Its 5 degrees here right now. Dont want to go out in the cold. Things dont seem to work right when it is too cold. What is your temp at which you go back inside. Just curious. Harold
We don't get frigid temperatures here often or for long. If it's going to be below 30-35° for a high temperature I doubt I run the sawmill but I will cut firewood. Five degrees is time to stay in beside the fire!
I'm good down to about 20°, give or take a few degrees, as long as it's not windy. Problem is, in Northern Illinois, it's almost always windy......like today. 30 to 35 mph gusts all day.
YES :D
When I ran the big circle head saw our rule of thumb was -5 if we knew the temp was going to climb. Anything colder than that and stuff started breaking. At about ten below you can usually break the cast iron housing off a failed pillow bock bearing with one good blow of an 8lb hammer. The failed bearing was probably from trying to run at ten below. You can get your body used to working in 0 to 20 degrees, but its really hard on equipment. There were times when we had orders that gave us no choice but to work in sub-zero, and most always we would pay a price.
5 above f here with climbing temps and not a lot of wind. I have sawed at -5 but that was nasty. Steve
It is a judgement call for each individual sawyer when it's too cold to work. Especially when you work for yourself, and you decide if it is worth the aggravation. If it is too cold, I try to find inside projects too work on. As I mentioned in another thread, sometimes you have too work outside to pay the bills, whether it is cold or not. Minimizing exposure, working shorter hours (noon till 4 pm), and stopping to warm up frequently also help (and is safer). Where I live having temps below freezing may be bad for sawyers, but is actually beneficial for loggers. As otherwise too wet areas freeze solid, and they can get wood out.
Shows 2 degrees and falling. Supposed to be 19 below tonight. My mill will be lonely. Ha
I only cut in colder weather. Don't like dealing with the ticks and snakes.
Gets around about 45 and I start to shiver and shake. Everything is relative.
Customers usually draw the line at 25F or lower. If they're up for it at these colder temps it is the more enthusiastic ones, I can accommodate.
If it is Peterson work I draw the line at has to be mid 30's in the morning with at least in the 40s during the day. I'm not crawling around on the ground when its freezing or chain slabbing frozen logs.
Quote from: welderskelter on December 28, 2018, 01:20:14 PM
Shows 2 degrees and falling. Supposed to be 19 below tonight. My mill will be lonely. Ha
My mill will be lonely for a long time
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And the wild turkeys are hungry
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If you saw really cold you will find out the things that need fixing on your mill. And how good your battery is.
Also if it rains and then freezes, and you go out sawing, you will be reminded of how the cat track is put together.
:) :) :) :)
Nope. Rain, sleet or snow doesn't bother me much. The wife, who likes to come along and work along, tends to stay indoor once it drops below 0ºC, or if its windy or raining or snowing... she' missus out on a lot. :)
It was -11ºC (12F) today, spent the better part of the day out in the yard, and waiting for this to show up.
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I'm good to 20°f if there is no wind chill.
In the winter if it's a sunny day it's much better.
When you spend half the day getting things up and running I would rather do shop work or firewood.
If it's cold (40° or colder) I'm not sawing!
I usually put the mill away for the Winter around the end of October (it's Hunting Season), then it comes out of hibernation around the end of March!
I was always good for 10°. Anything less was time for things to break. I had heaters for the hydraulics, so that helped. I always told the help that I would be the second guy to leave. Wind was always a deal breaker. The first cold spell is usually the worst, as logs have frozen and unfrozen areas. You'll be cutting two types of wood. After the logs freeze solid, its not as much of a big deal.
The loggers would love the cold. No need to worry about mud or wet areas. Logging with cold weather and little snow and those guys would fill the yard up.
We had a debarker which makes things easier if the debarker man took off the bark. Frozen logs won't dull the saw so much as what's frozen onto the bark.
Quote from: Ron Wenrich on December 28, 2018, 06:58:12 PMif the debarker man took off the bark.
Ha! Aint that the truth!
The worst thing about the cold is thinking about it, once your working your OK. What Jeff says low temps are hard on diesels and cast iron. Twenty and below you work if you have to if not do something in the shop. Frank C.
Yes.
But this the year the rain is stopping me often than the cold.
After 31 years of having to work outside, no matter how cold or hot it got (law enforcement), I retired and bought my bandsaw mill. Rain, snow, wind chills below freezing or heat indices above 100°, you'll likely find me in a heated or air-conditioned environment. Doesn't always work out but that is the plan. ;D
I don't even have to think about going out today,, It's -19 f right now with a high of around + 5 . Steve
I would like it to be above 10 degrees but the wind and sun play a part. Sawing below 10 things start to happen like the teeth coming out of the saw. Half frozen logs can cause a lot of mis sawn lumber. If your in a long cold spell you have to deal with it but if it's going to warm up, wait.
