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My Sawmill Journey..

Started by gump, April 25, 2018, 03:46:46 AM

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gump

I thought i would share my experience in setting up my new LT15 mill. As it turns out, setting up will take a little longer than anticipated! I still work full time and only have weekends to work on the woodlot sigh!
I picked out the spot for the mill and for the most part cleared it this winter. I was able to bring in my excavator this past week end to start grubbing and preparing the base. WELL... My excavator is way to small, but it is all I have and will get the job done but not as fast as I hoped.  


 

 
Site mostly cleared and brush burned this past winter.
This is what I found once I started grubbing. The soil profile is essential a very thick "duff" layer followed by large surface bolders of mainly granite which sit on top of a pure grey clay layer!! YUK.  Not great scratching for my little girl because of the volume of material I will have to move. SO.. I am removing the duff, bolders and clay layers. Below that is still clay but it does have some gravel with it which will make for a much better base for my mill site. I decided that no sense it just grubbing off and slapping up the mill. I will need a good base as I will be moving a lot of material over the years with trucks, skidder,tractor etc.. So a good solid base is important.  

 

Surface bolders!!
I decided to dig a trench on the upper side of the mill site to obtain material for the base and at the same time find a place for most of these rocks. It will act like a "french drain" and hopefully keep my mill site dry.


 

Now I am digging a bit deeper to find more material and burry grubbings and rock. The problem being is that I want that spot removed from the mill site which just means more time to move material.
This is essentially what i got accomplished this past week end. I had greater expectations but once I started digging I realized it was going to be I longer process than I thought. A bigger excavator would be better, but I just don't want to spend the extra money in bringing one in when I have my own small one...It will just take more time.


 
Until next week end.....


47sawdust

Slow and steady will get it done.I have places on my property that are as challenging as that.Sometimes it's hard to even get started.
Mick
1997 WM Lt30 1999 WM twin blade edger Kubota L3750 Tajfun winchGood Health Work is my hobby.

Ga Mtn Man

Lordy, I thought I had rock troubles.  Mine are small taters compared to those!  Keep at it, you're making good progress.
"If the women don't find you handsome they should at least find you handy." - Red Green


2012 LT40HDG29 with "Superized" hydraulics,  2 LogRite cant hooks, home-built log arch.

Magicman

You have a good plan and I think that you did very well.  :)
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

Rjwassink67

Great work, keep plugging away.  I will just have to sit back and watch until I get a chance to do the same.  It will be at least 5 years until then.  So I watch and learn from all of you until then.  Thanks for the project and look forward to your progress!

gump

Not much of a weekend this trip! Rain,rain rain. Brought excavator in decided to start building access road to mill site (approx 500 feet). I worked away most of Saturday until I blew a hydraulic hose on excavator! Bummer as it is a 3 hour drive to get a hose made up (CAT fittings!!) and everything shut down on Sunday! So I'll get the hose then have to come back to get machine to bring it back to work for the week..Way disappointed. So then what to do.....

 

 

thecfarm

The dog and fishing pole looks good.
Look like you are gaining. I have rocks too!!!  But looks like you only have a layer. That last picture,with the water in the back ground, looks good. I would have to bring dirt in to get it with no rocks. I have some I have no idea how big they are. Some people ask me why I don't bury the rocks,like you are. You just found more!!! It never stops. We had to blast for the foundation of the house.  I have a place that I get dirt from,that I use to fill in the rock holes that I dig out of the grown up pasture. The last layer,when I fill the rock holes in,I park the loader by the hole and I pick through the dirt to get the rocks out.
Good luck with the mill. You will like sawing.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

gump

 

 

 

 

PAINFULLY SLOW Progress!! 
Mill is still in my yard at home wrapped up the way I picked it up!  Work this year has been unprecedented busy (which is a good thing!), but takes away time from working on this project since excavator is tied up. Before I set up the mill I want to ensure I have plenty of room initially to store lumber and pile down a few logs with room to move around with equipment. Because it is taking so long I have decided to get a descent area to begin with and then expand at a later time. 

btulloh

Slow progress is still progress though.  Seems to be the way of things this summer.  Interesting to watch though, no matter the pace of progress.  

Looks like you're in an area with a lot of bank gravel.  Really big gravel. 
HM126

gump

 

 

 

 SO.... I got the area all grubbed and levelled off. All last fall we had extremely wet weather, every single weekend it poured down rain in epic proportions. Then the freeze cam and I was unable to pour my concrete footings for my building. Finally this spring I was able to get my concrete footings poured for the building. I decided on a 24' x 16' building for the sawmill. I poured 12" sono tubes with saddle plates embedded in  the concrete. 
Originally I was going to sit the mill on a bed of clear stone and use timbers anchored in the ground by drifting rebar down several feet. After careful consideration I decided to pour a concrete pad with anchor bolts to place 8"x8" timbers and will the run 6"x6" beneath the bed rails of the mill raise it up. Finally got the concrete poured and timber "sleepers" in place. Finally it seems as though I made some progress.

