Well, I have about 70 nice sticks of Cedar in the woodlot and I was waiting for friend with a nice big portable sawmill to come and custom saw for me. I need about 400 bf to sheet my deck. The poor guy has been suffering with a back ache and had to cancel. Well, I took the plunge and ordered a new wood mizer LT10.
I will start out on this forum hopefully with a bigger ear then mouth. I am learning to be a sawyer so I need to listen more than tell stories. Having said that I appreciate being a member and am looking forward to learning lots from the rest of you. I might even be able to manage a story or two myself.
I have a nice little front end loader on my small tractor and so far I have yet to meet a log my tractor can't handle. I'm sure it will be handy around the mill.
In that this LT10 is without an axle and wheels it is going to be hard to handle. I will be looking for ideas to move it around and put it in the barn when not in use. Maybe if I got an aold boat traile and have my welder frind add a frame for my little lt10. Any suggestions out there?
rimshot
Welcome to the forum Rimshot , I have been listening for a while. You will learn allot here. :new_year:
I love it Rimshot.
If the man don't show up with his mill......Just go buy your own Wood-Mizer. :D
That'll show him.
Welcome to the Forum.
Welcome to the FF, rimshot!
Have you looked here?
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,61651.0.html
PC
Good advice Paul.....I forgot about 'Ol Jar Head. smiley_thumbsup
Welcome to the Forum, Rimshot. With a tractor with a loader, you will be somewhat ahead of the game when your LT10 arrives. It does some pretty work.
Welcome to FF, its a great place.
Welcome to the forum, Rimshot. You'll learn as you go, and you'll love it! Be sure to get a dozen extra blades for when you saw into nails and clams & things, & keep a sharp chain on your saw, too.
Welcome to the forum.
rim shot welcome aboard :)
I've said in the past this is the best place on the Internet hands down
there is a wealth of knowledge and folks are great.
You will find lots of help and experience with your Mill
so I'll weigh-in here.
I mounted my LT-10 on wood 4x8's and placed an old
yard trailer axle and wheels under it just to help move it around.
I moved it exactly once :D
DGDrls
.
rimshot,welcome to the forum. It's nice to be able to cut your own trees,than saw the logs,than use the lumber. ;D What state do you live in? Maybe your friend sharpens his own blades and will do yours?
Welcome Rimshot,tell us where your located.With a manual mill you need gravity to be your friend.Deck first project,second a roof over your mill.Set your mill up at a comfy working hight,with a dead deck to roll logs on easily.Not good form to load logs on the mill with a loader,sooner or later you'll damage something.Its not good to keep moving a stationary mill,set it up level with a roof and save your barn space.Wile your getting your feet wet WM resharp would be the best route to sharp bands.Go slow be carefull and enjoy yourself. Frank C.
Welcome to the Forestry Forum, rimshot. :)
Welcome to the Forestry Forum. :)
Sounds like an exciting day.
Thanks for all of the welcomes and great tips. And special thanks for those who posted the pictures. I guess I need to get more blades than the six I purchased with the mill. It also sounds like I will need to make plans for some posts and a roof over the mill. I sure hope that freight company is heading this way today. Someody was wondering where I am from. I'm a yooper frm Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
POLSTON l40HD said:
"If the man don't show up with his mill......Just go buy your own Wood-Mizer. :D
That'll show him."
Darn, I can see i'll get nothing past you guys around here. I worked hard coming up with that one. OK, The guy I had scheduled to saw and I worked that out ahead of time. My wife is still shaking her head over tht deal and I'm still trying to convince her it's a better world because of it and that I really hate it when this happens. Sheesh! A guy fails to show with his wood-Mizer and I just about had to take the wrap for it. (big grin)
It's a dirty job but someone has to do it.
rimshot
Check out WDH's gallery,I like the way he blocked his mill up and added a deck.Not so much bending over.Now if you can just figure out the picture posting thing we might believe your story.Welcome ,and great story.
A boat trailer with a couple of rollers added to the back with a removable skid ramp and a better winch then those boat winchs should be all you need to get your mill in and out of the shelter you have already until a permanent place for it to sit in is up.
