Now that my days on the Mizer LT 70 are but a fading memory i'am back to my old bandmill and no computer.It may seem strange to say this but its not bad to be hands on and walking with the mill again,rather standing at a podium at a distance.The puter you can set is a spoiler to carve up a cant but my aluminum yardstick and pointer is almost as fast.I have a chart I've made up with cuts plus kerf that I use for the last slab cut on the cant.What I like to do is cut by the even inch which gives a board just under an inch.If full inch board is desired I remember what the last cut was say 4 5/8" drop the head to 3 5/8 then go down the kerf an extra 1/8"this seems easier for my old mind to comprehend.The hardest part of milling with a band or handset circular is to get the last board to come out just right,guess thats why you see shim cuts in the slab pile.Frank C.
Most times that last board off will have fat ends due to stress, I leave it a hair thick , flip it over and trim those fat ends. I've run a planer too much and hate boards with them. Steve
Frank, what is your plain bandmill and does anyone else have a name for the "fat ends " of some boards? Twice in three days I've heard them mentioned and talked about. In my area the old timers called them "rooster tails" and they were caused by the circular blade flexing as it left the cut. I suppose it might have wandered going into the cut as well but I wasn't around saws that much. The planer guys just hated doing some sawyers lumber and I recall the local fellow say that when he got a lift from so and so that he would cut six inches off every board before he would plane them.
Those rooster tails are a little different than fat ends caused by stress. I get them especially on logs that hang out too far from the carriage. Rooster tails are caused by a poor running saw or a poor running sawyer.
Another cause can be insufficient dogs. They used to have a bull dog that would grab a log in the middle. Some guys use them instead of the ones on the headblocks. When you only dog in the middle, your board quality is really going to suffer.
I find that if I have good support on my log, I don't get the fat ends too often. But, I'm running hydraulic dogs that can pull the log into place. Even those ash that like to go wild when cutting 8/4.
I've been running a computer for at least 10 years. But, I run without one for about 20. Running with one is a lot easier, but I still could make a consistent product without one. Its just harder to listen to the radio when you don't have a computer. :D
Jeez Frank, I was going to stop and give you a new pair of dice.
I think a tour and pictures of Franks new electric conversion is in order. How about it Frank? The Forestry Forum demands it. When can I come to Upton?
Captain
I've been sawing a little on the old LT40 the last week or so. I don't mind not having the computer, I kind of like doing the math.
I know a bunch of people in Upton.
I still like smooth electric motors and the computer on my LT-70 better then the yardsticks and jerky hydraulics on the Mighty Might, however both mills have there areas where they shine. LT-70 for accuracy and production and the Mighty Might for busting down large logs.
I see that all the time when the board dog board is thick and thin. I leave the dog board a little heavy and kick it over to a band resaw. That straightens it out.
Alas Upton is rapidly becoming Yupton too many city types moving in.Theirs a good flea market on 140 at the grafton line.Frank C.