Got my Woodland Mills HM 126

[balsabones]

Finally got a 2013 Woodland Mills HM 126 about 4 weeks ago. Its been raining for the past month here, (we are 15" above normal), so I didn't get to saw until this past weekend. Josh and Neil at Woodlands hooked me up and are 2 of the best people to deal with. Julie was nice and patient also.
I set it up on 6X6's with a transit and have a 4" slope down over 12ft. Josh or Neil told me that the 144" x 1.25" x 0.042" x 7/8" Pitch Lennox Blade that came on it, wouldn't last long. This is my first mill and until reading ALOT on here, I thought a blade would last days and not hours. The first log I cut was a 9" diam Cedar that had been cut over 2 years ago, (for posts) and has been in the weather for just as long. It was off the ground on 4X4s but the bark had long been washed and weathered away to a smooth trunk. I don't have a torque wrench so, I had to guess at the blade tension and after watching the video over and over, finally got the blade on the bands correctly. They had probably tracked it already but I had to screw the "T" handle out to take the blade off, just to look it at it. I made the first cut and when I tried to pull the head back, the blade hit the end of the log. It had, "pushed off", (I lernt that here).  I was expecting the blade to gather sawdust on the way back like in the videos. I went in and searched the forum for the most plausible cause, which was blade tension. I made the adjustment and on the second pass I cut about 1/8" piece the start and finished with 1/2". I turned the "T" handle another 1/2 a turn and away I went, 1/8". This time it came out where I started and gathered the dust on the way back. I had to go get the wife to see. She wasn't as impressed as me but acted like it. I cut 2 more 1" thick and then rolled it 180. After cutting 2, 1" off that side, I rolled it and cut boards a little over 3" wide. I had probably I or 2 more to go and found out the hard way that I forgot to put the blade guard down when I adjusted the guides. It is the piece that keeps me from running the blade into the log supports. I tattoo'd the front one and ruined the blade.
I ordered 2 more blades last week from WoodMizer. A 7 degree and a 10 degree. The nice lady told me which one to use for hard wood and which on to use for softwood but I opened them both up and got them mixed up. She had told me the small tooth was hardwood but when I measured, I couldn't tell the difference. I figured I had a 50/50 chance. I put a 23" hardwood that blew over in a storm over 20 years ago, (I been there 19), with a rootball big enough to leave a hole 3' deep and 10' wide. I had been using the top part for firewood last year and had to cut it with a chainsaw. It would not split. the maul bounced off or I got wedges stuck in it. I figured since I was down to last 12' of the trunk, it wouldn't have knots in it. Well, It pushed off every time. I finally got it squared at about 14"X14" but it is wavy all over and no amount of tension was fixing it. I have not put on the other blade yet but will this weekend. I tried washing liquid & water, and rain ex windshield wiper fluid & water.
Oh, My last pass on the big old cant, I hit the log support again. I will learn on day what that thing is on there for!!

[Andy White]

balsabones
That is the way you learn about sawmilling, jump in with both feet, and let the dust fly!! I do not use torque wrench on my blade tensioner, just tighten till you think it  is  way too tight, and she cuts like it is on a string. I have been averaging about 600 bd. ft. on a blade, before it does not want to cut straight. unless I hit tramp metal, or a dog. Yes that happens to everyone at least one time in their sawing career!! Welcome to the Forum, and tell us where you are from, and trees to cut in your area. Enjoy, and be safe.      Andy

[drobertson]

balsa, sounds about par for the course, keep on keeping on, it will get much better,   david

[Nomad]

     Balsabones, that's a good first post.  And a good beginning, too!  As said, you learn by learning.  And that means learning by mistakes.  Those mistakes are ones you mostly won't make again (right away) ;D.
     How about a bit more info about you?  Where you are, what kind of wood you're cutting (if you know), etc.  Might be somebody close by who could help you out a bit.
     Dull blades are one of the most common problems for folks new to using a bandmill.  Do you plan to sharpen and set your own, have somebody else do it, or just haven't decided yet?

[customsawyer]

Congrats on the mill. Don't worry about the mistakes. If you do everything right you don't learn anything. ;D

[thecfarm]

You are sawing now!!! been raining here too.

