Another HM126 on order

[97redjeep]

First time posting here, on here so much I feel like I know some of you lol.
Just ordered a HM126, should ship from Prince George late next week. 

I feel like I have the sawdust bug already and haven't got the mill yet, pretty sure I'm doomed. 

Just wanted to say hello and thank everyone for all the great info on here, so much my head hurts sometimes  .

[KenMac]

Welcome to FF and congratulations on your purchase!! I think sawdust prevents Corona Virus. May you stay covered in it for a long time!

[trimguy]

Congratulations and welcome !

[frazman]

From one HM-126 owner to another HM-126 owner, welcome to the forum. I'm still waiting till the weather turn so I can setup my track.

Did you order any extensions for the mill ?

Looks like you're a lucky one. Woodland mills website has posted delay up to 4 weeks on some orders.

[Patrick NC]

Welcome to the forum.  I've got a similar sized mill and trust me,  you will want bigger .😁 Have fun and may the dust be with you!

[thecfarm]

You will like sawing. get a Logrite cantdog or peavey and you will enjoy the mill that much more. Sponsor on the left,nice people.

[97redjeep]

I'm not sure how to do a multi quote, on my phone, but yes I did order one extension and some extra bands, hoping they will be ok, I've got spruce aspen cottonwood tamarack and some nice paper birch up the road, time will tell ;D

As for bigger, I tossed around a couple orange options but couldn't justify the cost at this point, i definitely like them, and many others, we'll have to see how the bug gets me I guess lol 

I have my grandpas peavey and can't hook for now, I suppose another may not hurt  8)

[thecfarm]

Spruce was hard to cut on my mill, but easy to burn on the brush pile.  :D
I cut it before I joined the FF. I only use 10° blades, those work great on everything but spruce on my mill or what I have for trees on my land.    Lots and lots of wave I had. I don't have much spruce on my land. Need a 7° blade or something like that. Just want to warn you in case you cut some spruce with a 10° blade.

[jbjbuild]

Congrats on the new mill. I think you will very happy with the HM126, I've had one for 2 1/2 years now and I'm very impressed and happy with it, especially for the cost. I have to admit I'm thinking about going bigger, hydraulic and orange in the next year or so ;D 

[NYn00b]

Congrats on the order! I was going back and forth on a couple saws as well, and in the end made the same choice you did. This will be my first mill.
I live in NY, put the order in yesterday and this morning recieved the follow up call, and the invoice. Before I put my order in for the 126, I called the company because the website said there may be backorder issues,  their support staff stated they had 20 in stock, guess they are down to 18 now.

[thecfarm]

You will like sawing!!!

[97redjeep]

7 more sleeps till shipping day  8)

Drug out a few tamarack for one of my first projects, raised garden beds. The very first thing will be a bunch of stickers, definitely taking everyone's recommendation on that. I have a couple dry balsam Should make for good stickers?

[97redjeep]

Still waiting lol, should fill my learning curve 

[97redjeep]

Well, the 126 showed up yesterday afternoon, Had it all together in about 6 hours, 2 of those were spent leveling the  tracks ( thinking trailer will be in the near future).  Up and ater first thing this morning, picked up some oil and sawing by 7.... wife made me come in tonight at 7:30 for dinner   ;D I don't know if I've ever enjoyed a hobby so much . I did end up with 2 minor break downs, called Woodland and all I can say is that is service, no question, parts are in the mail . Tomorrow, if I think to pick up my phone I'll take some pictures  8)

[SawyerTed]

Congratulations on the new mill.  Stuff happens. I broke a hydraulic fitting on my mill the very first time I set it up.  Sawmills live a hard life if they get used at all.  

Looking forward to seeing photos tomorrow 

[97redjeep]

Thanks SawyerTed, keep forgetting pics , I'll have to see if my lovely wife has taken any 8)

So I'm having some sort of slippage issue, though it was the drive belt, I did tighten it after the first couple logs, but on the next log the band stopped and smoke rolled out of the clutch, now at that point I did think it was the belt, so I checked everything again, let it all cool down started into the cut again, watching the clutch through the guard, and it stopped. With everything I could find on here I checked throttle, ensuring it's wide open, (if I push on the engine lever I might gain 50 rpm, barely noticeable to the ear) belt tension, is there anything else I could possibly do? Or maybe I'm just pushing the HP limitations and bogging it down enough the clutch is disengaging? I didn't think i was over working it but???     Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[jbjbuild]

Make sure your not dripping too much coolant on the band. If I do much more than a drip a second my band with start to slip and even stop. As long as I keep it to slow drip and not a stream, I can plow right through without any slippage. Not sure if that's whats happening with you, but it might help.