I would use the resharp program here if it was available, sharpening blades is a pain at times ... ::) You really should get a more blades, you can go through six blades in a very short period of time ;) Then you will need a sawdust fix and won't get it because of lack of blade to make the sawdust. :P :)
Look into the resharp program with Wood-Mizer a lot of sawyers use it. I know a few that don't have Wood-Mizer mills and use it.
Rimshot,
There sure was a lot of empty space on your last post, did you fall asleep on the return button? :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Sorry inside joke.
I guess we will know when it shows up by your absense here for extended periods of time, like all daylight hours and then some. PC
Hi Rimshot, welcome to the forum. I've been listening, and askin a little since October. Good luck with your mill :new_year:
My boss recently had some major gas line problems at his home in the city (Philly) and had to have PGW come out to dig up the sidewalk. Well there was two cars parked right where they needed to dig. My boss goes "need a tow truck to move the cars?", PGW replies "nah, we'se can move thems rselves" (read in the best philly accent you can imagine). My boss was bewildered...
PGW took a wheeled floor jack, boosted the car, put the tires on these heavy duty dollies, and just pushed the cars across the street! :laugh: :D
Might be an idea for moving your mill around?
No LT10 just yet. I'm sure it will get here next week. The freight companys get dizzy handing freight off to one another.
I was wondering, if a man with a mill sawed a few logs up for another and it was decided the matter could be settled by the sawyer taking a portion of the rough sawn matieriel then what would that proportion be.......25%? 33%? Just need to know the normal trade range.
Thanks to shotgun for showing me the ropes so far as posting pics. As soon as I get the new LT10 I will post some jpegs.
rim
rimshot
Dividing up that "portion" no matter what the percentage can be the frustration.
Decide ahead of time if you need the lumber from his logs. If so, then decide how to divide up the logs he brings into his pile and your pile. Saw his the way he wants them sawed, and after he is gone then saw your pile. Fewer headaches.
Any such arrangement is of course open to negotiations between the customer and the sawyer. Beenthere makes a good point that it would generally be best to divide the logs up before sawing, letting the chips fall where they may. It's a lot easier to split up the logs than it is to look at each board and decide "your's or mine?"
I'm no sawyer but in the years I've followed the board it seems that a fifty-fifty split is quite reasonable in most cases and in some cases even more for the sawyer. Sorta depends on how much lumber is involved and how badly the customer wants it sawn, as well as how much the sawyer wants the lumber. It don't make much since to saw on shares unless you need the lumber, either for your own use or to sell into a known market.
Good Luck!
Be Careful!
Herb
I agree!
1. Divide up the logs.
2. Split 50/50 or more in the sawyers favor if he needs the lumber.
Also, factor in whether or not the customer helps with the sawing.
This same topic just came up in another thread. The very few times that I have ever sawed on shares it was because I actually had a need for the lumber species. The split was 50-50.
Welcome to the forum, fellow Yooper! Lots of good reading and learning here!
if you want a set of wheels for moving it on occasion, i was thinking about a boat trailer also. check craigslist for an old yard trailer or something(it was mentioned earlier). Buffalo Craigslist has had 2 different boat trailers listed "free" in the last couple months...you never know!
and welcome rimshot, the best info for sawing comes from these good members right here (i"m just a learner too)!
I think I got this right.
Thanks again to shotgun for the tutorial. If this shows up the credit goes to shotgun. If it fails to display the buck stops here.
This shows some of the logs awaiting that new wood-mizer
rimshot
Use your Preview button to see if it is what you want. No need to click on Post until you have it. Keep on keepin on. Let us know what trips you up.
You have your pics in your gallery, so go to the pic you want and scroll down a half a page and see what is there to post it in your message. The hard part is done. Appears you keep adding the same pic to your gallery, when it is maybe already there. Don't give up on it. (easy for me to say!). :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/31444/Big_cedar_004%7E4.JPG)
that's not an easy process by any means(posting picture) but I will not say what is on my mind at the moment because I would get the boot. Despite the great tutoring if it can go bad it will for me and I will figure this out later.
rim
Don't worry about i too much, I still can figure it out!