I have sawn in the mid teens a few times but generally my customers will put a stop to sawing long before I will. Sawing when it is below 40° is iffy and below 30° is almost certain to be a no. Yes, wind is killer. :-\
Yep..My mill is cold natured. Won't run if the temp is below 45°. The operator freezes up and becomes erratic. ;D
Below 25° and the mill won't start manual pull cord at 22° the skidder won't start without lots of extra work, find generator to use block heater, jumper cables to juice up cold batt. After 10° I'm next the the furnace adding wood ;D
agreed on all the above. Also, depending on how much finger dexterity I need vs. working in heavy chopper mitts, I can reliably add on 15-50% when there is decent snow on the ground and the temps are teens and less. I'd like to work out some clever ratio. And at 38, I'm already pretty soft and prefer to head into a very cozy shop. I love winter for the cross country skiing, no so much for outside work. I've decided there's no need to be a hero when it gets cold.
I don't have to work outside. I just play around getting firewood. I wear certain clothes. If that don't keep me warm I head for the house. I think I can tell when it's 10° and 16°. 16° I am fine,but that 10 is a, I am cold and heading for the house.
Years ago I worked for the state working on low income homes. Now that's a cold job. Blowing insulation and standing on a ladder. At least cutting wood I can keep warm.
I'll take a sunny 20 over humid 90 all day long and be be thankful for it. i saw for myself though so below 20ish with no sun or lots of snow or wind and I'll ussually find something else to do.
I like to fire up the incenerator/burn barrel below freezing and burn off some slab wood while working too. Makes breaks, and the end of day beers a lot more enjoyable as well! ;D
Mid 30s here today. I sawed all day in it not much wind so it was about right.
Quote from: nybhh on December 29, 2018, 07:19:01 PM
I'll take a sunny 20 over humid 90 all day long and be be thankful for it. i saw for myself though so below 20ish with no sun or lots of snow or wind and I'll ussually find something else to do.
I like to fire up the incenerator/burn barrel below freezing and burn off some slab wood while working too. Makes breaks, and the end of day beers a lot more enjoyable as well! ;D
Across the river in Dutchess with the same usage needs and same sawing guidelines. Must be a Mid Hudson thing. Enjoying this warm spell after falling behind with the hot, wet summer we had; woodshop needs boards and some nice figured logs going to firewood if we don't get to them soon.
Quote from: nybhh on December 29, 2018, 07:19:01 PM
I'll take a sunny 20 over humid 90 all day long and be be thankful for it. i saw for myself though so below 20ish with no sun or lots of snow or wind and I'll ussually find something else to do.
I like to fire up the incenerator/burn barrel below freezing and burn off some slab wood while working too. Makes breaks, and the end of day beers a lot more enjoyable as well! ;D
Ditto what NYBHH and kindlinmaker said. The humidity here can be terrible in both winter and summer with fall not far behind that. If it is dry, sunny and 10° I can still be good with a couple of breaks and a little slab fire to check in with every once in a while. It's all about my feet, If they are comfortable than I am good. There are a lot of benefits to working in the colder months, like no mosquito's, fewer ticks, easier skidding, no leaf cover on the trees, etc. We get very damp, overcast days here before mid-January and it can be hard to stay focused when that chill gets in your back. It's 32 and damp out right now and it is killing me to be sick, and in the house for the last 3 days.
I don't saw when ....
A) It's -10 °C (or colder) -- that's 14 °F.
B) It's snowing heavily (snow packs between the bed and the cant).
C) Snow on the ground is more than a foot deep.
D) I've got nothing to saw.
Right now C & D apply :).
This is the 1st year I have sawn past December 1st. The new mill caused this as I am getting the bugs out of the new mill by sawing wood for my adition to my cottage.
I do not mind around the -5 or so and sunny. The snow on the ground is the biggest problem I find. I have a small yard and I have to stack all the unfinnished bundles of wood when I am finnished for the day. I then have room to plow snow in the morning, unpile my bundles and then saw wood. br>(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13648/IMG_1377.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1546264231)
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I could and did mark timber to well below zero, of course I havent done that since 2006, but saw?
Not under about 35.
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There's an orange mill under there somewhere ??? Right now we're in a blizzard warning, -40 windchill, supposed to get down to -21 temp tonight. Milling will have to wait.
I hope its a manual mill because I don't see the loading arms raised up so the feet don't freeze to the ground. That's a trick I learned here. If there is a remote possibility of freeze before I will saw again I make sure to lift my loading arms at the end of every sawing session. Has saved me from some headaches several times.
Way up north, circle mills that operate below 0 use solid tooth saws I am told. These saws are thinner than insert tooth style and sometimes use more guides.
I'll bet it's that new LT50, I can make out the loading arms!
Too darn cold anyway!
I used to saw down to about minus 10C but now I like it above freezing a few notches.
The joints don't like the cold so much.
Quote from: WV Sawmiller on December 31, 2018, 03:13:30 PM
I hope its a manual mill because I don't see the loading arms raised up so the feet don't freeze to the ground. That's a trick I learned here. If there is a remote possibility of freeze before I will saw again I make sure to lift my loading arms at the end of every sawing session. Has saved me from some headaches several times.
