Just bought a portable mill - any beginner tips?

[Rahworks]

Hi all. I don't come here too often but have learned so much when I do. I just bought the Woodland Mill HM126 with an extension.  Not even set up yet. Arriving this week. I've watched all the videos about set up so I'm ok there.
Any beginner pro tips on milling my first few logs?  Do's and Don'ts?  I have mixed lumber. White pine, Spruce, Maple, birch, cedar, poplar, ironwood. 

[chet]

First things first. With a brand new
band installed, fire dat mill up and proceed ta run da blade into a log support. That way it won't be as traumatic da next time ya do it.  just kidding   :D :D
The biggest mistake I made with my new mill, was to practice with my nicest and most beautiful logs. Later on I was wishing I had them logs back ta do them over.  :-\

[Rahworks]

Great point (the second one, not the first one.) 
I have a bunch of downed cedar that I care less about than the white pine so I thought about running some smaller 10-12 inch logs through first to see how close I could come to the log support.  :wink:

[WV Sawmiller]

  I would suggest you start here on the beginning of this thread and read everything you can about sawing and milling. There will be very few questions you can come up with that aren't covered here somewhere, many have been addressed many times so use the search feature if you have specific questions.

   Congratulations and welcome to the FF.

[Patrick NC]

Great point (the second one, not the first one.)  
I have a bunch of downed cedar that I care less about than the white pine so I thought about running some smaller 10-12 inch logs through first to see how close I could come to the log support.  :wink:

Around here I can sell cedar for 4 or 5x what white pine sells for, so maybe go find a nice sweet gum to practice on.😉

[Rahworks]

I have some poplar too and I've heard it twists and pops sometimes through the mill.  (learned that here) so maybe that's a good place to start.  Thanks

[WV Sawmiller]

  I'd suggest updating your profile so we know more about where you are and what kind of equipment you have. That will help us in commenting and answering any questions you may have. For example are you talking about tulip poplar or cottonwood or aspen or such that I think others refer to as poplar. Our tulip poplar is a very friendly wood to saw and well liked for a lot of purposes. It will sometimes have a little stress but I never had any that wanted to twist on me.

[Nebraska]

Why on earth would you want the aggravation that comes with a sawmill? ;) (Says the man who snuck out at noon to make one cut and turn the log.)

[Chuck White]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Rahworks!

[Rahworks]

 I'd suggest updating your profile so we know more about where you are and what kind of equipment you have. That will help us in commenting and answering any questions you may have. For example are you talking about tulip poplar or cottonwood or aspen or such that I think others refer to as poplar. Our tulip poplar is a very friendly wood to saw and well liked for a lot of purposes. It will sometimes have a little stress but I never had any that wanted to twist on me.

Just updated everything. Hope it gives enough info.  TY

[Bruno of NH]

Welcome
Have fun sawing

[Southside]

My tip would be to sell the mill immediately before you ever run it - then realize just how close to the abyss you came.... :D

[APope]

Welcome to the forum!

Start with low value wood and learn how to saw. Make something that you can use to set your mill on, lumber to dry or a log deck.

I milled some sweetgum into 12 x 12 timbers and made a log deck to set my logs onto before rolling them onto my manual mill.

[lazyflee]

I'm 6 weeks into my first mill. I would suggest to stay organized. Haven't started my mill in about a week. I've got stuff everywhere! Logs stacked all over, cutoffs piling up where I don't want them to, lumber stacked in different sizes and places, log ends rolling around, sawdust piles....you get the picture. Had to shut down and spend some time planning the yard, cleaning up, and finishing started projects. It's hard to quit the fun part of running the mill. Happy sawing!

[Brad_bb]

There are a lot of things you'll learn along the way.  And you have to learn them over a couple years as it would be too much to process all at once.  

Looks like that's a manual mill.  In that case, have a can of Johnson's paste wax at the mill.  I use it on my cross bars that the log sits on to reduce friction to help roll or slide the log easier.  

Learn how to level the pith of the log on the mill.  You want this if milling beams.  I level most of the time.  Over time, you'll get faster at this.

Know what you want out of the log before you cut it.  Depending on what you want, sometimes the log will dictate what it can be to some extent.  Have a plan though.  

Carry a tape measure that is right for you.  I like a 25ft bright green Komelon.  

Have some wedges available.  You can make them from wood, big ones for logs, and little bity ones for leveling a cant or board.

Get a Logrite cant hook.  I forget if my is 4 or 5 feet?

Get a bark spud since you don't have a de-barker.  Bark can dull bands really fast.  if you can peel the bark along the opening cut lines, you'll lengthen the life of your bands a lot.  Again, you'll get faster at this over time.

Get a good set of earmuffs to protect your hearing.  I use my shooting ones.  MSA Sorden Pro X electronic.  I also get the optional get ear pad inserts.  This is one area it's worth it to spend the money.  I take the battery out when milling.  I only install the battery when I go shooting.

