iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Whatcha Sawin' 2021 ??

Started by Magicman, December 31, 2020, 10:05:41 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Crossroads

Went back to a repeat customer today to make some pine and a few red fir 2x6's. The first 6 or 8 logs were pretty nice 8' in the 24-30" range and the tail gunner struggled to keep up at 380 bd ft hr. Then about the time his helpers showed up, the good wood was gone and we switched to 16' 8-14" range and things slowed down. 


With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

jb616

 

 

 

Milled a couple "Gift logs" from a friend. Mulberry (because I wanted to see what it looked like) and a few Walnut logs. I believe the Walnut were actually limbs because of the stress in them and large amount of sapwood. A couple of the Walnut boards actually split from end to end immediately after the cut. I was able to turn them 90 degrees and salvage the rest.

doc henderson

to keep the mulberry yellow keep it out of sunlight.  you can plane a surface and get uv protected. finish on soon and keep it more golden.  otherwise brown.  very nice.
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

doc henderson

here is a bench.  it pops with finish.



 

 

 

 

this flitch had been in a pile for a year and cleaned up nice.
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

Trackerbuddy

I've been told the secret to sawing limbs is to cut them in half and let them rest

longtime lurker

Quote from: doc henderson on April 25, 2021, 05:33:01 PM
here is a bench.  it pops with finish.


this flitch had been in a pile for a year and cleaned up nice.
Is that mulberry - as in fruit tree with purple or white berries, also leaves that silkworms eat - or another species?
We get mulberry trees here ( silkworm variety) but I've never seen one that would cut a sawlog... They're always scraggly looking things that start branching about a foot above the ground.

Nice boards!
The quickest way to make a million dollars with a sawmill is to start with two million.

WDH

Lurker,

The mulberry you reference is white mulberry.  It is from SE Asia, and was the tree used by the silkworm industry to produce silk.  It is found in the US as an ornamental that was imported from Asia.  The mulberry in the post is red mulberry, our native mulberry in the US.  It is similar to the white silkworm mulberry, but not the same species. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

olcowhand

Quote from: doc henderson on April 25, 2021, 05:33:01 PM
here is a bench.  it pops with finish.



 

 

 

 

this flitch had been in a pile for a year and cleaned up nice.
It POPS indeed, Doc!
Oak legs? That bench looks phenomenal..
Steve
Olcowhand's Workshop, LLC

They say the mind is the first to go; I'm glad it's something I don't use!

Ezekiel 36:26-27

doc henderson

thanks.  I did not think it would be all that special and did not have mulberry leg stock.  they look close when raw, but very different with finish.  it had sat in a pile and was yucky brown.  nothing a jointer could not fix.  @olcowhand
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

longtime lurker

Quote from: WDH on April 26, 2021, 06:50:37 AM
Lurker,

The mulberry you reference is white mulberry.  It is from SE Asia, and was the tree used by the silkworm industry to produce silk.  It is found in the US as an ornamental that was imported from Asia.  The mulberry in the post is red mulberry, our native mulberry in the US.  It is similar to the white silkworm mulberry, but not the same species.
Thanks. I did a google and got lost in the number of species. I have a white mulberry tree in the yard (that I'm currently fighting the parrots for fruit of - needless to say the parrots are winning) but the most common variety here is a black fruited one. I think it's "black mulberry" but pictures all look the same so it could be "Korean Mulberry" or your "Red Mulberry" or some other species - never knew there were so many mulberry species.
Won't cut a log but they sure taste good. (food, it always comes back to food) :D
The quickest way to make a million dollars with a sawmill is to start with two million.

WV Sawmiller

 


              Saturday I left the house at 6:45 a.m and my wife flagged me down as I started to pull out because the customer called and changed the meeting location. It was a minor difference and probably easier access. I stopped at a Biscuit place and got a steak biscuit and gassed up the mill. On to Charleston. The customer met me 75 miles from my start and led me 15 more miles to the stack of walnut logs in the picture. Our route was directly along the river and the state capital with our famous gold plated dome. The gold is supposed to have come from WV. (I figure it was from my taxes). The customer had scrounged the logs from a sewer line project that took down the tree. He had lost several before he got hold of the right person to get them. Some were good sized but short and hard to load, turn and clamp. I learned one new trick using the lifting arms and a short board to raise and hold the cant while positioning it when the claw and clamp alone won't rotate the log due to its size and shape. I had bought 2 new short chains to go across the lifting arms – a tactic which I had used before and they were very helpful here. I think I used nearly every tool I brought including my Magic hook to slide a heavy short odd shaped log forward, scrap boards between the side supports to clamp against, etc. I had to whittle the cant down to fit between roller guides. I'd run the head down at the start of most of the logs to make sure I had clearance.


