Author Topic: How would you do it? (Read 4107 times)

samandothers · « **Reply #40 on:** February 06, 2019, 09:44:15 PM »

Maybe another reason to separate the mill and the kiln is fire. If one caused a fire it could take out 2 expensive tools. This may in itself not be reason to build two but along with the others this may add some incentive if you have the real estate for the multiple buildings.

GeneWengert-WoodDoc · « **Reply #41 on:** February 06, 2019, 09:54:19 PM »

For the record, the chemicals in wood that do damage to the structure are water vapor, tannic acid and acetic acid

CabinCreations · « **Reply #42 on:** February 07, 2019, 06:30:34 AM »

The fire issue is a great point - for some reason I had not considered that. Real estate is somewhat limited, but I can make a separate building for a future kiln.

WoodDoc - Thanks for that. I am going to do some reading on the chemicals released, but I think at this point the kiln will no longer be under the same roof as everything else.

alan gage · « **Reply #43 on:** February 07, 2019, 09:56:20 AM »

I don't think I'd want to saw in a 12' wide shed if I had a choice. If I was in something that narrow I'd want it to be a standalone shed with good access to both sides. I don't know how you unload boards from your mill but I like to either unload them directly onto loader forks or else set them on a set of 4x4's right next to the mill where I can easily pick them up with loader forks. Either way I can do it by only lifting one end of the board at a time.

Alan

CabinCreations · « **Reply #44 on:** February 07, 2019, 10:39:47 AM »

That's a good point - thanks for pointing it out. I will have to consider off-loading a little more. If I take the kiln out, I will have a little more room to play with (if I don't bump up the sharpening area too....

)

A complete layout adjustment may be in order here!

PAmizerman · « **Reply #45 on:** February 07, 2019, 07:04:55 PM »

My shed over my saw is 12' wide but the tin hangs out the front 2 or 3 feet. It is old tin that is used to pour concrete on so it is heavy enough the wind doesn't affect it.

It works ok. Not ideal but keeps the worst of the weather off. The biggest pain is shoveling all that sawdust out.

When the shed was built it was over a lt30. And it was never going to turn into a full time business

well 6 years later and literally tons and tons of sawdust later here I am

CabinCreations · « **Reply #46 on:** February 08, 2019, 06:33:25 AM »

That's great, PA. Congratulations on your success! This is a part time venture for me - I have been warned not to quit my day job. haha.

Ah, the sawdust. I have thought about that and have not come up with a good solution. If you got to re-build your saw shed, do you know how you would do it differently?

doc henderson · « **Reply #47 on:** February 08, 2019, 09:06:55 AM »

CC, I give sawdust to a doc with a cabin off grid, he uses for a composting toilet, and planer chips for friends at work with chickens. I also make fire starters with candle remnants with chips.

Hilltop366 · « **Reply #48 on:** February 08, 2019, 09:49:29 AM »

Quote from: PAmizerman on February 06, 2019, 05:36:56 PM

I am thinking about making a desetting and cleaning station but there is not enough room for it. I would not want the shed any smaller.

If the de-setter and cleaner could be made with the blade positioned vertical it would not need to take up much floor space. ?

Woodpecker52 · « **Reply #49 on:** February 08, 2019, 09:56:26 AM »

PAmiserman looks like you get to shovel the white suff and the brown stuff, only the brown year round!

Hilltop366 · « **Reply #50 on:** February 08, 2019, 10:01:59 AM »

Cabin, I would find out if a large overhang with post be considered part of the building size or is it just the enclosed floor space? Also where would a stand alone roofed structure (no walls) fall in the regulations?

Just thought it would be something to clarify with the officials as it may open up other possibilities.

CabinCreations · « **Reply #51 on:** February 08, 2019, 02:09:34 PM »

Hilltop - That was a good thought. I just checked with the township and unfortunately anything under roof is considered part of the square footage of the building, so that doesn't help here.

They are supposed to get back to me about the 'ag' building idea though. We'll see what they say!

PAmizerman · « **Reply #52 on:** February 08, 2019, 09:54:03 PM »

Quote from: Hilltop366 on February 08, 2019, 09:49:29 AM

Quote from: PAmizerman on February 06, 2019, 05:36:56 PM
I am thinking about making a desetting and cleaning station but there is not enough room for it. I would not want the shed any smaller.

