How Yellowhammer Sees and Saws Stuff

[TSAW]

With 4" concrete at 50 lbs per square foot, I have about 3,000 lbs

I got you was only thinking it to be about 2 - 3" thick.  Thanks Yes good analogy with pressing flowers in a book.

[YellowHammer]

I discussed the sawing technique on the straight grain topic, but this video was just me sawing up some pecan and doing the whole log without having to stop to touch the boards until I had them all done and could stack them at one time.  Certainly if I had some employee help, they would be stacking as I'm sawing, but my last two employees got married and left of greener pasture, so I am sawing solo and make adjustments for that.  

Anyway, the idea was to get a few wide flatsawn boards, then the majority as vertical grain for stability since it is pecan.

Quit Playing Around, Just Cut the Log! - YouTube

[Larry]

Another good video!

Question....I copied the shelf you made for the LT40 dragback and use it on my TK2000 dragback.  I can and sometimes do use it exactly the same as in your video with the 70.  I often have a problem custom sawing when the logs are not cut square on the ends.  So, are the dragback fingers a better solution? 

[fluidpowerpro]

When I read the text at the beginning of the video about not touching your lumber, I immediately thought that I would make a joke about going blind, but then later you beat me to it.  
I guess my mom wasnt the only one that used that line! 
Like always, great video!

[YellowHammer]

I know what you mean about cuts at an angle being a problem.  The shelf can't get the edge of the board securely held and the board will pivot and drop.  

By and large, the independent fingers of the LT70 do seem to reduce that problem, more so than my LT40 with the one piece shelf.  It also helps that the LT70 fingers go across the throat more so can get a wider and more secure grip.  I will sometimes get some aggravating board drops and then rotate the cant to the other face to where the fingers can more easily hold the board.  

Thanks, the joke just hit me as I was saying it.
 

[YellowHammer]

People have asked how I handle sawdust at the mill and shop.  Here it is.

Whup That Sawdust into Submission! Take Control at the Sawmill! - YouTube

[YellowHammer]

Here's a toeboard video.

Sawmill Fundamentals - Put You Toes Up! Don't Saw Potato Chips - Parallel Bark Sawing - YouTube

[Larry]

The Cool Flip at 8:51, I do that one most every time I saw.  What a great name, wish I thought of it.  Keep it a secret!

Maybe I missed it....where are the tapered boards or pyramid?

I've always sawn grade parallel to the bark for the reason you talked about...flat warp free boards.  A few years ago I discovered another reason.  I started making stools and chairs.  It's essential for strength reasons that a leg, stretcher, arm, spindles, and have parts with zero grain run out.  I've heard from other chair makers that they have to sort through lots of lumber to find boards that have been properly sawn.  A few of the top makers buy logs and rive billets to get those parts.

Good video!

[YellowHammer]

Typically, I will transition from parallel bark sawn on 3 or 4 faces, depending on face quality, while taking the flitches off or shortly thereafter, depending on log diameter and depth of the quality of the clear faces. 

I'm watching the grade as I go, and will go from full taper to 2 face parallel bark due to defects in the faces that show up (knots, grain discontinuities) as fast as possible so I will get to a full rectangular cant with 2 faces parallel sawn and the other two not.  This lets me keep my production speed up and keeps me from having to realign the cant face, although on this log I did it once where I returned to a face, although I didn't show it in the video. 

That's also one reason I edge these on the mill, I might as well and even if I get some tapered boards, they will get edged as well so none make the stickered stack, although on this log there weren't any.  Also as soon as I see the high grade faces I will start looking for the lower grade faces and they will be the ones I will transition with to get the cant at a rectangular size.

It's always a tradeoff when making videos, how much time to spend on the explanations.  Youtube penalizes me when people click off early, and tells me what my average watch time is.  So as I edit these videos, I'm always keeping this is mind.  I remember I once made a video where I talked about every detail and the video was about 30 minutes long.  So I started editing and cutting it back, more and more.  I'd rewatch it, and cut it some more.  I finally got it down to about 8 minutes, and the I watched it back it sounded like a "Fred Goes to First Grade" reading primer.  Total lacking in detail.  So I published it and a couple weeks later a "Pro Sawyer" as he called himself, a guy who owns a sawmill, came in and said he watched the video and said it went so far over his head he had no idea what I was talking about. :D :D :D

So when I make these videos, I have no idea what I shouldn't gloss over.  I actually expected many more comments on how I have tweaked and adjusted my chain turner to not chew up cant faces as much as stock.  So I guess I must have put people asleep by then already.  

 

[jbjbuild]

I just watched Yellowhammers excellent video on sawing parrallel to the bark. When do you saw with the pith centered. Is it when your milling framing lumber and lumber for outbuildings etc. or just when you are milling things like posts and you want to box the heart. 

[dairyguy]

It's always a tradeoff when making videos, how much time to spend on the explanations.  Youtube penalizes me when people click off early, and tells me what my average watch time is.  So as I edit these videos, I'm always keeping this is mind.  I remember I once made a video where I talked about every detail and the video was about 30 minutes long.  So I started editing and cutting it back, more and more.  I'd rewatch it, and cut it some more.  I finally got it down to about 8 minutes, and the I watched it back it sounded like a "Fred Goes to First Grade" reading primer.  Total lacking in detail.  So I published it and a couple weeks later a "Pro Sawyer" as he called himself, a guy who owns a sawmill, came in and said he watched the video and said it went so far over his head he had no idea what I was talking about. :D :D :D

Just use some of that video and explanations you edited out for a part 2.   Call it something catchy and disarming like "Nerdy explanations of small details that will interest few people

[Walnut Beast]

Great video yellowhammer! And as always much appreciated! 

