# Mill Holiday number 2



## BobL (Jan 17, 2010)

Remember this holiday from last year ?





Well I'm back there again this week - stay tuned.


----------



## flashy (Jan 17, 2010)

Did you notice the snake before the pic was taken?

He must be a tame lil fella. The noise didn't seem to bother him.


----------



## Andrew96 (Jan 17, 2010)

Ah yes...the old snake picture trip. I remember reading that thread..didn't you leave some stuff because you ran out of milling time? Heading back out...packing your rubber insurance policy again?


----------



## Beefie (Jan 17, 2010)

I remember the thread. Didn't you get three slabs off that log and had to go back home? That is some beautiful wood you have down ther.

Beefie


----------



## BobL (Jan 17, 2010)

Cheers guys.

Bad news - today there is a forecast of 102ºF and there is a fire ban which means no moving/using machinery in the paddocks.


----------



## tomtrees58 (Jan 17, 2010)

flashy said:


> Did you notice the snake before the pic was taken?
> 
> He must be a tame lil fella. The noise didn't seem to bother him.



wow that thing big tom:hmm3grin2orange:


----------



## deeker (Jan 17, 2010)

What happend to the snake??? Great pic.

Kevin


----------



## BobL (Jan 17, 2010)

deeker said:


> What happend to the snake??? Great pic.
> 
> Kevin



It's a rubber snake. Cuttin buddy Hud is a bit of a joker and had his rubber python on the back of Ranger so he put it under the log for effect. When I posted it the first time I said nothing for a while and then when someone sussed it was a fake I claimed we put it there deliberately to keep the other snakes away.


----------



## irishcountry (Jan 17, 2010)

That is one nice log I can tell its beautifully colored too just by the sawdust!!


----------



## BobL (Jan 18, 2010)

Well definitely no milling today.




That's 116.1F outside under the shade, and 110F inside !

Then the power went off for 4 hours due to a electrical power pole top fire and bushfire about 5 miles away. So no airconditioning, 

Hud's ultimate solution to the problem - note reserve supply to the left of the fridge.




Fortunately the beer fridge was so well stocked and already chilled it did not warm up to much in that time.

Rather than be cooked inside we vacated to the elevated veranda of their not quite completed house.




AT least there was a (very hot) breeze.

BTW Here a pic of Hud and Sandy's new house.


----------



## jaba (Jan 18, 2010)

What kinda wood ?


----------



## BobL (Jan 18, 2010)

jaba said:


> What kinda wood ?



Jarrah


----------



## Sawyer Rob (Jan 18, 2010)

Be glad it wasn't THIS one!






Rob


----------



## 820wards (Jan 18, 2010)

BobL said:


> Cheers guys.
> 
> Bad news - today there is a forecast of 102ºF and there is a fire ban which means no moving/using machinery in the paddocks.



Bob,

We are going to have rain all this week, want to trade some weather????

jerry-


----------



## BobL (Jan 18, 2010)

820wards said:


> Bob,
> 
> We are going to have rain all this week, want to trade some weather????
> 
> jerry-



Thanks Jerry, The weather here today is mid 70s and chance of a shower so we should be good to go!


----------



## rayvil01 (Jan 18, 2010)

What were you going to do for beer after lunch?


----------



## BobL (Jan 18, 2010)

rayvil01 said:


> What were you going to do for beer after lunch?



Yeah - big problem!
Made even worse because a bush fire had blocked the road back to town so we were well and truly stuck for a couple of hours.


----------



## BobL (Jan 19, 2010)

*Finally got to fire up the CS mill*

Late yesterday I finally managed to put the mill onto a log. Its another old jarrah that has been down for many years. I knew it had significant damage down the middle of the log - the question was how much.

The site.









Setup









First big cut.


----------



## BobL (Jan 19, 2010)

More pics










This shows the amount of oil I like to see on the bar nose while milling.





No pics of the slabs unfortunately but here you can see the damage in the middle of the log.


----------



## MotorSeven (Jan 19, 2010)

Bob...your milling is amazing as is the place you live. I gotta get there some day..Oz & Ireland are on my bucket list.
116???? We just came out of a deep freeze where it didn't get above freezing for almost 2 weeks. I have(had) 2 hives of bees....neither made it. I inspected them today, had plenty of honey left, they just froze to death. Snakes aren't a prob for us this time of year.........

