new to milling

[stonykill]

A few weeks ago I got my 1st mill, an alaskan, 24 inch, figured it would be all I would ever need. I picked up an old 056 with a 24 inch bar, figured I was set to go. The 1st tree I go to mill is 24 inches. So much for my plans, only 18 inches of cut with my set up. After reading posts for a few weeks here , I checked out Baileys, ordered a 32 inch bar, and off ebay ordered the 36 inch upgrade for my mill, so I can go bigger later if I wish.
I gotta say this is addicting. I have milled a few smaller (12 to 16 inch) pines with this setup, I am just addicted. I can wait for my new bar, chain, and upgrade to get here so I can attack that spalted elm.
Had I discovered this site before I purchased, I would have gone for the 36 right away, but oh well. I've learned alot reading posts here and am sure I will everytime I come in here or mill a new tree.
Thanks for the great site.

 

[woodshop]

Welcome to the forum Stony, you bet it's addicting. I am in the middle of milling an ash cant right now as we speak, its got some pretty figure so far, can't wait to see it after cleaning up the boards in the woodshop. Stopped for lunch and a break. (milling burns calories)

ask away

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Hee, hee

I got my 36 together yesterday and ripped down some slabs of walnut.

I can see how having 2x4's will help get the first cut done clean, thus making the nest ones easier. Do you nail or scre them in?

The gouges and such from muscling the first cut along made new gouges in the next boardface.

having a small saw and adz to smooth out bumps and whatnot.

I wish they would have told me that the helper handle needs drilling screwholes in the bar nose...

I allready want a smaller one for apple logs and whatnot

The bar clamp vibrated loose and moved the chain near the pads "Why all those sparks, I'm not burning the bar up am I"

The I thightend the hight 4/4 off front to back on the next cut.

Think I will be wearing my reperator next time, whith all the dust and exhaust.

Would a larger sprocket on my 384 make any difference on the big cuts?

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

We got us a fresh one! Welcome, stony!

 

[woodshop]

The gouges and such from muscling the first cut along made new gouges in the next boardface.

The bar clamp vibrated loose and moved the chain near the pads "Why all those sparks, I'm not burning the bar up am I"

Think I will be wearing my respirator next time, whith all the dust and exhaust.

You will find that any screwup or snag going down the log will follow onto the next board if you are not using a guide bar each time. In fact, they often exaggerate as you go from board to board. Kinda like that game we played as kids called whisper down the lane.

Yup, you gotta keep those bolts tightened EVENLY on both sides, or it will come loose and the bar will wander off as yours did. I snug up both sides by hand, then give each side 1/4 or 1/2 turns back and forth till its evenly tight.

I used to feel like I just smoked a pack of cigarettes after milling a log until I started wearing my respirator. Get one with the charcoal filters, so it filters out the carbon monoxide exhaust, which is close to your face as you are pushing that thing down the log.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Get one with the charcoal filters, so it filters out the carbon monoxide exhaust, which is close to your face as you are pushing that thing down the log.

Good idea, mine are particulate filters for use when I'm using the airspade.

I've allways had headaches while using big saws on stumps, and thought it was just the mix exhaust....

 

[stonykill]

Good idea, mine are particulate filters for use when I'm using the airspade.

I've allways had headaches while using big saws on stumps, and thought it was just the mix exhaust....

Thats one thing I like about the 056, the exhaust is aimed at the ground, not blasting out in your face like my other saws. The respirator is a good idea anyway. One other thing to note is a fcae shield is a must. When I was squaring up the big elm I hit a buried nail, that promptly smacked me in the face. I now own a face shield. Luckily it just was a fragment of the nail, shrapnel if you will, and it just stung for a second. Ear protection is also probably a good idea, but I've played guitar for 25 years, and between those volumes and my woodshop equiptment its probably to late for my ears anyway.

 

[woodshop]

Ear protection is also probably a good idea, but I've played guitar for 25 years, and between those volumes and my woodshop equiptment its probably to late for my ears anyway.

