animals her and Grandaughter have. She's falling behind on stacking the lumber. I have added the power feed to the mill recently , what a great addition  I only use the mill for personal use so I couldn't justify the cost for a hydraulic mill so manual it is with power feed. We have Fun. 
 

  

[TimW]

Some Sunday sawing with my daughter. She wants to build a Barn for some of her animals her and Grandaughter have. She's falling behind on stacking the lumber. I have added the power feed to the mill recently , what a great addition  I only use the mill for personal use so I couldn't justify the cost for a hydraulic mill so manual it is with power feed. We have Fun. <br

DanR,
      How do you like sawing on the concrete?  Does the sawdust give it a little "cushion"?
                hugs,  Brandi

[Brad_bb]

@burdman_22, I've sawn my share of Osage.  Unfortunately, I think those two logs are going to separate either while moving them or when you cut them. Also you said they've been down a long time.  I've found that Osage that has been laying for years drying out, gets much harder than newly cut Osage.  In fact I'd say that newly cut Osage It not really difficult to cut with 4° bands, and you want a less aggressive band like that, trust me.  I've had some Osage that I cut 16 months ago and it's not going too bad.  They are definitely drier than when cut.  It's taking about one band per log.  I'm not removing bark, but they are not dirty either.  In the past I cut Osage, but also took two logs that were on the ground that had been cut years before and they were a nightmare, like trying to cut through concrete - waves etc.  I won't touch old logs like that anymore.  They will even dull chainsaw chains really fast too.

[High_Water]

First log on the mill of 2021 and immediately threw a drive belt lol. Red oak down from the hurricanes (water or laurel not sure) destined to be very short 2x4s. I know the ramps aren't properly attached but the log was too short to fit them properly. I've got a long line of logs waiting behind this one.

 

 
 

 

[ryantl]

Slabbed up some claro walnut in a small backyard recently. This was the biggest walnut I've milled so far — about 1500 board feet total with the biggest slabs running about 40" wide and 15' long.





As is customary with walnut the homeowners had filled the tree with high carbon steel and towards the end of the log I had to resort to plunging some sections out entirely with my chainsaw.




It was a long job due to the size of the slabs and the confined working area. I did this job mostly solo over the course of 8 days and rented a mini track loader to offload and stack each slab. Then I rented a telehandler on the last day to load the stacks up onto a tractor trailer.

[firefighter ontheside]

A customer has been coming to me about every 3 weeks for about 3 months to buy some lumber.  She doesn't buy a ton, but usually about $100 worth each time.  She bought all the maple I had a while back(wasn't much) and yesterday some walnut and cherry.  I asked what she's been doing with it and she said she made toys.  She sent these pictures and said she has been very busy making toys and has been very happy with the wood she has gotten from me.  She's making some very nice toys.


 

 

[Nebraska]

What a great thing for your wood to turn into.  Somebody transformed  it into fun.

[burdman_22]

@Brad_bb I agree, the slabs will likely come apart, but there's no harm in trying (even if they come apart they'll likely be pretty. M<y biggest concern is metal, as these were in between two houses....we'll see. I'm taking three chainsaw chains with me, hopefully if there isn't any metal three chains will be enough. I'm envisioning only getting 2-3 cuts per chain. I'm also hopeful that the wood will not have hardened all that much even though its been down for a while, since it couldn't have dried much (drying+wood shrinkage is what makes the wood get harder...correct?). I'll post some pictures of whatever happens....even if it is just a destroyed chain, haha

[burdman_22]

I realize now I said "no harm in trying" AND mentioned destroyed chains in the same post...

[WV Sawmiller]

   If the slabs come apart they sound like it is because they want to become a River Table. Sounds like you just need to find the right woodworker who realizes and agrees with that idea. Good luck.

[Dan R]

Brandi,
We live on what's called the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia but it has been known to rain here a bit. I put the mill on concrete for a good base and to keep my feet dry this time of year. Also when I'm finished for the day I sweep,shovel then use the leaf blower to give the mill a cleaning and blow the slab off. Plan to finish the shed and install a door when the weather improves.
Dan

[Larry]

This morning sawed some charcuterie stock for a resin artist.  Those people are resourceful, they scrounge free logs, and kiln dry in home made mini kilns.  I don't much care for the work as the logs are usually small and crooked. 


This was up next.


What the Mega hook is made for.  Yes, I could have used the mill hydraulics but I had the log sorta balanced between the fork lift tongs and the mill to trim off branch stubs and it was just easier to use the hook.


@boardmaker was asking on a PM if the two plane clamp hydraulic motor was strong enough to move around cants.  I lifted the log with the hydraulic cylinder and pulled it straight to the log stops with the clamp motor.

The log was 34" in diameter at the widest point and 19' long.  Since my throat is only 32", to make sure I didn't get stuck, I pulled the band and ran the carriage down the log.  1" to spare on this side and the other was pushing bark.


The log is pushed over the backstops to give me as much clearance as possible.


15 minutes sawing, 10 cuts, and 374 board foot.  Took an hour to pull vines and trim branch stubs.

[TimW]

Brandi,
We live on what's called the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia but it has been known to rain here a bit. I put the mill on concrete for a good base and to keep my feet dry this time of year. Also when I'm finished for the day I sweep,shovel then use the leaf blower to give the mill a cleaning and blow the slab off. Plan to finish the shed and install a door when the weather improves.
Dan

Dan,
  Thanks.  I am gonna concrete my shed after building it.  But I like the idea of leaving some sawdust to walk on.
  hugs,  Brandi

[Durvin Wick]

 

 

 

 

Milled some hard maple I was going to cut for firewood. Glad I milled it.

[WV Sawmiller]

   We have had real nice weather so I got out today and cut up 4 hickory logs for tomato stakes today. The tree uprooted 2 years ago and finished falling last Fall so I cut the top and limbs for firewood and cut 3-10 and one 7' log off the trunk. I don't get much call for hickory lumber so I cut it into 1"X1" strips then cut them in half at a 45* angle with a circle saw leaving 2-5' stakes with each cut with a one-sided point. I bundle in dozens and tie with old hay strings and sell them to a local plant grower and a few at flea markets and such.


 Hickory logs at the mill

Strips from the first 2 logs - these made 18 dz stakes. I have the strips from the last 2 on the trailer to finish tomorrow an likely 8-10 dz more from there. I cut the 7' log to 5' when I got it on the loader arms.

[quadracutter222]

Not much sawing yet this week, darn day job again.  Did manage to get one log dealt with after school, with help from my up and coming tail man.

[Patrick NC]

Sawed some slabs and ovals from some cedar that was laying in the firewood pile. 

 

 

 

 

 

Should be able to make a little pocket money from these. 

[longtime lurker]

Friday morning going down.



 

[WV Sawmiller]

   I finished pointing and bundling the rest of my stakes and ended up with 38 dozen +2 stakes. I think 4 dozen were 4' and the rest were 5'. I also cut up a little over a 50 lb feed sack full of 1"X1" cut-offs 6-12 inches long I will try to sell as smoker wood. I still have the slabs and edgings to cut up and package. Smoker wood is one of those things that will sit there a long time till the right person asks about it then he will come buy it all. I am tempted to save my hickory sawdust separate and see if it would sell for smokers. I'd think you could throw a pint or so on hot charcoal and it should stink up the smoker pretty good.