OldJarheads Milling Thread...

grouch · May 29, 2016, 11:39:49 PM

Excellent concentration of information in this thread!

That bit at the start was especially awesome, OlJarhead. You were giving out specifics on stuff you were worried about and attracted a whole gallery of experts. By the third day, it was obvious you had it ironed out and under control. Thanks for sharing the ride.

You didn't even have to have a pig roast to get all these teachers on board. Way to go!

OlJarhead · May 31, 2016, 12:30:14 AM

ha! Thanks

Trick is to ask and ask and ask

and of course, to LISTEN!

Milled up a nice birch yard tree (old one at that!) for some 12 year old scotch

This was for one of the guys that works for me in my day job. Loved the look of this birch! Can't wait to see what he does with it as he used to be a custom furniture maker.

Did some milling for myself too but very little ;) Mostly did cleanup at the cabin, burned slash and enjoyed the time with my wife

WV Sawmiller · May 31, 2016, 07:03:33 AM

Eric,

I see a nice new tag on your mill. First one I remember actually seeing in use. I guess that means you are temporarily at peace with the DOT.

Bandmill Bandit · May 31, 2016, 09:18:14 AM

Hey Erik
The birch we have out here on the left side of this continent is a very under rated wood.

I have got a bit of a niche going with it. I supply 2 custom furniture builders with it and have done some furniture my self. I love the stuff.

Czech_Made · May 31, 2016, 10:14:27 AM

Birch was used for many things in the old days in my country - from clogs and spoons to wagon wheels. Probably because it was/it is so common.

OlJarhead · May 31, 2016, 10:36:11 AM

Quote from: WV Sawmiller on May 31, 2016, 07:03:33 AM
Eric,

I see a nice new tag on your mill. First one I remember actually seeing in use. I guess that means you are temporarily at peace with the DOT.

Yes sir

All sorted now

OlJarhead · May 31, 2016, 02:15:43 PM

Had a customer looking to build a house call me. He has 23 acres of wooded property and is looking to thin the trees and use the logs for lumber. So far I've not milled for a grader yet though I always try to mill for the best wood I can out of a log (center knots, crown vs face bends etc) and have reached out to a grader who does 'transient' grading as part of his regular routine. Sounds a little spendy at $75/hr but I'm guessing he can grade a lot for that. I think they charge $550min on a job too so it would need to be worth it I think.

I'm wondering if any of you grade your own (certified) or if you work with graders?

Also two customers look to need fallers/loggers to do the thinning/falling and decking of their logs so I'm trying to find some local fallers to work with.

I can see this operation growing if this keeps up!

OlJarhead · May 31, 2016, 05:00:04 PM

Just heard from my first big customer with the LT40 whom I milled about 6000bf of burned logs for. They were going to build a barn and some outbuildings with all the lumber and sent me this today:

QuoteCome by and take a look sometime! It is a very sturdy and strong barn! We are just getting the metal siding put up now.

Love to hear a customer is happy

I'll try to get some pics to share when I get a chance.

tnaz · May 31, 2016, 05:09:57 PM

Yes Sir, like to see some pictures of the build.

You've come far, keep it coming. 8)

tnaz

OlJarhead · May 31, 2016, 05:30:26 PM

Quote from: woodyone.john on May 28, 2016, 09:22:50 PM
OJH, have you tried the .55's yet.I spent an afternoon earlier in the week cutting knotty cupressus into 700 mm[28''] slabs.One blade did about 3 1/2 hrs sawing and all slabs were flat and true.
chhers john

Not yet but I found the Bi-Metals cutting very smooth on the birch I milled up and some of those were 18"+ wide

OlJarhead · May 31, 2016, 08:14:54 PM

Had a very good and encouraging conversation with the grader at the Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau (PLIB) today who grades what they call 'transient sawmill operations' (portable mills). As we discussed milling and what he looks for I was kinda surprised! He was telling me he often grades stuff that still has bark on it or 'wane' left when the bark is gone, knots that run through the small side of lumber, green to even black molded lumber, stuff that is stacked in a garage that has to be pulled out etc etc....as we spoke about what he can expect from my jobs he said "man, you really have this down!" and I laughed and said "not really but I'm an active member of the Forestry Forum and they really teach you a lot there! It's lumber sawmilling 101."

