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The adventure begins

Started by Dustin, May 19, 2020, 10:05:51 PM

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Dustin

Well after several years of dreaming, I can finally say I own a sawmill. Thanks to Will at the Missouri Wood-Mizer for being so patient and answering my questions over the years. Along with everyone on this forum and Steve at the Wisconsin Wood-Mizer for visiting with me at Farmfest every year. Your experience and advice over the years helped me make a great decision.


Checking it out for the first time. 

I had my mind set on a LT40HD Super Wide until it was no longer on sale. The full price was only $1000 less than the LT50HD Wide. The chain turner was what pushed my decision. 


I got it home in piece, and now I just need some decent weather to use it. There were tornado warnings half way home, and pouring rain. Richardson Sawmill will be up and running in the near future.
Richardson Sawmill
'20 Wood-Mizer LT50HD Wide
Husqvarna 390XP and 450 chainsaws

Just getting started but already know I have an addiction problem.

Walnut Beast

Congratulations. Looks pretty nice 👍 

Magicman

Oh Wow, in with both feet!!!  Congratulations and now the journey begins.  8)
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

RichTired

Good for you! 8)

Keep us updated on your progress and keep posting pictures.
Wood-Mizer LT15GO, Kubota L2800, Husqvarna 268 & Stihl 241 C-M chainsaws, Logrite cant hook, Ford F-150 Fx4

Richard

Southside

Congratulations, that's a nice set up you have there. You will really come to appreciate that chain turner.  You can use it to help stand up tall, thin cants, reverse flip cants, even toss cants back onto the loader arms with it, very versatile upgrade. 
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

  There is still hope - take it back before the weather breaks and you actually use it. If you wait till then, there is no hope. :(

   Congrats on a beautiful mill. Maybe you can answer a question for me in the future - does the chain turner throw a log further off the mill when you forget to raise the side supports than the claw does? :D :D
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

thecfarm

Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

ladylake



 (You will really come to appreciate that chain turner)  plus the vertical log stops.  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

Patrick NC

Congratulations! I'm jealous. 😁
Norwood HD36, Husky 372xp xtorq, 550xp mk2 , 460 rancher, Kubota l2501, Case 1845 skid steer,

trimguy

Congratulations, awesome feeling !! Work and the weather is against me too. I just picked up my new Lt40 Friday. Good luck.

KenMac

Congratulations and good luck!
Cook's AC3667t, Cat Claw sharpener, Dual tooth setter, and Band Roller, Kubota B26 TLB, Takeuchi TB260C

Dustin

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I watched Will take a cant off the mill with the turner, so I'm hoping not to spin it the wrong way. He did actually want to take it off. 

Magicman, when I get to your age, if the business part doesn't work out I will have a really great machine to keep me busy. I'm young enough to pay for it now and look forward to finding jobs to keep me busy. 
Richardson Sawmill
'20 Wood-Mizer LT50HD Wide
Husqvarna 390XP and 450 chainsaws

Just getting started but already know I have an addiction problem.

retengr

Congrats on your new mill!  I'm waiting for a new one to be delivered, hopefully in a couple of weeks.

A friend of mine, Howard Ludwig, used to live on a farm just outside Larrabee.  I visited him a couple of times there, back in the early '70's



Retengr

Dustin

Retengr, I never knew of Howard, but the Ludwig family is still around. What mill are you getting? 
Richardson Sawmill
'20 Wood-Mizer LT50HD Wide
Husqvarna 390XP and 450 chainsaws

Just getting started but already know I have an addiction problem.

Dustin

Thought I would give you guys an update on how the sawing has been going. The first two logs were honey locust. Milled some 4/4, 6/4, and 8/4 out of them.

The first board I cut by myself came out looking like a bowling pin. The kids thought it was really cool. 


I didn't do to bad on the first log. It was slow going. Getting AccuSet 2 to do what I'm thinking in my head is another thing. 





The next day we started with a small log. I wanted to know for myself that I could mill a log this small if someone asked. You can see it in the first picture on the top. I'm unsure what kind it was, but I'm guessing it was maybe a pear tree. 


Can anyone tell what it is?


The neighbor had an elm tree taken down 5 years ago, maybe more than that, that I had been holding onto. This was the fourth log on the mill, and the first time I made a bad cut. I forgot the toe roller was up! I made a 12 ft long 5 in wedge. Man did I let myself have it, but I'm sure it won't be the last time it ever happens. 


I saved the best log for last. A 10 ft walnut with a 30 in crotch. I managed to cut it all 8/4 and was fairly consistent from one end to the other. 


The wife really likes it. 


