Hemlock out of square - ideas to get back in square

[T4R11]

Loaded a 23" x 14' hemlock on the mill last night and after the first cut went 180 degrees for second cut no problems. Tried to rotate again to make the third cut but could not get the log to sit against the stops perfectly square...off just slightly. The log had some nasty damaged bark on it from handling. Anyway, made the cut and the fourth cut. Any suggestions on how best to get it back in square? Mill is a Timber Harvester.

[Digger Don]

I'm sure someone more experienced than me will chime in, but my suggestion would be a couple wedges under the cant to bring it up flush with your stops. Then flip it 180 and it should be square. I think. Don

[moosehunter]

I agree with Don, sometimes you gotta get that knarly bark out of the way before you square it up. If you have hydraulics you should be able to square it without wedges. I put my back stops at half mast, clamp with the clamp the bring the back stops up to level the cant.
mh

[doc henderson]

I have plastic speed squares out at the mill all the time to double check if things are wanky.  can be used after you have a cant if being square is more important than final size.

[Digger Don]

mh

Moose, I'll have to try that. I'm not sure it will work though, because I doubt that the stops are strong enough to move the log.

[beenthere]

Make the third cut a bit heavy, and just be sure the two-sided log doesn't move while making the cut. 
Then rotate to make the 4th cut, using shims or wedges to square up the 4th cut. Then return to the 3rd cut face and it should lay square if the shims and wedges were true. The last cut will true up for final cant size and be square. 

[Magicman]

I have a 12" aluminum "carpenter's" square that is always available for me to check for squareness.  As was mentioned, saw a bit oversize and then true it up.  Try to always give yourself a half inch because if both sides of the blade are not in the wood you could get a raggedy surface. 

[Nebraska]

I use wedges, Ihave half a dozen various types around the mill.  I wish my mill had hydraulic backstops, but they weren't added for a couple more years. 

[bushhog920]

I level my mill using a laser level for this reason. If my mill is level then I can use a hand level to check the vertical face On the log to make sure my next face is going to be 90 degree to the first cut. Dogs can lie to you but that little bubble in the level is always right if the mill is level. Great for quarter sawing to you can use the 45 on the level to check your cant.