I know I am more of a hobby sawyer, but I was just wondering what pushed the limits of your mill, back or equipment?
I personally have a WoodMizer LT40, and was cutting a NICE White Pine log 34" butt, 32" crown and 12' long; once I got it to square I cut off a couple of real nice 1x22 - just cause I could ;D
My biggest on a manual LT40 was a 38" small end by 16'6" white pine.
Largest on Super Hydraulic 47'3" x 22" tip:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/14240/1621/bx24_5.jpg)
I did have another 47' that was a little smaller tip, but much bigger on the butt end. This one was 36" diameter, after I cut the flare off with a chainsaw.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/14240/DSC_0955.JPG)
:o :o :o
Hopefully you had a small Army to help remove slab and boards from that beast. Just imagine all the walking (or do you have the ride on chair) to get that log cut!
I like that picture.
I have the wireless remote. I had two helpers on this job for slab and board removal. Because the log was almost three feet longer than the cutting capacity of the mill, it was quite the process. It would take us almost three hours to cut the timber and edge the boards from each log.
I did not even notice the 3' overhang, was just amazed at a +45' log on a mill
This is not the largest but the largest that I have a picture of. I had a 52" on the sawmill but it was no fun.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20011/DSCN0715_28Small29.JPG)
45" butt.
Dave do you have a roof over the mill yet
I don't know. Do you consider a nice silver tarp a roof? :D Still trying to get a slab poured. The we'll think about a roof.
Largest log I've done on my mill was 45" on the big end, 42" on the small end, X 12', White Pine.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12445/Move%20that%20slab.jpg)
This is the widest board I've cut, it is 44" wide and 2" thick white oak slab. Burl Craft came down for a demo day and brought his slabber to try out. I still have those slabs setting in the garage waiting on the proper time to become tables..
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12445/Mark%20with%20mill.jpg)
This is the largest log I've done on the swinger, it was 58" across and 17 feet long. If you look you can see that the mill frame is setting up on cinder blocks to get it high enough for the blade to clear. This one was a white ash that was turned into a set of stairs and trim in a new house a friend of mine was building.
Not the prettiest or biggest log, but it's the biggest board I've sawn.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10460/P1010515.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10460/P1010517.JPG)
Macrocarpa (Monterey) Cypress.
Ian
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/31567/20131228_080728%7E0.jpg)
Forgot to measure diameter. 16' Red Oak... Made a pile of boards too :)
A Forestry Forum redwood log sawing crew using the Peterson mill (Kerris front row)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10180/1597/100_0439.JPG)
And the Burlkraft sizing it up..
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10180/Redwood_Log.JPG)
And some big slabs etc.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10180/Redwood_9Boards.JPG)
No pics so it must not have happened, but it did ;D nothing like some of you, I keep to the capacity of the mill within a few inches, seems like I had some white oak that bumped the 36" small end, lots of trimming on the but. never forget the first 40" butt, the first big log I sawed, got it stuck at the tail end, way before I knew of the forum, all I know is running at capacity,, when you turn them, they bang a little bit, david
This might be cheating for the bandmill guys, and beenthere's got me beat hands down.
but does this count?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/14448/Sinker18.JPG)
I gots a bandmill and YEP.....you're cheating. :D
There is a reason that WM states 36". Generally speaking, that is the largest log that it will saw without chainsaw work plus being a real pain in the rear. You probably spend more chainsaw time than sawing time. :-\
I cut a 21' full 6" x 12" ERC beam that I was proud of at the time . Sawed it on my 92 lt40 hd and it was a perfect solid specimen .
This is the largest log that we milled in the last year, 52" on the big end, 48" on the small end, 18' long.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/17725/IMG_20131029_093759%7E0.jpg)
By squaring the edge of both halves after splitting the log, both halve loaded up and stood right up the first try.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/17725/PART_1383193720332%7E0.jpg)
Even with the mast a quarter inch from the top, the top of the log had to be trimmed to clear the throat of the mill.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/17725/PART_1383268932678.jpg)
Took longer to split the log and square it up then it did to mill it up.
I passed on milling a larger log this morning.
The largest diameter was a 72" red oak log (shown below). I had to make some 17" extensions to add to the bottom of the mill carriage in order to clear the log.
Here is the log before milling:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Scott2C_David2C_Shea.jpg)
And here is the log during milling:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Big_log_for_deckingv2.jpg)
The longest has been several 43' logs (some red oak, some pine). The red oak logs had 26" small end diameters.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Face_2_v_3.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Log_loading_4.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Swinging_log_2.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13296/Beams_on_trailer3.JPG)
Note: The trailer deck is 37'.
What's that extra long log for?
It also takes special logs to make beams like that. ;D
Scott, I always like seeing those sticks. To make timbers like that out of oak is amazing. I'd have a giant pair of rockers if I tried it. :D
Quote from: beenthere on January 22, 2014, 03:08:38 PM
A Forestry Forum redwood log sawing crew using the Peterson mill (Kerris front row)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10180/1597/100_0439.JPG)
And the Burlkraft sizing it up..
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10180/Redwood_Log.JPG)
And some big slabs etc.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10180/Redwood_9Boards.JPG)
I have not meet Kerris but she look's a lot like Chris for some reason. :)
Part_timer
You are correct.. and that is Chris. ;D thanks for the correction.
Quote from: Dave Shepard on January 23, 2014, 11:43:33 AM
Scott, I always like seeing those sticks. To make timbers like that out of oak is amazing. I'd have a giant pair of rockers if I tried it. :D
<grin>
They were really pretty; one of them was FAS for about 39' of log.
