Whatcha Sawin' 2021 ??

[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

[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.

[Bindian]

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

[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.

[Magicman]

You topped me Lee with that $280 tip.  My largest tip was only $180. 

[olcowhand]

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

[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.

[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.

[Magicman]

Maybe no overnight adventure but nice sawing. 

[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!

[Bindian]

I have an order for lots of 16 foot and 20 foot 2x8s and 2x6s.  Last Friday, I cut 2x6s for this 16 foot pallet.  Saturday and Sunday I cut the 41 2x8s sitting on it.  

 

Now I am (in the process of) cutting 74 sixteen foot 2x6s.  After that, it will be 74 twenty foot 2x6s.  I like cutting 2x6s way better than 2x8s.  It's way harder to get two stacks of 2 bys with 2x8s from the medium size logs.  Some where in all that cutting I did this.......

 

I got woke up this morning, at 7:20, by my land clearing friend's excavator operator.  Said he had long logs for me.   He cut them to 21 feet.

 I was glad to see they were medium logs, as my telehandler, Bull, is in the repair shop getting it's leaning front wheel assembly fixed.  The Mahindra was able to lift them off the trailer and slowly take them to the "over 20 foot" log bunks.

I had to use my new Magic Hook to lift one log, as it was wedged in between the other logs.  It was tight and all my pocket stakes were wedged by the outer logs.  I blocked one end up and moved the hook to the other end.  Lifted like designed, where I could get the grapple around it.

Then I cleaned up and took a nap.  Who says working in retirement doesn't include naps?
     hugs,  Brandi

[longtime lurker]

A catnap has been part of my work day for most of the last 35 years - I'm looking forward to retirement so I can get serious about it.

[firefighter ontheside]

Started cutting some of the ERC logs I picked up last week.  Yesterday I cut about 50 mostly 1x6, but a few 1x4 as well.  I put out an ad to sell them for $2/bf and also a buy all price.  I usually do the buy all price  because I know if people come and look thru them that some of them won't sell anyway.  They're never all perfect, but useful for something.  The first guy replied in about 15 minutes and wanted me to deliver.  I told him $40/hour plus fuel, he ended up replying that was fine, but not before someone else said they would pick them up the next day.  Long story short, guy is picking up these today and I will saw more tomorrow and deliver to the other guy.  I suspect I will be able to do the same with all of the logs I have.  After I saw all the cedar I have, I'm gonna saw white oak 1x6 and see if I can move them quickly.

[WV Sawmiller]

Brandi,

  That's real pretty wood. The 20's are going to be a bear to handle I bet.

   I'm sure glad I never nicked a clamp like that.  People ask me how come one tooth on my claw turner is shorter than the other and I tell them it just came that way I guess. 

[Brad_bb]

 

 

 Believe it or not, there is occasionally a log I can�t get anything useful out of except Firewood. This Osage log was split every which way naturally. I have no choice but to just slice it into 2 inch thick pieces and then trim them to Firewood Length.  This is the first log that�s been trash out of 79.

[GAB]

Brandi:
There are less expensive ways of dusting the top of the log clamp such as a fox tail brush.
If it is any consolation you aren't the first to do that.  I know as I done dooded it myself.
Most apt to happen when you are tired or not yet awake.
GAB

[WV Sawmiller]

  I sawed a small red cedar for a customer similar to that a month ago. I ended up with a piece that looked like a trident on the end tapering off as it ran out at different angles. The customer was going to fill in between with epoxy. It turned out real pretty but was a pain to clamp and saw.

[Bindian]

Brandi,

  That's real pretty wood. The 20's are going to be a bear to handle I bet.

   I'm sure glad I never nicked a clamp like that. People ask me how come one tooth on my claw turner is shorter than the other and I tell them it just came that way I guess.  

Howard,
 Thanks!  The pallet is placed right were I can slide the long ones right off the mill to the pallet.  Only hard part is the first board on a new layer's loose stickers.  Then I have to slide it as far as I can, then lift it to position it on the stickers.  No problem and it makes me sleep harder!
              hugs,  Brandi

[Bindian]

(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)
 
(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)
 Believe it or not, there is occasionally a log I can�t get anything useful out of except Firewood. This Osage log was split every which way naturally. I have no choice but to just slice it into 2 inch thick pieces and then trim them to Firewood Length.  This is the first log that�s been trash out of 79.

Brad,
    What brand of forklift is that.  How about a better photo of it?  Please?
             hugs,  Brandi

[Bindian]

Brandi:
There are less expensive ways of dusting the top of the log clamp such as a fox tail brush.
If it is any consolation you aren't the first to do that.  I know as I done dooded it myself.
Most apt to happen when you are tired or not yet awake.
GAB

GAB,
   I know I am not the first one to do it.  I did it before when I cut a 3/8 inch slot in it.  But the dust was hiding it in the photo.  It seems to always happen when someone is watching or upsets my train of thought.  Guess I should of looked one more time to make sure it would clear.  It's amazing how it looks like it will clear before you cut into the wood.
              hugs,  Brandi