I guess the idea of having stacked and stickered lumber ready to grade with a space to restack as he grades and lumber that has little to no wane in it with knots placed in the face and not on the edge or through the small ends makes him happy

I'm looking forward to the job and the end result if the customer decides to do it. I just need to find some fallers now who can also deck the logs for the customer.

Peter Drouin · June 01, 2016, 08:24:22 PM

OlJarhead · June 01, 2016, 08:29:39 PM

Got work from my customer that they are logging in two weeks and hope to have a log deck ready a week later. No idea how big the job is yet but they've agreed to my terms etc and are getting on the schedule

This will be for graded lumber so it will be an important job for me! I am hoping that it goes well and the grader is happy because that would be a big boost I think.

I should bone up on grading in the meanwhile in case there are things I'm missing or am not doing but should do but for the most part I've always had good compliments on my product though I see those as what they are and not even close to the compliment one would get if their lumber grades out nicely.

What I am wondering though is if Ponderosa can be graded to No.2 for construction or not? I know SYP is used a lot but what about Ponderosa? (bull pine I think some call it).

Upper · June 01, 2016, 09:01:12 PM

Ponderosa is not BULL pine.Bull pine is lower elevation firewood.There is a chart for Ponderosa,a little beefier than the D fir.

WV Sawmiller · June 01, 2016, 10:26:00 PM

In this part of the country Bull pine is White pine. Some pretty wood but I doubt anywhere near as nice as the slash and other SYP many of you are sawing.

OlJarhead · June 02, 2016, 12:13:19 AM

Just received these from my customer in April. Her 'barn' is taking shape

Interesting shape for a barn but I believe it is for sheep so perhaps it doesn't need to be like the traditional barns we see.

Inside of the open area.

All that wood came off my mill :D

OlJarhead · June 02, 2016, 12:16:22 AM

Another customer sent me these today from last months barn lumber I milled

Love it when they take pics and send them my way!

plowboyswr · June 02, 2016, 12:49:15 AM

smiley_clapping 8) :P

Ljohnsaw · June 02, 2016, 01:12:29 AM

Quote from: OlJarhead on May 31, 2016, 08:14:54 PM
Had a very good and encouraging conversation with the grader at the Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau (PLIB) today who grades what they call 'transient sawmill operations' (portable mills).

So, where is he coming from? I talked with a person who said the nearest grader to me was southern Oregon and I'd be looking at a pretty hefty bill for travel and lodging since travel would take up quite a bit of time. There doesn't seem to be anyone in California. Looks like all the mills have a certified person on the payroll - hmmm. It would be so awesome if someone from the FF on the west coast was a grader. At least I'd feel like the money was going to good use ;)

Magicman · June 02, 2016, 07:02:09 AM

I surround my hitch with the fenders. Makes a nice place for storing my ATF, etc while I am sawing, plus it shields that knee knocker,

OlJarhead · June 02, 2016, 08:53:44 AM

Quote from: ljohnsaw on June 02, 2016, 01:12:29 AM
Quote from: OlJarhead on May 31, 2016, 08:14:54 PM
Had a very good and encouraging conversation with the grader at the Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau (PLIB) today who grades what they call 'transient sawmill operations' (portable mills).

So, where is he coming from? I talked with a person who said the nearest grader to me was southern Oregon and I'd be looking at a pretty hefty bill for travel and lodging since travel would take up quite a bit of time. There doesn't seem to be anyone in California. Looks like all the mills have a certified person on the payroll - hmmm. It would be so awesome if someone from the FF on the west coast was a grader. At least I'd feel like the money was going to good use ;)

Do a search for Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau (PLIB) and give them a call maybe. This guy is out of Longview WA and services all of eastern WA. Yes travel is involved but he charges from where his regular route takes him. Since that puts him along I90 and into Spokane he can get within 2-3 hrs of my job site so travel will be from there, however they charge a max of $550 a day so if it's a one day job you won't get dinged for more than that.

Agreed on an FF grader out here!

OlJarhead · June 02, 2016, 08:54:33 AM

Quote from: Magicman on June 02, 2016, 07:02:09 AM
I surround my hitch with the fenders. Makes a nice place for storing my ATF, etc while I am sawing, plus it shields that knee knocker,

Great idea and great point! Thanks

Bandmill Bandit · June 02, 2016, 09:27:14 AM

The way I set up my out feed table the hitch is not just a knee cracker it is in the way so mine comes off. It shortens my set up by 2 feet at the least which saves steps and every step saved saves time in the milling process and = more BF per day.