Quote from: bandmiller2 on January 04, 2013, 06:39:27 AM
Welcome Rimshot,tell us where your located.With a manual mill you need gravity to be your friend.Deck first project,second a roof over your mill.Set your mill up at a comfy working hight,with a dead deck to roll logs on easily.Not good form to load logs on the mill with a loader,sooner or later you'll damage something.Its not good to keep moving a stationary mill,set it up level with a roof and save your barn space.Wile your getting your feet wet WM resharp would be the best route to sharp bands.Go slow be carefull and enjoy yourself. Frank C.
I agree with the stationary location, mill shed & WM re-sharp but not about the loader. I
only load logs on my mill with my tractor forks, been doing it for years and never had any kind of a problem. Just take it slow, get the forks almost level with the bed and use a cant hook to roll them onto the bed. Raise forks a bit, back up 3-4 feet and shut it down while leaving the forks up. As you mill out you boards, stack them back on the forks then drive them to their final destination. I say if you have hydraulics, use 'em even if they are not on the mill ;)
Welcom to FF Rim!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/31444/Big_cedar_001%7E1.JPG)
[img width=549 height=412]https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/31444/
Quote from: MotorSeven on January 05, 2013, 10:11:50 PM
Quote from: bandmiller2 on January 04, 2013, 06:39:27 AM
Welcome Rimshot,tell us where your located.With a manual mill you need gravity to be your friend.Deck first project,second a roof over your mill.Set your mill up at a comfy working hight,with a dead deck to roll logs on easily.Not good form to load logs on the mill with a loader,sooner or later you'll damage something.Its not good to keep moving a stationary mill,set it up level with a roof and save your barn space.Wile your getting your feet wet WM resharp would be the best route to sharp bands.Go slow be carefull and enjoy yourself. Frank C.
I agree with the stationary location, mill shed & WM re-sharp but not about the loader. I only load logs on my mill with my tractor forks, been doing it for years and never had any kind of a problem. Just take it slow, get the forks almost level with the bed and use a cant hook to roll them onto the bed. Raise forks a bit, back up 3-4 feet and shut it down while leaving the forks up. As you mill out you boards, stack them back on the forks then drive them to their final destination. I say if you have hydraulics, use 'em even if they are not on the mill ;)
Welcom to FF Rim!
Welcome aboard rimshot! I have a new LT=10 and love it! I agree with the others on the mill getting set and a shed getting built. The stationary log deck for rolling logs onto the mill is also a big plus. Like was said, sooner or later if you're using a loader to lower logs directly on the deck something's gonna get bent.
I might add...........a snap-on cordless impact came in mighty handy when I was puttin' mine together. A good level shop floor was also good to have. I might also add that I'd recommend putting the saw on a metal deck instead of the wooden skids recommended. It seems to me that the wood might have a tendacy to warp or bow and cause the deck to get out of kelter.
The 50\50 split is all I do and like the others have mentioned, split the logs not the boards. When I had my other mill a few years ago I kept two cans of different colored spray paint handy. While the customer and me were both present I'd hand him a can of blue and he'd paint both ends of his logs while I'd paint mine another color. That way, when he came to pick up his boards there was never a question or wondering if I'd hand picked a few of the cherries out of the stack. Never had anyone complain but did it just in case.
Glad you're aboard.
Well, the good new is I finally posted a picture at least one time.............errrrr maybe it was the same pic twice.............oh ok go ahead and make me say it three times.
If you missed it the first time there is still hope.
rim
Rimshot,
You're gett'n there.
You can alway modify a post after you made it by clicking on the Modify in the upper right-hand corder of the post (by the Quote...) Just delete the extra copies of the photo link code, preview it to make sure you got it right and then save it...
Fore you know it it'll be second nature.
Herb
Welcome to the forum rimshot from one yooper to another. Now that I have a mill I wish I still lived in the UP maples cedars white pines, plenty of good wood.
I recent got my own mill, learned allot from reading the posts and lots of support from my wife.
I agree in going slow. I have been going along good until yesterday when I Started to get tired, hit my first nail, then nearly ran into the clamp but thought it would be ok to back off with 3 4/4 boards stacked on top. Needless to say I Added a few scratches to my new mill.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/31444/log_pile_awaiting_saw_mill.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/31444/timbering_the_mountain.JPG)
there, thanks Herb I got those extra pics deleted and it has been good hearing from old friends, felllow yooopers and to be on the receiving end of all the excellent tips.
i will try to give you all a play by play of the set up of this lt 10 with pics and talk. I have received some great insight on this board. Thanks to all.
