Sawmill bed height modification

[sorensonsmill]

I'm running at TK 1220 and I spend a very heavy amount of time resawing thin strips.  The lowest the mill will cut is 1 1/2" above the bed.  I am looking at making a removable bunk that will allow me to cut a 1/2" thick board on the last pass, so I need a 1" bump up bed i guess.  I've got a couple of rough ideas but figured I should reach out for some ideas that may actually work.

Thanks.

[kwaldron199]

If you do a lot of thin sawing might be a better idea to place a re-saw attachment on the mill with a feed motor and leave the head/blade at one place and allow the feed motor to feed the thin stock.

 I actually have one of these for a WM that I have only used a few times as I have a large power electric feed re-saw made by Northtech with power in and return but the WM worked great for this process. For me it was inside with air vs outside sawing.... I'd look at what WM offers for doing this...... it does work effectively and you could get some ideas. 

[ACman]

Why not use a 1inch board on the bunk as a spacer.

[doc henderson]

what do you use the thin strips for?

[sorensonsmill]

I am a surveyor that mills stakes part time.  Currently i have a 2x4 "jig" that i clamp to the sawmill bed.  The jig gets it done but needs quite a bit of refining.  I almost bought a WM for the ability to add items like the resaw attachment but at the time of my purchase, TK value/price to the WM couldnt be beat.  I have considered full re-saws, but the full investment costs for a single use machine doesnt fit my model currently and really do enjoy having the ability to breakdown logs.  Finding a used single phase electric would be great, but there arent many out there.  

I do wish i got more custom milling orders, working on one right now.  Nothing beats cutting different species and lumber specs.  I have no interest in portable milling and it seems i havent quite figured out how to get more customers dropping off logs. I understand not everyone has a piece of equipment and trailer suited to haul logs.  So until I can figure that out I wont be dropping my stake operation which has done well.

[dgdrls]

Hey sorensonsmill,

I'm a surveyor too.
Are you sawing to just make lath or other types of stakes as well?
Just a thought, could you market the 1-1/2" material as a different stake such as a sewer flat?

D

[sorensonsmill]

Mostly lath. Depending on DOT specs per various projects they'll require some different sizes, so I usually just mill to order and try not to stock much but 3' and 4' lath.

[Bandmill Bandit]

I slap a piece of ply wood to a 2x2 and then use 2"x 12"x 1/4" shims under the cant as required when I need it and that is not often. Mostly when am cutting 3/8"ths guitar and violin sheets for a client.

Even so I still leave a 8/4 dog board on the bottom anyway as there is always a use for that dimension. My mill cuts to 1" above the bed which is still a goo board. 

I mostly do it this way to get a good firm hold of the cant, as instrument lumber needs to be as accurate as possible and the more material volume under the cut the better.