 

              Of course we had at least one obligatory walnut nail. We loaded wide 9/4 LW slabs on his truck until the springs quit moving and we stacked the rest in a nearby yard with a lady in a housecoat who looked like Rose on the Waltons and her 3 ankle biter guard dogs so I am sure they are safe till he returns. The heavy thick dirty bark was hard on my blades and I used 4 cutting about 600-700 bf of lumber. We actually cut more than either I or the customer expected. I finished about 2:00 pm just as the predicted rain started. We were very lucky to have that much time.

 


               I drove on in light rain along I-79 for 67 miles then another 25-30 along state roads, overshot the site by a couple of miles before I could turn around then got in about 5:00 pm, set up the mill, set up my domicile as shown, drove about 6 miles to check find cell service and check in with the wife and Mom who is in the hospital till Sunday afternoon. At least we had warm water in the bath house but I am afraid that may be the last heat of the night. Now to see if I my blow up air mattress holds air and my sleeping bag and quilt is enough for the 40's predicted tonight. The rain is drumming on my tent so I should sleep well. I might should have brought Sampson but he would only serve as a foot warmer not one half of a two dog night.


 Most of the logs - it started muddy and got much worse as we drove the tractor through it.

The pond for the campground. Filled with trout and bass. Catfish are coming.

Sunday
              Its after 9:00 pm and I'm sitting in a partially finished A-frame cabin where there is a power connection to charge this laptop battery. I'm going to go let this charge while I get a shower when I finish updating this epistle.
              I had a cold feet night. Where was Sampson when I needed him! Tonight will also be cold but not as bad. Not sure if my tent leaks or it was condensation. I had some drips and a small puddle in the lower corner. Threw a dirty sock on it to dry it. I got up and went to the mill a few hundred yards away about 7:30 am and got everything lubed and loaded and ready to saw. Customer came down about 8:00  and his helper a few minutes later. We sawed hemlock then a small maple into 2X4s then poplar and a large 10' long, spalted, curly maple into1/2" LE boards with 2- 2" planks for a bookmatch table or such. It was pretty and the customer and helper were thrilled with it. Put 6.7 engine hours on the mill today. Cloudy and I thought we'd get rain but it held off.  I think I have about 6 small poplar logs to saw into 4X4's in the morning when we ran out of time.  This is no doubt the muddiest job I have ever worked on. It is on a logging type road through the woods ad by the time the drag the logs to the site and turn the tractor several times the whole area is torn up. I will likely have to back in and turn the mill by hand to hook up tomorrow or we will have to pull it out with the tractor or helpers ATV.
We did not get a tally and the customer hauled the lumber to several sites where it will be used here in the campground but it will be an easy tally in the morning. They fed me breakfast for brunch and a very tasty dinner. The helper was a wood-chopping champion here in WV before he hurt his shoulder in a car wreck. He showed me his competition ax and I'd dare say you could shave with it!
              I drove up the road 5 miles to get cell reception and let the wife know I was alive and would be home tomorrow. Called and found Mom was out of the hospital and home and talked with her a little but not sure she understood much.
              I'll let this charge a while and go scrub some sawdust out of the cracks and crevices. Should get this finished and posted tomorrow.


 The spalted curly maple. The customer and helper loved this.

 The ripples were so bad I had to feel them to determine if I had a tooth out of set but it was in the wood.


 

These are a couple of the stacks. The rest were over in place where they will be used.

