Whatcha Sawin' 2022 ??

[WV Sawmiller]

   If I had some one close offering me that I'd jump on it but the mileage would stop me as I'd see that as 300 miles for a one time test. If it worked out and you could drop off and pick up a load each trip to reduce the cost to make it more attractive that might help your bottom line.

  What MC is he promising to dry it to? Did you ask if he would plane and edge too? If he can do so and his other finish work is in line with the cost for his drying service you may have a great deal in the works. You should certainly be able to gage your costs better.

[Magicman]

All job offers are not necessarily good job offers, especially with that many unanswered/unanswerable questions.

Maybe the learning experience would be worth it but I would never bet more on an uncertain venture than I could afford to loose.

[WDH]

On the Hardwood Market Report, the difference between green lumber and kiln dried lumber for FAS red oak was 68.5 cents/bf the last week. This report is the average wholesale price of hardwood lumber sold the prior week for tractor trailer load minimum.  

Your guy's cost for kiln drying is less than half that of the market value difference between green and kiln dried lumber from the most efficient operators in the business.  Hmmmm.

[fluidpowerpro]

I did some more dectective work this morning and found a guy only 10 miles from me that charges 375/1000bf and he will bring it down to 11%.
Being he is so close that's who I will try.
Once I have it dried, what's a fair selling price?

[ladylake]

 Woodworkers need it at 6 to 8% for some projects.  Steve

[Old Greenhorn]

That price seems really good, at least to me. We are bringing some slabs for drying this week coming and we are paying $1.00/BF mostly because of energy costs, the kiln had to raise their rate. I am just stabbing here, but you could charge based on the wood condition. If they are edged, planed, and the bad stuff is pulled out, the price goes up quite a bit. For mill lumber that is just kiln dried, I should think you could add on twice, or 3x what the added cost is to you for the drying (in addition to your log and sawing price). Let us know how it goes.

 As for that 6-8% number. I think that is going to be a tough nut to achieve because most homes won't hold that ambient humidity and I have no idea how you would maintain a lumber pack at that level, at least, not around here, in the summer.

[ladylake]

 When I test the moister in my house In Mn it's at 8%,  wood heat in the winter ,air conditioned in the summer.  Cabinet shops will want it  at 6 to 8 %.  If left outside it's going to take on moister unless dead stacked and wrapped in plastic.  After kiln drying it needs to be stored in a heated and air conditioned building.   Steve

[WDH]

I agree, for inside use 11% is not dry enough.  If used inside, it will shrink more.  If they only dry to 11%, that is barely less than if you let the wood air dry under a shelter. 

[GAB]

I agree, for inside use 11% is not dry enough.  If used inside, it will shrink more.  If they only dry to 11%, that is barely less than if you let the wood air dry under a shelter.

Danny:
Correct me if I am incorrect, based on what I'm reading the price quoted is high for the work or drying offered, if starting at 15% air dried.
GAB

[Magicman]

As I mentioned in the Reverse Roll Quarter Sawing topic, I started a mostly White Oak QS job this morning.


 This is what greeted me this morning.  A Red Oak log with White Oak in the background.


 I walked around and found the Red Oak 2nd log plus the White Oak butts, etc.



The first White Oak log loaded up.


 The customer counted 153 growth rings.


 The 4 hydraulic side supports worked very well.


  The top half "Jelly Rolled" off and then 4 slices taken from the center.


 Yes, there was some nice QS figure in most all of the logs.  The customer was happy.


 The customer kept the sawmill well fed.


 A nice whack of QS White Oak.


 And on the left is some QS Red Oak plus some random stuff including some 4X4's, etc. 

We sawed all of the large 20"+ logs and I will return Tuesday to saw the scrappy stuff.  We will probably take the center boards and then make 4X4's & whatever else the logs will yield.

[Southside]

As the others said, 11% oak is going to move. That's even a touch high for pine flooring. 

[richhiway]

Nice looking oak. You sure make that mill sing, M.M.

[YellowHammer]

Nice!  That's a good bit of QS wood.  I'm glad it went well.

[WDH]

Gerald, my point is about the result, not the price to get there.   11% is OK if the wood is not going to be used for paneling, flooring, furniture, etc. which will be used inside a climate controlled space.  So, drying to only 11% does not get you where you need to be if you want to sell the wood for its best use.  If you are not going to take it down to furniture grade specs, you may as well just air dry it and save yourself the money.  

As to the cost of kiln drying, if the large, most efficient producers are selling their rough hardwood for $69 cents/bf more, wholesale and large quantities, for kiln dried versus green, to me, that sets the floor for drying cost.  Why would I charge less if I am operating a business?

