Average Cut Time??

Daninvan · Nov 10, 2009

Just as a casual observation, I have noticed after a couple years of chainsaw milling now, that I have an 'average cut time' of 20 minutes or so. 20 minutes is on a good day.

What I mean by this is that from the time I park my car where I will be slabbing, to the time I have everything packed up at the end of the session, divided by the number of slabs I have cut.

Typically I can get 8 or 9 or maybe 10 2" thick slabs in 3 hours, if I can get it all from a single log. If I open up two logs, then my average time will be worse since I have to set up for that 'first cut' once on each log.

So this includes all the unpacking, setting up, chipping off the bark, setting up the guide for the first cut, gassing/oiling/sharpening, other unplanned/unwanted fiddling, loading the slabs up in the car, packing up the tools, etc.

In rough terms, most of the stuff I cut is 15"-30" wide and about 6' long. I have noticed that the time the saw spends in the log doesn't have much effect on the 'average cut time'. It's more about all the other stuff that goes along with the process.

Anyone else have similar or wildly different observations?

Dan

BobL · Nov 10, 2009

Daninvan said:
I have noticed that the time the saw spends in the log doesn't have much effect on the 'average cut time'. It's more about all the other stuff that goes along with the process.

It sounds like you are cutting pretty consistent types of logs. The logs I tackle range anywhere from 18" to 48" wide, and 5 ft to 12 ft or more long, and have a hardness ranging from your oak green to up around dry hickory, so the cutting times range from a few minutes to up to ~20 minutes just to cut a slab. If I use the 60" bar then touching up the full comp chain after every slab means it takes me up to an hour in between peeling off each big hardwood slab. I generally take my time so by the time I cut 5 big slabs I call it a day.

Kicker_92 · Nov 10, 2009

Daninvan said:
In rough terms, most of the stuff I cut is 15"-30" wide and about 6' long.

Only 6ft long logs? You might find it a lot more efficient to go for some 12ft+ sections, then cut it down later. The setup time is the same regardless of how long the cut is.

Are you sawing down at Spanish Banks?

mtngun · Nov 10, 2009

Daninvan said:
If I open up two logs, then my average time will be worse since I have to set up for that 'first cut' once on each log.

I suggest you do all your "first cuts" at the beginning of the day. For example, if you plan to mill three logs that day, then do the "first cut" on the 1st log, then go to the "first cut" on the second log, and then the "first cut" on the 3rd log. That way you only have to set up the Alaskan for the 1st cut one single time, then one single time to set up for slabs.

So this includes all the unpacking, setting up, chipping off the bark, setting up the guide for the first cut, gassing/oiling/sharpening, other unplanned/unwanted fiddling, loading the slabs up in the car, packing up the tools, etc.

Exactly. Milling in the woods means we spend a lot of time and energy moving stuff to and fro.

At 20 minutes per slab I'd say you are doing good. My last outing averaged 27 minutes per slab (11 slabs in 5 hours). My best day was about 20 slabs and that was a long day, maybe 10 hours, that works out to 30 minutes per slab. I cut 12 foot slabs, though, because that's as long as can be easily carried in the back of a full size pickup.

Daninvan · Nov 11, 2009

I cut 6' because that's all that'll fit in the back of a full sized Subaru! I don't have a 12' long guide that'll fit in a Subaru either, I just use an 8 foot 2x8.

I have one saw I set 'big' for the first cut, and another I set to about 2" for the rest of the slabbing. If I am doing two slabs I try to sign up a volunteer helper, so they can do one slab while I do the other.

I guess most of the stuff is pretty "consistent", temperate climate hardwoods. I did an old growth Douglas Fir the other day, first time, but I generally avoid the local softwoods. Elm and oak are probably the hardest I get much of.

I built a new mill for my 60" bar, I haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but that should set my average cut time back!

Yes I saw sometimes at Spanish. Good stuff there sometimes, but hit and miss.

Dan

BC WetCoast · Nov 11, 2009

Daninvan said:
I cut 6' because that's all that'll fit in the back of a full sized Subaru! I don't have a 12' long guide that'll fit in a Subaru either, I just use an 8 foot 2x8.

I have one saw I set 'big' for the first cut, and another I set to about 2" for the rest of the slabbing. If I am doing two slabs I try to sign up a volunteer helper, so they can do one slab while I do the other.

I guess most of the stuff is pretty "consistent", temperate climate hardwoods. I did an old growth Douglas Fir the other day, first time, but I generally avoid the local softwoods. Elm and oak are probably the hardest I get much of.

I built a new mill for my 60" bar, I haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but that should set my average cut time back!

Yes I saw sometimes at Spanish. Good stuff there sometimes, but hit and miss.

Dan