RD


----------



## dallasm1 (Jan 19, 2010)

Great pics Bob. Nice to see everything in action again. That tree almost looks like driftwood. But I guess that is normal at those temperatures! Over here in the PNW, wood will stay soaking wet for a very long time. I can see where you would need a large amount of oil at all phases of the cut, just to keep everything moving in that large, dry wood.


----------



## FELLNORTH (Jan 20, 2010)

BOBL, what kind of oil do you use for milling?
beautiful pics by the way, the more i see of the land scape down under the more i think a visit is in order


----------



## BobL (Jan 20, 2010)

Monday it was 116F and last night it was 50F and today it was 60F and raining all day so couldn't start cutting till 5 pm. Used the time to sharpen two chains and service Huds Huskys.

This was the second slab from yesterday - pity about the dry soft heartwood but potentially still a lot if useful timber in it. I will split this in half maybe tomorrow.






This was the first slab left in the rain overnight





Close up of the grain from the first slab.





To move the slabs Hud has a tractor with forks or,




A 23HP hydraulically drive gizmo that can lift 500 lbs - perfect for handling slabs in tight spaces.
He has all the attachments, trench digger, post hole digger, grader, tracks, forks, leveler and a bunch of other stuff

Very smoothly driven by Sandi.


----------



## BobL (Jan 20, 2010)

The next few slabs were similar but still lots of dead heartwood.

Then about 1/3 of the way thru the wide end reached 50" of cut.





Resident dawg Barkley made an excellent cutting buddy.





The dead heart looks like it is petering out at the far end an moving well to the right at the front.





Grain is also getting more interesting.





Close up





Hopefully the next few will be as nice or nicer.


----------



## BobL (Jan 20, 2010)

FELLNORTH said:


> BOBL, what kind of oil do you use for milling?
> beautiful pics by the way, the more i see of the land scape down under the more i think a visit is in order



Stihl bar and chain lube in the saw and canola on the Aux oiler


----------



## FELLNORTH (Jan 20, 2010)

THANK YOU BOBL, NICE PICS AGAIN


----------



## Can8ianTimber (Jan 20, 2010)

Wow that is some amazing wood. I think that first slab would make a great coffee table just like it is. That is really beautiful. Do you have the oppertunity to mill that kind of wood very often?


----------



## BobL (Jan 20, 2010)

Can8ianTimber said:


> Wow that is some amazing wood. I think that first slab would make a great coffee table just like it is. That is really beautiful. Do you have the oppertunity to mill that kind of wood very often?



Cheers Canadian, I agree - It has "coffee table" written all over it.

Huds property is about 250 Acres - about half bush, half pasture and has dozens of these old jarrah logs littering the bush and pastures. The area was milled over 100 years ago and going on the stumps that are left, some of them were mighty trees. Most of the old jarrah laying on the ground will be termite ridden, so not worth milling but it looks like we occasionally find a goodie.

Opportunity wise I could come here and mill as often as I like - the main problem being it is 300 miles away from where I live. It's becoming a milling haven. Hud and Sandy have spared no expense setting up their property. They have a big workshop, and are about to clear an acre of their gravel pit as a permanent milling site. The plan is to buy a 40 ft container and erect a 33 x 16 ft shed along side it to be able to mill underneath as it does rain quite a lot here, they get about 40" of rain a year.


----------



## woodshop (Jan 20, 2010)

BobL said:


> ...The plan is to buy a 40 ft container and erect a 33 x 16 ft shed along side it to be able to mill underneath as it does rain quite a lot here, they get about 40" of rain a year.


Well I envy you there Bob... acres of trees to mill, space to mill them and store them out of the weather... milling heaven. So Bob, I hope you live long enough to use all this beautiful unique stuff you're milling. I think I should come down there with a container ship and relieve you of some, kinda help you out a little there... no?


----------



## rayvil01 (Jan 20, 2010)

*Pretty Wood!*

Wonderful pics of some beautiful wood.

I notice you were setting and using the rails for the second and subsequent slabs. Do you get a better cut doing that than just using the flat surface of the wood itself at that point?