[Magicman]

Nice! That's a good bit of QS wood.

We QS'd 7 logs that were 20"- 30" butt.  The lumber looks deceiving because of the 3-4 board stacks that were not separated.  It's all 8' and I have no idea of the bf. 

I will go back Tuesday and clean up the junker stuff, mostly into 4X4's, etc.

[YellowHammer]

I noticed that in the picture, it looked like you had things going easily enough that you were not having to check for fleck on each board, and getting them to off bear multiple boards at a time.  

[GAB]

Gerald, my point is about the result, not the price to get there.   11% is OK if the wood is not going to be used for paneling, flooring, furniture, etc. which will be used inside a climate controlled space.  So, drying to only 11% does not get you where you need to be if you want to sell the wood for its best use.  If you are not going to take it down to furniture grade specs, you may as well just air dry it and save yourself the money.  

As to the cost of kiln drying, if the large, most efficient producers are selling their rough hardwood for $69 cents/bf more, wholesale and large quantities, for kiln dried versus green, to me, that sets the floor for drying cost.  Why would I charge less if I am operating a business?

Danny, I've never dealt with a kiln for drying wood.  My thinking is it is quicker timewise to go from 15% to 11% than going from 11% to 7% (7% being the average 6% & 8%).  That, and the fact that no sterilization is mentioned is why I am thinking the quoted price is dear.
Now if my thinking is wrong please enlighten me.
GAB

[Magicman]

it looked like you had things going easily enough that you were not having to check for fleck on each board

On the first few we saw that if the top wedge was OK, then the entire stack would be.  Measuring to the pith after turning and before sawing any "cant" was the key to success.  I took lotsa steps measuring.

[Daburner87]

 

 

Biggest log I've had on the mill so far, and turning this sucker manually took quite a bit of effort and time.  My winch pulled it up on the mill no problem, but I need another hook from Logrite to use the winch to turn it to save me a lot of time and energy going forward.  And then moving the 6x6, 5x4 timbers I got out of it by hand....  Part of me wishes I invested in a better mill from the start, currently looking for a forklift to solve a lot of my problems moving and loading logs.  Plus if I got a forklift I wouldn't need to move my mill around to load every log I could just set it up stationary permanently.   This log was sitting in the yard for about a year, noticed some mold on it.  Lots of work to do going forward as I need to speed up the milling and stacking process.  It's just taking too long to do this all manually.

[YellowHammer]

That's the big key to the Jellyroll, after a few tries, you "know" when it's right and don't have to trust to luck and check every board, but just keep sawing.

The whole measuring the pith and gunbarreling is frustrating to me, especially since I saw alone.  I know what you mean by "Lotsa Steps."  I've got an old car backup camera I've been wanting to rig up so I can see both ends of the log at the same time, but there should be a better, simpler way.  

[cutterboy]

MM, it seems you did a good job measuring the pith. You really nailed it in the picture of the log with the center boards cut.

[WV Sawmiller]

   A new customer found my website (so that works) and called asking about sawing. He already had 3 logs on his trailer and was about 20 miles away. I told him I could do them today if he liked so about 2 hours later he showed up with 3 elm logs. Two were 17' or so and we cut them in half to drag them off with my ATV as my tractor is off getting a pedicure (Foam in a front tire).


I had company in the front yard when I started out so I let her feed and move along then I went and got a tarp, blades, cant hooks and the ATV and got ready for him.


12' Upper I cut into 2X4 (1.75"X3.75") for him.


 

After bucking here are the other 4 8' logs sawed into dimensional 2X4
and 4/4 boards (Mostly 1X12's).


 

Two engine hours and just over 490 actual bf yield. He took some of the slabs wood with him, the rest I will cut and throw in my cart behind my ATV and take to a neighbor tomorrow.

[WDH]

So much for your neighbors mailbox :D.

[Southside]

Elm 2x4's, is he building one of those "wonky chicken houses"?  Build it square now and wait for it to dry, lot less complicated carpentry that way.  :D

[WV Sawmiller]

Danny,

  If you mean the stickers sticking out, he cut them off flush before he strapped down his load.

SS,

  I warned him before we ever sawed the first cut that elm was real bad to twist and to be sure to put lots of weight on them and hope they dried straight enough he could use them.

  I don't saw much elm around here. It is beautiful wood and this sawed like butter. Looking at the bark I first thought it was some type of red oak. I was not sure it was elm till I cut the first slab off. It was a very wet wood practically dripping moisture.