.
I added a couple pics today as I got ten more nice cedar logs.
That LT has a pile of logs waiting for it.
rim
rimshot
That is a cute tractor. ;D
"That's a cute tractor"" Magic man
That tractor is a small Kioti with a 22 h.p 3 cylinder diesel. It'd prettty rugid and is bult quite well.
with the backhoe on it weigh 4000 lbsSo far I have never met am stump the tractor could not handle. I have dug hundreds of stumps out of the ground in the last four years I have owned it.
That goofy looking cab is really a golf cart cover and mine slides over my golf cart during the summer. For now is gets me out of the snow when I snowblow
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/31444/HPIM4876.JPG)
with thr backhoe on it weighs in at 4000 lbs
Rim, nice snow pictures. where about are you? I'm from the Ishpeming area.
It is amazing what those cute little tractors can do. We barrowed a l2300 series kubota with a backhoe to dig out 2 gum and 2 pine that were within 6 feet of each other. It took awhile but they came out, and it was cheaper then renting an industrial size.
My friend has a grapple bucket on a L3800 kubota he uses for his tree service, simply amazing what that tractor can do. It can pick up or drag a good size log.
My NH3930 is heavier and slower than his 3800, if the back wheels start to lift up on the 3930, then you know it's a heavy log.
Hi Finn, I had a nice reply typed up for you but my fingers are a bit jittery and must have hit the kill switch for the posts. I am near St. Ignace on the North side of the Mackinac Bridge, Those pictures came from up on a bluff overlooking the straits of Mackinac. I got permission from the owner to salvage some of the downed timber. I got a mixture of 8' nd 10' logs (about a dozen). The logs were White Cedar.
Always good to hear from another yooper and with a name like Finn
there is no question where your roots are planted
rim
I sawed for a customer last year that had maybe a 30 something HP Kioti. That little tractor just did not know that it could not handle those logs. It was a pure joy to see it operate.
That goofy looking cab just shows that you are not goofy because if it works, use it. Just be careful with the exhaust.
Well, that little Wood -Mizer was delivered It survived but onliy had one little blemish. It looked like a unit had been picked up and just caught a small corner of metal that covered pulleys. It was hardly noticable after I took a block of wood and a hammer and gave it a swift wrap.
This pallet was very heavy and was just over the weight (900lbs) I felt comfortable handling with my little tractor. it was also positioned in the middle of a 6'-8" long by 4' pallot and I wouold have had to pick it up from the end. So, with that much weight and cantilevered so far out I had the driver take the pallot to the feed store and had my friend chuck take it off and pile it on my trailer. When I got home I removed the engine and rails and other stuff and handled just the pallet and head. I got it off but from now on I will be picking up the head off the rail without having it with that very heavy pallet and cantilevered so far ahead of the loader bucket pins .
After ll that screwing around I did not have a lot of time but did manage to get the bed all bolted together. Perhaps tomorrow shall finish the initial build and actually get into some sawdust.
Here's a picture of the LT10 sitting on my trailer
rim
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/31444/HPIM6225.JPG)
Let the fun begin!
Ccongrats! Enjoy.
Looking good Rimshot. I'll bet your excited. :)
Let the plan come together. smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup
Sooooo close. I would have to call into work. I would be up all night playing with. I would tell the boss I'm too tired,did not sleep at all last night. :D
I know just how you feel Rimshot. I picked up my LT15 this past summer. Got it early, and with the help of a couple of buddies, we were able to saw some logs by late afternoon. Those first cuts were awesome, and i almost made it through the first log, and I hit one of the log stops. :D My excitement got the best of me, but I guess I got my first "oh crap" out of the way, and with a quick blade change I was back to sawing in no time.
Enjoy rimshot, and be sure to post more pics when you're makin' some sawdust. ;)
Hey rimshot, the same piece that was bent on yours was bent on mine as well. I called WM up and they sent me a new one. I tried tweaking it with a hammer but must not be much of a body man. I made it worse!
Glad you got your new mill. I've had a lot of fun with my little LT-10
Glad to hear your mill was delivered, Rimshot.