----------



## irishcountry (Jan 20, 2010)

Bob one day you have to build a solid body electric guitar out of some of that stuff you did a great job on the acoustic so I bet for you an electric would be a walk in the park I could just imagine a Les Paul style body with a bookmatched top or whole body with a nice nitro finish UGGGGH!!! Your creating alot of jealously on this side of the pond!!!


----------



## BobL (Jan 21, 2010)

rayvil01 said:


> Wonderful pics of some beautiful wood.
> 
> I notice you were setting and using the rails for the second and subsequent slabs. Do you get a better cut doing that than just using the flat surface of the wood itself at that point?



Cheers Ray! Yes I do believe the rails give a better finish.



woodshop said:


> Well I envy you there Bob... acres of trees to mill, space to mill them and store them out of the weather... milling heaven. So Bob, I hope you live long enough to use all this beautiful unique stuff you're milling.


Mee too!



> I think I should come down there with a container ship and relieve you of some, kinda help you out a little there... no?


Anytime!


----------



## BobL (Jan 21, 2010)

A few distractions today.

We had these critters visit, there were 3 pairs and they never sit still in one spot for more than ~3 seconds. Man are they are QUICK! so getting a photo of any kind is hard work.











There are dozens of pairs (blue is the male) of these living in the nearby bush. They often appear together for about 3 seconds and it looks like the female is continually giving the make a hard time.


----------



## BobL (Jan 21, 2010)

irishcountry said:


> Bob one day you have to build a solid body electric guitar out of some of that stuff you did a great job on the acoustic so I bet for you an electric would be a walk in the park I could just imagine a Les Paul style body with a bookmatched top or whole body with a nice nitro finish UGGGGH!!! Your creating alot of jealously on this side of the pond!!!



Sounds like the go!.


----------



## BobL (Jan 21, 2010)

Here's the BIL mill auto cutting on the slope.









8 pin sprocket pulls over 10k while auto cutting in 30" hardwood.





And here is what I do while it's auto cutting.




It's not quite as fast at cutting as me putting a little more pressure on the rakers saw and dropping the revs to ~9500. I guess I could always put more slope on the log .

And here's the easiest way to move the BIL mill back to the shed.


----------



## olyman (Jan 21, 2010)

Sawyer Rob said:


> Be glad it wasn't THIS one!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



HOLY BUCKETS--what,and where at??? sheesh


----------



## mtngun (Jan 21, 2010)

BobL said:


> 8 pin sprocket pulls over 10k while auto cutting in 30" hardwood.


That's darned good. Even 9500 is darned good. And with an 8 pin no less ! ! ! 

Thanks for the data. 

But I'm jealous. Your saw is faster than my saw !


----------



## BobL (Jan 22, 2010)

Disaster - this morning in the bush while cutting up and moving logs with the tractor I was clambering over several logs and I stepped down from one log onto what I thought was another small but solid log underneath. But the only part that was solid was the narrow piece under my toes and my heel went straight thru the rest, over extending my right calf. 

This was the tree I stepped off.





I had the full weight on my heel and heard and felt the top of my calf "crick" and whamo - I think I have a torn calf muscle!. It feels like I have a permanent cramp and I'm hobbling around cussin like a spoilt brat!

I'm now sitting up back at the house with an ice pack strapped to my leg!

Dang ! all that good wood out there to mill too.


----------



## htpd43 (Jan 22, 2010)

Bob,
I sincerely hope that its just a strain or some other minor injury - actually i hope it turns out to be nothing! what am i going to do if you aren't milling and posting pics? Keep us posted and Get better quick!
Lou

Oh and that little skid steer you're using - is it a toro dingo by chance? i have the opportunity to pick up a used model for $4k. i'm seriously considering it.


----------



## irishcountry (Jan 22, 2010)

Oh no !!! I'm with HT I hope you just pulled a muscle and didn't tear anything! I have snapped my achilles and let me tell you no fun!!! Keep us posted hope your back up and running in no time take it easy til then!!


----------



## BobL (Jan 22, 2010)

htpd43 said:


> Bob,
> I sincerely hope that its just a strain or some other minor injury - actually i hope it turns out to be nothing! what am i going to do if you aren't milling and posting pics? Keep us posted and Get better quick!
> Lou


Thanks - right now I have beer, wine, whiskey pains killers working effectively.



