I builder remodeler company project manager called me a couple of weeks ago, asking me to come back to a job site where I milled up some pine logs for sheathing for repairing a barn again.
I went over there and did a log inventory as best I could of their pile of red pine and white pine logs.
There were more in the pile that I couldn't measure being that the shorter ones were on the bottom and the long ones on top.
They had some 18', 20' and 22' red pine logs on top.
I asked what were they going to need for lumber out of the pile. He told me all boards.
I explained to him that I couldn't cut boards, on site, out of 22' logs as the mill is only 16' long. And that we'd have to cut these long logs in half or so, in order to make them shorter to mill on site and get some nice boards out of them.
The timber framer saw the log pile and as they are going to frame up an addition or porch or both for the old farm house they decided that I should mill these into timbers for the future timber frame.
The provided me with a stock list. It included 7x7 post, 7x7 girts, 7x7 plates, 7x9 tie beams, 3x4 studs, and 3x5 braces. What the stock list didn't have was any lengths to any of these frame parts. I explained to the project manager that I needed to know the lengths they needed.
They didn't have the lengths, and wanted me to bring my bed extension and just saw up what was there full length and make boards out of the rest of the lumber.
When I arrived last Friday with my bed extension on my flat bed trailer, I met with the owner who I knew, and asked her: "who made up this stock list?"
She said: "why?" I said because I needed to talk to him as it was incomplete.
She introduced me to the guy as he was there on site as they just tore down the old addition from the side of the farm house.
I explained to him that I needed the lengths of the timbers in order to fill his order.
He explained to me that the addition had not be designed yet. And that they didn't have the lengths. They didn't know if the gable end was going this way or that way. I questioned him repeatedly that I needed lengths. We did narrow down the lengths of the braces and the studs but that was it.
As the studs were 10' I suggested that the post could also be 10' as they should be the length of the studs.
He wanted long posts as they didn't know the design, yet, and they wanted to get the most out of the logs that were there.
So, Monday morning I set up the mill and bed extension and started sawing.
I explained to the project manager that I was going to need some heavy equipment to be on site while I was there to lift off the timbers from the mill as I couldn't carry them away by hand.
The owner said she had a set of forks for one of her tractors and that she'd put them on and make it available for me to use.
I asked her if she wasn't on site would I be able to use her tractor to lift them off, and she said yes.
Here is a picture of the nice tractor they left me to use:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5119.JPG)
Here is the farm and the barn that they have already rebuilt and restored:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5117.JPG)
The rebuilt and restored the carriage shed also shown in the picture.
Here is my set up for milling long logs on site:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5113.JPG)
And some of the long timbers and boards:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5120.JPG)
I had marked the ends of the logs with red lumber crayon as I did the log inventory and then they painted the ends of the logs with red paint.
I don't completely understand why the painted the ends of the logs with different color paint but the painted the red pine logs red and the white pine logs black.
I believe she wants to stack the boards on stickers by type and I think she thought this would make it easier for them to sort.
Sawing long logs from a pile can be a challenge if you don't get them rolled up to the loader arms on center.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5126.JPG)
Here you can see as I was trying to load a 22' log the weight was off center and the butt end rose up and it was a problem.
I had my logging choker cable with me and a chain so I hooked it up to the front of my truck and pulled it to balance so that I could load it.
While loading a long one yesterday, I saw this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5131.JPG)
Four nails head, colored red with my lumber crayon.
It was great for me to find this up front, as I have already sawn off two nails on this job.
I just thought I'd share this with you.
Thanks for reading it.
Jim Rogers
Thanks for posting Jim. Did they remove the addition recently, or was it already off when we were all there last spring?
Hey Jim. Well you handled that cool headed. It would have been nice to have a driver for the tractor for things just like loading that log. But my hat is off to you. Nice clean line timbers. The tractor wouldn't load the logs directly to the mill?
Sure says me time. Stay safe. Chuck
Looks like a very nice job even with the obstacles. It will be interesting to follow your progress. :)
Well, MM you saved the day again today.