[WDH]

Way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Magicman]

Congratulations on the sawmill and mistakes are all in the learning curve.  They minimize, but never actually go away.

[balsabones]

Thanks everyone. I'm in McCormick, SC near the Savannah river. Actually about 20 miles from Augusta GA. I have about 40 acres in the Sumter National Forest. I own a cut out of the forest and am surrounded on all sides by about 5200 acres of it. My nearest neighbor is about 1 1/2 miles away and unless they begin selling the Ntl Forest, (or china takes it as payment), I will never have neighbors. My property is about 25 acres in long leaf pine, 17 yrs and just thinned. The remaining is old growth hardwoods, white, willow, red, water, pin oaks, shaggy and regular hickory, some kind of maple, poplar and every now and them we see a sweet gum but they are few and far between. We have several old smooth bark beech but they are big so unless they fall, my wife wont let me cut those down, I actually wouldn't because A lot of them have carvings on them. The tree I tried to saw has been down I know 20 years. The end of it was on a slope so 3/4 of it has bee off the ground for all that time. I assume it was a old maple but inside it has little black fleck and a light yellow color. I do know one thing, it is HARD. The cedar I cut up was dry also but not quite as hard. I hit one of the cut sides with a hammer and it did not make but a small dent. I will try and attach pics.

  

  

    

[balsabones]

The lady at Woodmizer was very knowledgeable about their blades and told me what I needed. She was very nice and I enjoyed listening to her tell me about different blades and what they do. She ask me what I was cutting and told me what I needed. When I told her I needed one for hard wood, I did not specify green or dry hardwood. After opening up the box with blades and mixing them up, I knew I had a 50/50 chance of getting the right one for hard wood. I must have chose the wrong one.
If I stick with the WM blades, I will send them in for sharpening but I would like to try one of each, (hardwood, softwood), from each blade manufacturer. That way I can find what works best for me and my mill.

[Magicman]

It's easy to get "blade confused" with bunch of blades, especially if you do not have sharpening/setting ability or have a sharpening service locally.  For occasionally sawing different species, especially with a hobby type sawmill, I would not get too hung up with different blades.  A correctly adjusted and aligned sawmill and properly sharpened and set blades is the answer to most sawing problems.

[balsabones]

I will put on the 2nd WM blade this weekend and cut some cedar. Right now, it takes me longer to put the blade on, get it tracked, set the guides and then go back because something is off, than cutting time.
Im sure I will find a rhythm, I know im hooked!

[Delawhere Jack]

Welcome to the FF.

On smaller mills, under 20HP, tooth angle is less critical. You'll be fine with anything up to 10deg. The gullet shape is different for each tooth angle with WM blades. The 10deg gullet is much deeper than the 9deg, not sure about 7deg since I've never used them.

WM resharp service does and excellent job at a very competitive price. Unless there is someone local who is setup with the right equipment to sharpen bandmill blades, they are probably your best bet.

You'll probably want to order more bands. Nothing worse than running out of sharp bands when there are logs to be milled.

[customsawyer]

If you can find the time don't be afraid to come on down for the sycamore project. You can take a look at my some of my blades and it might help you to figure out which blade is which.

[Nomad]

If you can find the time don't be afraid to come on down for the sycamore project. You can take a look at my some of my blades and it might help you to figure out which blade is which.

     Balsabones, you ought to take him up on that!  You'd have a good time, meet some good folks, and maybe learn a little.  You're closer than I am; looks like about a 150 mile trip for you.

[m wood]

welcome balsa to the FF.  good place and people willing to share their knowledge...as you surely know by now!
mark

[WoodenHead]

Do Woodmizer blades have the part number stamped/marked/inked on the blade?  If so, you might be able to tell what they are from the part number.  I have boxes of 9's and 10's.  The part numbers happen to end in 9 and 10 signifying the degree.  Just a thought.

[soutz]

Hey there balsa, we are both new to the woodland milled we have had our about a month I guess . a few early problems but we are now cutting like there is no tomorrow. we love it. The guys on the forum are really knowledgeable and only to pleased to help out us newbe  band saw millers. welcome.

[francismilker]

Great to have you on board balsa!!!! 

Like others have said, keep on trying.  I have done more things wrong than right over the past year and still can't wait to make more sawdust.   8)