Hmmmm, didn't think of that and I just got 20 years in 20 minutes. I'll break the loading arms loose before I grab the lever, thanks for the heads up.
looks like all of us will be sawing tomorrow or the next day as it will be warm enough to make saw dust. Happy sawing.
It's +2 in Waubun right and -7 here in Grey Eagle and your over 100 miles north of me. But the is going to be 16 above so I'll be sawing. Steve
I've got a bunch of logs coming, but they're not here yet. Supposed to be in the mid 30's, would be great weather for making sawdust. Keep sawing!
I'm about eight or ten hours North of the Minnesotans.
Same weather patterns here - a strong wind with really low temps for the last week.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19307/20180114_155928.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1517495828)
Minus 43 degrees equals no milling.
That last photo shows what we call 'sun dogs'.
Pretty much a common thing on clear and cold weather with ice crystals in the air.
A spectacular first for me were these 'light pillars' five nights ago.
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No, they don't help with night milling, it has to be brass monkey cold for these guys to show up.
Danny @WDH (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=4370) doesn't know what he's missing up here in the far yonder. ;) :D
Like the guys in Minnesota and the Dakotas @Goose63 we'll get some above freezing weather for a short spell.
My milling orders are filled for now, so the firewood splitter is going to have to get to work.
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It's a newer Honda, and I haven't changed over to synthetic oil yet, so some extra heat will convince most machines to cooperate.
Andries - I love that first photo - what is there when the snow is gone?
I am missing glaciation on a large scale.
Quote from: Southside logger on January 02, 2019, 08:19:09 PM
Andries - I love that first photo - what is there when the snow is gone?
Its a wheat or corn field in summer.
As Danny would say: "for all of three weeks?"
He's a true Inuit at heart. :D
hey Guys first time responding. The cold does not bother me but will it bother a chain saw mill? I have purchased a granberg mini mill and I plan on milling this winter. Does anyone have a suggestion for cold weather chainsaw milling?
Quote from: Andries on January 02, 2019, 10:57:32 PMIts a wheat or corn field in summer.
Corn?? That far north, wow. How long is the growing season up your way? I was not sure if it was a lake or big meadow possibly.
Got to almost 40 here today. Should have sawed but had other errands to run.
Not so much the cold (I mill down to about -10'C, then it's no fun), but the snow ... is just starting for the year. We have three months of it ahead and here's what it looks like now ::
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/16714/snow_on-the_mill.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1546690194)
Looks to be a consensus for once. Cold weather does stop everyone from milling.....but everyone has a different idea of what too cold is.
I thought I was done milling for the season but we've had a few days of unseasonably warm weather (lower 40's and sunshine) so I pulled it back out to do a little milling. There's one big red oak I'd like to do today but it won't be quite as pleasant. Cloudy, mid-30's, and a very strong east wind, which I have no protection from. We'll see how ambitious I feel once I get down there.
Alan
Quote from: alan gage on January 06, 2019, 10:11:14 AM
Looks to be a consensus for once. Cold weather does stop everyone from milling.....but everyone has a different idea of what too cold is.
I thought I was done milling for the season but we've had a few days of unseasonably warm weather (lower 40's and sunshine) so I pulled it back out to do a little milling. There's one big red oak I'd like to do today but it won't be quite as pleasant. Cloudy, mid-30's, and a very strong east wind, which I have no protection from. We'll see how ambitious I feel once I get down there.
Alan
For making the weather seem cold, there's nothing like a strong wind, especially when the air is damp. I'd rather cut at -10'C in a sunny calm day than at +10'C in windy damp weather. My mill yard is enclosed by tall spruce and poplars, so all I normally get is a bit of a breeze, usually at my back to take away the sawdust. I'm lucky!
cheers
This is what we do instead of sawing when it gets too cold ... different equipment ... different working conditions. The river has a bit of slush on it so we run the machines over it a few times to mix it up. Then it'll freeze and the civilians can walk from the camp to the river to fish ::
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Looks good John.
Milling, fishing or whatever.
It's all good unless the slush gets your feet wet.
Be cool - stay warm!
-20 F before wind chill is too cold to be worthwhile to run. Found that out last winter..Anything above 0F in the morning we'll run. -10 in the morning and we'll let the equipment warm up for a good long while whilst drinking coffee in the pickup
It's rarely too cold to saw where I live. The wind can push it over the top though. For years I tailed on an LT40 with an air cooled engine and if the wind stripped enough heat off it wouldn't run long. My least favorite days are around 33 degrees and misty. All in all the climate here is mild, several days in the teens is what I call a hard winter. So far it's looking like a long fall might turn into spring this time.
Not that much.
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Not a fan of cold weather, you put a couple of feet of snow in front of the mill and I'll just stay inside. We got 7" over the weekend, temps at or below freezing all week (no melting) and another storm forecast for this weekend.
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