Sawmill satisfaction poll

[RevCant]

This is a hard one.  I'm changing my vote.  I like the swing blade (Peterson) and its particular sawing advantages.  But its been a long year in learning how to take advantage of some of its features, and at the same time learning how to overcome its deficits.  It would have been easier if I hadn't used any many before, but I'd been a WM owner for 8 years before I switched over.  I'm now content to say I'd keep the sawmill, as long as I can stay away from a run of logs under 10".  I'm still wondering about the company.  They're some of the nicest people I've dealt with, but it is hard to compare anyone to WM.  They are definately the tops in customer service.  I've had a tech from WM under my LT40 at sunset changing out bearings and then turn around and not send the bill, (no, I won't devulge his name ;D).  So, a company half a world a way is always going to fall short without a USA distributor/service center.  You folks at Peterson need to look at a log handling package, too.  Any way, I felt I should explain the change in the totals.

[big_sid]

    :D why change when you own the best? wood-mizer all the way!   ;D

[Buzz-sawyer]

I still LOVE my circle mill because....
 
ease of operation...blade just runs...no constant changing of blades...
 
 no constant tweekin to get through knots or ''Stubborn" material.....the big saw just eats it UP weather pine or hedge(Osage orange)
 
stay sharp LONG time....
 
cuts extremely fast....
 
makes plenty of useful sawdust...
 
 
inexpensive to buy...
 
2 man operation can easily cut 8000-10,000 feet a shift(10-12 hrs) on a manual mill
 
cuts neat and economical construction grade lumber fast....
 
cuts cross ties real fast
 
can be used to cut some grade lumber when needed on occassion
 
I will be building a verticle bandmill to add behind my 56'' headsaw...using the same carriage.....I like them also ......but I over all REALLY like my pre W.W. 2 manual sawmill

[KiwiJake]

Hey Revcant, what do you mean by log handling package, "hydraulic log loader" or "log clamping system"?
Just curious.

[Corley5]

8-10,000 BDFT in 12hrs with two men?  You must need a 3rd to carry the 2 away at the end of the shift :D

[Buzz-sawyer]

I prefer to be the guy carrying the two wooped workers away!!!!
 8) 8) 8) 8)

[Sawyerfortyish]

Corley I'm cuttin 4000 ft and I only have help til noon. Don't cut it every day but have cut as much as 10,000 in a day when I have the help if your set up right it's not such a big deal. Two guys to tail and one with a loader to keep the logs coming and the lumber going
 Buzz if your cuttin osage that stuff and locust is about the worst stuff you can throw at a saw it's like cuttin steel almost you cant keep the corners on the bits

[Corley5]

  Enough help is the key.  We've cut 8 in a day but that's pushing it and that's with nice clean straight logs not too big not too small, two guys tailing, Grandpa running the stick and me riding the carriage running the setworks and dogs, the edger running full time and you're tired at the end and there's still clean up to do.  
  When this mill was running production in the 40s and fifties they were putting out 10,000 bdft a day with a crew of 9.  Sawyer, blocksetter, sawman, yardman,two on the edger, two guys tailing and one running the slab saw.  

[Buzz-sawyer]

Sawyer40
A big part in doin a big day for us is...what we are cutting, and lately that has ben cross ties and the little 6x8 ones...makes a big difference on daily production!....Also we use conveyors for the slabs and the of bearer does not have to pick up the cants or boards to stack em..we use fork lift forks and lower them to a good working level as we go...so ya flip em on the pile (ties cants)

[Sawyerfortyish]

Buzz I know what you mean bigger beams really add the footage up quick. All my slabs  waste and cutoffs get shoved in a vibrating conveyer and disapear to the mulch grinder. We do the same thing you do with a forklift to get the lumber or beams out of the way. All the boards that need edging go down a set of rollers to a deck at the edger. If I have enough help we run the edger at the same time if not just pile the boards up on the deck and do it later

[Corley5]

I seldom saw anything other than 1 or 2 inch stuff.  I did saw some beams for a buddy a while back and it does make a big difference in output.  Way less cuts.  We usually pile up the edge boards next to the edger and run them later also.  What I like to do is saw in the morning,  finish up what's left on the deck if any after lunch, then edge, dispose of the slabs and sawdust and sticker lumber in the afternoon.  Sawdust goes into a manure spreader and is spread on the fields and slabs go on a dump trailer to be dumped outback for firewood or burnt where they lay.  Since I've got a rough terrain forklift now we're going to sticker as we go rather than handling everything again later.  Just pick up the banded stickered pile and put it where I want.

[Sawyerfortyish]

Recently I cut a lot of skid material 6x6 8x8 10x10 12x12 all 18-20-22' let me tell you there is a lot of footage in a 22' 10x10 or 12x12 you don't need to cut many to make 4 or 5000 ft
 Corley any shortcuts in handling is a plus. Time is money!

[Buzz-sawyer]

Looks like when your sawin you gotta cut bout19-20 of those 12x12 cants to get 5000 then after lunch 20 more...of course thats not countin side wood...that is another story...

   Dont get me wrong I am with you guys I like to save up my edgings till done openig up all the logs...
it is just a totally different task...different mind set,
 
A lot of the time in the past I would saw alone now that is some work...itll break ya but I still love it...hard to say why...but I LOVE making big sticks into little ones...maybe cause I gotta simple mind and I get into some kinda zone when sawing????
Don

[Buzz-sawyer]

Did I kill this thread?!?!?!

[Stan]

Yep you did it agin.  

[DanG]

NOOP!  Thread not dead.  I post some pretty dismal board footage figures. I have been sawing for the experience as much as for the lumber, so I have been taking my time with each log, and trying to maximize the recovery. Every little corner of each "slab" (what's that!  ???) gets converted into stickers or firring strips, so that my waste pile is almost non-existant.  
However, that practice is going to be short-lived. I only have 10 more work days until I "retire", and have to rely on sawmilling and a couple other ventures to make my living.  Then it will be necessary to make my time count for $. There will be times when I don't have a lot to do, so the "training" I've been doing will help me maximize my per-log profits, but there will be busy times when I have to value my time more than the little bit of waste I'm generating. Learning to balance the two will be a challenge. I plan to take the whole transition log by log and board by board, and let the business go where it wants. I just hope it doesn't want to go into the dumper. :

[shopteacher]

Well DanG, congratulations on reaching retirement ( unless Bush and the other government cronies decide that retirement age needs pushed back to 85 in the next ten days).  Guess now the real work begins.  Anyway here's to a long, safe, prosperous and happy retirement.  Old Butch says to sit back, relax, have one on him then get your a$$ out to sawing.

[OneWithWood]

The next few days are going to fly by!  Best of luck to you with your ventures.  Looking forward to following your adventures.  Now that you will be sawing as a business the trip up to the piggy roast could become a legit business expense  8)

[Frank_Pender]

Dang, ther is another one of us retired folks makeing sawdust. 8)  8) 8) 8) Well done Dan G. ;D  I hope you enjoy your retirement as much as I do.  With my three Mobile Dimension Mills.   :P