I sure like that shot of your mill with the 47 footer on it! One of these day's I'd like to max out my Peterson (58'). Finding the log will be challenging though.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22463/IMG_0110_28640x48029%7E0.jpg)
This Ponderosa Pine was 16'6" long and 24" at the base. I figure it weighed over 1200 lbs and we winched it onto the mill.
Notice the mill is just an LT10 on a trailer ;)
I've done about a half dozen or more 16+ footers but this one I did with the 7hp motor! Since switching to the 10hp motor things have gone much better ;)
You are giving Wood-Mizer a good name with that little LT-10.
Keep up the good work!
I admire your drive. 8)
You are proving that it can be done, and quite well I might add. :)
Thanks Guys :) This little mill can really churn out the lumber when a good crew is running it ;) Sure it aint no big LT40 type production though! But I've cranked out over 200bf/hr at times and I think with the tractor I can beat that...but the saw never shuts down, the blade stays in the wood and the sawdust keeps flying!
Truth tell though, when running it alone I'm happy to get 300 bf in a day! lol
This was a 48" Diameter Silver Maple. Even though I modeled the mill after a LT30 manual mill we made the vertical capacity of the head travel about 8" more than standard. It really helped while sawing this half of the log.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13292/LgMaple%26ArchinDriveOptimized.jpg)
We were milling up these big Maple today and having an extra 8" of travel on the mast would help whittle these logs down.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/17725/PART_1390789000707.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/17725/PART_1390788917668.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/17725/IMG_20140126_124006.jpg)
these ugly logs make some nice figured wood.
Wow, now that is some pretty wood! smiley_thumbsup
Nothing as spectacular as some of the posts above, but it was a big deal for me to mill out my 5x10x26' Hemlock rafters. The biggest log was 27' long and
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13550/BIGLOGS_009_%28Small%29.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13550/BIGLOGS_001_%28Small%29.JPG)
We could not turn it even with three cant hooks(they really were "can't" hooks that day), so I used the tractor forks and did the chain wrap trick....worked pefect.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13550/BIGLOGS_018_%28Small%29.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13550/BIGLOGS_020_%28Small%29.JPG)
I made 22 of those rafters which are above my head as I type.
8)
5X10X26' hemlock. I doubt one of you was taking them things off the mill alone.
I never saw that long,but did have to use the chain wrap a few times too. I work alone and I might be able to flip the log after my first cut,but sometimes the log is so big I can't let go of the peavey and dog it in. I use the tractor with a chain wrap to roll it just where I want it.After a few times I can get it just about perfect without getting on and off the tractor 3-4 times.
No, we rolled them onto the forks, then tractored them out to stack 'em. Then actually broke a 20' trailer getting them up to the house(a wee bit overloaded) and finally a crane was used to hang them(best $75 and hour I ever spent ;D).
Here is what they look like now:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13550/rafters_001.jpg)
I don't have a picture of the log, but the biggest I've sawed was rather pedestrian compared to most of these: It was water oak, 10' long, 38" in diameter on the small end. I milled it into lumber, and Red Clay Hound turned it into a mantle, cabinets, and paneling for his living room. He has since finished the project, but this is the only picture I have:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/30211/DSC00826%7E0.JPG)
In November 2012, Red Clay Hound and I felled and milled a 49" willow oak (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,62127.msg916176.html#msg916176), but we had to cut 6' off the butt to get something we could handle on the LT40. The saw log ended up being almost identical in size to the water oak from whence the paneling came. That lumber is still drying.
I noticed some people qualifying their entries compared to some of the big ones on here. That 27' on an LT15 is just as impressive to me as the 47' that I did with a Super Hydraulic and a payloader that can lift 25,000 pounds. ;) I like seeing the logs people will tackle, even though they are above what the machine is rated for.
Quote from: MotorSeven on January 27, 2014, 09:04:11 AMNothing as spectacular as some......
Oh yes, that is spectacular, especially to you and the fact that you did it. smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup
Quote from: Dave Shepard on January 27, 2014, 10:28:14 AM
I noticed some people qualifying their entries compared to some of the big ones on here. That 27' on an LT15 is just as impressive to me as the 47' that I did with a Super Hydraulic and a payloader that can lift 25,000 pounds. ;) I like seeing the logs people will tackle, even though they are above what the machine is rated for.
LOL I agree! After all, milling a 24"x 16 footer with a 7 hp motor on a 24" machine and having to chainsaw whittle the log a bit is at least to me, a challenge! ;) Specially when you have to winch and roll the log up onto the mill since it's up on a trailer! lol
But I am pretty amazed at some of those monsters out there!
here are a few i can find pics of.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21903/IMG_0688.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21903/IMG_0319~0.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21903/IMG_0308~0.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21903/IMG_0034.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21903/IMG_0028.JPG)
I did a 16' long American Elm for a customer that was about 60" on the butt and forked out to about 90" wide. It weighed in at 17,000 lbs. It took a bit of trimming to make it fit through the Lucas. I'm glad I brought a ladder.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,68296.msg1023843.html#msg1023843
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/26719/IMG_20130808_110144_014.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/26719/P1010343.JPG)
That's a big log when you need to bring a step ladder.
I don't have a sawmill (maybe someday) but I thoroughly enjoy the pictures showing the work of members. Taking a log and turning it into material that you use is a real talent. Keep them coming popcorn_smiley
I guess the theme here is that you can cut as long a log as you have track.........but the real fun starts when you load/turn/off load ;D
There is just something magnificent about a beam cut from one log that is over 40' long.....gives me chill bumps just looking at those pictures.....wow!
...and a 17,ooo lb log...double wow!