General milling

[Lectro88]

Hello all, I'm new to the forum. and not seen a place to introduce myself, so jumping right in.
A little history about me to explain the nature of my question.
I am 50+ and been around sawmills on and off mostly off, and I'll explain that too.
In my early 20's dad, my brother and I bought an old Frick 56"
Long before my time grandpa on dads side had a mill and my dad was active in that, what years I have no idea.
But dad was born in the late 1920's and the old homeplace I think was all milled by gramps.
Anyway dad passed 20+ years ago and the mill has sat in the shed or its pole shelter ever since unused.
I helped a neighbor run a mill as a lad but I was just mule labor.
Kinda the same thing with our mill. and to be honest in my 20's I had chasing women and running the roads as a higher priortaty.
Well it takes at least 3 people to safely run the frick and my brother is 70 and unable.
I am about a day from purchasing a HM130max with 2 extensions.
My neighbor has a PILE of Big Oak trunks he had taken down 2 years ago and stacked.
couldn't get a mill to saw them and he never hauled them,. so procrastination, timing and luck colaborated and they just have been sitting there. It's been discussed to use them for heat,. but that kills me.
I feel that I could make some killer tables, benches, sawhorses siding, shelves... anything from that pile.
So here's the Meat of the question....
I remember hardwood splitting while drying. and I know these logs have splits now,. its just the way oak does.
If these are my 1st target with my mill. any pointers on stacking and preventing more cracks or is that done at this point.
So I guess you could say I'm an Old Newbie.
The band saw is going to be a total new thing for me. but my brother expressed he really wanted  1 back in the day.
I appreciate any feedback or direction to appropriate threads as I am learning this site as well.
thanks again.


:Edit:
Pic's of logs I referenced are down in reply  #16
Took me a few days to get the pic's(at location) and another little hurtle that Is noted later in the posts to actually get them posted.

[kelLOGg]

Welcome to the FF. Show us a pic of the pile. I would start learning my mill operation on something like pine and save the oak for later. Where in NC are you?

[SawyerTed]

Welcome to the forum. There are several of us from NC.  

[thecfarm]

Lectro88, welcome to the forum.
Buy the mill!!!!   ;D

[Chuck White]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Lectro88!

[Lectro88]

Welcome to the FF. Show us a pic of the pile. I would start learning my mill operation on something like pine and save the oak for later. Where in NC are you?

Pic's are a challenge for me on the Mac. I have loaded pis's to other forums unrelated to this topic but that always has to be from my iphone.
So pic's be further down the road.
The purchase kinda fell through for now,.... Long story, it's not completely dead but, but simmering on a back burner.
I'm outside Charlotte.
My intent was to 
first debark, or square up the logs, (large cants)
and let the lack of minds ponder on what was desired next.
sometimes when you see things progress or evolve from rough to not so rough the light bulb that is off or dim sometimes grows brighter or snaps on.
So start cleaning up the pile and use rine or slats for heat. before the knuckle dragging chainsaw happy (off light bulbs) attacked the pile because it was easy firewood.  

[Lectro88]

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome and comments.

This mill is a "want" first of all, that I could use here on the 20 acres. I have so many trees falling and joining neighbors do too. and I mean big hardwoods. 24"+
Recouping the invest or seeing the real justification from all others is in the mix also.
None of you have ever had the problem of somebody telling you how to spend your money.{family}
anyway, that's where everything lays now.

I also got some flack from my bank(new mgr. and not a mans view)about cross border purchase, 
the argument was given if item didn't show,. long shot in the dark.
But a bank woman mgr like her sees everything as a scam.
Like I said earlier, long story and many forks in the road.

[SawyerTed]

There are many portable mills "outside of Charlotte."  Hiring a portable mill is an option.  That way your logs won't become firewood.

[GAB]

I also got some flack from my bank(new mgr. and not a mans view)about cross border purchase,
the argument was given if item didn't show,. long shot in the dark.
But a bank woman mgr like her sees everything as a scam.
Like I said earlier, long story and many forks in the road.

Lectro88:
If my memory is correct (I know, it's the second thing to go) Woodland Mills has a USA dealer in I believe Wisconsin.
I do not know how that would change the accounting if it does.
It would, in my mind, change it from cross border situation to cross state transaction.
Can someone add to this with the Woodland Mills USA dealer information.
GAB

[TroyC]

Welcome!
I purchased a Woodland Mills sharpener and a friend purchased a mill from WoodlandUSA. No problems on either purchase.

[Lectro88]

Well, I got it done.
I squeezed the trigger and made the purchase.

130max.
2 extensions 
20 blades
and spare parts kit.

spent most of my mattress $$$

[jpassardi]

Welcome to the Forum, congrats on the purchase.
Do you have support equipment to move the logs, lumber and slabs or do you plan to take the mill to the logs?

