Another little money maker

[shinnlinger]

Hello,

For some reason, I have cut "chargers" for 3 different weddings in the past few months.  at $2 a pop it can add up and if you were willing to finish them you could do even better. 

[Peter Drouin]

I have done that and get $5 each ;D

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Gotta like that ELM. 

[NMFP]

I have cut thousands of those things over the years, I really don't care if I cut another one.  Very time consuming and  in my area, they don't really want to pay for them.

Few years ago, I sawed 500 of them a month for a lady in Tennessee that used them for baking pans in a wood fired oven.  They used them for cooking fish on them and as they burned up, she used another one.  That was descent money for a simple product but shipping was sure a money killer.

Anymore, I stick to making boards. 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I likes to take a 4 inch limb and saw it up on the miter saw. Make lots of coasters in just a few minutes.

[NMFP]

That I have patience for, not cutting cookies on the mill!

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

That I have patience for, not cutting cookies on the mill!

Sawing cookies on the mill will drive you BoNgErS!  :D

[Chuck White]

I have cut thousands of those things over the years, I really don't care if I cut another one.  Very time consuming and  in my area, they don't really want to pay for them.

Few years ago, I sawed 500 of them a month for a lady in Tennessee that used them for baking pans in a wood fired oven.  They used them for cooking fish on them and as they burned up, she used another one.   That was descent money for a simple product but shipping was sure a money killer.

Anymore, I stick to making boards.

Yup, "grilling planks".

Google "grilling planks" and see what comes up.

I've seen them in packages of 6 in stores, just can't remember the price, but as I recall, they weren't cheap!

[VictorH]

yeah 4-5 bucks each around here also.  Usually cut 1.5 - 2" thick around here tho.  Have cut some 6-8" also for displaying grooms cake on as well.  Not sure I would do it for $2.

[backwoods sawyer]

  Not sure I would do it for $2.

How many can you mill in an hour?

[VictorH]

Well quite a few but only after you dig out the log that is the diameter wanted. saw that log up into 3' or shorter pieces and get those on the mill and clamped in place.  I think 20 is the most I've been asked to make at one time.  By the time I meet with the to customer show them what can be done - they decide how thick they want and what diameter, etc.  I do the work then meet them again to load up and get paid I am in it for 2 hours.  At $5  I made $100 for two hours of my time minus a small amount of gas, etc.  At $2 the $40 dollars is just not worth it.  I'd rather go play golf  ;D

[kelLOGg]

How do you keep the larger diameter cookies from cracking? I have never been successful at that.
Bob

[xlogger]

I've done a few lately, I need to come up with a better way to hold them on the mill. Any ideas?

[Peter Drouin]

 

 
I get more for the big ones  ;D

[Larry]

I've done a few lately, I need to come up with a better way to hold them on the mill. Any ideas?

When I had my manual mill I had an assembly where I could put 4 lag bolts into one end of the log and slip it back onto the mill.  Only took about a minute to take out the old log and put a new one in.

With a hydraulic mill I would make a couple of jaws like a pipe vise.  You could make them out of wood I think.

[kelLOGg]

I've done a few lately, I need to come up with a better way to hold them on the mill. Any ideas?

I usually come up with a different way every time because the shape of what I am cutting is different. I dropped  this one in place via my tractor and strapped it to the legs and sq arm.



 

[Larry]

How do you keep the larger diameter cookies from cracking? I have never been successful at that.
Bob

I think 9 out of 10 crack.  I sawed a lot of walnut at a angle.  Sawn that way it would be an exception if one cracked.  I don't know how this would work on other species.  I've sawed some others but not enough to give recommendations.

[shinnlinger]

The more angle the better as far as cracking and they make an interesting elliptical shape.

or you could drill out the heart or coat them ASAP.

I experimented with a few different ways to anchor them but 4 or 5 big headed panel screws toed into a deck seemed to be the easiest ands quickest.  If the wooden deck is relatively close to your bed height you will get more slabs out of a stick.  I found the straps worked but had to be adjusted as you moved down.

I was able to squeeze two next to each other so if you got $5 a piece each little pass is a $10 bill. and if your using cuttoffs your even further ahead.

[YellowHammer]

I use a crosstie and have cut a 90° "V" notch and also a 60° "V" notch to hold short 36 inch long logs on my mill so I can either saw them straight across or at a slight angle with very little fuss.  The hydraulic clamp is plenty strong to keep everything secure.
Here's a video of us sawing cooking for a customer's wedding.
YH
http://youtu.be/94vRxlxdA4I

[Brad_bb]

What do they use it for in a wedding??

[47sawdust]

Serving coasters until things get rowdy,then you use them like a frisbee.

[xlogger]

Good idea YH. I'll try that. thanks

[VT_Forestry]

What do they use it for in a wedding??

Table centerpieces mostly, but you can set just about anything on them...here are the ones I made for our wedding last year.  The logs with the hole in the middle got flowers stuffed in em

[Peter Drouin]

That's how I do it YH works well.

[drobertson]

 

 
My daughters' wedding several years ago,  I set up the same as YH as well. And also lower between the bunks and saw on an angle.