Monday
              I like to froze to death last night and had to get up and find some more clothes to wear so I woke up early and went to the local diner and had a very good breakfast. This town is near Webster Springs where they have a big world famous woodchopping contest Memorial Day. They had a signed copy of the "Don't worry – I hugged it first" T-shirt hanging on the diner wall. The customers saw me come in and they said "Oh, you're the sawmill guy Zave brought in." I love small towns.
              We only had 6 more small poplar logs and the customer wanted all 4X4 and said he was using them for timberframe and bow was fine so I sawed a bunch of heart split bananas and told him I was going to have him sign a waiver. He laughed and said he liked the look and some did bow immediately. He was the customer so I gave in. I have rules I always provide the best lumber possible out of the wood I cut but I also have a rule I the customer pays my salary and if after being advised he wants me to do something different and it is not illegal, immoral or unsafe I will try to comply.
              We finished, dragged to mill around with the tractor till I could hook up and drive it out then we tallied a little over 1710 bf which was more than the customer's cut list for his imminent projects. The customer settled up in cash with a tip and I went over and packed up my tent and headed home. Total miles for the trip was 330 miles. I got home about 5:00 pm and as I unhooked the mill in the front lot a guy pulled up wanted wood. I told him my rates and he thought he'd cut the logs and bring them to me. It never ends. I see I put 8 engine hours on the mill and used 7 blades for resharp.  My debarker earned its way on this trip.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Old Greenhorn

Wow, super trip Howard! If you can't get your clients to put you up in nice 5 star accommodations like MM does then you might want to look into some warmer sleeping gear! ;D
 Glad it all worked out on your first road trip as far as I know. Nothing left behind that you needed, and it all got done as you pretty much expected. It's always hard working out of your normal routine. Maybe this is the new normal? :D ;D
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

WV Sawmiller

  Tom - They did feed me though. They actually offered me the use of a camper they had there on the site but I thought the tent would be okay. The customers ladyfriend fixed me, him and our helper and very nice brunch Sunday and a great dinner that night with sausage and the perogis (Sp) - the potato filled pasta, with German Chocolate pecan pie. Yes, I need a better sleeping bag but this was unseasonably cold too. 
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

samandothers

Howard,

Thanks for sharing the detail of you trip.  I particularly liked the camping description/ vision of your over night experiences.  The wet tent from condensation/ rain sounds familiar though I don't remember using socks to help manage the moisture.   As I read the story I remembered camping trips and back packing with scouts sleeping on a backpacking style air pad waking up to snow on Mt. Philips at Philmont.  I really enjoyed those trips.  I must admit today, I may have to charge an hourly rate to sleep like that again!  :D

Glad you had a safe trip.

Brad_bb

@jb616 That's a nice looking clean mulberry log.  I've milled a few too.  Nothing wrong with those.  Generally considered a nuisance tree around me.  They volunteer where you don't want them- wherever a bird perches and poops, you get a mulberry.  Most a pretty much a scrub tree.  If you get an older one with something worth milling, I will mill it.

@doc henderson, Nice table top!  Is that a flitch that you repurposed?  Looks like the outside of the tree on the bottom side?  Nice!
Anything someone can design, I can sure figure out how to fix!
If I say it\\\\\\\'s going to take so long, multiply that by at least 3!

Crossroads

Didn't mill anything today, it was my day off 😁  I had a load of Doug fir delivered on Saturday for a pack I'll start milling tomorrow. That wasn't cheap at $650 mbf 😳.  Then a load of pine showed up today that I removed from a guy's yard(one log got left behind as it would have put the self loader over height and over weight). Interesting enough, I got 2 orders today for pine 1x4's and 1x8's


With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

doc henderson

thanks Brad.  It is a 12 x 32 inch two seater bench.  It sat in a pile of stuff that was waiting for a firewood vs other decision.  I mostly wanted to see some finished MB.  I wished I had taken more care with it.  the oak legs were a close match, until I applied spar urethane. 
and you are correct, it was an outside trim to make a cant.  (oh yes I can).   I often do not immediately see the value in a piece of wood.  so I keep some around for awhile.  this was dark brown on the outside, and yellow after removing about an 1/8th inch.
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

TimW

Quote from: doc henderson on April 26, 2021, 07:48:42 AM
thanks.  I did not think it would be all that special and did not have mulberry leg stock.  they look close when raw, but very different with finish.  it had sat in a pile and was yucky brown.  nothing a jointer could not fix.  @olcowhand
You are right Doc.  That sure pops!  Awesome work.
     hugs,   Brandi
Mahindra 6520 4WD with loader/backhoe and a Caterpiller E70 Excavator.  My mill is a Woodmizer LT40HD Wide 35hp Yanmar Diesel. An old Lull 644D-34 called Bull

LeeB

Didn't mill anything today but did go and fell two trees for my last customer, something I do not normally do. I did it more as a way to get them to take back some of the grossly over payed amount on my last trip to their place. The milling bill was $180 and they paid me $460. I just couldn't in good conscious take that amount (I didn't count the cash until after I had already gotten home). After felling the trees and bucking to firewood chunks I told the man the bill was $2. He gave me a hundred and said he didn't have any ones.
'98 LT40HDD/Lombardini, Case 580L, Cat D4C, JD 3032 tractor, JD 5410 tractor, Husky 346, 372 and 562XP's. Stihl MS180 and MS361, 1998 and 2006 3/4 Ton 5.9 Cummins 4x4's, 1989 Dodge D100 w/ 318, and a 1966 Chevy C60 w/ dump bed.