I had this large white pine with big stub branches sticking out of it and I couldn't roll it over to the mill loader arms.
So, I used the MM chain hooked to the clamp trick. I attached my choker cable and rolled the hitch point around to the back side underneath and then hooked the chain onto the clamp. Moved the clamp to the full closed position and rolled the log over.
Shortened up the chain and did it again. I had visions of the mill sliding sideways towards the pile but that bit old knobby pine log rolled right up to the loader arms and away she went.
What a great trick. I'm sure I'll use it again.
I suppose I could have parked the mill on the other side of the yard and then used the forks to move each log onto the arms but I didn't so I have to deal with it they way I have it.
Here is a picture of the slab pile, much larger after today:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5122.JPG)
And here is my work bench for my tools and clip board:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5125.JPG)
I don't know how the weather has been in your area, but it's been windy here for a week or more.
It's so windy when I stand up a board to edge it the wind blows it over.
I spread out some sawdust to make a nice soft carpet to walk on and the wind blew it all away. I hate when that happens.
I sawed without my white bucket hanging on the hook to make up a new carpet layer and the wind was blowing the sawdust away so fast I couldn't build up another layer.
I had a great day sawing today. No nails.... Yea.....
Thanks for all your comments.
They tore down the porch or addition last Friday when I was there they were just finishing up loading up the dumpster.
The owner and her chore boy were suppose to be there while I was working to help move the beams and stack the lumber.
The project manger told me Tuesday morning that she's out of town. I guess her mother is near death and she has gone to be with her for a while.
That's a tough thing to have to go through.
It's kind of nice working alone, you don't have to worry about anyone else.
There were two workers at the farm house today, making more repairs. So they can see me and I can see them but we haven't spoken since last Friday.
Oh, yea, one day I guess it was Monday, he drove over to ask if I wanted coffee as he was going out to get some. I don't drink coffee so I told him thanks but no thanks.
Yesterday there wasn't anyone there but me. And the wind......
Jim Rogers.
PS. I'll take some more pictures tomorrow so you can see how the timber pile has grown and the log pile has shrank.
Jim...the coffee question was just his way of being curious about you and your mill.
I would have done the same thing.
Might not ever seen a good mill and operator before.
He will probably come back with a soda next time.
Who knows, he might become another good customer.
Nice looking job there.
Regards Chris
Jim, you are very welcome. I hope that some day we can meet and maybe eat some Roasted Pig together. digin_2 digin_2
Looks like you'll be busy for a couple days. Where did you get that blue water jug? Do you have the old style attachment for your extension? I had the old style with my old mill but when I got my new mill I got the new style (I guess it's still the new style), it sure makes alignment a lot easier.
Jim, I looked back at our conversation about the end tongs. You catch on fast because it was only two weeks ago. :D
Seriously, I use the Magichook on virtually every job that I saw. Sometimes even to move a log after it is on the sawmill. I'll raise the roller toe boards and use the side support to roll it one way or the other.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20011/2410/DSCN0248.JPG)
This is a 20½, and they have to be just right.
Jim,
Looks like you are set up nice.
Hi Jim,
Love the tractor, were you able to use it? Was it as good as it looks?
Mike Rat
Where can I learn some of these hook tricks for moving logs . Jim please keep posting your progress for this job . I have a timber frame job I want to build at my place . The boards your cutting now are you kiln or air drying your timber .
Jim asked the question in Reply #48 in this topic. LINK (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,57097.40.html) and also look at THIS (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,38800.msg558950.html#msg558950).
Jim, It looks like a nice job to be on, It also looks just like the job we are doing right now,down to the same color and style of tractor.(sawing for a timber frame garage). Tim
MM you never stop amazing me with your methods.
I would call it Yankee ingenuity but I wouldn't want to insult you and call you a "Yankee".... being from the south and all :D
I bent my tie rod doing things like that and I wouldn't want to bend it again.
With my older mill the hydraulic box has the handles on the side. I'll take a picture today, and post it later on.
But I use a peavy from Logrite to move my logs down the mill to get them into a position so that the blade can drop down behind the log or exit the log on the other end.