[Lectro88]

Welcome to the Forum, congrats on the purchase.
Do you have support equipment to move the logs, lumber and slabs or do you plan to take the mill to the logs?

:Edit:
I sometimes ramble and may drift off topic. (and that happened here in this post)
That is the effects from a previous injury and accident. so bare with me. I'm mostly harmless and sometimes harmful (Lol)

Answer: C  all of the above.
This is mostly a hobby for me. in addition to keeping a warm basement.
I have takeuchi 135 excavator.
2- Husq 3120's  (120 cc for those that don't know)
Husq 460
Husq 435
Homelite 650
and....
and a full basement and 10 acres of other goodies
additional info. for fun and giggles.
one of my 3120's I built from scratch with cases and parts from all over the US,(parts saw) new bearings, crank, "Rubbed" and massaged the intake and exhaust on both,,. I have modified the ignition, flywheel and carbs. and all my saws are tuned by me to 32;1 oil ratio,. They run....(and smoke.. a little) I don't abuse them but they do tend to exceed most my needs most the time.
this includes drilling some fixed jets to allow more fuel with the added oil.(i'm old school)but I'm also running a 1970's Hlte. 650 on original cylinder.

[RAYAR]

Welcome to the forum, Lectro88. That 130 Max should make enough sawdust to keep you happy.

[Lectro88]

Sorry guys tried to add pics but no go. 

This site is different on adding photos than I'm used to and I'm not real tech savvy. 

[Magicman]

Check out the last topic on the Index Page which deals with uploading pictures into your gallery and then posting them here on the FF. 

[Lectro88]

Here are a few pic's of the pile of logs.
Just to note, these photo's don't portray from my view the accurate size of the pile.
The pile is 10-15' feet deep and there are 2 stacks/piles.
The blotted out area is another neighbors house way off in the distance that I decided to edit out (just to be safe)

again, I'm not completely new to this but it is a different type of mill to me going from circular 56"  to a bandsaw.
There are plenty here that can serve as first few "Learners"
And yes some are too rotten to do anything with, and the sap and bark edge has started it's toll on the exterior as well. but that will clean up I "think".


And 1once more I appreciate all your help, support and the welcome to the site.
I will attempt to contribute to the site as well as benefit from the pool of knowledge that is already here.


the mill is probably a few weeks out for delivery and couple days to assemble.



 

  

[Magicman]

Some of those logs are pretty far along with sapwood rot, but the hearts should yield some interesting lumber.  Go for it. 

[Lectro88]

Some of those logs are pretty far along with sapwood rot, but the hearts should yield some interesting lumber.  Go for it.  

Yes Sir, my thoughts exactly.
At the very least... some practice on non-critical hardwood.
and the outer cuts should almost be effortless.
Then we can keep warm with clear minds with the culls.

[Magicman]

 

 


 


 
You will never know unless you crack it open.  I sawed some this past week that had mushrooms hanging all off of them. 

[Brad_bb]

1st question is what do you want from your logs?  What do you need?  It really helps to have a use in mind.  Beams?  Trailer decking?  4/4, 5/4, 6/4 boards? Slabs?  Do you need flat sawn material or do you need quarter sawn with high fleck?  Do you need vertical grain but without fleck?  Ugly logs make the best slabs especially if you're into epoxy fills.  High fleck quarter sawing is best done on hydraulic band mills using Yellowhammers Reverse Roll technique.  Beams should be boxed heart and watch out for defects.  Avoid significant defects in beams near the middle of the beam and the top and bottom of the cross section.  

[Lectro88]

Thanks Brad. 
Like I had said in my earlier posts, these logs are my neighbors. so not my call.
I did however mention make as large of square ups or cants as possible and let him ponder what he wants after he see's the progress and what quality these are going to deliver. They have been down 2 yrs. (not sure)
I have not milled in MANY years so it will give me some practice, while I'm learning a new machine.

[Brad_bb]

Well, I've found that a lot of people have that problem, they want to mill logs but they don't have a use in mind or know what they want.  I say don't touch the log until you know. Also, it's best to leave them as log and NOT cants if you don't plan to cut them into the final sizes right away.  I've seen that question come up many times.  A cant that sits for some time can start to dry on the outside and eventually will check on one face.  Then you will have a cant that is no longer square, and has a significant defect to cut around.

In my opinion, larger grade oak logs or better should be quarter sawed in my opinion.  Or rift sawn as that is the hot trend these days.  Quarter sawn wood is the most stable, and rift is pretty stable too.  You'll get the most drying movement from flat sawn, especially with knots or branch grain in the boards.

[Peter Drouin]

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