Magicman

Good job, this will be exciting to watch !!   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

Dana Stanley

You could build a small castle with all those stones! I think your doing awesome with that small machine, and all those boulders. Did you bring in any dirt, or is it all from the site?
Making Sawdust, boards and signs.
Woodland Mills HM-126
Kabota B-7800 with backhoe and loader
Ford Ranger, Husqvarna 455 20", Mac 610 24", other chainsaws 14", 23 ton log splitter
Matthew 3:10

Hilltop366

When I think of the limitations of the old backhoe or tractor I will usually follow up with "it's way better than a pick and shovel".


gump

Dana,
all the material came from the site. I will truck in extra material to enlarge my "mill yard" but just from a gravel pit on my land.

Crossroads

Looks good, keep at it and you'll be icing sawdust in no time. 
With the right fulcrum and enough leverage, you can move the world!

2017 LT40 wide, BMS250 and BMT250,036 stihl, 2001 Dodge 3500 5.9 Cummins, l8000 Ford dump truck, hr16 Terex excavator, Valley je 2x24 edger, Gehl ctl65 skid steer, JD350c dozer

RAYAR

Nice looking set-up you have going there.

Ray
mobile manual mill (custom build) (mods & additions on-going)
Custom built auto band sharpener (currently under mods)
Husqvarna 50, 61, 254XP (and others)
96 Polaris Sportsman 500
2006 Ranger 4X2 w/cap, manual trans (430,000 Km)

TimW

Gump,
What mill did you buy?
hugs,  Brandi
Mahindra 6520 4WD with loader/backhoe and a Caterpiller E70 Excavator.  My mill is a Woodmizer LT40HD Wide 35hp Yanmar Diesel. An old Lull 644D-34 called Bull

gump


terrifictimbersllc

Quote from: gump on April 25, 2018, 03:46:46 AMMy excavator is way to small
I wish I had an excavator that was way too small....:D
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

gump

Moving Day!!! Woot Woot. Finally getting to move the mill from my yard to the woodlot! It has been sitting in the original shipping wrap in my yard for the last year!!!, & this weekend I finally get to move it. 

 
I added the 6x6 rails last weekend and secured them to the 8x8 timbers. I think this will be a good working height.. 

 

47sawdust

Gump,
You sure do good work.
Mick
1997 WM Lt30 1999 WM twin blade edger Kubota L3750 Tajfun winchGood Health Work is my hobby.

thecfarm

As you are,looking forward to seeing some orange metal on that wood. ;D
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

gump

The Eagle has landed!  Not too bad to set up about 4-5 hours. I actually got to saw a few logs!! Super excited. Let the journey begin. I have a lot of learning to do, can't wait to become more proficient at this.

 

  

Magicman

Now that is a very nice and professionally done setup.  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

gump

Thanks guys. Now I need a shelter overhead and more yard space! I already have some dried logs that I can use to build with, so hopefully building can be errected before the heavy rains this fall.

WDH

Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

RAYAR

That's a real nice set-up you have so far.
mobile manual mill (custom build) (mods & additions on-going)
Custom built auto band sharpener (currently under mods)
Husqvarna 50, 61, 254XP (and others)
96 Polaris Sportsman 500
2006 Ranger 4X2 w/cap, manual trans (430,000 Km)

jbjbuild

Great setup! Beautiful area!
Woodmizer LT35HD, John Deere 790, Logrite Cant Hook

gump

Live deck installed. Railway ties buried as posts. 6x6 for rails, hinged at mill.

 

Bandmill Bandit

That is a nice setup with a very nice infeed deck BUT to be a "live" deck it would need chains and a drive system to move the logs to the mill without you touching them other than to load the deck with fresh logs.

I use that setup fairly regular and call it a log rollway.   
Skilled Master Sawyer. "Skilled labour don't come cheap. Cheap labour dont come skilled!
2018 F150 FX4, Husqvarna 340, 2 Logright 36 inch cant hooks and a bunch of stuff I built myself

78NHTFY

Nice set up!  Only time that deck is alive is when you stack 'em high (to save time?) and they start rollin' on ya. :o :o.  Don't do what I did & you'll be fine  :D :D.  Look forward to sawing pics.  All the best, Rob.
If you have time, you win....

RAYAR

That sure looks like a nicely done set-up.
mobile manual mill (custom build) (mods & additions on-going)
Custom built auto band sharpener (currently under mods)
Husqvarna 50, 61, 254XP (and others)
96 Polaris Sportsman 500
2006 Ranger 4X2 w/cap, manual trans (430,000 Km)

mart

I like it. I'm planning a very similar arrangement for my new LT15. I don't think I'll do the log deck as I'll load the mill with pallet forks on my tractor. Do you have the mill anchored to the 6x6's in any fashion?
I was young and dumb once. I got over being young a long time ago.

LT15 w/19 hp - 24' bed
Branson 3725
Stihl MS362
Husqvarna 450

thecfarm

I myself load onto a deck like that. Than I roll the logs onto the mill. That way no opps from the tractor. ;D
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Quebecnewf

I have a log deck the same as yours . If I were doing a new one I would have a slight incline on the deck towards the mill , say 5deg. Or so . I think just this little tweak will make a big difference over time . I have to roll my logs by hand up a ramp to the deck so for me this would mean rebuilding the whole deck . If I were loading by machine I would spike on a tapered 5x5 just to try it but I'm almost sure it would be better. Something to think about

Quebecnewf 

Hilltop366

Quebecnewf could you still put a tapered 5x5 on there and cut the ramp end at the ramp angle or less?

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