Whatcha Sawin' 2022 ??

[Ljohnsaw]

Prazi makes them (Prazi Beam Cutter) for about $150 on Amazon.  Basically a chain saw with a guide for straighter, plumber cuts.  Not as good as a regular Skilsaw or circular beam saw but gets the job done.  I like my SawSquatch by SkilSaw - uses a 16-5/16" circular saw blade.  First class cuts with that one but they list for over $700.  I bought 2 around $250 each and sold one for ~$500 - so mine was "free". 

Edit:  Just looked on Amazon and the SawSqatch 16-5/16 is no longer offered on there.

[Walnut Beast]

Interesting. Wow you got lucky on that deal !!  They still make them it's called the super and it's magnesium. 700 bucks!

[Ljohnsaw]

I went to SkilSaw's website and click on the Buynow link for Amazon and it popped up one.  That search engine on Amazon is getting worse each day :

I had a Makita that I bought used.  I didn't like it - the motor is on the left and I'm right handed.  You had to lean to the right to see the cut line.  Also, the Makita was heavy with a real weak stamped steel shoe that was kind of small for the size of the saw.  

The new one has the motor on the right side so it is much easier on my back trying to follow the cut line.  There are two positions for the front handle depending on what/how you're cutting.  And then there is the stand/carry case? for it - real handy.  Plus, it has an electric brake so you don't have to wait for it to wind down - which took a long time on the Makita when you're spinning that big of a blade.

[WV Sawmiller]

   Those curved boards were beautiful and should make great benches. I have made them where they were so off center I had to put a 5th leg in the center so they did not tilt over backwards.


Another use for longer thicker curved piece like that is for a unique curved fireplace mantel by just squaring off the back. I had 2 3" cherry mantels that curved from about 7" wide at each end to 12" in the middle. One man was building a house with 2 fireplaces and bought them both.

   I have not done it but I can't see why where should not be a market for them for bars or islands or such.

   Well done. great post!

[Beavertooth]

 

 

 

 

 

 Finish up this job last Thursday. Worked 8 half days. 16208 bf. Mostly long leaf pine a little cypress cedar and poplar. Only hit 5 nails and destroyed 5 blades. The customer is a tree service guy so several yard trees. 

[Magicman]

Looking good Craig !!  8)

[Tom King]

 
There is something very satisfying in cutting down a tree and milling it into boards,
Here I am squaring the ends in one shot.

Is there a kit you can get to convert one of those skill saws. Does it work pretty good ?

Skil also sells a chainsaw version now:
SKILSAW SPT55-11 16 In. Worm Drive SAWSQUATCH Carpentry Chainsaw - - Amazon.com
First reports are that it works really good.

[fluidpowerpro]

Customer dropped off a trailer full of RO logs for me to saw into decking for the 24'x 7'8" trailer they are sitting on. 5 logs, 16' long, 14"-18" dia small end. Nice size, not too big.

 

 
Too dam# hot today, 93 with high humidity, so going to wait until Wednesday. Supposed to cool down to 76.

[Hackeldam Wood Products]

 
There is something very satisfying in cutting down a tree and milling it into boards,
Here I am squaring the ends in one shot.

Is there a kit you can get to convert one of those skill saws. Does it work pretty good ?

Yes they work good. It is a Prazi. I picked the Skil saw up for $20.00 at a yard sale and the beam cutter on Ebay for $75.00. It will cut 12 inches thick.

[Walnut Beast]

Very cool! 

[Magicman]

Too Hot to saw today but I did anyway.


 
19 of the 25 logs that greeted me this morning.


 
I haven't scaled the lumber yet and have 6 more logs to saw tomorrow morning.  Mostly 2X4's, 2X6's & 1X10's.


  
The customer's homemade drawbar mounted grapple.  It worked amazingly well.

[WV Sawmiller]

Lynn,

   How do you keep certain members from threatening you with the sticker police when you flat stack lumber like that? :D

   Pretty lumber. Stay careful in this heat.

