LT 50 electric & morgan edger

[LOGDOG]

Yep ... I thought i remembered you guys in the Woodmizer Way/News waaaaayyyy back. I think I've got issues going back into at least the early, early 90's if not late 80's. I'd have to look. Even though they've come a long way, those old issues are special to me. Can't even tell you how many times I've read them. 

Working as hard as you two do, your hearts are probably in great shape. I hope things keep clipping along for you two.

[mikeb1079]

Al,

Very inspirational.  What I saw in the video was quality, class, and pride.  That is a hard combo to beat.

yep, i'll second that.

[Linda]

AL!  :-[  I can't believe you said that!  :-[  On second thought, yes I can.  :  I love my USA made Mossberg 20 gauge & I can't forget my precious Henry (He's USA made, too)!  8)  Besides good ole Henry 22 levergun can hit an 18" gong at 250 yards, open sights (me by his side, of course)!!! I love his walnut stock, too!  ;D

[Bibbyman]

I love to set and watch women work.

Here is a suggestion for your next video - maybe a "walk through" tour from in the gate with logs and out with lumber?

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I love to set and watch women work.

smiley_curtain_peek     Have you picked yourself up of the floor yet?  :D

[Linda]

Thanks EVERYONE for the really nice comments!!    And thanks for watching our videos!
Here's a link to one with our sons helping: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y57gnH-poZE

LogDog, The Spring 2006 Wood-Mizer Way article "One Board at a Time" was about our business. And yes, I not only grinned, I laughed out loud!  :D

WoodKiller, April 1993, was the beginning of our 20 year adventure.  We were portable until May 1996; Been stationary ever since & love it!

Tyb525, Ladylake, & Bandmill Bandit, In the beginning, we thought a longer building would have been better, not really anymore. Quite frequently I have to move from the edger out-feed straight to the bed of the mill. The 90 degree setup allows me to do this diagonally, which can save me hundreds of steps in a day (as opposed to walking the full length of the edger to the sawmill bed, plus the space in between, if they were inline). It really is a very manageable space, for the majority of logs. Though, more shop space would come in handy for really long lumber.

Larry, I loved the "Jolly Trolley" it helped me see the scale better.

Bibby, I'll have to think on that one awhile.  ;)

[Linda]

I hope I added that link correctly. If not....Sorry Jeff!  :-\

[LOGDOG]

I'm glad you got a kick out of it Linda. Someone that works as hard as you deserves a good compliment.  ;) You earned those muscles.

[customsawyer]

Nice video. I don't know if I could walk on that concrete all day as I have walked in sawdust so long my feet have gotten soft. ;D

[Norm]

Been busy and missed this thread darn it. I've had the pleasure of meeting Al a couple of times but never Linda. Great couple of down to earth Iowa folks that work as hard as anyone I know.

If we do get to meet sometime Linda I'm not arm wrestling you to see who pays the bar tab.  :D

[ElectricAl]

Hey Norm,

I know oh so well that if you miss a day you miss a lot here.
The average daily posts are in the 270 count.
That's a wee bit more than when we signed up.

I remember when there were 2 post and 8 reply's in one day, and that was a big deal.
Back then I did not have Spell Check and Jeff would correct my SEpliNlg .

Norm is a super swell guy from the great state of Iowa too.
He is also the owner of a rare LT30E25Super  with the Stationary Command Consol.


By the way Norm, we just picked up a new customer from your neck of the woods in Gifford.
Nice enough guy, but real picky.  He needed Quartersawn Red Oak to add some leafs to a $2500 table.

[Linda]

Norm,

Patty visited us years ago; Unfortunately you were unable to come with her. We had a really nice visit.



I promise not to ask you to arm wrestle!  :laugh: 

[Norm]

Thanks for the picture Linda. 

[customsawyer]

One thing that I do to help my edger operator is give him hand signals for the different width of each board. This keeps him from having to measure the board before feeding the edger. This will save the edger operator about 5 seconds per board. It don't sound like much but 5 seconds per board will add up at the end of the day. It looks something like this.



 

I also keep a lumber crayon on a retractable cord on my pocket. I use this to measure lengths and mark where to cut the board off at if it needs it. I don't have much else to do while I am running the mill so this keeps me a little more busy also. I do have brain cramps on occasion from trying to keep all of these numbers, plus the numbers of where the cant is at in my head.
I think you have a 1st class operation and the above suggestion is the only thing I noticed that might help take some of the load off of Linda.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Jake, looks like you have worn the padding off the end of your Logrite handle. 

[Bandmill Bandit]

Jake
I have been looking for on of those lumber crayon holders to put in a retractable cord. Can you tell us the brand name and where you found it please?

Thanks in advance.

[Dave Shepard]

Bailey's should have the crayon holder and the "keyback" I think they are called. I use the wooden holder, it's in my pants side pocket at all times.

http://www.baileysonline.com/category.asp?catid=154

[customsawyer]

I get mine from Home Depot. They are called pencil pulls. They are in the tool section next to the tape measures. The last ones I got all had half of a carpenter pencil in them. I have also bought them direct from the manufacture. If you google pencil pull it should bring up the company. The name of the company might be pull pal.

[Bibbyman]

I think ElectricAl and Linda work pretty much as Mary and I.   Typically I run the mill and Mary run the edger.  Of corse, we can both saw and edge and somethings switch.   But when we work together,  I generally saw and Mary edges.  I don't have to mark or measure as she does all that.   We do have an electric chainsaw right behind the dragback table and I'll often pick it up and trim an end. 

As with most things, Mary is methodical with her edging - taking a lot of measures.   I tend to shoot from the hip.  She can't stand it and takes over.

[Linda]

Bibbyman, You're right on!

Custom Sawyer, I find that having the board under the fence on the edger gives a better visual of the finished product, so I can get that extra 1/2" or 1/4" to make it "just right." That adds up in $ at the end of the day.

The thing that takes a load off Linda the best, is to have 1 or 2 helpers.  Notice the difference if you watch both videos.

[Bandmill Bandit]

Thanks for the info on he crayon holders. I got them at the Home Depot.

Question for customsawyer and or Linda

I see that you have the board return on you mill but are not using it.

Do you find that you just don't need it with the roller tables?

I was about to pull the trigger on ordering one for my mill so just thought I would ask.

Also wondering if you shut down the whole edger between boards or just the feed belts.

[Linda]

Bandmill Bandit,

When we ordered our new mill, we anticipated that the drop table for the board drag back might be in our way & it was. Also, the table (not adjustable) was lower than the bed rails, so when sawing long logs the end of the last board would be thick.

The board drag back was used a couple of times, just to see if it was worth using. In our application, the board lands in an inconvenient spot to use the roller track, making more work for the off-bearer.

The table has been removed & replaced with an auxiliary (swinging) bed rail.  ;)

Now, if you saw alone, it may be beneficial.

I think Bibbyman uses theirs frequently, he may have some feedback for you.

As for the edger, we leave it running & just shut off the feed belts. We had feed belt switches added to both ends of the edger, so we can start or stop the feed belt at either end. If only one person is sawing, the edger gets shut off while the sawyer turns the log & makes a couple of cuts.

[customsawyer]

Bandmill Bandit I use the drag back all of the time. But I have the room for the boards to land.
Linda I understand what you are saying. What works for one doesn't mean it will work for another.