My mini mill

florida · December 06, 2022, 08:39:45 PM

I don't have the resources or equipment to run a big mill but I get my jollies with my small operation and really enjoy myself. Today I went to the woods and brought back 4 nice 12" logs 6 inches long and some limb wood. I got right to work with my single tooth blade and I no time had the jackets off and was making boards. My finished lumber pile is a mess and I'm wondering about a mini 4 sided plane.

my mini mill

doc henderson · December 06, 2022, 08:58:06 PM

very nice, what kind of wood. I see it is stickered for air drying. what is your beginning moisture content?

thecfarm · December 06, 2022, 08:58:34 PM

fatwood?
Stickering lumber that way is not good!!!

Magicman · December 06, 2022, 09:16:32 PM

I enjoy splitting and smelling fat lighter. ;D

Southside · December 06, 2022, 09:34:44 PM

There is a market for such craftsmanship.

https://youtu.be/TBb9O-aW4zI

florida · December 06, 2022, 09:35:14 PM

Lighter pine or fat wood. I try to keep it on stickers for at least 10 seconds! Lol! It has no moisture content and will burn after a week in a bucket of water. Used to be I'd give it as Christmas presents but no one has fireplace anymore so I just do it for fun.our weather is so nice now just sitting out under the trees splitting g lighter is a lot of fun.
This old longleaf pine came down during Ian right across a buggy trail so my grandson and I cut it out and took it home.

barbender · December 07, 2022, 12:57:03 AM

Southside, that kind of premium crafted firewood is exactly the market I am targeting😂

kelLOGg · December 07, 2022, 03:36:24 AM

Quote from: thecfarm on December 06, 2022, 08:58:34 PM
fatwood?
Stickering lumber that way is not good!!!

That's right. It's gonna warp. 😊and who wants warped kindling?

Cedarman · December 08, 2022, 07:12:11 AM

Florida, sooner or later all that wood will go up in smoke.

florida · December 19, 2022, 10:42:48 AM

I have a production problem. I keep producing but have no market for my product so I've decided to give some to any Forum member who has never experienced the joy of lighter pine. Anyone that wants a pound, or more, please message me. All I ask is that you pay the postage which I believe is about $8.00 a pound.

WV Sawmiller · December 19, 2022, 11:17:26 AM

I don't know if they do it any more but it used to be common to see rail car loads of Fat Light'erd stumps like that passing through N. Fla where I was raised. I think they pushed them up with bulldozers years after the trees had been timbered and the sapwood had rotted away leaving only the rock hard hearts. I heard they used them for making turpentine and have since come up with a way to make it from scratch.

When I was real small I remember my maternal Grandpa would hook up his wagon to the mule and us grandkids would ride with him out through the pineywoods picking up light'erd knots for firewood. They were just the hearts where the limb connected to the tree and the sapwood had rotted away.

florida · December 19, 2022, 01:39:14 PM

Yes, when I first moved here in 74 the train loads of lighter stumps was a common sight. I always heard they made turpentine with them but my brother who worked as an engineer at a Westvaco paper mill all his life told me they used them for all kinds of chemicals so I'm sure both are true.
Friday night we had a fire outside and I threw a 6 inch chunk of lighter that had too many knots to split. It practically exploded and blew fire out like a torch! I wouldn't have wanted it in my fireplace but it sure made a lot of fire and heat.

aigheadish · December 19, 2022, 02:29:20 PM

I'd never heard of fatwood until a neighbor was given a couple boxes full of it by a family member (bought from LL Bean, which is pretty close to what Southside is showing) and they gave me a box for doing some backhoe work around their house. That stuff is incredible! Using newspaper to start a fire is for chumps, this is lighter fluid, kindling, and newspaper all in one.

beenthere · December 19, 2022, 03:56:42 PM

florida
Will take you up on your fat lighter wood offer. Sent a PM.

Whatever the postage, I'll match that to support this Forestry Forum. Thanks for the offer.

I light my wood stove fire with a match or flip lighter. Have often wanted to find out how the fat lighter wood would work.

Magicman · December 19, 2022, 04:08:15 PM

I didn't know that you could start a fire without fat light'erd.

This old brass kindling bucket has been with us for many years.

florida · December 19, 2022, 04:39:19 PM

Magicman,
Looks good! Did you bust up an old burned stump to get that? I've got some burned stumps but I have so many whole trees I don't mess with the stumps.

Magicman · December 19, 2022, 05:23:52 PM

Some sawed off stumps but mostly dead trees (snags) either fallen or pushed over. Excavated stumps are OK but you gotta have the means to get um out. Lotsa work busting some of them but they are really fat.

florida · December 19, 2022, 05:27:08 PM

I just packed 2.5 pounds up for beenthere and the postage is $10.60.

I'm expanding my free store to include a set of 4 lighter pine coasters. These are about 4" across and 5/16" thick. I have one I've been tossing around and so far it's been very rugged. They won't all be the same or the same size. Same deal, whatever the postage is in a flat rate box. beenthere is also making a donation to the Forum which would be a nice thing to include.
Merry Christmas to all!

Southside · December 19, 2022, 05:45:08 PM

Count me in please for a large flat rate box please, I will match the same donation beenthere made.

Those coasters look sweet! I will send you a PM.

Thanks

WV Sawmiller · December 19, 2022, 06:00:31 PM

Nope. They ain't gonna work! Sorry but there is so much sap in them coasters they ain't never gonna turn loose of that there pint mason jar full of sweet iced tea. :D

They do have a real pretty grain pattern. Good luck on your new career. (Would it be considered insider trading if I started investing in new replacement chainsaw chain? :D :D)

florida · December 19, 2022, 08:02:09 PM

I thought they would be sticky too but they aren't. Don't leave them on the stove though!

You can also hang one in a window and the sunlight comes through and makes them really beautiful. If you want another one as a window hanger let me know and I'll cut it a little thinner. The coasters are cut from limb pieces and you can see the compression side and the tension side. I love them because they are beautiful and because they have a story.

SawyerTed · December 19, 2022, 08:16:06 PM

Homemade creek water won't allow the coaster sap to stick to the mason jar. At least that's what they tell me.

beenthere · December 24, 2022, 01:45:50 PM

florida
Thank you very much for the package of fat lighter sticks. Just in time, as I postponed lighting the wood stove in our great room (was 11° F out there this morning) for family coming tomorrow for Christmas (decided to do it after I picked up the mail). Perfect timing.

Magicman · December 24, 2022, 02:52:52 PM

Quote from: beenthere on December 24, 2022, 01:45:50 PMfat lighter sticks

Now to keep da true Southern thang goin', it's properly mis-pronounced; Fat Light'erd. ;D

florida · December 24, 2022, 08:28:02 PM

beenthere
Great! Let us know how you like it. We had a fire in the back yard last night and I let my grandson pick up all the lighter scraps he could find and throw them on the fire. It was a hot fire!

Magicman

One of my brothers calls it fat wood, another calls it fat pine, my Daddy always called it lighter and I know a few people call it, as you do, lightered. As I've gotten older I started calling it fat lighter because most people had no idea what I was talking about and still don't. Call it what you will, still the best fire starter there is!