What a great Saturday!

[JoeyLowe]

 8)  Had two custom jobs to saw yesterday.  Both were neighbors and both are amatuer woodworkers.  First fella had three cedar logs around 24" in diameter and 6 sweetgum logs around 30" in diameter.  He wanted all cut to 3/4".  Cedar cut fast, but the sweetgum was a little slower.  I got down to the last two logs and the fella says if you want, you can have some these logs to take with you.  So I said that I would like to have two slabs about 1 3/4 thick to make a table top out of.  I cut the slabs and they were both standing there looking at the slabs and wondering what a table top would look like so I grabbed my handplane (a custom made special smoothing plane) and I planed one side of a slab smooth in less than a minute.  Now they were very impressed and wanted to see the handplane so I showed that to them and told them the story of who made it and where it was obtained. Then conversation turned to the slabs.  The wood was snow white with little if no knots.  The slabs were 8' x 30" x 1 3/4". Needless to say they wanted tops for themselves, so I finished slabing the one log and slabbed the remaining log too.  Less cuts for me, the customers were very happy and I was on my way to the next job.  BTW cut 2600 BF from 6:00 -12:30 pm. 8) 8)  They had plenty of helpers and a tractor with two trailers.

Next job entailed close to ten cedars, forty pines, an oak and two sweetgum logs.  All around 24-30" diameter.  This job started slow partly because I was tired and partly because the Mizer started acting up.

On one of the first cuts I made, the blade stopped in mid cut and the diesel engine died.  Had to back the mill out of the cut, changed the blade and the Mizer started up again without a hitch and I cut a couple of logs.  Blade dulled, so I changed the blade with a brandnew blade and made half a cut when I hit something in the log and all of the teeth came off the blade.  Ruined a new blade. >:(  Changed the blade, and this time the motor stalled.   :( :(  Naturally, I take very good care of my mill and I have never had it stall so I'm beginning to wonder what the heck is going on.  Oil and coolant is fine.  Fuel filters are clear.  I have a little hydraulic leak but nothing major. (It's at a fitting)  I'm puzzled.

Father-in-law decided to add some fuel to the tank thinking that maybe it wasn't getting enough suction.  Motor would not start.  I check the fuel filter again and bleed it and it runs red.  Now in my part of the world, diesel is yellow green.  He proceeds to tell me that he thought they had recently changed the color due to a reformulation of diesel fuel.  I knew better and suspected that he had poured gasoline and bar chain mix for the chainsaw into the fuel tank. :( :(  So we wrap everything up and head home with the promise to return next Saturday to finish the job. I get home, drain the tank, change the filters, prime the pump and the motor starts up as advertised. 8)  Total board feet cut in one day? 2800! That is first for me.

[Tom]

That's a mighty good day Joey.

I hesitate to saw 3/4 inch boards from hardwood because there is so little left after drying that the cabinet guy can't plane a decent board.  Make sure you describe this phenomenon to them when you commit to saw less than one inch.  Some have a special purpose in mind but some have never used green rough cut before and their only experience is with boards that have already dried.  I try to talk them into a full 4/4 or better if I can.  Cedar is commonly sawed thinner because of its value and stability.  Cypress and sometimes pine may be sawed thin for privacy fencing. Of course,it is their log and they can do what they want but at least I appear knowledgeable. :D :P

The Red Diesel can be valid.  Green is road taxed.  Red is agricultural or "off road" fuel and has dye in it to show that road taxes haven't been paid.  That way the DOT can determine if you are trying to run Non-taxed fuel in your truck on the road.  If you are they come down on you very heavily and ice the cake by turning you over to the IRS.  Then you not only get DOT fines but IRS audits as well.

I use Red fuel in my tractors and mill.  It is a little higher in sulpher, I understand, but doesn't hurt a thing and may have greater lubrication qualities than the road fuel.  I've also been told that it is all the same except for the dye.  Anyway,  its the taxes that make the difference.

[Bud Man]

Joe, sounds like a great day. Have you done the woodworker club in Ar. yet, if not when ya going there ?

[JoeyLowe]

 :-/  Haven't tried the Ar. woodworking club yet.  Figure I will let them contact me.  Still puzzled with the Mizer though.  According to the manual, this thing has two fuel filters, one located at the bottom of the fuel tank stand and the other on the right lower side of the engine.  Thing is that the one underneath the fuel tank doesn't appear to be hooked up to anything.  The motor seems to be running fine, but seems to be idling a little high when the clutch is on.  The most puzzling thing is that the black book provided by Woodmizer keeps referring me to the engine manufacterer manual, yet they didn't provide me with one.  Also the parts book is missing page 9-2.  Wonder if this was a mistake or intentional.  Probably will never know. ;D

[Bud Man]

I'll bet you $5 bucks against a do-nut that wood-mizer will send you whatever your missing, as far as pages etc...  !  They have yet to fail any request I"ve asked of them, and so far all they have got from me is a deposit !  Joey when you go to the woodworking club in Ar. If you want some company give me a day or two notice and I'll drive over, love to see some Walnut get sliced up !

[timberbeast]

The glitches aside,  sound like a really productive day to me,  Joey!  Didja ever find out what you hit in that log? :-/

[JoeyLowe]

Nah, I tossed the cant aside and got to working on why the mill wouldn't stay cranked.  I'll find out next weekend when I get back up there. ;D

Did some PM on the mill and called Woodmizer today.  They are sending me replacement manuals and whole bunch of other goodies to get this mill in tip-top shape again.  Seems that the original owner disconnected the primary fuel filter for economic reasons.  Problem with that is that filter is where the water separator is located.  Granted the secondary fuel filter will catch any junk in the fuel, but I figure if the manufacterer says two filters, then it must be two filters! :D  At any rate, should be back to cutting by early Thursday.  Gives me a chance to get all my dull blades off for sharpening. 8) and to follow up on some calls from people needing logs milled.  Man this is great!