woodshop
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Milled some maple yesterday. There were more logs there than I could handle in a day, so decided to buck a 4 footer and slice it into two large cants to throw in the van and mill later. I did it freehand using my 365 with 28" bar. I'd go into it from each end making rooster tails. Not sure I saved any time doing that instead of using my csm, but anyway... on anything larger than my bar can reach to the middle, I don't freehand anymore. Just too much work and the csm goes pretty fast. At any rate, was able to get the 350lb cants into the van using my jack, raising them little at a time onto chunks of wood till they were almost level with the van, then shoving them in and up to the front of the van. I usually then am able to manhandle them out same way, by sliding them on the plywood to the rear. Was pretty tired though, full day milling, and when I went to unload my haul, it was difficult to get behind them to get them moving. So... took one of my plastic wedges and popped it between the plywood floor and the cant to raise it up just enough to get a couple 3/4" wooden dowels under that end. That made it SO much easier to get moving. Then put a couple more dowels in it's path so it literally rolled out the back of the van with just a little push to get it going. I was then able to stand it on it's end and "walk" it to where I wanted it.
It took a full hour to go from log stuck in frozen mud to milled into two cants and loaded into van. At least a third of that time was spent hacking away frozen mud from the maple bark so I wouldn't toast my round ground chisel. Lot of work but there should be about 75 bd ft of maple from each one. Judging by how the rest of the log looked when I milled it into 5/4 and 8/4, that hour of putzing around was worth it for that 150bd ft.
A day's haul, 3/4 ton of maple boards and cants.
The cants, couple 3 foot chunks and two 350lb 4 footers
Easy out... saves back after long day milling
It took a full hour to go from log stuck in frozen mud to milled into two cants and loaded into van. At least a third of that time was spent hacking away frozen mud from the maple bark so I wouldn't toast my round ground chisel. Lot of work but there should be about 75 bd ft of maple from each one. Judging by how the rest of the log looked when I milled it into 5/4 and 8/4, that hour of putzing around was worth it for that 150bd ft.
A day's haul, 3/4 ton of maple boards and cants.
The cants, couple 3 foot chunks and two 350lb 4 footers
Easy out... saves back after long day milling