If the de-setter and cleaner could be made with the blade positioned vertical it would not need to take up much floor space. ?

I was thinking something like SE metals uses.

PAmizerman · « **Reply #53 on:** February 08, 2019, 10:08:50 PM »

Quote from: Woodpecker52 on February 08, 2019, 09:56:26 AM

PAmiserman looks like you get to shovel the white suff and the brown stuff, only the brown year round!

Indeed. Lots of shoveling here. I am constantly shoveling snow off my lumber piles.

PAmizerman · « **Reply #54 on:** February 08, 2019, 10:30:46 PM »

@CabinCreations

Here is my latest brainstorm. I just need a fatter wallet

.

I am trying to model it similar to the baker system.

I work alone full time so this would really help to boost my production.

For the lumber storage I plan to build pallets on skids so I can pull them out lengthwise to unload. I will have a pallet for my most common dimensions. Most of my sawing is custom orders so I always have side lumber that needs put on sticks. I've found that people usually want all the same width so I have a stack for each width and length. Right now my stacks are outside and I have to clean the snow off and remove the tin just to add a couple boards. So far this setup is the best I believe will work for me.

PAmizerman · « **Reply #55 on:** February 08, 2019, 10:36:12 PM »

Let me know if the pic is readable. It didn't come through the way I wanted.
@CabinCreations what program did you use for your drawing?

CabinCreations · « **Reply #56 on:** February 11, 2019, 06:26:39 AM »

@PAmizerman - That looks like it would be quite the production building. Would this be built off of the sharpening shed that you just completed or would this be a completely separate build? I take it that most of your work is stationary? Do you do much portable work?

The photo came through well enough to see what you were thinking. I used a PDF editer called Bluebeam (I drew it on my lunch break at work....

). It's a simple program but it's great for drawing simple sketches to scale quickly.

nativewolf · « **Reply #57 on:** February 11, 2019, 07:42:00 AM »

Quote from: samandothers on February 06, 2019, 09:44:15 PM

Maybe another reason to separate the mill and the kiln is fire. If one caused a fire it could take out 2 expensive tools. This may in itself not be reason to build two but along with the others this may add some incentive if you have the real estate for the multiple buildings.

I see you changed the mind on the kiln under 1 roof. Great because fire is exactly what I was thinking. I am a super newbie on the sawmilling side of it all. In fact we don't own a mill, but I've spent $30k on sawyers in the last 2 years trying out ideas. As part of my education I toured lots of mills, circle mills, mills with kilns, etc etc. I was very surprised to see so many burnt out kilns.

I'd have that kiln as far from the building as you can make it. I'd also urge you to consider a solar kiln..ok I know you are in the cloud/snow belt but it would still cut down on your energy needs. I'd ask what you have for material handling? A skid steer or telehandler is awesome around a small mill.

PAmizerman · « **Reply #58 on:** February 11, 2019, 07:59:09 AM »

@CabinCreations it would be a complete new build. I have not done any portable sawing for the last 4 years and don't plan to do any in the future. I have had enough to keep me busy.

CabinCreations · « **Reply #59 on:** February 11, 2019, 11:58:16 AM »

nativewolf - yes, wise people on here shed light on placing the kiln away from the rest of the equipment. The kiln is a plan for the future (hopefully not distant future though). When I get to that point, the kiln will be as far away as I can without making the transport of the lumber too difficult.

Support equipment is minimal right now. This operation is expected to be mostly mobile, and since I can't quit my day job - it will be part time. Most of the work expected to take place at this new building will be small jobs where the customer prefers to bring the logs to me rather than pay for transportation and for personal milling. Support equipment will be a truck, atv, log arch, future tractor and my bare hands. A skid steer is a future possibility but it hasn't fit in the 5 year plan!

PA - I kind of expected that. If I am looking at your sketch right, it looks like it would be difficult to get your mill in and out of the building with the sharpening shed located where you have it drawn. If it is mostly stationary then you have nothing to worry about.

Building something where the mill can be easily pulled in and out is what I am struggling with. I have the land, but of course its a lot of hill in western PA... I will need to have the location of this mill leveled. Based on the geometry of the hillside and the entrance into the area, getting the mill with the logs on the correct side of the mill is giving me some problems...

WM should consider making a "left hand" mill option where the loading takes place on the left hand side

. It would make my situation much easier.

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Author Topic: How would you do it? (Read 4107 times)

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