On the end near the hitch, I put the point of the peavy into the slot where the handle are and use that to pry against to move the log.
As I said I'll take a picture later today.
Jim Rogers
PS. I'll answer the other questions later.
Here is the timber pile before todays milling.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5134.JPG)
Here is the log pile before today's milling:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5135.JPG)
The growing slab pile:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5136.JPG)
Here is a picture of a log on the table but way to far down towards the hitch.
I had to load it here to make it balance on the loader arms.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5141.JPG)
Here it is from the other side:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5142.JPG)
The mill head is backed up as far back as it will go. The blade about lines up with the right hand end of the hydraulic box, and/or the bolt that holds the cover on.
There used to be a black strip on the bed but it got rubbed off many years ago.
So this is how I move it forward.
First I lift it up with the bed's toe board rollers.
Then I get "big blue" and hook onto the handle:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5144.JPG)
It usually rolls pretty easily.
Then I move the point up a few notches:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5145.JPG)
And pretty soon I can hook onto the back side of the hydraulic box and then lower it down.
When I'm done it like this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5146.JPG)
Now to answer some questions.
The blue water jug I got from my partner in the timber framing tools business. He got it from where he used to work before he retired.
Yes, I have the old style attachment for the bed extension. What a pain to get it to line up every time you set it up.
Mike, I have used that tractor with the forks to move every timber off the mill. It is a nice machine except that the roll back function of the bucket control doesn't seem to work quite right. I took the cover off to see if I could adjust it to make it work better but there is no adjustment in the linkage. So I have to deal with it as I can.
These aren't my logs or lumber. The customer will be sticking the lumber to be air dried for their future projects. I don't believe they will kiln dry anything, but I'm not sure. There is one oak log in the pile and a couple of older maple logs and I don't know what they're going to do with them yet. I haven't heard. The customer is suppose to be returning from PA today. But I didn't see her.
I walked up to the farm house to talk to the carpenters and see what they were up to.
The were working on taking some boards off the back side of the farm house so that they could but some tyvek paper on the open wall:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5140.JPG)
While I was up there, I stepped into the barn to get some shots of the wood that I milled up for them last time I was there.
They used some of the lumber for sheathing but the photo is really dark.
They used some of the lumber to make sides for the stairway going up to the hay loft:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095%3Cbr%20/%3E/DSCF5139.JPG)
Someone cut out a nice profile of the farmer on her tractor:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5137.JPG)
I have a very slow day today.
I did hit two nails in two different logs.
I am scanning all logs now for nails and other hardware.
Sawed through something that I thought was a white insulator but it was white plastic. Probably the back end of a reflector or something like that.
Jim Rogers
Those are some handy dandy pry points. I stick my peavey point into every crevice that I can find.
I see heart check in the log end. It would be highly unusual to see that in our SYP.
MM:
I don't know how long these have been down but most of them have some end checks for sure. The red pine that is.
The white pines look better on the ends.
Jim Rogers
Here is a picture of the white plastic thing I sawed in half:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5147.JPG)
Here is some more:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5149.JPG)
The horizontal board is the one that I pulled four nails out of. The vertical board is one that I hit one nail in the same day I cut the white plastic thing in half.
Here are the last nine logs of the pile:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5152.JPG)
Here is the last timber from today, on the roller toe boards ready to be picked up by the forks on the front of the tractor:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5150.JPG)
Here I am lifting it off with the forks:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5153.JPG)
Here it is on the forks:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5154.JPG)
Here is the mill ready for rain at the end of the day today.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5155.JPG)
The customer showed up today, back from PA. And was pleased with my progress.
She and her helper will start stacking and sticking lumber on Monday, pending rain....
Jim Rogers
I am getting down to the bottom or back of the pile now.
And found this treasure in middle of it:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5163.JPG)
Complete with big branch nubs sticking out to make it impossible to roll over.
I had to use the tractor and lift it up enough to chain saw them off.
The problem is there isn't enough room for the tractor to turn in behind the mill.