[Magicman]

Ain't worried about the lumber nor the sticker police.  ;D

The lumber drying shed is nearby and I have sawn a good whack of stickers. 

[Beavertooth]

Lynn I'm glad I been laid up since Friday with cellulitis in my left leg. I've had a good excuse to stay out of the heat. 😂 Lot better today though. 

[Hackeldam Wood Products]

too bad the whole country doesn't have your work ethic M.M.
Nice grapple!

[Magicman]

Thanks.



 
I finished with 4515 bf of mostly 2X4's, 2X6's, 2X8's & 1X10's sawn in 11 hours.


 
Howard, I'll have to dedicate these stickers to the sticker police.  :D

Now I am off for the rest of the week.  ;D  Too hot to saw anyway!!  

[Wlmedley]

Made a few felling wedges out of dogwood boards I cut.Kind of hard to do with old miter saw.l guess I need to rig up a jig of some kind.Still have a few boards and would like to make several more to give away to friends who cut wood.If nothing else they are pretty and would make a good conversation piece.

 

[Resonator]

All you need to cut wedges out of a cant are a set of toe boards and forgetfulness. ;D

[WV Sawmiller]

They tend to be a little long for practical use from my experience. :D

[Beavertooth]

Looking good Craig !!  8)

Thanks Lynn   

Thanks.



 
I finished with 4515 bf of mostly 2X4's, 2X6's, & 1X10's sawn in 11 hours.


 
Howard, I'll have to dedicate these stickers to the sticker police.  :D

Now I am off for the rest of the week.  ;D  Too hot to saw anyway!!  

Nice looking lumber Lynn as always 

[fluidpowerpro]

Finished sawing this load of logs today. 5 RO logs, 14-18", small end.Only used 4 of the 5 logs supplied to get what he wanted for trailer

 

 

 

 

 deck boards. Ended up with 12 pcs, 2 x 8.37 x 14.5' and 12 pcs 2 x 8.37 x 11' for a total of 427bf. I had no help. I do have a small skid steer to move things, but it is too small to move these logs so everything was a challenge. I'm shot. Nothing is easy cutting these heavy boards. 
I would like some honest feedback as far as how good I'm doing. This job took me 11 hrs which I think is too long. Still up in the air about how to charge, by the HR or board ft because at the rate I'm going, if I charge by the hour, the customer is getting taken, and if by the bf, less than I want to make.
To revisit my equipment. I have a Hudson HFE 36, 16hp,  modified with power raise, lower and setworks. Manual feed through log. The bed it's on is full hydraulic with chain turners. 
How long should this have taken me?
Based on some of the numbers I see from others on here I think Ive got a lot of improving to do.
Yes, I know.... No stickers. The customer is picking up tomorrow and going to put on trailer wet.

[doc henderson]

with a manual mill, and little properly sized support equipment, and working by yourself...  it is what it is.  The cost of purchasing and maintaining support equipment but will improve your efficiency.  you then need to make some for you and some for the equipment.  what is your theoretical charge by the hour vs by the BF.  where else can he get full 2 x 8 oak boards.  when I charge it is 100 bucks an hour.  and I usually get a tip, for custom sawing someone else's logs.  Included in that time is education about stickering ect.  I send links to forum threads ect.  I do charity work and I do the good buddy system.

[doc henderson]

I have a fully hydraulic mill, and cat 277 track loader.  If you are slower with less equipment and less help, you also have less overhead cost.  you will have to account for that.  If you just got your mill, then you will be slower and that is not billable to the client. my two cents.

[fluidpowerpro]

Thinking about it more, I did have a small issue with the mill yesterday so it was more like 10 hrs. I also forgot to mention that the logs were 16' so I had to buck them to the length he wanted. How long would this job have taken you with no help?

[doc henderson]

hard to say.  some days are perfect and others not.  loading and unloading and making the cant take some time x 4 logs.  the boards themselves go fast.  I hate to say, but I think 3 to 4 hours barring mechanical issues ect.  that includes unloading and loading on their trailer ect.

I may have milled them all at 16 and he could trim whatever end had and issue, and to hit on a cross member ect.