Along those lines... my wife keeps telling me to turn down the radio in the car, which never seems to be all that loud to me. So had a hearing test done last week, and sure enough, I have hearing loss that is a little worse than it should be for my age (53). Years of working with woodshop equipment and chainsaws with only light duty ear protection (once in a while NO ear protection for a quick cut) over the years has taken it's toll. Yes loud rock concerts back in the late 60's didn't help my ears any... but haven't dont that in a long while. Bottom line is, years of 100+db machinery and saws WILL eventually catch up with you. I also have occasional tinnitus (ringing in the ears) that comes and goes, which the doc also said CAN be from noise exposure (among lots of other things).

For the last few years I have gone the extra mile, and use earplugs AND good quality (33db or better) ear muffs. Once again, pain in the butt, but like putting on my respirator, becomes a habit now, I just do it and don't think about having to.

nature of the beast...but stonykill, its never too late.

 

[dustytools]

Excellent point Woodshop. Youll need those ears long after you are able to shove around on that sawmill.

 

[stonykill]

Along those lines... my wife keeps telling me to turn down the radio in the car, which never seems to be all that loud to me. So had a hearing test done last week, and sure enough, I have hearing loss that is a little worse than it should be for my age (53). Years of working with woodshop equipment and chainsaws with only light duty ear protection (once in a while NO ear protection for a quick cut) over the years has taken it's toll. Yes loud rock concerts back in the late 60's didn't help my ears any... but haven't dont that in a long while. Bottom line is, years of 100+db machinery and saws WILL eventually catch up with you. I also have occasional tinnitus (ringing in the ears) that comes and goes, which the doc also said CAN be from noise exposure (among lots of other things).

For the last few years I have gone the extra mile, and use earplugs AND good quality (33db or better) ear muffs. Once again, pain in the butt, but like putting on my respirator, becomes a habit now, I just do it and don't think about having to.

nature of the beast...but stonykill, its never too late.

Last I had my hearing checked was a few years ago and it was still good for my age at the time (36). When in the shop and running the planer I do now wear ear protection. Your right, it becomes habit, 2nd nature. That was my point of the last post, personal protective gear is a must.

 

[oldsaw]

A few weeks ago I got my 1st mill, an alaskan, 24 inch, figured it would be all I would ever need. I picked up an old 056 with a 24 inch bar, figured I was set to go. The 1st tree I go to mill is 24 inches. So much for my plans, only 18 inches of cut with my set up. After reading posts for a few weeks here , I checked out Baileys, ordered a 32 inch bar, and off ebay ordered the 36 inch upgrade for my mill, so I can go bigger later if I wish.
I gotta say this is addicting. I have milled a few smaller (12 to 16 inch) pines with this setup, I am just addicted. I can wait for my new bar, chain, and upgrade to get here so I can attack that spalted elm.
Had I discovered this site before I purchased, I would have gone for the 36 right away, but oh well. I've learned alot reading posts here and am sure I will everytime I come in here or mill a new tree.
Thanks for the great site.

You could have saved yourself a lot of money by just buying the 36" mill and a 42" bar right off the bat. I've got a 36" AND a 42" bar for milling. Don't break out the 36 much anymore, plays mainly back-up.

Keep on milling, it's a very cool thing.

Mark

 

[woodshop]

Excellent point Woodshop. Youll need those ears long after you are able to shove around on that sawmill.

Yup, but to be honest, I'm more concerned with the longterm negative results to my lungs (exhaust fumes, breathing in tons of ultra fine dust) and my eyesight than I am my hearing if I had to choose battles. Thus the respirator when I'm milling, and the hardhat with face shield pulled down whenever I'm cutting with a chainsaw.

As often is the case, I just wasn't as concerned with much of this stuff when I was in my 20's and 30's. Now that I see the effects of not wearing it, I've got religion as they say.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Ear and eye protection have been second nature to me. One of the few things the USMC gave me, aside from a big attitude.

My hearing is very good, but in loud rooms, like bars, I cannot hear because I've protected my hearing so much that I do not have the differentiation "skills" in place anymore.

One more good reason to stay out of bars, being near 7 feet tall, I'm up where all the smoke is.

I have a funny story in that vein, from when I was a Marine in the gas chamber....