> Oh and that little skid steer you're using - is it a toro dingo by chance? i have the opportunity to pick up a used model for $4k. i'm seriously considering it.


Yes it is a Dingo - Awesome little machine for maneuvering slabs.


----------



## 820wards (Jan 23, 2010)

I had the full weight on my heel and heard and felt the top of my calf "crick" and whamo - I think I have a torn calf muscle!. It feels like I have a permanent cramp and I'm hobbling around cussin like a spoilt brat!


Bob,

If you tore your calf muscle, I know the feeling. I tore my calf muscle about four years ago while deer hunting. I was running up the side of a steep hill when I did it. Your going to be hurting for some time. Lots of ice and liquid pain killer works good. Take care of that leg, you only have two.


jerry-


----------



## gemniii (Jan 23, 2010)

Bob -
Sorry to hear about your injury - 
As a certified old fart i realize it takes longer to mend. I'm just getting over an arm injury from last fall. But also as a certified obstinate old fart I realize you probably won't rest the offending part.
So strap it up in a high tight boot so it doesn't move much. 







(note that the above photo may be offensive to some because it shows the sole.)


And if you DO sit down for a while how about going thru some of your excellent photos and posts and knocking out a book on Chainsaw milling for the 2010's?


----------



## BobL (Jan 24, 2010)

Cheers Gemnii and 820Wards, am feeling much better.

Yesterday I went back to the site of the injury and helped Hud pull out a few more small jarrah logs. It's mildly steep terrain so the down hill milling should work well.





In the afternoon I fired up the 441 on my small alaskan to cut some craft size pieces of Sheoak. I started on a longer piece (see slabs at back of this picture in this picture) but it was full of dry rot.




Then I worked on this odd shaped piece to see what I could get. The guide board is compressed plastic - not bad - nice and slippery!





The little mill with the wheels and the 441 really zipped thru this stuff. This is the combo I am going to use the lo pro with.

Interesting grain on some of them.


----------



## BobL (Jan 24, 2010)

Today I went back to the big Jarrah branch about 40" in diameter that was cut down about 100 years ago that I started on last year.




It's a real pain because it's 1/2" too big for the 42" bar so had to use the 60"er.

The timber slabs were a bit on the ratty side - just enough to keep me milling to see if they would improve.









That Dingo is one tough SOB - it lifted either end of that log (just) so I didn't need to use my log lifter. It's a wonderful jizmo for moving slabs as it turns on a dime and can carry 500 lbs (but I have had more than that on it)





Parked the van a bit close for the last slab!





I cut 6 slabs and then the chain came off the mill at WOT. Lots of sparks and the sprocket mangled 4 drive links and they will need to be replace. Went to change the chain but notice the bar also needed dressing so I packed it in for the day and went back to house for some R&R.

Unfortunately its my last day tomorrow.


----------



## mtngun (Jan 24, 2010)

Glad you are well enough to get back in action, Bob.

Any particular reason the chain derailed ? Are 60" bars prone to derail due to the inevitable chain sag ?


----------



## splitpost (Jan 24, 2010)

Great Photos Bob ,looks like you had a good time <injury aside>and those boards have a nice grain to them,its always good catching up with friends


----------



## BobL (Jan 24, 2010)

mtngun said:


> Glad you are well enough to get back in action, Bob.


Thanks



> Any particular reason the chain derailed ? Are 60" bars prone to derail due to the inevitable chain sag ?



Most common derail for me is when starting the cut since the chain heats up and expand far quicker than the bar. This usually happens before the bar is buried so the first 4 inches I take slowly at about half throttle

The next most common derail point is at the very end of the slab when the chain is blunt and it can overheat, expand and fall off.

This time it happened about 18" into the cut. I don't know why it happened. The only thing was I was not keeping a close eye on chain tension so it may have just been too loose to start with.


----------



## BobL (Jan 25, 2010)

Finally some evidence that I really did injure myself. This morning this lovely bruise started showing up around my ankle!


----------



## BobL (Jan 25, 2010)

*Final day of my holiday*

Got started on another jarrah log which turned out to have quite a few termites.





















There's nothing that l'ill DIngo can't do!


----------



## Andrew96 (Jan 25, 2010)

Do you ride the dingo home? Doesn't look like it will fit in the van. 
Are those posts on the side of the trail? or some protected treeline.


