How Yellowhammer Sees and Saws Stuff

[dairyguy]

It's always a tradeoff when making videos, how much time to spend on the explanations.  Youtube penalizes me when people click off early, and tells me what my average watch time is.  So as I edit these videos, I'm always keeping this is mind.  I remember I once made a video where I talked about every detail and the video was about 30 minutes long.  So I started editing and cutting it back, more and more.  I'd rewatch it, and cut it some more.  I finally got it down to about 8 minutes, and the I watched it back it sounded like a "Fred Goes to First Grade" reading primer.  Total lacking in detail.  So I published it and a couple weeks later a "Pro Sawyer" as he called himself, a guy who owns a sawmill, came in and said he watched the video and said it went so far over his head he had no idea what I was talking about.

  Just use some of that video and explanations you edited out for a part 2.   Call it something catchy and disarming like "Nerdy explanations of small details that will interest few people

[Walnut Beast]

Great video yellowhammer! And as always much appreciated! 

[YellowHammer]

That's funny!  The title alone may get more views.

[doc henderson]

rob, it looked like after taking off the side wood parallel to the bark, you then sawed the rest parallel to the pith.  is that correct?

[YellowHammer]

Yes, the timing varies on each log when I transition from parallel to bark vs pith centered on each face.  PB sawing is slow, requires adjustments, etc, and once the grade drops to less than FAS, the value of the board also drops significantly and so does my motivation to "piddle" with it.  So If I can get a log with two good faces and two common faces, then I will only PB saw the high grade, knowing they will peter out before long anyway.  If the logs has 3 good faces, or even 4 (almost never happens) then I will transition down as soon as possible.  Each log is different, but they are all the same.....

One thing I didn't mention that I wish I had was that the NHLA doesn't deduct for warp, twist or bow within reason, so PB sawing a No2 Common board is a waste of time.  No return on time wasted.

[doc henderson]

I thought I saw the transition, but in the video, the board that came off looked to be consistent thickness, not a wedge.

[YellowHammer]

A happy group of customers this weekend, I had time to pull out my cell phone for a quick shot, and then had to get back at it.

Happy Customers at Hobby Hardwood Sawmill - YouTube

[caveman]

That place is hopping.  $$$$ .  

[YellowHammer]

Yeah, money is flowing and product is leaving.  

This was a good, sunny spring day, only 2 cash registers running at the same time (I'm the third and I wasn't panicking, so it wasn't too busy).

I know some people read some of may posts and what I say about our business and probably think "BS" on it, so here is 27 seconds of what we do all Friday and Saturday.

I think the coolest thing about the clip is that we had patrons of all kinds, men, women, kids, and even some dogs.  Also, if you hear the buzz in the background, that's the sound of a healthy business and happy customers chatting.  

Fun....busy....but fun.

For all the folks who ask "Can you make money with a sawmill?"

[Andries]

Nice scene - right down to Martha’s wave back’atcha.
More like: “How Yellowhammer Sees and Sells Stuff.” 👍

[caveman]

Robert, it is impressive and inspiring to see what you and Martha have built together.  I am happy for the success that y'all have realized because of hard work, planning, and smart allocation of resources.  

This may be to the detriment of some of the rest of us, pushing us down the slippery slope.  Every time we purchase the next thing that will put us over the top, the shopping list gets longer, looking for another advantage and opportunity.  Ie. tonight a contractor brought me a check for some cypress we recently sawed and dried.  As much as I appreciated his business, we missed out on $18,000 for tongue and groove pine interior siding because we did not have an efficient way to produce it.  I suggested that he call another FF member a little north of here.

[jasonb]

So, if I am understanding parallel bark sawing, there should be no "cathedral" grain unless the log has a butt flare.  And unless the log is same diameter , there should be a tapered cant like Ol Jarhead was sawing for awhile.

[YellowHammer]

Caveman, yes, it is a slippery slope.  That's what we did, what you are seeing.  The market is scouting you, so scout back.  Once a couple jobs showed up that we couldn't do, then we started considering the equipment to do it, and at some point, we would buy it, facilitate up, and within a couple jobs, get it paid for, or at least some part of it.  It to truly a capability you "need" then it will be a job that seems to reoccur for time to time, so equipment doesn't have to be bought now, you can take your time to get it right.  Then it's time to invest because you know it will happen again, and next time you'll be able to say "Sure, I can do that."  If there is a risk it won't happen again and again, then there is no need to invest.

If customers keep wanting to buy hamburgers, get a grill.  

In the other question, it's almost impossible to have 100% parallel bark sawn wood, as shown in the video where the log had a dip.  However, it will have what amounts to a "racing stripe" down the center of the board reflecting that it has run parallel to the growth rings, or as much as possible.  Of course the racing stripe should also be in the center of the face of the board.

It's all about grade, and a taper sawn cant should be transitioned to full rectangular as soon as the grade drops and so the value drops.  Remember, the NHLA does not consider bow, warp and twist a defect, so sawing "flat wood" is not a NHLA requirement, bit only a requirement for making mo money.    

[Larry]

In the other question, it's almost impossible to have 100% parallel bark sawn wood, as shown in the video where the log had a dip.  However, it will have what amounts to a "racing stripe" down the center of the board reflecting that it has run parallel to the growth rings, or as much as possible.  Of course the racing stripe should also be in the center of the face of the board.

I guess this might be a racing stripe board which quickly gets turned into raised panel cabinet doors.  Panels from 8" to 16" wide with the racing stripe centered....no glue ups ever.






Not much demand today since kitchens are all painted white....but stair guys like em really well for treads.

[YellowHammer]

Larry that is some beautiful wood, very nice grain!   Well equipped shop, also. Sweet.  My hat’s off to you.  

[jasonb]

It's all about grade, and a taper sawn cant should be transitioned to full rectangular as soon as the grade drops and so the value drops.

It is hard for a customer/friend to understand that there is expected waste for every log.  Sometimes I have to remind myself that I can only get out of the log what God put in it.  

[Magicman]

It's kinda like buying a ham, etc. that has a bone in it.  Waste is tree bones. 

I just tell them that Termites gotta eat too.  Laugh and keep on sawing. 

[TSAW]

Larry nice looking cabinet doors.  

It's kinda like buying a ham, etc. that has a bone in it.  Waste is tree bones.  

I just tell them that Termites gotta eat too.  Laugh and keep on sawing.  

I love this quote.  I have to remember that I always am trying to squeeze one more board out of the log, hate to see all that wasted potential lumber.

[YellowHammer]

If the recipe calls for egg whites, then throw the yolks out.  Same thing with lumber.  Saw it right and tight, and the rest is just stuff.

[Walnut Beast]

 Happy Birthday Robert!! Enjoy!