Well today was one of those days when I had to keep reminding myself that milling is fun. Started out at 7 AM, 9 deg outside and a 40 minute drive to the customers site.
Arrived on time. WOW 4 off-bearers!
1st log, 10 ft 38" dia red oak. Froze to the ground, broke it loose with the tractor. WM hydraulics couldn't lift it! Used tractor assist. Started to whittle it down to size (36" max on WM). Log to heavy turner couldn't turn it. Used clamp to assist. Saw throat at max width and still go stuck halfway through the first cut. Threw off new blade trying to back it out. Sheered off 12 teeth . Put on new blade, continued to whittle, getting stuck and struggle with weight problem. 2 hours and 35 minutes on site, 1st board put on truck!
Also managed to roll a log off the wrong side of the mill trying to turn it, hit the dogs with the blade, pulled the lubmizer tube apart, broke my axe handle, and sank the hydraulic lift base into the mud where it froze to the ground so I couldn't lift high enough to get the logs to roll onto the bed.
Ended the day after 7 1/2 hours. With all the problems issues I still managed to get through about 1400 bf of red oak. So all in all I think it was a good bad day of sawing. Hope tomorrow is better.
Dr. Buck, I just noticed your county. Son, I'd move. :o
Sounds as if you need a swingblade...(just pickin').
Those big logs are tough, I remember the days with the chainsaw mill putting stuff on that the tractor could barely lift, then manually turning....what a pain!!
Captain
When I have them goodbad days, I always tell myself that this comes with the job. ;D
EZ
Buck,
That day sounds a little like the day Rick and I had a few weeks ago. I still haven't around to measuring how much we cut that day. It's been either to DanG cold or I have had a DanG cold.
Ain't it fun though! 8)
Mark
mmmmm Those days are the ones I remember the most. With Sawing and farming and I still wish i could be doing either full time even with those days. Hope you have better ones in the following days.
Doc.... a chainsaw & ripping chain maybe cheaper in the long run if your going to play with them BIGGEN'S ;D
Check this outhttp://www.scottbanbury.com/index.html
You have thie right attitude Doc. "Just keep going as long as feasable no matter what the obstacles." If it was warm and sunny and everything went smooth youda made 2000 bf or better. A tip for cutting the biguns if you dont know it already, dont put a blade on till you are ready for your first cut. By moving the head slowly forward with no blade, you can figure where to knotch(new word :D) and remove just as much as required. Ive messed up alot of wood till I started doing this. Time well spent ;D ;D ;D
Impressive day Dr Buck! :o
Day 2 Same Site/Customer
Well today was better ::) Started late because of sleet, snow and bad roads to the site. Only 3 off-bearers today. :( ;D ;D And, one little incident..... ::) Brand new, out of the box shiny Monkey Saver Blade. First cut like going through butter with a hot knife, only it was red oak. Second cut was a different story. Three-fourths way through a 10 footer 15" wide the blade took a deep dive into the log. Had to slow way down just to get out the far end. I have no clue what I hit, but there was no set on one side of the blade. All the teeth looked to be OK. Inspected the log and the first board cut and couldn't find anything that didn't belong. I had the debarker operating which should have cleared out anything in the bark.
5 hours, 1250 bf. All 5/4 wide as I could cut it. All said and done today was a good day milling.
Dave,
Percy has a pretty good idea there about checking without a blade. I use a small chainsaw to knotch ( Percy, New word accepted ! ) where needed along the log.
More bits of advice...Don't move head backwards with blade running. It is almost sure to pull the blade off. If you have a broken blade hanging around, you can use it to make a 'kerf cleaner' to remove the packed sawdust from behind the blade. This will allow you to slide the head/blade back out of the cut without it binding up so bad.
I have used the toeboards to help with turning large logs. I raise both ends about 1/2 way while also raising the turner. Then I let the toeboards down. The turner will hold more than it will lift, so the log rotates a little as the toeboards go down.
A large chunk of pipe over the backstops ( as per Bibbyman ) will help prevent getting the long on the wrong side of the mill.
If the feet for the lifting arms are frose in the ground again, just put a chunk of wood under the arm crossmember (close to the frozen foot) and try putting the arm down. This will pull the foot loose. Use 2 chunks of wood if both feet are stuck. You don't want to bend the crossarm.
You may want to confirm that the pump is putting out rated pressue. Mine was only putting out 1500 psi when I put a guage on it. It works a lot better now.
VA-Sawyer
Im sure its in the book but what is the rated pressure supposed to be? Where did you install the gauge at? I assume to adjust the pressure there is a a simple adjustment on the pump?
Thanks
There is a bypass adjustment screw on the pump but I don't think it is marked. Most of those systems are 2000 lb systems. They may be set at 1500 for safety's sake. ;D
Kirk,
I believe it depends on the year of your mill. I have a supplemental manual for the hydraulic system on my '89 mill. If your service manual doesn't tell you, check the data sticker on the side of the pump body. I connected the guage ( quality test guage from Grainger) to the end of a cylinder pressure hose. On some of the newer units there is a second pressure relief valve that feeds lower pressure to certain cylinders. In that case make sure you are reading true pump pressure before adjusting it.
It only takes me about 10 minutes to check the pressure and about 15 to adjust if needed. It is part of my 100 hr inspection/maintence program.
You might call WM service if you can't get the pressure info anywhere else.
VA-Sawyer
If you don't have bad days once in a while, how do you know when you are having a good day?