[Rahworks]

There are a lot of things you'll learn along the way.  And you have to learn them over a couple years as it would be too much to process all at once.  

Looks like that's a manual mill.  In that case, have a can of Johnson's paste wax at the mill.  I use it on my cross bars that the log sits on to reduce friction to help roll or slide the log easier.  

Learn how to level the pith of the log on the mill.  You want this if milling beams.  I level most of the time.  Over time, you'll get faster at this.

Know what you want out of the log before you cut it.  Depending on what you want, sometimes the log will dictate what it can be to some extent.  Have a plan though.  

Carry a tape measure that is right for you.  I like a 25ft bright green Komelon.  

Have some wedges available.  You can make them from wood, big ones for logs, and little bity ones for leveling a cant or board.

Get a Logrite cant hook.  I forget if my is 4 or 5 feet?

Get a bark spud since you don't have a de-barker.  Bark can dull bands really fast.  if you can peel the bark along the opening cut lines, you'll lengthen the life of your bands a lot.  Again, you'll get faster at this over time.

Get a good set of earmuffs to protect your hearing.  I use my shooting ones.  MSA Sorden Pro X electronic.  I also get the optional get ear pad inserts.  This is one area it's worth it to spend the money.  I take the battery out when milling.  I only install the battery when I go shooting.

Wax, never heard of doing that.  Will do
Levelling - I'll work on it
Plan - Check
Tape - Check
Wedges - Check
Cant Hook - check
Debarking - never would have thought of it, great tip
PPE - check
Great info Brad.  Thank you

[Stephen1]

Just updated everything. Hope it gives enough info.  TY

Welcome to the FF . Ontario is a large place. We could be neighbours.

[Rahworks]

Just updated everything. Hope it gives enough info.  TY

Welcome to the FF . Ontario is a large place. We could be neighbours.

hmmmm  Just west of Ottawa.  Thought that was in there. I'll go fix it.  8-)

[Gere Flewelling]

I haven't heard of anyone else doing this and some may think it's a waste of time, but I keep a short piece of 2x4 handy (usually on the ground) near the walking side of the mill and a 4' driveway marker that I mark off each slab at 4' or so and then lift the slab up enough to slide the 2x4 under.  I have an electric chainsaw that I use to cut each slab before I take it off the log.  The one thing that gives me back trouble is slabs that are more than 4' long.  I keep a 4 wheeler and 4' trailer near the head of the mill so I can load the slabs right off the mill onto the trailer.  I stack them away from the mill to turn into camp fire wood or fire wood for the house at a later date.  There is enough things to stumble over around a manual mill. You don't need slabs on the ground to make it worse.  Also stop sawing when the sun goes down.  The first day with my new mill, I just wanted to keep on sawing as I was having such a good time. It got dark and the first thing I knew, I returned the carriage without lifting the blade and pulled the spinning blade right off in an instant.  I would like to say I only had to do that once to learn my lesson.  It took several repeats to finally figure it out.  The blade guards have permanent marks to remind me of those times I tried to saw when visibility was not good enough.  Lots of other things to learn, but Those are a couple of mine.  Good luck, you will be addicted in no time at all.

[SawyerTed]

My tip would be to sell the mill immediately before you ever run it - then realize just how close to the abyss you came.... :D

This advice could have come from one of the many of us in the abyss.
Welcome and congratulations on the new mill!

[Rahworks]

My tip would be to sell the mill immediately before you ever run it - then realize just how close to the abyss you came.... :D

This advice could have come from one of the many of us in the abyss.
Welcome and congratulations on the new mill!

Thank You. I'm looking forward to the point of no return.  8-)  Right now, I'm just looking forward to getting it delivered, then not looking forward to the setting up, then looking forward to my first cut.  I think I have my priorities right.   :D

[Nebraska]

Buy a Gas powered leaf blower, one of the best things I've bought,  makes dealing with sawdust a breeze.  ;) Got enough chainsaws.....pretty sure you can't have too many.  Post pictures when it gets here.

[thecfarm]

I don't know if you will be moving your mill? I only saw for myself, so no trailer package for me. I hauled in 3 loads of gravel to level a place for the mill and to keep me out of the mud. I think a foot deep, that did it for me. Gave me plenty of room to put the mill on and have some room to stack some lumber.
What's the plan for the lumber?

[DanMc]

Nice mill!  I have the same one, with a track extension so it can do 16 feet.  

Count cranks!  Early on, I was using the ruler to determine the thickness of each cut, but then I realized that this could lead to some mistakes in the thickness of the cut wood.  So now I never use the ruler.  I've learned the number of cranks (I think it's 7, or is it 3 1/2?) to give me a board that's just over 1" thickness.  So as you're cutting down through your cant, you just do the number of cranks and every board comes out the same thickness.  I haven't run the mill for the past two summers, so it has been a while.  When I got it, I milled through everything I had, stacked it all up and got busy with other stuff.  

