Great pics! Looks like you got some good lumber out of those logs. I'm feelin' some peer pressure here...may have to get a mill set up one of these days...
The bottom line is that if you already have a medium to large cc saw, all that separates you from milling wood is a less than $200 csm. That and a couple of 2x6's and you're in business. Of course, it does grow from there if you let it, but it's just not that expensive to get your feet wet and open up your first log. When you do that for the first time, if you're not excited or grinning from ear to ear there is something very wrong with youcomputeruser said:Great pics! Looks like you got some good lumber out of those logs. I'm feelin' some peer pressure here...may have to get a mill set up one of these days...
woodshop said:Darn right a minivan can pass for a truck. Heck all you need is enough floor space to slide 6-8 foot long rough lumber, and something that will carry at least 1200 lbs of cargo, which most all minivans will. My Astro (with the rear seats pulled out) safetly holds 300 ft of wet, just milled lumber, plus the csm, the Ripsaw, couple other saws, toolboxes, custom horses etc. Sure it would be nice to have a truck, maybe a 1 ton flatbed, but just isn't in the picture at the moment. Main problem using a family minivan as a truck full of dirty saws and wood is cleaning it out before the wife complains about it.:biggrinbounce2:
dustytools said:I can feel your pain guys. I finally bought a used 5 foot by ten foot used trailer for $200 and a two inch ball for around $12 and turned my explorer into a truck. No more nagging or clean up.
I mounted the rails on a 12' 2X6, ya man way easier.Smithie have you thought about screwing that v-rail to a separate board. That way you don't have to screw it and unscrew it over and over agian. I don't know maybe your into screwing? I'd rather just move the board from cant to cant.
Ya man, I mean Tommy Chong would be proud dude LOL:jawdrop:I'm telling you, its that fine ripped sawdust that's doing it
oldsaw said:I want one too. A buddy's uncle has the perfect one. 5x8, light, carries a ton easily without bottoming out. May have to start working on that one.
Mark
oldsaw said:I'm telling you, its that fine ripped sawdust that's doing it. Highly addictive,
Woodsurfer said:The chain picked up some residue, but was still cutting well after 12 cuts. I will sharpen it, but should I clean it too? How?
I use oven cleaner... works great. Then just rinse the chain off, blow with compressed air to dry, and store in oil.
Bearclaw said:Woodsurfer said:The chain picked up some residue, but was still cutting well after 12 cuts. I will sharpen it, but should I clean it too? How?
I use oven cleaner... works great. Then just rinse the chain off, blow with compressed air to dry, and store in oil.
Unless I drop it in the dirt or something, I rarely clean mine other than brush or blow them off. I don't want to remove the oil that's worked it's way into the links and rivets. Besides, they go right back to dirty as soon a you put 'em in wood.
Husky137 said:I can get quality 3/4 material out of 4/4 rough with no problem. Crazy stuff happens when you pay attention to stacking,stickering and proper drying techniques.
aggiewoodbutchr said:Unless I drop it in the dirt or something, I rarely clean mine other than brush or blow them off. I don't want to remove the oil that's worked it's way into the links and rivets. Besides, they go right back to dirty as soon a you put 'em in wood.
I find there is no set thickness to mill, it depends on the type of wood, whether it is quartersawn or riftsawn or not, how wide the boards are, lots of things. In general, unless its quartersawn oak, which I can get away with cutting at 4/4 and getting 3/4 lumber out of it, the majority of stuff I want to end up at 3/4 I initially mill at 1 1/8 inch. I used to always cut 5/4, but often ended up with 7/8 after the planer. Thus the 1 1/8 inch. As for how long it takes to dry the wood... that depends on even more factors than how thick to cut it. The weather mostly, what time of the year are you drying the stuff. I've had 5/4 cherry that took over a year to dry, and I've had same thickness dry to 14% (about as dry as it will get outdoors) in only 4months. Thats why if you do a lot of milling, and you really want to know how your stacks are drying, you need to invest in a moisture meter. I do keep track of when a stack was cut. I mark every board I mill with a lumber crayon, 6 characters, as it is stacked. First two chars are the species OA for oak, CH for cherry etc... last four characters are month and year. Ex. if I pull a board from my stash that says OA1205, I know it was oak milled December 2005. But only way I really know something is actually ready for my woodshop is slap the moisture meter on it and see.Woodsurfer said:I'll have to see how it goes with the 4/4 stock. I often joint and plane my well-aged 4/4 cherry and find it cleans up flat and nice at 7/8", even on 3' or 4' pieces. This birch has a reputation for lots of movement when dried, so that ain't gonna happen I expect.
Anyway, I'm impatient and the 4/4 stuff will be ready in about a year, 8/4 in about two, I suppose. Maybe I'll rip some of the 8/4 into 2" strips to accelerate things. I can see some nice bevelled-edge end tables and matching coffee table waiting in there!
Now that I think about it, I did do a piece at 5/4. That will give me some thick stock. Sure is nice to have this control over the cut! I've joined the mill-nuts!
smithie55 said:Howdie great to have another enthusiaste on board.
Good pictures!!
The residue will burn off or get brittle and chunk off.
I think part of the enjoyment is the effort, as well as the end result.
Ya got that straight huations11, There's nothing like a stacks of boards that you hewned with your chainsaw & sweat.
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