[btulloh]

Hard to tell exactly without being there, but it sounds like you might be feeding too fast and bogging down.  You should be feeding just below the point where the engine starts to lose RPM's.  If blade speed starts dropping, all sorts of bad things start to happen.  If the clutch is slipping, sounds like everything else is ok.  Under normal conditions the clutch won't slip unless you're feeding way too fast.  I suppose it's possible to have a bad clutch to start with, but not typical.  Pushing by hand is a good way to feel out the proper speed.  It shouldn't require much effort to push the mill.

It would be a good idea to take up the slack in the throttle cable and get those 50 rpm's back.  That cable generally stretches a little when new and needs tweaking.  You really don't want to lose any revs, even 50.  If left as is, 50 becomes 100, then 150, and so on.

What kind of log were you sawing when this happened?  Those 10 degree Lennox blades don't do very well in oak and hard stuff.  It can be pretty easy to overfeed in hard logs.

Keep us posted, and good luck with the new mill.

[btulloh]

Another thing to be aware of:  Bands dull a lot quicker than you'd expect, especially if there's a lot of dirt in the bark.  A dull band leads to hard sawing and bad results.  Even with clean logs, I'm luck to get 200-300 bd ft out of a blade.  Sawing into bark is hard on blades, even with clean logs.  A standing tree collects a lot of grit and dirt over the years and it can take the edge off a blade in a hurry.

[Old Greenhorn]

I saw your plea yesterday but didn't have the time to re-read before responding.
 Problems like these are very common for all of us and just another part of learning. If I may, I would suggest this is a good time to form up your troubleshooting skills. Begin with the actual problem and work your way backwards. You want to completely check out each item and remove it from the list of causes before you move to the next step. Eventually you will be able to work your way up the thought chain in a few seconds or minutes, until you get into some really perplexing issues. ;D
In your case, start with the blade:
Is it dull? (Learn how to look closely at the teeth and check in several spots along the whole length of the blade on both sides, look for any shiney spots, that's not good)
Did it loose it's set?
Is it properly tensioned?
Is it clearing the sawdust out of the cut?
Is it being pinched during cutting?
There is also the log you must consider:
Hardwood or soft?
Unusual obstacles (knots, dirt, nails, frozen, etc)?
 Does the band geometry fit the cutting requirements (proper pitch, set, and tooth profile)?
Blade guides:
Are they aligned correctly?
Are the blade guides set correctly?
Bearing in good shape?
 Then the band wheels: 
Are the drive belts in good shape? 
Are the belts tracking correctly (no twist or jumping)?
is there excessive build up on the band wheels?
Any major issues like cracks, mis-tracking, or loose parts?
Then next up the chain, which would be engine:
Clutch OK, loose, mis-adjusted?
Any engine issues or control issues?
And so you follow this path until you figure it out.
 
Now 2 things I see in your situation that give me questions. The first is engine HP, I think yours is 7HP, correct?
This is on the low end of the power scale with what most members here run, but there are a bunch of us running the small stuff (I have 10HP) and have had the same issue you are having. You must keep that engine (and blade speed) at max rpm through the cut or just a tiny bit below the max, but no more.
 The second question I have is what blade are you running? What is the tooth profile? I am going to take a guess and say you have a 10 degree blade, it seems to be the most common. That's what I started with and it took me too long to finally bite the bullet and try some 4° blades. I just started that test last week and life got a whole lot better, very quickly. So many issues just went away.
 One other thing that popped into my head for us low HP guys is that some wood is stressed and tends to close the cut behind the blade. This adds friction and heat, and also makes it tougher to clear sawdust. When I get these logs (not often) as I cut and when I am about 2' down the log I shove a felling wedge in the beginning of the cut and give it a tap (I do this one handed as I am continuing the cut, stopping the blade leaves a mark), this holds the kerf a little open to let the blade work easier.
 Maybe make yourself a checklist something like above and add to it over time, eventually you will have it committed to memory and lose the list, but in the beginning there are a lot of little nuances to learn and understand. 
 It's a fun road you are on, but can be a tad frustrating at times. Not to worry, that frustration, when overcome, enhances the joy you feel later when you figure it out and it works better than before. Many times you are not 'fixing the problem' you are 'educating the operator' and there is a big difference. Oh and I have found it is a great help if you learn how to laugh at yourself. Once I got that down, things got a lot more enjoyable.
 Best of luck, enjoy the ride!  8)

P.S. my list above is just a quick 'off the top of my head' thing and I am sure I left out some stuff. There are many here much better suited to help you out that are already reading, so you are in good hands. We are ALL just learning as we go. I was just trying to explain the process that has helped me out.