So once again I had to use the Magicman chain on clamp method to get it rolled up enough to flip it on with my "big blue" peavy.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5164.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5165.JPG)
But once I got it flipped over and on the loader arms I could get it up and onto the bed rails.
And I have sawn it up.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5167.JPG)
How do you guys handle such a treasure?
I made boards out of all of it. And some of them weren't the best for sure.
Jim Rogers
Jim, Was there a reason to cut the log with the crotch still on it? Seems that there was a 10' clear log before the crotch, Why not just cut the crotch off and go with a clear log. Tim
Jim
Could you kindly put a pic up (if you can find the time) or send me of the saw dust shoot on your WM I am guessing that is a 45 degree
PVC? How did you hook your 5 gal bucket.
thank you in advance
Quote from: Jim_Rogers on April 05, 2012, 09:59:06 AM
I builder remodeler company project manager called me a couple of weeks ago, asking me to come back to a job site where I milled up some pine logs for sheathing for repairing a barn again.
I went over there and did a log inventory as best I could of their pile of red pine and white pine logs.
There were more in the pile that I couldn't measure being that the shorter ones were on the bottom and the long ones on top.
They had some 18', 20' and 22' red pine logs on top.
I asked what were they going to need for lumber out of the pile. He told me all boards.
I explained to him that I couldn't cut boards, on site, out of 22' logs as the mill is only 16' long. And that we'd have to cut these long logs in half or so, in order to make them shorter to mill on site and get some nice boards out of them.
The timber framer saw the log pile and as they are going to frame up an addition or porch or both for the old farm house they decided that I should mill these into timbers for the future timber frame.
The provided me with a stock list. It included 7x7 post, 7x7 girts, 7x7 plates, 7x9 tie beams, 3x4 studs, and 3x5 braces. What the stock list didn't have was any lengths to any of these frame parts. I explained to the project manager that I needed to know the lengths they needed.
They didn't have the lengths, and wanted me to bring my bed extension and just saw up what was there full length and make boards out of the rest of the lumber.
When I arrived last Friday with my bed extension on my flat bed trailer, I met with the owner who I knew, and asked her: "who made up this stock list?"
She said: "why?" I said because I needed to talk to him as it was incomplete.
She introduced me to the guy as he was there on site as they just tore down the old addition from the side of the farm house.
I explained to him that I needed the lengths of the timbers in order to fill his order.
He explained to me that the addition had not be designed yet. And that they didn't have the lengths. They didn't know if the gable end was going this way or that way. I questioned him repeatedly that I needed lengths. We did narrow down the lengths of the braces and the studs but that was it.
As the studs were 10' I suggested that the post could also be 10' as they should be the length of the studs.
He wanted long posts as they didn't know the design, yet, and they wanted to get the most out of the logs that were there.
So, Monday morning I set up the mill and bed extension and started sawing.
I explained to the project manager that I was going to need some heavy equipment to be on site while I was there to lift off the timbers from the mill as I couldn't carry them away by hand.
The owner said she had a set of forks for one of her tractors and that she'd put them on and make it available for me to use.
I asked her if she wasn't on site would I be able to use her tractor to lift them off, and she said yes.
Here is a picture of the nice tractor they left me to use:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5119.JPG)
Here is the farm and the barn that they have already rebuilt and restored:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5117.JPG)
The rebuilt and restored the carriage shed also shown in the picture.
Here is my set up for milling long logs on site:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5113.JPG)
And some of the long timbers and boards:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5120.JPG)
I had marked the ends of the logs with red lumber crayon as I did the log inventory and then they painted the ends of the logs with red paint.
I don't completely understand why the painted the ends of the logs with different color paint but the painted the red pine logs red and the white pine logs black.
I believe she wants to stack the boards on stickers by type and I think she thought this would make it easier for them to sort.
Sawing long logs from a pile can be a challenge if you don't get them rolled up to the loader arms on center.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5126.JPG)
Here you can see as I was trying to load a 22' log the weight was off center and the butt end rose up and it was a problem.
I had my logging choker cable with me and a chain so I hooked it up to the front of my truck and pulled it to balance so that I could load it.