The feather pattern was really nice. A few had bark inclusion but not terrible. 
Richardson Sawmill
'20 Wood-Mizer LT50HD Wide
Husqvarna 390XP and 450 chainsaws

Just getting started but already know I have an addiction problem.

WV Sawmiller

   Wow! I did not know you could make a long wedge on a sawmill. ;) I don't think any of us have ever done that. :D :D

   Pretty wood. I am glad you are having fun. Stay safe.
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

Very nice but is also looks like you hit something and dinged a tooth.  The sawmill will always do what you tell it to do whether toe boards, AccuSet, side supports, or anything else.

Now add the sawmill to your profile so that we will remember.
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

Dustin

Good eye Magicman! I also got to experience my first nail strike. I hit the tip of it and finished the cut. I didn't think the cut was to bad so kept using it. Do I need to raise my standards? Do you guys let a customer decide if the blade should be changed out after a nail strike, if the cut isn't bad?
Richardson Sawmill
'20 Wood-Mizer LT50HD Wide
Husqvarna 390XP and 450 chainsaws

Just getting started but already know I have an addiction problem.

Magicman

Anything other than a smooth cut is too bad.  I always change the blade after a metal strike.

And, thanks for the profile update.  :)
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

Nebraska

 Dustin....Save your first board and put it some where safe. Mine is screwed onto the wall of my mill shed with my family's  brand on it. I know it's just a board made out of a locust firewood log but it was special to me.

Dustin

I wasn't planning on saving the board shaped like a bowling pin. I was going to save the board after, but the kids liked it so much. I was thinking of putting something on it and hanging it in the garage. 
Richardson Sawmill
'20 Wood-Mizer LT50HD Wide
Husqvarna 390XP and 450 chainsaws

Just getting started but already know I have an addiction problem.

Nebraska

You could mount a bottle opener on  it with a little cap catching box, then it's functional and it has story connected to the sawdust addiction.

boonesyard

Dustin,

Congratulations to you on your mill and your new venture. I started with mine just 2 years ago with a plan to take my time and enjoy the ride. Things changed rapidly as people find out you have a mill, more equipment is added, and all of the sudden there's not enough hours in the day. I know you will find your niche and learn everything you can here from all of these great folks on this forum. Enjoy! 
LT50 wide
Riehl Steel Edger
iDRY Standard kiln
BMS 250/BMT 250
JD 4520 w/FEL
Cat TH255 Telehandler
lots of support equipment and not enough time

"I ain't here for a long time, I'm here for a good time"

Dustin

It's been awhile since I updated my adventure with the new mill. This walnut log I milled as a practice log, I was able to sell the whole thing. A contractor came and bought all the boards. I don't want to be in the lumber selling business, but it generated some money. 



My first job was this pile of walnut that the customer thought was there for at least 11 years. Not going to lie, mistakes were made, but nothing I wasn't able to work through. 



Most was cut 4/4 but there was also some 1/2 inch.



The last job was the biggest one. It took me 10 hours, was 10 Ash logs, a spalted Silver Maple, and one Pine. The Pine was the longest and biggest log on the mill so far. I didn't take many pictures, but the customers brother was taking lots of videos and drone footage. 







I wish the jobs would come in quicker, but I know the word is spreading. I get the inquiries, but just need them to schedule a time. All in all it's going good so far. I'm set up to saw another walnut log tomorrow that I got from a tree service. I'm going to cut it at 12/4 and see if it will sell just as quick as the first one. 
Richardson Sawmill
'20 Wood-Mizer LT50HD Wide
Husqvarna 390XP and 450 chainsaws

Just getting started but already know I have an addiction problem.

Dustin

The sawmill got it's first taste at hard metal. The job yesterday was some pine logs to be cut into 2 by material for use around a cattle farm. I didn't even get a full board cut before I hit a chain and we cut the end of the log off. There was no indication on the end of this log that there was metal in it. 



I flipped the log over and started cutting with a new blade. Halfway through the cut, I hit another nail and yet another after that. By this time we were almost to the end of the log. The customer wanted to try finishing the cut before cutting off the board. He was already paying for the blade, so why not.  Opened up the kerf and fired up the mill. Then it all came to a screeching halt a foot from the end. I'm not sure what it hit, but it destroyed the blade and popped it off. The log came off the mill and was destined for the burn pile. Does anyone else try to finish the cut after hitting nails?



The next couple of logs yielded some nice boards and no more metal. 



I didn't even leave much sawdust for them to clean up. 


 
Richardson Sawmill
'20 Wood-Mizer LT50HD Wide
Husqvarna 390XP and 450 chainsaws

Just getting started but already know I have an addiction problem.

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