My Own Private Hobby Saw Mill (Steps to Save Steps Questions)

[BarnSmokeStudio]

I'd just want to start off thanking everyone on the forum for all of the responses to my prior posts as I have been setting up my hobby sawmill and putting the chainsaw mill away .

My current progress: 

Logs:  I have an assortment of about 30 or so funky walnut logs and a few cherry that I have collected off FB and my uncle's land.





Sawmill:  Just about done putting the Woodland Mills 136 MAX together.


Tractor:  I picked up a Bad Boy 3026 tractor to help move the logs around my yard.

Stickers:  Ordered a pallet of the breeze dried stickers.


Air Drying:  I am working on this part now.   Thinking of setting up a couple spots along the side of my yard to stack the lumber.  

Kiln Drying:  Planning on setting up a Nyle 53 in the side of my barn when I get the extra $$$.

I really enjoy watching that old guy who does not like spandex on Hobby Hardwoods, and I'm trying to embrace his "Steps to Save Steps" method.   

Would it make sense to build a couple of pallets to stack the lumber on as I cut it.  Then move it to the air drying location on the pallet.  After air drying move to the future kiln on the same pallet?

It would be nice to have the work flow layout prior to jumping in .

[YellowHammer]

Yes, it's very important to have ready made pallets or skids before you cut.  Lumber is too heavy to just keep hand moving it around, board by board, from place to place. 

I will not start up my mill unless a pallet is in place and ready, because once the boards are properly stacked and stickered on the skids when they come off the mill, they will never have to be moved again by hand again, everything is done with forks.  

Pallets also help stack packs on top of other to keep them them flat, make a quick template for stickers, insure the boards are stacked flat, and keeps things flat and organized, as the runners should be placed in the exact same spacing as your stickers, I do 16" spacing.  So when packs are stacked on top of each other, the spacing of the runners and stickers transfers all the land from sticker to sticker, and properly supports all the boards to prevent kinking.  Kind of like stacking Leggos.

I also much prefer open bottom skids, so the runners of the skids act like stickers on the stack they are sitting on, and won't cause sticker stain.

I make so many open bottom pallets or skids that I spray painted a template on my barn floor.  No more tape measures to slow things down.  They are reusable so once you hit "capacity" you only have to make replacements for ones that eventually rot or fail.  Take steps to save steps. 

I know that old guy at Hobby Hardwoods, I take care of his dog when he is filming, I will see if he will make a "pallet" video because they are game changers making life easier and drying higher quality wood.   

 

[doc henderson]

I made a template for the skids from the same wood I use on the pallets.  I will get a pic later.  I started with a tape measure on the shop floor and remeasuring over and over.  If you make one you can turn it upside down to stage, the next pallet bottoms then put the tops on.  I glue with tite bond 3 and then use staples.  a pneumatic stapler goes fast, and they hold better than nails and do not shear like screws.  The glue keeps them from racking and eventually loosening up.  I use full 2 x 4 inch runners on the bottom and had used thin tops (1 x 4s) x 5 across.  I plan to make the tops thicker in the future, so the skid does not flex under the wood.  some fasten the first row of sticker on the skid.  Mine are 42 inches deep (just wider than my pallet forks are long) and intervals of 18 inches plus 2 inches for the last runner.  I use up cottonwood here and have copper naphthenate I can roll on the runner bottoms to treat against rot.  Everything I claim to know about this, I learned from Robert, Jake and others on this forum.

[BarnSmokeStudio]

I make so many open bottom pallets or skids that I spray painted a template on my barn floor.  No more tape measures to slow things down.  They are reusable so once you hit "capacity" you only have to make replacements for ones that eventually rot or fail.  Take steps to save steps.

I know that old guy at Hobby Hardwoods, I take care of his dog when he is filming, I will see if he will make a "pallet" video because they are game changers making life easier and drying higher quality wood. 

 

I really appreciate the milling videos but the other ones on what to do next are really interesting and great.  With a full time job during the week I want to be as efficient as possible and produce the best product from my logs.

[DDW_OR]

here are some good links to read


Observations of a New Sawyer in Sawmills and Milling

Useful sawmill mods in Sawmills and Milling

what degree bandsaw blade in Sawmills and Milling

Blade Can in Sawmills and Milling

New Circle mill adventures in Sawmills and Milling

Shifting Large Logs laterally on sawmill in Sawmills and Milling

Stopping Falling Stickers.......Video by 123 Goat in Sawmills and Milling

trees and bees, can it pay to plant cover crops in young forests? in Alternative methods and solutions



this is a really nice looking table
Toddlers cedar picnic table in General Woodworking

[thecfarm]

Never heard of Badboy tractors until this post.

have fun sawing!!!

[doc henderson]

they make and sell a lot of zero turn mowers through TSC around here.  I think they may have a local plant.  home office in Batesville, Ar

[YellowHammer]

When you pick your air drying area, airflow and placement is critical.  Too close to a shady tree line and the boards will mold, too much wind and they will crack.  I go by the theory of "if it feels good to me it will feel good to the wood."  

I've had a bad results in one spot, moved the stacks 50 yard to another, and everything was great.  

[BarnSmokeStudio]

Yes, it's very important to have ready made pallets or skids before you cut.  Lumber is too heavy to just keep hand moving it around, board by board, from place to place.

I will not start up my mill unless a pallet is in place and ready, because once the boards are properly stacked and stickered on the skids when they come off the mill, they will never have to be moved again by hand again, everything is done with forks. 

Pallets also help stack packs on top of other to keep them them flat, make a quick template for stickers, insure the boards are stacked flat, and keeps things flat and organized, as the runners should be placed in the exact same spacing as your stickers, I do 16" spacing.  So when packs are stacked on top of each other, the spacing of the runners and stickers transfers all the land from sticker to sticker, and properly supports all the boards to prevent kinking.  Kind of like stacking Leggos.

I also much prefer open bottom skids, so the runners of the skids act like stickers on the stack they are sitting on, and won't cause sticker stain.

I make so many open bottom pallets or skids that I spray painted a template on my barn floor.  No more tape measures to slow things down.  They are reusable so once you hit "capacity" you only have to make replacements for ones that eventually rot or fail.  Take steps to save steps.

I know that old guy at Hobby Hardwoods, I take care of his dog when he is filming, I will see if he will make a "pallet" video because they are game changers making life easier and drying higher quality wood. 

 

Really liked the new video on the pallets, only problem now is I have to wait a week to see how you build them on the cheap