While loading a long one yesterday, I saw this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5131.JPG)
Four nails head, colored red with my lumber crayon.
It was great for me to find this up front, as I have already sawn off two nails on this job.
I just thought I'd share this with you.
Thanks for reading it.
Jim Rogers
How to saw those crotch logs really depends upon what the customer wants. If he wants crotch lumber and possibly burl/figured then the final saw through is like a pair of pants.
If on the other hand he wants the maximum flat lumber, then raise the butt, level the log, and saw butt to limb tip. Rotate 180°, again raise the butt and saw butt to limb tip. Only the crotch wedge will remain un-sawed. You can have either live edges or S4S again depending upon what the customer wants.
Looks like a fun job Jim!
What town are you working in?
I'm gonna start clearing my NH land in 3 weeks and I should have a good pile of logs to mill on the little LT15.
Thanks for posting your progress!
I didn't offer the customer the option of cutting off the fork.
I just was told to mill everything up as wide as possible. When the project manager saw the log he asked me how I intended to saw it.
I explained it to him as magicman has explained, and I have shown the picture of how I started sawing it.
I cut off the short side of the fork first, with the butt raised so that the center of the fork was even with the pith on the butt end, trying to get some straight grained lumber.
Once I got it down under 24" tall but cutting some off of each opposite side, I trimmed it down to try and get some 14" wide pieces but I actually finished it up at 12" wide. I did get some wide ones off he "pants side" but they were short.
Got to go.
Jim Rogers
PS. Piston, the job is in Boxford next town over from me.
LaserZX:
That is a 4" 22.5° 45° PVC elbow with a simple conduit bracket to make the hook.
It is probably the third one I have made.
One was destroyed when the blade broke and came out the sawdust chute. I have posted pictures of that here. I think the tread was called "They said it could happen". But I'm not sure about that right now.
I can take a picture of it today and will post it tonight.
The current one split one winter day when the temp got real cold and the plastic contracted more then the metal and it split up the bottom side. This does make it looser on the mill. But that was a good thing as the other day when the blade broke and it came out the chute again, it didn't destroy the elbow, it just pushed it off the mill.
I'm sure I have written a story about the reason why I use it but basically I don't like to walk in the tall pile of sawdust. I like a nice even carpet of sawdust and the customers like having all the sawdust in one pile for them to scoop up and haul off.
Sometimes the customer provides a wheel barrow to dump in and they wheel that off while I'm sawing.
I saw to the end of the log and then if the bucket needs emptying I dump it.
I try not to switch buckets, as I have two, during cutting as I don't want to put myself at risk of being hit by the broken blade if it comes out the chute. All but one of my sawdust "fingers" in the mill sawdust chute are gone. Don't know when or how but when I looked in there the other day I could only see one on the side.
LaserZX:
Here is the photo you wanted:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5169.JPG)
And you can see that I have it on upside down. That way the bucket hangs a little higher off the ground:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5171.JPG)
I don't know why I set this up this way but I did. And I find it works better upside down then right side up.
Here is a picture of the split in the elbow:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5170.JPG)
Here is a picture of the last elbow when the blade came out and caught it right on the bolt that holds the hook on:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/219/DSCF3748.JPG)
You need to be careful of this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF2757-s.JPG)
Jim Rogers
This job is done!
I finished up the last maple log yesterday morning, and brought the mill home yesterday afternoon, in between rain/sleet/hail and thunder storms.
Today, being a nice sunny day, I went over there and got my bed extension back:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5176.JPG)
And this is the slab/edging pile now:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5177.JPG)
Most of the hardwood slabs and edging got put into a different pile for firewood.
Here is the lumber all stacked up by the owner and her crew:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5178.JPG)
And they brought in some older timbers and mixed them into the timbers piles:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5179.JPG)
and:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5180.JPG)
With more in the foreground to stack.
She cleaned up the yard with this:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10095/DSCF5181.JPG)
That is right where the log pile was. It's just there in photos now....
Hopefully they will ask me back again when they need more milled.
