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Scragg Mills

Started by slohand, September 22, 2011, 12:21:46 AM

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slohand

I'm thinking about using a scragg mill for small logs 6-10" tops. It would be followed by a gang saw or gang rip to make 1" or fencing boards.
A search on Forum didn't find a lot on scragg mills. They used to fairly common, but now it seems not so much.

Anybody running one or with experience on scraggs. Production? Number of people to operate? Safety issues?

beenthere

What breakdown pattern would you run at the scragg?

Is that the limit in size of log you plan to feed the scragg?
What is the plan for the other sizes of logs in the tree?

What species?

I've worked around a few in dimension mills, but not in a board mill.

Which method of holding the log going through the scragg are you thinking of using?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

beenthere

south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Magicman

Since I know nothing about a commercial sawmill, I really enjoyed watching those videos.   :)
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

Ron Wenrich

I haven't been around any of these mills, but have looked at the specs for some other folks.  We have a couple of pallet producers that put them in when they were running low on blocking and prices were high.  One scragg was running at about a 30 Mbf/day on an 8 hour shift according to spec. 

In the case of your fence boards, a scragg would only be needed to pull 2 slabs and you come out with a 2 sided cant of a certain width.  Run that through a bull edger (gang saw) and you have boards or dimension stock.  You're going to need the support equipment to go along with that.  Debarkers, chipper, blowers, green chains, and the like.  Lots of waste in small logs. 

For the local operators, the biggest obstacle seems to be getting the kind of wood you need to keep your production levels up.  They needed straight logs, and they were looking for hardwoods.  Some scraggs can limit you in length.  An end dog scragg will accommodate a lot of different lengths, and you would have the ability to turn the log.  Many have saws that you can index so you can produce timbers.  But, the more cuts you make, the lower the production numbers.    Both of the vids show end dogging mills.  It also shows you can make a circle saw work as a double cut mill.

Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Meadows Miller

Gday

I personally like the Woodlandia machines and if they run anything like the Round Master Line we brought off them last year it will run at anything upto 30% above their production estimates  ;) I plan on getting one one off these days Mate as they start at $45k

http://woodlandia.ca/machines/small-log-processing/ltps-machines-log-processors.


Regards Chris
4TH Generation Timbergetter

Bro. Noble

We have a Morgan scragg with a sharp chain feed and a roller return.  We use it with a resaw.  If I were wanting 4 inch boards, I would run the round log through on 4" and return the cant as well as the two slabs.  you would end up with a 4X 4 or 4X 6 or 8 cant,  and 4 four inch pieces with bark on one side.  I would send this all through the resaw to get 1X4's.  There would be very minimal waste. This is a two people operation.  Seems like we paid 12 or 14 K for the saw new and power it with a farm tractor.

As far as safty concerns,  you gotta be careful where you put your hands.  The logs must be positioned with any hump up and no knots sticking outward where they might hit the table going from the chain to the table.  Anything that causes the log to rotate in the cut will cause you problems and possibly safty issues.  If the blades aren'tt sharpened or aligned just right or if the teeth are worn too narrow, or if there is a lot of tension in the log (like sycamore limbs)  the saw can bind and cause problems and possible safty issues.  The logs on our scragg must be positioned by hand so weight is an issue.  It is big enough to cut 7X9 ties,  but I'm not.  We did cut a few 6X8 but mostly smaller stuff.  We cut more heavy slabs from the bandmill than anything else.

These things produce a lot of sawdust so a blower is a must.
milking and logging and sawing and milking

Chuck White

WOW!

Nice bunch of videos.

Nice testimonial there Bibby!   8)
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

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