[YellowHammer]

That's funny!  The title alone may get more views.

[doc henderson]

rob, it looked like after taking off the side wood parallel to the bark, you then sawed the rest parallel to the pith.  is that correct?

[YellowHammer]

Yes, the timing varies on each log when I transition from parallel to bark vs pith centered on each face.  PB sawing is slow, requires adjustments, etc, and once the grade drops to less than FAS, the value of the board also drops significantly and so does my motivation to "piddle" with it.  So If I can get a log with two good faces and two common faces, then I will only PB saw the high grade, knowing they will peter out before long anyway.  If the logs has 3 good faces, or even 4 (almost never happens) then I will transition down as soon as possible.  Each log is different, but they are all the same..... :D :D :D

One thing I didn't mention that I wish I had was that the NHLA doesn't deduct for warp, twist or bow within reason, so PB sawing a No2 Common board is a waste of time.  No return on time wasted.

[doc henderson]

I thought I saw the transition, but in the video, the board that came off looked to be consistent thickness, not a wedge.

[YellowHammer]

A happy group of customers this weekend, I had time to pull out my cell phone for a quick shot, and then had to get back at it.

Happy Customers at Hobby Hardwood Sawmill - YouTube

[caveman]

That place is hopping.  $$$$ 8).  

[YellowHammer]

Yeah, money is flowing and product is leaving.  

This was a good, sunny spring day, only 2 cash registers running at the same time (I'm the third and I wasn't panicking, so it wasn't too busy).

I know some people read some of may posts and what I say about our business and probably think "BS" on it, so here is 27 seconds of what we do all Friday and Saturday. ;D ;D

I think the coolest thing about the clip is that we had patrons of all kinds, men, women, kids, and even some dogs.  Also, if you hear the buzz in the background, that's the sound of a healthy business and happy customers chatting.  

Fun....busy....but fun.

For all the folks who ask "Can you make money with a sawmill?"

[Andries]

Nice scene - right down to Martha's wave back'atcha.
More like: "How Yellowhammer Sees and Sells Stuff." 👍

[caveman]

Robert, it is impressive and inspiring to see what you and Martha have built together.  I am happy for the success that y'all have realized because of hard work, planning, and smart allocation of resources.  

This may be to the detriment of some of the rest of us, pushing us down the slippery slope.  Every time we purchase the next thing that will put us over the top, the shopping list gets longer, looking for another advantage and opportunity.  Ie. tonight a contractor brought me a check for some cypress we recently sawed and dried.  As much as I appreciated his business, we missed out on $18,000 for tongue and groove pine interior siding because we did not have an efficient way to produce it.  I suggested that he call another FF member a little north of here.

[jasonb]

So, if I am understanding parallel bark sawing, there should be no "cathedral" grain unless the log has a butt flare.  And unless the log is same diameter , there should be a tapered cant like Ol Jarhead was sawing for awhile.

[YellowHammer]

Caveman, yes, it is a slippery slope.  That's what we did, what you are seeing.  The market is scouting you, so scout back.  Once a couple jobs showed up that we couldn't do, then we started considering the equipment to do it, and at some point, we would buy it, facilitate up, and within a couple jobs, get it paid for, or at least some part of it.  It to truly a capability you "need" then it will be a job that seems to reoccur for time to time, so equipment doesn't have to be bought now, you can take your time to get it right.  Then it's time to invest because you know it will happen again, and next time you'll be able to say "Sure, I can do that."  If there is a risk it won't happen again and again, then there is no need to invest.

If customers keep wanting to buy hamburgers, get a grill.  

In the other question, it's almost impossible to have 100% parallel bark sawn wood, as shown in the video where the log had a dip.  However, it will have what amounts to a "racing stripe" down the center of the board reflecting that it has run parallel to the growth rings, or as much as possible.  Of course the racing stripe should also be in the center of the face of the board.

It's all about grade, and a taper sawn cant should be transitioned to full rectangular as soon as the grade drops and so the value drops.  Remember, the NHLA does not consider bow, warp and twist a defect, so sawing "flat wood" is not a NHLA requirement, bit only a requirement for making mo money.    

[Larry]

In the other question, it's almost impossible to have 100% parallel bark sawn wood, as shown in the video where the log had a dip.  However, it will have what amounts to a "racing stripe" down the center of the board reflecting that it has run parallel to the growth rings, or as much as possible.  Of course the racing stripe should also be in the center of the face of the board.

I guess this might be a racing stripe board which quickly gets turned into raised panel cabinet doors.  Panels from 8" to 16" wide with the racing stripe centered....no glue ups ever.






Not much demand today since kitchens are all painted white....but stair guys like em really well for treads.

[YellowHammer]

Larry that is some beautiful wood, very nice grain!   Well equipped shop, also. Sweet.  My hat's off to you.