Jim Rogers
An enjoyable sawing report Jim. Thanks for posting it and all the pictures. i learn a little more each time I read something like this.
Having a cantilevered head was certainly an advantage in loading that one log! Was it extra long or just lined up off-center to the loading arms?
Seeing stacks of freshly milled lumber like that keeps me yearning for the day I get to join in the fun. 8)
Some of the long logs I had to pull back to center the balance point on the loader arms so that the mill would pick them up.
Then I had so shift them back to allow the blade to drop behind the end so I could mill them.
That's what happened with the long ones.
The forked one was just a pain to load do to the fork preventing me from being able to roll it with a peavy by hand.
I hope that answers your questions.
Jim Rogers
Jim, I just read through this post tonight and enjoyed it very much. Thanks so much for taking the time to upload and post all those pictures, I know that takes a lot of time.
Those long posts sure do look nice.
You did good. I love to drive away leaving neatly stacked/stickered lumber and a satisfied customer.
Jim, I always enjoy reading your posts, and seeing the photo's of what you have done. Thanks much for taking the time to share.
Scott
Thanks Scott.
I wonder if a Fernco fitting elbow would work better. They are made out of rubber.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/39553/Fernco_fitting.jpg)
Jim
How hard is it to line up the 6' extension on a remote job? I have a 6' extension and have been trying to decide if I want to keep it or sell it. Just thought it would not work well unless you were set up stationary.
Quote from: flatrock58 on January 04, 2016, 05:34:16 PM
Jim
How hard is it to line up the 6' extension on a remote job? I have a 6' extension and have been trying to decide if I want to keep it or sell it. Just thought it would not work well unless you were set up stationary.
I put my extension on 6 scissor jacks. Very adajustable.
I have been hooking up and using my 6' bed extension on dirt and gravel driveways since I got it.
As long as you have the two round rails touching and in line and ridged then it will work. You may have to block up the spots under the legs of the extension table to make it strong enough to support the heavy end of a long log, or dig out to level.
But since I drilled my rails out and put in the alignment pins it has been a lot easier to assemble.
We did it at the last job in less than an hour, on a crushed stone driveway.
With the fixed channel iron support between the bed extension and the sawmill along with the yoke around the tail light bracket the extension is stiff and ridged when it is all bolted up.
I wrote a step by step guide here on the forum with pictures showing how I hook my up.
It is here:
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,57707.0.html
Jim Rogers
Jim, my inclination would have been to NOT mill the logs until they had a design. The sized they requested were a bit odd as well. 7x7 in pine? I figure you at least want 8x8 and maybe even 8x10. I would also consider leaving an extra half inch at least in case of twist. But then that leads to milling the timbers again. If I was going to plane them, I'd let them air dry until closer to the time they needed them and then plane them.
I have a similar situation now. I'm starting the design of my house. I recently acquired some white oak and hickory logs. I don't want to cut them though until I know what I really need out of them. So I have the logs in my pole barn. Last year I had a large standing dead walnut and a large ash that was at least half dry. I milled a 10.5x10.5 from each and 3.5x7.5 brace stock from out side of that and some 4/4 boards. I'll come back and remill or beam plane as needed when the design is done. If I have to cut them down I will. I'd be afraid to cut too small, which I fear could end up being your customers problem. Sufficed to say, I'd rather not mill until I have a real cut list, which I'm sure you do too.
I lament that the forked log was cut as it was. That was a prime piece for a forked post cut flat on two sides. Yes you would have needed a Grandberg mill, but I could have really been a special piece in the frame. I wish I could find logs as nice as that one to do this with. I've found a couple hardwood logs, but the two trunks after the crotch are smaller than I would really prefer.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16191/Bi_Posts3.jpg)
Jim,
Thanks. I just figured with the fixed legs it would be hard to get it lined up.
I remember your guide now. I tried to get the jig to drill the alignment pins, but never was able to figure out who had it last. I need to drill my rails and try it out. They guy I bought the mill from never used the extension or the resaw.
Hey Brad.. Are you a Christmas tree farmer ?