My new sawmill adventure

sweetfarm · September 27, 2020, 01:46:43 PM

I made my first cuts with the drag back on the mill. All was going well until the blade cut out in the center of the log. This left a small slab on each end. I raised it several inches and proceeded to bring the head back to me at full speed. Part of the small slab had a knot which did not clear the drag back. It kicked the slab sideways knocking the blade off and kicking the carriage off the wheels. It completely bent the blade also.

I am assuming that this is destroyed?
Can it be straightened?
This is the first blade I have bent.
My second question is this; how far should the drag back hang below the blade?
I cant find any information on this in the manual and it was off the mill when I bought it.
I am getting my education with this mill by doing everything wrong and learning (hopefully) from my mistakes!

sweetfarm · September 27, 2020, 03:49:33 PM

The forestry forum is wealth of knowledge!
I found the answer to both of my questions but, if you have any insight please feel free to reply as I am always learning!

sweetfarm · October 02, 2020, 09:57:56 PM

We did it! We completed a day of sawing without destroying a blade!
That sounds ridiculous, but I am calling it a win!
Yesterday I was staring at the clamp on the final cut and ran the blade into one of the dogs; which I managed to not have all the way down.
Sparks flew everywhere and it made a horrendous noise!
I am pretty sure that blade is trash since almost all the teeth are gone

Education can be expensive!

sweetfarm · October 13, 2020, 09:19:13 PM

Finally getting to some decent logs. The last pile was just small crooked trees from clearing the back yard.

The phone has been ringing for wood deliveries so we just cut up all the useless ones into firewood.

There is a red oak on the mill and,
the deck is now stacked with some cherry that we saved and an awesome shag bark hickory!
There is a 2nd hickory that we are going to cut that someone started cutting. It has huge wedge cut out of the base already!
Oh, and there are several holes with squirrels living in them! I can't wait to see the figure inside that one!

Patrick NC · October 14, 2020, 06:02:49 AM

Looks like a pretty nice setup you have there.

sweetfarm · October 27, 2020, 12:11:15 AM

It's working for now but, I am already thinking I need a building!
I will need to work on that next 😁

TimW · October 30, 2020, 10:55:02 PM

These are built just up the road from me. I wanted one back back in early 2018. They were only making the LM1 at the time. So I went with a Woodmizer. Good find!
hugs, Brandi