[97redjeep]

Thanks everyone for the reply, I've definitely got a few things to check re check re re check now, see if I can get that bit of rpm back, my band was/is probably dull,( for one shine on the tips of the teeth) and by the sounds of it, way over lubing, (steady stream just over a drip). I was cutting a 18"ish dry pine with some pretty good knots in it, I'll try a 7* today as I've got another close to the same size on the deck now. 
Gonna check all my guide alignments too. 

Looks like I need to get my butt to work  ;D
Oh and I m guessing I was leaning into the cut a bit too much, need to not put my weight into it.  8)

[Nebraska]

Just happened  to think about this and I am not the only one to have done this make sure your band is going the correct direction. : Its easy to accidentally  uncoil your band backwards. I've caught it happening  a couple times since then...This May not have anything  to do with the issues  you are having just crossed my mind after reading  the good advice given above. Also buy some 4° bands  I have a 13 hp mill it makes a world of difference, it may saw a little  touch slower but my cut quality  is much improved.  It will get better  with time and fiddling  around  with it.  Congrats on the new mill.

[btulloh]

Oh and I m guessing I was leaning into the cut a bit too much, need to not put my weight into it

Sounds like your problem was just a combination of those hard pine knots and pushing it too hard.  It won't take long to develop a feel for things.  Pine knots tend to be really hard and you need to sort of ease off when you approach one.  Those knots can cause wavy cuts and even stop the band cold if you hit one too hard.  The good thing is you've got good traction on the blade - so good that the clutch was the thing that slipped and not the band.  

Well you got it put together and you're sawing lumber, so congrats are in order.  It's a learning curve and you're well on your way, and that's all good.

It sounds like you've got it adjusted pretty well or you would have had some other issues.  Re-checking all that is also a good idea.  With a new mill that hasn't had any break-in until you started running it you should expect to need to tighten and tweak a few things until it's got some hours on it.  Then you'll still need to keep an eye on things, but that will all get to be routine.

Enjoy your new mill and your sawing adventure.


BTW - IIRC you got the 14hp engine didn't you?  Wish that option was available when I bought mine.

[97redjeep]

A garden shed bench I built for my mom yesterday.
 
couple pics of the lovely waves after hitting a rock on my 2nd cut with the new band  : Well, put on a new 7*, checked throttle cable, tweaked the auto lube engagement tab, backed off the lube rate, added some dish soap( what a difference in keeping the blade clean) checked guides, adjusted the tensioner side wheel a bit and off I went, no slipping today. I'm thinking it was a combo of dulling blade, a little loss in rpm due to auto lube mechanism and pushing it too hard. 
Thanks for all the advice from all, Man I love milling haha. 9.2 hrs on it already. To answer a couple guys questions, it's the 14hp Kohler, and I bought a box of 10* and 7* with the mill, the more I'm reading I think I should order some 4*. Right now I'm milling mostly dry pine and balsam,  a friend of mine brought a logging truck load for shop rent (for wood for my owb), some of it's not that great, but I figured I might as well learn on not so top quality wood, any mess ups will be fancy split firewood.... $$???? Haha. I did take a couple pics today, none of the lumber for some reason, but I do have my new greenhouse mostly framed as well. I could go on forever lol but this posting from a cell phone and my fat fingers is getting old hahaha 😆 

[btulloh]

Good deal.  Glad it's going well.

They've made some nice changes to that mill since I bought mine.  Bigger engine, changed the frame a bit, moved some controls.  Nice.  Autolube?  Does that turn on the lube when you hit the throttle?  Nice.

If the dish soap works, that's great.  Has a tendency to suds up though.  Pinesol is an old standby as a lube additive and works well with no suds - just FYI.

Yeah, hitting a rock doesn't help a blade, for sure.  Looks like it put a little more set in one of the teeth.

[Magicman]

Automatic dishwasher liquid will eliminate your suds problem. 

Now look at the line of "tools" just above the posting window.  Click on the "DEG°"symbol and it will insert the °.  You will also find the ¼, ½, ¾, and ¢, all of which I also use.  