----------



## 820wards (Jan 25, 2010)

BobL said:


> Finally some evidence that I really did injure myself. This morning this lovely bruise started showing up around my ankle!



She's beauty there Bob. Take care of it and don't push too hard. 

Was it a calf muscle pull or a sprained ankle? Either one really hurts.

jerry-


----------



## BobL (Jan 25, 2010)

Andrew96 said:


> Do you ride the dingo home? Doesn't look like it will fit in the van.


The Dingo is a 23 HP twin hydraulic power pack on wheels. Hud bought it for his farm because he uses the auger attachment with rock teeth to make fence post holes. He also has a trencher, bucket, spreader, etc. Dingo's max speed is about 6 mph so it's not something you go too far in . 

To carry all these attachments and the Dingo he has a neat trailer like this




He delivers the Dingo to the milling site for me on the trailer with his pickup and then goes off and does other farm stuff

The Dingo is really useful for me while I'm milling for moving the slabs because otherwise we have to use the tractor with the forks and the tractor is used for a lot of other things on the farm. 



> Are those posts on the side of the trail? or some protected treeline.


It's a fence line between Hud's property and the neighbors. The trees I'm milling were all pushed down to make the fence line.


----------



## BobL (Jan 25, 2010)

820wards said:


> She's beauty there Bob. Take care of it and don't push too hard.
> 
> Was it a calf muscle pull or a sprained ankle? Either one really hurts.
> 
> jerry-



Thanks Jerry,

It was definitely a calf muscle that tore, but the blood all seem to have pooled in my foot which according to local medical knowledge Hud's wife Sandi and daughter is normal.

No more milling down here for a while because it's back to the city today.


----------



## 820wards (Jan 25, 2010)

BobL said:


> Thanks Jerry,
> 
> It was definitely a calf muscle that tore, but the blood all seem to have pooled in my foot which according to local medical knowledge Hud's wife Sandi and daughter is normal.
> 
> No more milling down here for a while because it's back to the city today.



When I tore my calf muscle I had to use crutches for about two weeks. My whole leg from the middle of the calf muscle turned black/blue like your ankle. At least once your back to work you won't be trying to lift or move heavy objects. Look at it this way, your wife won't be asking you to vacuum the house for awhile... :biggrinbounce2:

It's been to wet to do any milling here. I have trees lined up, just have to wait for better weather.

Take care.
jerry-


----------



## rayvil01 (Jan 25, 2010)

*Treatment for Swelling*

Bob,
Great pics and stories. It's a pity you have to go back to the city! Thanks for sending them.

A treatment for any kind of swelling that my late father taught me works really well. (Even if it is no fun)
-Set up a couple of buckets that will hold your foot and lower leg
-Fill one with water as hot as you can stand it
-Fill the other with ice water
-Soak the swollen part for 50 seconds in the hot then...
-Soak it for 30 seconds in the ice water.
That completes one cycle. Do twelve (or more) cycles per session. Two sessions a day until healed.

It works. But, the time in the ice water is really painful. (You'll be cussing me...but, that's ok...I cuss at myself when I do it.) It will reduce the swelling and pump the lymph glands in the area which will knock the soreness down appreciably. A torn muscle takes a while to heal. But, getting that swelling out of there will ease the ride. 

Thanks again for the pics and info.


----------



## BobL (Jan 25, 2010)

rayvil01 said:


> Bob,
> Great pics and stories. It's a pity you have to go back to the city! Thanks for sending them.
> 
> A treatment for any kind of swelling that my late father taught me works really well. (Even if it is no fun)
> ...



No worries. Despite one day being 116F, one day rain and one day R&R because of the torn calf muscle its been a good week. My hosts are so hospitable. The food is sensational, home baked bread, local fruits and vegetables, fridges full of beer and wine and all those toys to play with. This is my idea of a real holiday.


----------



## TraditionalTool (Jan 25, 2010)

BobL said:


> Finally some evidence that I really did injure myself.


Bob,

Like that will make us feel better???? 

Get better so you can finish milling up that great looking wood!


----------



## jnl502 (Feb 27, 2010)

nice job on the milling sorry for the leg take care of it u would miss it if it wasn't there believe me! love that hardwood over there the grain is wonderful take care
jnl


----------

