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Sawing Multiple Boards Between Offloading

Started by Pepe_Silvia, November 14, 2020, 11:06:26 AM

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Pepe_Silvia

Using a LT15Wide.  Cutting a lot of wide, heavy slabs.  Can I cut multiple slabs without offloading and leave them stacked, or does the weight on top become an issue?  

I was doing it this way for a while because it was more efficient and then ran into some issues cutting a live oak log where it seemed like the blade was getting really hot and took a dive.  This might have been coincidental to leaving the slabs stacked (it was live oak, afterall).
Woodmizer LT15Wide GO, John Deere 318D Skid Steer

kelLOGg

I don't saw wide but I frequently off load after all is sawn. If the blade set has not worn down I don't think heating due to friction will be a problem. I haven't detected a warm blade on my mill but I don't saw as wide as you.
Cook's MP-32, 20HP, 20' (modified w/ power feed, up/down, loader/turner)
DH kiln, CatClaw setter and sharpener, tandem trailer, log arch, tractor, thumb tacks

Southside

Not a problem to do that. The weight is not a factor as the kerf remains open from some of the sawdust left behind.  The dive was likely due to the band getting dull considering you were sawing live oak.  
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

WV Sawmiller

   I agree with Southside. It would appear to be no different in leaving a couple of extra 8/4 slabs on top than choosing to cut a 4" or 6" thick single slab the way I see it.

  I often leave several boards, slabs or flitches on top of the cant when sawing if it is more convenient than removing each at the time of cutting. The only slowdown I experience in doing so is the delay of having the raise the head a little higher before returning it to the front of the mill.
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

JoshNZ

If I'm sawing multiple boards off same log/cant I leave them there until I feel like the time spent climbing and falling the stack becomes less efficient than just offloading. Weight can help keep things straight if you're getting close to the bed too.

donbj

I saw cants up all the time leaving the boards on til it's done. The blade cannot get pinched as the solid wood in front of the blade will not let it. The blades aren't wide enough to be a problem further back.
I may be skinny but I'm a Husky guy

Woodmizer LT40HDG24. John Deere 5300 4WD with Loader/Forks. Husky 262xp. Jonsered 2065, Husky 65, Husky 44, Husky 181XP, Husky 2100CD, Husky 185CD

Larry

I've sawn well over a 1,000 slabs this year from 2 - 3" thick.  Up to 14' long and 32" wide.  I've learned slabs are heavy!  Some are too heavy for even two men to lift

Normal routine is to saw slabs from the top to close to the pith.  Rotate log up so the slabs slide off onto either the mill loader arms or the forklift forks.  Rotate the rest of the log 180 degrees and slab down to the bed.  Repeat the routine of sliding the slabs off the mill onto the loader arms.

I hardly ever lift even one end of a slab.  Its all push and slide work.

With your manual mill I would quickly figure out a system that would not require heavy lifting.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Walnut Beast


Walnut Beast

Are you centering the pith in the middle of the last slab or making something different 

Larry

I split taper and try to keep the pith in one slab.  Sometimes I make close misses but it doesn't seem to make much difference to the buyer.

My first consideration is getting the best figure out of the crotches, second is the widest slab possible, and third is the pith.

Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

ladylake

 With the rustic look now days I've had customers tell me they like the pith.  Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

dougtrr2

I am not a sawyer, but had that same question after I had some logs sawn.  I was surprised that we didn't offload each board.  Later I ran across a Youtube video that was made to answer that question.  As part of the demonstration the sawyer made several cuts without off loading.  The he made a cut, shut the saw off and was able to back several inches into the cut just made.  That convinced me.

Doug in SW IA

YellowHammer

Quote from: Larry on November 14, 2020, 04:07:51 PMI've learned slabs are heavy!  Some are too heavy for even two men to lift

Normal routine is to saw slabs from the top to close to the pith.  Rotate log up so the slabs slide off onto either the mill loader arms or the forklift forks.  Rotate the rest of the log 180 degrees and slab down to the bed.  Repeat the routine of sliding the slabs off the mill onto the loader arms.

I hardly ever lift even one end of a slab.  Its all push and slide work.
smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup
X2
When sawing big slabs, and lots of them, I change our normal technique and even reconfigure our roller tables when getting serious about slabbin'.  Last week, while taking a break, I pulled out the Forum calculator and figured I was sitting on a pallet full of 200+ pounders.  Multiply that by the 6 pallet fulls I'd already done that day, and more to come, definately take "steps to save step".  For scale, the short slabs on the back row were "only" 8 footers.

Sawing multiple boards before offloading is one of those steps.



YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Sixacresand

Normally, I flip the boards off the cant as I go, so I can inspect the last cut.  
"Sometimes you can make more hay with less equipment if you just use your head."  Tom, Forestry Forum.  Tenth year with a LT40 Woodmizer,

SawyerTed

On portable jobs with good help, I don't saw multiple boards in a cant due to the time it takes to jog the head up at the end of the cut.  That time mounts up over the course of several hours.  For customers time = money.  Usually I like to cut one board, leave it on the can't until I start the next cut, off bearers pull the top board off (from behind me) as I cut the next and so on.  I stay one board ahead and it gives them time to clean, stack and sticker properly.

Sawing slabs is a different situation as has been pointed out already.  I often reposition the log after cutting 2 or 3 slabs off the top much as others have mentioned.
Woodmizer LT50, WM BMS 250, WM BMT 250, Kubota MX5100, IH McCormick Farmall 140, Husqvarna 372XP, Husqvarna 455 Rancher

GAB

Quote from: SawyerTed on November 15, 2020, 09:58:03 AM
On portable jobs with good help, I don't saw multiple boards in a cant due to the time it takes to jog the head up at the end of the cut.  That time mounts up over the course of several hours.  For customers time = money.  Usually I like to cut one board, leave it on the can't until I start the next cut, off bearers pull the top board off (from behind me) as I cut the next and so on.  I stay one board ahead and it gives them time to clean, stack and sticker properly.

Sawing slabs is a different situation as has been pointed out already.  I often reposition the log after cutting 2 or 3 slabs off the top much as others have mentioned.
"That time mounts up over the course of several hours.  For customers time = money."  
If more customers were former students of time and motion study the boards would be moving the minute the saw blade breaks through.
GAB
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

WV Sawmiller

  I have tried the off-bearer behind me and no more. They tend to slow me down, I trip over them, they are a distraction and a safety hazard for me. The last mobile job I did I had the best help ever - the customer and his hired helper. They off loaded off the end and the loader side. I'd push the board on to the bed then back up and start the next cut.  One stack we made on the operator side and they unloaded those from that side. I almost always unload off the end vs the front of the mill. If I had and used a board return I'd have to revise my system but this works good for me. When working alone I park my tractor with the forks or my trailer near the end of the mill and slide the finished boards off onto it.
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

Magicman

Not only did I remove the board return from my sawmill, I do not allow any offloading, etc. behind me nor out of my sight.  That way I know where everyone is at all times.
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

forrestM

i have an lt15 wide, and I will often leave slabs on the mill until the throat has no more clearance. 

it seems like it is usually a time saver. however, like with your blade taking a dive - it you arent taking off and glancing at each each board, it's easy to continue sawing on a dull blade when you shouldn't be. I ruined a stack of wide poplar boards the other day by doing that. From my limited experience, wide cuts will really exaggerate a dull blade and it seems like they will go from kind of dull, to terrible in an instant. 


Chuck White

I have let boards stack on the cant until the cant was completely sawn!

I have done so when the cant would be inclined to move after each cut!  :)

~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

kantuckid

Going back to the heavy lifting part- I'm at the age when I don't lift many multiple boards- maybe the 1x4's :D
Kan=Kansas;tuck=Kentucky;kid=what I'm not

DocGP

One of the best nuggets I have heard on this board is "Don't lift both ends of the wood at the same time".

Sounds simple, but much country boy logic in that!!

Doc
Ole Country Vet
LT 50 HDD
MX 5100 for the grunt work
Stihl MS 261 C-M

GAB

When sawing battens for example I will saw through the entire cant that has the correct width for the number of cuts and saw kerfs involved for the size battens desired then I just flip the whole stack 90° and saw the width of the battens requested.
The only time I off bear is if there is not enough clearance between the blade and the sawmill and then reload them to saw the other way.
My experience has been when sawing 12 or more battens per pass the off bearers just don't keep up.
GAB 
W-M LT40HDD34, SLR, JD 420, JD 950w/loader and Woods backhoe, V3507 Fransguard winch, Cordwood Saw, 18' flat bed trailer, and other toys.

Walnut Beast

This is where the skid steer is at a disadvantage (unless you have a JCB or Volvo unit with single boom) compared to a tractor, telahandler, and wheel loader. If you need to have the loader half way up to get in and out to adjust things or whatever.

alan gage

Quote from: Walnut Beast on November 16, 2020, 11:25:11 AM
This is where the skid steer is at a disadvantage (unless you have a JCB or Volvo unit with single boom) compared to a tractor, telahandler, and wheel loader. If you need to have the loader half way up to get in and out to adjust things or whatever.
Yeah, that really messed me up when I first got my skidloader. I just took the door off so I can climb out and over the loader.
Alan
Timberking B-16, a few chainsaws from small to large, and a Bobcat 873 Skidloader.

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