milling thread

[brendonv]

That's really cool, Dave. I'm eager to get a nice stack of logs then hire one of those mobile mills for the day.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Mobile mills? You rent a mill?

 

[Thor's Hammer]

Usually with an operator Jay. Round here its about £250 - 300 a day for a wood mizer. I used to use a guy who had a big Tom Sawyer mill, pulled by a unimog. Excellent value, as I used to pay him in round timber.

 

[Ax-Man]

Nice, What model Woodmizer is that mill. Is it a self feeder or do you have to push the bandsaw. I am seriously thinking of getting into a Woodmizer.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Wood for your own use, or to sell, Larry?

 

[Al Smith]

The price varies ,depending .I think I payed my saw man 22 cents a board foot .Some will mill it for a portion of the wood .Some by the hour .

Then it comes down do you want it just plain sawed ,quarter sawn etc .On the quarter they have to turn the cant every cut so that takes time .

Then you get into who buys the blade if they hit metal and other things .

 

[woodworkingboy]

Those good mills cost a pretty penny. It seems like something that a couple bros could go into partnership on, maybe like a wood splitter that I see some guys doing.

 

[Ax-Man]

Jay, Both, I have seen many a nice log just turned into firewood. I now have some experience at milling now that I have used my chainsaw mill attachment along with some internet reading. It is ok for producing thick slabs for some of the benches I have made and plan on making but I am not going to get into the production of 1 x whatever boards with it. That would be too slow and time consuming and not mention a little on the expensive side, not mention the wear and tear on a big expensive saw. Also there is alot of monkeying around with hand tools to set the chainsaw mill. A portable bandsaw is the way to go if your going to make boards or beams on a small scale operation.

I thought about having one years ago but the tree biz was pretty much a year round thing and never had the time to get into it. Things are different now due to the economy and I have some time to explore this milling thing a little more. It may or may not be a good sideline.

I don't know if this tree furniture thing I am into presently is going to work out . Everyone likes what they see or so they say but I haven't sold anything yet. It is not as easy as it looks and can also get really involved as far as time goes.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Like to see some pics of that tree furniture that you mention. Not selling to begin with doesn't at all mean that the work isn't worthy of being purchased, that's for sure.

In retrospect, after having done a lot of chainsaw milling in my younger days, I should have purchased a better mill, by hook or by crook. Chainsaw milling has it's application, but the time factor and the other reason that you mention, and I swear that Murphy's Law doesn't apply to anything more than chain milling. I wouldn't negate it's positive qualities towards character building, however.

 

[Dave Shepard]

The mill is an LT40 Super with a 51 HP Perkapiller and wireless remote control. I sawed up part of a 47' today. Pics later if I don't fall asleep at the keyboard.

 

[Al Smith]

Comments regarding chainsaw milling : Slow as a snail .It has it's place but not the better of choices if you have another .

Now I've done it with big old powerfull saws,namely 2100 Homey and 125 Mac but my Lawd it what a pain in the buttocks eating saw dust for a foot a minute in hardwood .

 

[flushcut]

Yep a CSM is slow as dirt but for what I do it works well and is cheap.

 

[Al Smith]

--And it depends on what it is .Say the bottom part of a black walnut that has the figure buried deep in the woods you can't get out .Go for it .

Straight as a die oak you can get out that will cut fine and select,bandsaw that rascal .

 

[flushcut]

All of my milling is slab work for garden benches and a bridge one time that's about it. Those walnut logs I would like to find a buyer for them and not do any of the milling. I might do one or two for some mantles for a mason buddy of mine for some lake homes he is doing this year.

 

[Dave Shepard]

I finished the 27' logs that have been delivered so far. They were pretty easy to saw. I was able to do most of the turning and clamping with the hydraulic end of the mill. After lunch I put a 47' on. A bit of a different story there. The turner and clamp are too off-centered to help, even with the butt on the hydraulic end. Got the log two sided, will resume in the morning. This is the biggest, and required a lot of chainsaw work on the butt. Anyone know how to calculate the volume of a truncated cone? I think I have it right, but not positve. 38" tapering to 22" over 47.25'. This log weighs somewhere between 8,300, and 8,900 pounds.

 

[flushcut]

That's a nice stick!

 

[Al Smith]

Also one that most cannot cut at that length .

 

[Thor's Hammer]

The mill is an LT40 Super with a 51 HP Perkapiller and wireless remote control. I sawed up part of a 47' today. Pics later if I don't fall asleep at the keyboard.

Also known as a Catkins

 

[Al Smith]

Anyone know how to calculate the volume of a truncated cone? I think I have it right, but not positve. 38" tapering to 22" over 47.25'.

Aprox 2464 bdf according to my old lumber book .

 

[Burnham]

That is a beauty, Dave. Really looking forward to seeing the finished beam.

 

[Dave Shepard]

Beam? Don't you mean beams? I got two 7 1/2"x 15 1/2" beams out of it.

 

[Burnham]

Beams, then .

 

[Dave Shepard]

I don't think I got a pic of them finished. Maybe tomorrow.

 

[Dave Shepard]

Also known as a Catkins

Excellent!

 

[Al Smith]

Given the size would it be a fair assumption that the intended usage is for some high end house or something of that nature ?