Stickers!  It's fun to mill through the first few logs, and then you have a pile of lumber that's not properly stacked.  Cut the stickers early on, so you don't have to go and restack  your pile of wood with proper spacing.  I cut 1" stickers, but have found that 1/2" is OK too.  I have a lot of airflow around my stacks.  

Get rid of the pith.  The pith is the very center of the log, which will lead to a lot of warping in your wood as it dries.  If you're going to mill beams, then just know that if the pith is in the beam, that you'll have a good amount of cracking as it dries.  You can see that in the legs in the workbench I built.

  

 

The biggest problem I have is getting consistent logs.  My stacks are a mishmash of all kinds of species of wood.  I have been wanting to stop a log truck that's carrying some beautiful cylindrical logs and beg the driver to head over to my place.  I still don't have a good supply of logs.  I've been milling whatever I happen to drop on our own land.  

[SawyerTed]

Don't practice on your best logs.  Try sawing some poplar or other logs that are relatively soft and consistent grained. You will create some designer firewood as you learn how freshly sawed and drying lumber behaves.

The waves in lumber cut on a bandsaw mill come from several reasons.   In no specific order - dull blade, build up on the blade, the drive belt may be loose, sawing speed is too fast. Little ridges on the lumber are different than waves. These may be caused by blade chatter or a tooth or teeth out of set.  Some stuff you will have to experience and diagnose to fully understand what your blades and mill are doing.

Free logs often aren't. Tree service logs are tempting but yard trees have disadvantages.  

Get a drywall knife to scrape sawdust off the boards. Sawdust will cause mold and staining.  Green stickers will stain lumber.

Remember that the operation of the mill is one piece of a big material handling project.  

Build a log deck.  

Always stack and sticker lumber properly.  

Don't skimp on eye protection, hearing protection, steel toe boots, tape measures, cant hooks.

+1 on a good handheld leaf blower.

I'm not sure what the capacity is of your mill, mine is a 32" diameter log.  That's a big log!  

You will saw into a piece of the mill, hit nails, screws, fence wire, lag screws, deer stand steps, wrenches, screwdrivers, garden hoses, fence insulators, and even a baby doll (it was gruesome :D).  Blades are consumable.  Figure out who to sharpen blades for you now.  

Speaking of blades, everyone has their preferences because everyone is dealing with their own variables.  You will have to find yours that works with your logs, mill hp and other expectations.  Reading up on blades is a good time filler until your mill arrives.

Maintenance and housekeeping are as important as sawing.

When word gets out, you can be as busy as you want to be.  

Keep things safe and fun!  If it looks sketchy or that little voice says " Um I don't know about this".  A little time to reassess is better than an injury or damaged equipment.  

[terrifictimbersllc]

Don't skimp on eye protection, hearing protection, steel toe boots, tape measures, cant hooks.

If you're right next to the engine when operating consider wearing double ear protection, foam plugs and hearing muffs.  I'd tell this also to any swing mill owner. 

Enjoy your new mill!  Exciting!

[Southside]

Whatever you do - don't buy any cows - you will spend all of your money on support equipment for the mill so you can put up buildings - that you make with your mill - for the cows, then decide you need more equipment to handle the logs you need for the buildings that the cows need, that need to be sawn on the mill - see it becomes a feedback loop and you will never be able to come back from that combination.   :D

[WV Sawmiller]

  Make a cheat sheet showing different board thicknesses and start on the appropriate mark when you turn the cant for the final time. Using this starting point every time means you will end on your mark every time instead of having a thick or thin dog board as your last board every time. This saves me an additional cut on almost every log.

[Patrick NC]

And if you are married figure out how to explain how weekends are for sawing and not honey do lists or recreation or any other normal things.  Saw life!😀

[Bandmill Bandit]

You will learn to "passively initiate ideas" that will "require" logs that need to be milled to "complete" the "honey doo" projects that "arise" from "important" pillow talk that inspires nocturnal dreams that will inspire epiphany moments of "honey doo" projects that will only be possible because you own a saw mill.
 
You'll get good at and she will enjoy it. She may even start to feel sorry for creating all this "hard work" for you on weekends and holidays.       

[97redjeep]

Whatever you do - don't buy any cows - you will spend all of your money on support equipment for the mill so you can put up buildings - that you make with your mill - for the cows, then decide you need more equipment to handle the logs you need for the buildings that the cows need, that need to be sawn on the mill - see it becomes a feedback loop and you will never be able to come back from that combination.   :D

 Just ordered a HM126 today..... to build a barn and shelter....for the cows I bought a week ago.... I hope I'm not past the point of no return 8D

[terrifictimbersllc]

You'll get good at and she will enjoy it. She may even start to feel sorry for creating all this "hard work" for you on weekends and holidays.

Invite her to help carry boards.  Once I served up a board to her that had half a mouse on it.  Win-Win. 

[Magicman]

And if you visit a fellow sawyer be sure to take the wife along.  ;D


 
That way both wives can be tailgunners. 


 
'Cause you will be too busy watching.  :P