Seven sitka spruce to mill.. advice ?

[Joshua]

I looked at 7 big sitka spruce today that I can mill and take half of the lumber.
The butts are up to 32" diameter so theres a fair bit of wood there
It seems a bit too much for my CSM and since there is easy access
from the road I was thinking of getting a woodmizer in.

I have a friend who has one sitting in a barn unused who said I could use it anytime.

I have no experience with milling on a woodmizer and would be gratefull
for any advice.

Would you be able to mill that much wood in one day ?
What is the max diameter you can cut on one of these machines ?
And is it worth it, after all its only spruce ?

 

[woodshop]

Don't have enough information about the particular woodmizer you say you have access too to answer your questions. They make a range of mills. Their high end ones can really go through some lumber. As for whether it's worth it... depends. Spruce makes great framing lumber and clear stuff is used for instrument soundboards among other things. When I say clear though, I am talking zero knots... just pure quartersawn spruce. Often it's glued up smaller width peices, but it has to be perfectly clear to be instrument grade.

 

[oldsaw]

You may end up canting them with the CSM before you get them on the Woodmizer. You will have to get them down to fit the throat of the WM unless you like rolling big logs. Personally, I like to avoid it as much as possible.

Mark

 

[Ianab]

There is probably a bit of a learning curve to overcome running the woodmizer. OK, it's not rocket science, but the fully hydralic ones are a bit daunting the first time you stand at the controls. Can you bribe your buddy into a day out with his mill and get him to teach you how to drive it? Having 2 guys on the mill will generally let you cut twice as much in a day as well. Maybe you go and help him saw for couple of days? At least you will have a good idea how the mill operates.

Is it worth it? Dunno.. do you have a use for a stack of nice spruce boards? If you do, go for it.. but if they are going to sit in the corner and rot.. no it's not worth it

Cheers

Ian