ENJOY!
Way to go Rimshot 8) You will be smellin sawdust soon! Lucky dawg ;D
Quote from: thecfarm on January 07, 2013, 08:48:15 PM
Sooooo close. I would have to call into work. I would be up all night playing with. I would tell the boss I'm too tired,did not sleep at all last night. :D
There's a few doctors here that could write you an excuse. :) :) Excited for you good luck. 8) 8)
The mill is all put together but for a couple of minor things. All I have left is the drive belt and install the band blade. Where did the drive belt go? I got no drive belt with my Lt 10 PLUS I got shorted the drive key for the 10 H.P. briggs. No problem because I had keys in stock. A call to WM and the tech practically knew what I was going to say. It seems more than one lt 10 has been sent out lately w/o the belt. He overnighted a belt but I'm not sure Fedex can make it tomorrow for some reason they are claiming that service is not available for this item. This is killing me because I wanted to be cutting up some logs by now.
I am also having issues with the head assembly. It goes down but I have to pull up hard on the thing to raise it. A call to WM tech support and they had me pop the top cover and so I did and it all looks good with cables and pulleys. They think it is faulty air cylinders but it's brand new I don't think sos. I installed the engine and I think it was after that task that raising the head became a chore. WM is trying their darndest and I am impressed with their ability to make it right.
I put the mill on my big car trailer but I don't like loading logs with my log tongs and a chain. with that set up It's going to get something. I think I need a couple rails built over my wheel fenders to stage the logs. I should have slid the mill a bit farther past center but I will be crowding the edge of my push the mill head and rip through the log area. If I use forks it may work out better. With the mill slid over I should have room to ostage a couple(2-3)logs on triler deck. The nice [part is I can rolle whole 9 yards of saw mill in the pole barn if weather goes South.
Hoping Fed eX can make it happen tomorrow with a belt in hand.
rimshot
Geez I would be at Napa or some place getting a belt right now.
Your lift issue is most likely something is out of alignment...........you did mention it showed up damaged, might have something to do with it.
I guess I failed to add, I cranked it up initially and it seemed to shoot right up like I would think it should.
the damage was very slight and occurred to the top cover(covers cable and pulleys). To my eye everything is looking good up there. Has anybody ever experienced having to change the air tubes they are speaking of. The tech guy (parts man) seemed emphatic that it has to be those cylinders.
I dunno
rim
take a look here https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,62135.msg922116.html#msg922116
DGDrls
Thanks DGDRLS,
All my sources seem to agree try lubing first. I'm gonna hit both the track and verticle uprighits for masthead tomorrow with some ATF fluid.
Now I just got an email from the tech that advised me to replace the cylinders He said that he checked with his supervisor and after he talked with me and they discussed my situation. I am supposed to call another tech tommorrow as they now believe it is another issue. For now he advised they would not be sending out the air cylinders.
I am impressed with all that help from Wood-Mizer. Those guys don't just hang up and forget about you but if they are not satisfied with their suggested solution they hunt you down and give you the updated version. How many times do you call a tech from a computer company and somebody in Bangladesh starts swearing at you in broken half unintelligible Engliish because you kept bugging him to repeat what advice he supposedly gave you. I'll bet they laugh like heck at us for not getting it after they hang up. Appears to me this company goes above and beyond.
rim
I had a ton of fun today. 20 hours after calling Wood Mizer the Fed Ex driver handed me the missing drive belt. And I had to call WM tech support for some tips on blade tension and blade and belt tracking. WM tech support is tremendous. We also dealt with the what I thought was lots of effort to raise the mast head which was eased somewhat when I lubricated that round upright.
And I got a big bowed cedar sawed I managed to get 8 or 9 very accurate 1 X 8 boards. It seems like such a waste when these trees come to the mill with bows but we made the most of it.
My neighbor helped me with the mil and here is a picture of him taking a slice off that cedar cant.
rim
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/31444/HPIM6226%7E1.JPG)
rimshot,
the folks at WM are very good to deal with.
good luck and keep the pictures coming,
best
DGDrls
Congrats on sawdust and hopefully your "up" issue will be cleared up soon. smiley_thumbsup
Even got your neighbor working helping you. ;D