How to mill

[DJL50]

Doing a ton of research before buying a mill for hobby use. Where does one learn how to mill? I read a lot about sawing to grade but how is it done?

I know this is a great place for all the info one may need. but at this point, I don't know enough to even ask a question.

[LeeB]

Read all you can stand to on the forum and then some more. Find a mill in your area and look and learn. Most millers always appreciate a little free tailing. (pulling the boards after they are sawn) Go to some of the open house demos from the varios mill manufacturers to see the mills in action. Read about it on the forum some more. Buy the mill of your choice and slap a log on. You'll learn quick enough. Just be wary, saw dust is very addictive.

[Radar67]

Welcome to the forum.

I learned the most about milling by visiting with a member who was sawing. If you volunteer to pull boards, a sawyer will teach you a lot. Learning to read a log and sawing to grade comes from hands on experience. Knowing what to look for helps you to gain that experience when you start sawing.

I pretty much saw as a hobby and I don't worry to much about grade. I saw what I think looks good to me. If the knots start looking bad, I'll turn to another face. Knowing what material you want to get out of the log before you start sawing is a big plus in my book.

There are others who will be along to give you more information. Enjoy your research here, there is a load of good stuff here.

[ErikC]

  In a general education type way, I doubt there is a book that was ever written with a more complete, rounded outlook on sawmilling than this section of the Forestry Forum. Just start at the beginning and work your way through.

[DanG]

What they said, and more.  Learn about the trees and how they are put together.  That will tell you more about how to take them apart.  As you learn more about trees and how they grow, you will come to understand how the wood will react to certain patterns of disassembly.  It is generally quite predictable, but there are always surprises and that's what makes it interesting.

This forum is an excellent learning tool, and all you could ever want to know can be found here, but there are also many books that present the information in a more organised manner.  USDA has a number of good publications on the subject.

The best learning tool you will ever run across will be your mill, though.  One thing is for sure, it will certainly provide you with the questions to be asked. ;)

[Ianab]

Dang was typing while I was looking for the USDA publications.

Like this one - http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplrn/fplrn98.pdf
"A Simplified Procedure for Developing Grade Lumber from Hardwood Logs"

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/tmu/publications.html

Grade sawing is all about getting the most $value out of any log, working back from the hardwood grading rules. As a hobby sawyer it's not so important as you have some idea what you want to use the wood for, and you can just cut it to suit.
But for a commercial operation the wood sold according to grade rules, getting 20% more $$ return by smarter sawing just makes sense.

So you can read here and elswhere, ask questions, but the best way to learn is to get sawing. Actually taking some logs apart and seeing whats inside is the best way to learn.

Ian

[TinMan]

I learned what little I know from just jumping in and doing it. Started with an Alaskin, then a Logosol M7, Then a Peterson Ats 8. The more you do it the better you get. You will see new things all the time, but its alot of fun. Do you have lots of logs available to mill??  like some of the other guys said, there is tons of info here. Read up! ;D Its so addicting, now I have to build my own mill from scratch, just to keep my sanity. :

Tracy

[bandmiller2]

DJL,its like riding a bicycle you just have to do it,you will make some mistakes ,be carefull and observent worry about grade after you can saw.Frank C.

[Don K]

Not much to add to this but my own comments. I bought my mill to cleanup hurricane damage, so I just started sawing. I had pulled boards a few times behind a mill but didn't know squat. A example of my first mistakes could be when sawing 2X6's from a nice pine I would split a 12" cant right down the pith resulting in bowed boards due to reaction wood.

Thank goodness for the Forum. By reading some well described post with pics, talking in person with some members I was able to meet, and using my own common sense I was able to saw with some good results. Not nearly as much wobbly wood. You can't read all logs but when they react you learn from it.

If you've got a mill get after it. It will be your best teacher. Just don't learn on other peoples logs at first. ;D ;)

Don

[Woodey]

I would suggest that you visit with your local sawyer and learn the pros and cons of their mill.
That is what I did and learned more from the people that had woodmizer sawmill, so that is what I purchased and learned on. All mills will cut lumber, but when you have problems its better to ask advice from people who have the same type mill as you do. I was surprised that they were so willing to teach and share information. Now I find myself doing the same.
Good luck mill shopping.

[DJL50]

Thanks for all the info. The Forest Products Lab site will give me lots of info to read.

[backwoods sawyer]

When cutting hardwoods treat the pith (hart) as a defect. Position the saw where you think it should go for the opening face, and then raise it up another inch so that you do not waist any wood.
Hardwood are completely different then softwoods. Cutting beams from softwood is different then cutting studs. Each log in the same tree can be cut to produce a different product. I have had customer drag logs in at the end of the job and tell me just get what you can out of those logs. That is the point where I shut the saw down and discus with them what they would have a need for.

Being a sawyer is 20% operating the equipment and 80% reading the logs. I had one big ugly log that I put in front of the mill half a dozen times before it would speak to me, as I did not have a set need for it. Today I went out started building a planer shed with the boards milled from that log. I find the best way to saw is to have a list of what you would like out of the logs, once you cut to the cut sheet, and then cut a few extra of each size.

How to orient each log, where to make the opening cut, what can you get out of each log, are all questions that you will have to ask yourself each time you put a log on the mill.