[97redjeep]

btulloh yes, when throttle is is opened up, the lever hits a tab that opens a spring loaded shut off valve, when I get out there I'll take a close up of it. Never thought of pinsol, or dishwasher detergent, thanks Magicman, learning more everyday    :P Also, the tools, if I'd have opened my eyes haha°¼½¾

[Magicman]

You are very welcome Sir.  The other stuff looks like you are cussin' **&%##  :D

Personally I use:  Home-Brew Lubrication ? in Sawmills and Milling

Another topic:  cascade in Sawmills and Milling

Do not use the Cascade in the dark green bottle.  It has the "grit" that others have described.

I also use Cotton Picker Spindle Lube but I have to add it to the jug after filling with water because it does make suds.

[97redjeep]

Well had been busy working on the greenhouse then...sprained .... oh well, there's always next week  :-\ 
 

[97redjeep]

Another mildly productive hop along day, Althea closest lumber other than a few x6s milled up, and a few more tamarack on the deck ready to go, man I love summer lolEven drug the missus out for a gander, and can't forget the pup, Sawyer ( coincidence on the name, was the guys name I got him from   :D) , going to be one of the beat pooches I've ever had.greenhouse all Pollyed in, plants are in, a few weeks late, but at least I won't have to heat it for as long this year hahaha. All in all a pretty awesome day!

[97redjeep]

Just re looked at my pics, boy them slab piles get big fast, I've already cut up about that's same amount already... pre split fire wood, guess I'll take it haha 

[Walnut Beast]

Looking good. Nice pictures 👍👍👍

[97redjeep]

Well, between work, rain, the annual family fishing trip( with the pooches of course) and a late night drive to the doc for my boys minor flesh wound, I've managed to saw up enough lumber to make some planter boxes and start a tamarack love seat for my wife. And with all this busy time all I can think about is sawing more wood hahaha. The wife says I have a problem, but you could have worse ones I guess ;D The 126 has been great after the last update, the few minor tweaks made a world of difference. I did end up changing the drive belt, I'm pretty sure it was too loose, and the adjustable guide bar is giving me a bit of grief, called woodland and sent them a pic, new parts are in the mail, no questions asked, I must say, best customer service I've ever had! Anyway, hope everyone had a good weekend!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nebraska]

Bummer about t h e stiches, but boy look at you go. Glad you're enjoying the new mill.

[thecfarm]

The more things you build for the wife the happier see will be with the sawmill.  ;D
Brenda is all set with the sawmill. In fact she was the one that really pushed me to get it.
But all the metal is junk to her I have kicking around. The metal is down in the woods, nobody even knows it's there unless they walk down the woods road. BUT she needed a easier way to water her plants up and down the 500 foot driveway. Down into the woods I go and find an old pop up trailer and an 50 gallon drum and made her something. Now it's not junk anymore.  :D  

[jbjbuild]

Wow! you've accomplished a lot in the short time you've had the mill. Keep the pictures coming!

[97redjeep]

Everyone loves pics, myself included, so here's a few more. Thecfarm, your mention of the junk yard(gold mine) sounds very familiar   although I've been trying to clean it up, I'd be lost without it hahaha. A few tamarack planters 
 
couple more planters for friends in town.My wife's grandpas old wagon, in pretty rough shape, but I figured it would make a nice planter by our fire pit.
 
This is to be the new picnic table for the firepit area too, I'll get to it one day here lol
 

 
and a couple of the fish we caught, rainbow and burbot, we probably got 50-60 in a couple days, pretty good fishing between rain storms. 

[Walnut Beast]

Nice 👍 

[97redjeep]

Got the tamarack bench all done for the wife, time to get on the picnic table I guess  ;D
 

 

[97redjeep]

Did my break in 21.1 hr service today  ;).  ;D just a FYI for any new woodland Mills owners on here, when I went to pull the drain plug it was finger tight  I know I should've checked it before I did the initial start up but whoda thought the drain plug would be loose.... got lucky anyway, though I'd share. 

[thecfarm]

That's why the 20 hour check.  ;)
All looks good. 
Really like that wagon. Must of been under cover? One set of wheels still looks good. 
We went to a herb class. They had a wooded hay rack in the loft of a barn, looked to be in perfect shape. They wanted to put it outside in their flower garden. I suggested they bring it inside in the winter time. They asked why? So it don't rot out. They said it would be fine.  :  Too bad, to be so dumb.  That is why the rake was in such good shape because it had not been out in the weather and someone took care of it.