Magicman

You topped me Lee with that $280 tip.  My largest tip was only $180.  ::)
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

olcowhand

Quote from: LeeB on April 27, 2021, 03:51:26 PM
Didn't mill anything today but did go and fell two trees for my last customer, something I do not normally do. I did it more as a way to get them to take back some of the grossly over payed amount on my last trip to their place. The milling bill was $180 and they paid me $460. I just couldn't in good conscious take that amount (I didn't count the cash until after I had already gotten home). After felling the trees and bucking to firewood chunks I told the man the bill was $2. He gave me a hundred and said he didn't have any ones.
Lee,
Your relationship with this guy has transcended "Business" and now you two are just working to a "Who can be Kinder" Competition. You both are the Favorite to "Win".....
Your spirit of Giving is showing....
Steve
Olcowhand's Workshop, LLC

They say the mind is the first to go; I'm glad it's something I don't use!

Ezekiel 36:26-27

Magicman

I had no intention of sawing anything today until my phone rang at 5:00.  ::)


 
Well still not much sawing.  Three knocked out ERC "logs" and I forgot to take a picture of the 1X6's & 1X8's.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

richhiway

 

 
Nothing like Howard's overnight sawing adventures!
Just the last 50 boards of a 150 board order of one inch live on one edge fence boards. Pine, Hemlock and Spruce.
Woodmizer LT 40
New Holland 35 hp tractor
Stihl Chainsaws
Ford 340 Backhoe

Magicman

Maybe no overnight adventure but nice sawing.  smiley_thumbsup
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

WV Sawmiller

   I did not saw anything today but I am going to make some planter/coolers stealing MMs idea for Luke's cooler. I'm going to save the top too. I don't have the nice SYP he has so am torn on what to use. 

  I needed to take wifey's ATV to the shop but my 5X8 trailer was full of tomato stakes so I bundled 23 dozen bundles of them and took the ATV to the shop. I got home and found I'd missed a call yesterday sometime so returned the call and found it was a guy over 100 miles away not too far from where I started Saturday. He had family heirloom type tree at his dad's place on the ground and he is a woodworker. He said it was 40" at the butt and he said either 24 or 26 ft long. He first said it was straight but later he mentioned a fork at about 15 so he was going to go check and send me some pictures. I told him I could not cut 40" so we'd have to split or whittle/gun barrel it down. Evidently it is in an alley behind his dad's house. We discussed the length of the logs and possible ways to roll them around to access them or possibly backing the mill next to the tree if there is room. The customer had been getting dejected and afraid he was going to lose the tree/lumber he wanted to make into special projects for his kids and grandkids. You could hear him getting excited as we talked about options. We checked the FF list but did not see another member sawyer listed closer to him then we tried the WM list and found a couple of possibilities. I told him with mileage and minimum fees it would cost him at least $450 for me to come saw it and he said that was possible so I suspect he'll be calling back. He had been to the FF but did not know to check the Extras and found a Google map of mills in the state and found me that way from my website.

  My last job at the campground was the first job I know I have gotten from the WM Pro-Sawyer listing although some may have seen it and then looked up my website. Most of my work comes from a local trader paper I keep a services ad in for $10/month. My next source is local half page flyers in local business bulletin boards then my website. My truck door signs have gotten me several very good jobs and every week I see somebody's eyes light up and lock on it and they head my way and I roll down the window and hand him my business card as soon as they get there and we talk. Now I am getting more and more from referrals and repeat customers. Referrals are always best because you have already been vetted by a trusted friend or co-worker. Flea market trips to sell benches and birdhouses and crates and talk to people and hand out business cards nets me work every year although some are many months after my initial meeting. If I see a likely looking stack of logs by the road I stop and talk and if nobody is around I staple a card to the end of highly visible log.

  I noticed an oil radiator heater in the downstairs bathroom and kick myself for not taking it last weekend as my tent site had a power pole 6' away and my tent would have been toasty warm!
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Thank You Sponsors!