Cutting thickness problem

[Preston]

I have a friend with a portable mill that he just keeps in one spot at his house. He runs a Honda engine on it which says is underpowered. My question is he's cuts lumber for me and the stuff I get is never the same thickness on both ends. Is that the unit, his operation, or something on the track it runs on? I've wondered if it being underpowered would affect the way the blade tracks. I don't say anything to him cause he never lets me pay for it. I do have some pines I can get to him though. But we have swapped out lumber for steel I had here.

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[Kapriel]

I got that too !

I had the same problem from my sawyer.

I wanted rough sawn wood 1-1/4" thick should be no problem.

Well one piece is 1-1/4" the next is 1-1/2" the next is somewhere in between.

He has a good size diesel engine, and the load is light.
I'm guessing his machinery is just worn out ?

I have a 20" planer to get it where I want but still...

I'm thinking small operators like this are going to have quality control problems.

 

[chaikwa]

Sometimes, if the blade speed drops too much, (as in what might happen with a motor that's too small), and the mill is continued to be pushed thru the wood, the blade will dive. Blade tension, (ie; not tight enough), can create the same effect.

An un-level mill could do the same thing too. Not so much 'level' but flat from end to end.

The last thing I can think of is the tension in the wood that's being sawn. Watch the board as it's being cut. Does a big gap appear at the beginning end of the board before the saw is all the way thru the log? Or does the gap close up tight in the same manner? It all needs to be watched and if these gaps are observed, consider turning the log 180 degrees before the next cut to relieve some of that tension.

'Small operators' aren't really the problem. Small operators that aren't interested in bettering their knowledge of what they're doing is the problem!

 

[Kapriel]

Opps.. almost forgot,

His set up is at his place of business it never moves.

 

[Kapriel]

Sometimes, if the blade speed drops too much, (as in what might happen with a motor that's too small), and the mill is continued to be pushed thru the wood, the blade will dive. Blade tension, (ie; not tight enough), can create the same effect.

An un-level mill could do the same thing too. Not so much 'level' but flat from end to end.

The last thing I can think of is the tension in the wood that's being sawn. Watch the board as it's being cut. Does a big gap appear at the beginning end of the board before the saw is all the way thru the log? Or does the gap close up tight in the same manner? It all needs to be watched and if these gaps are observed, consider turning the log 180 degrees before the next cut to relieve some of that tension.

'Small operators' aren't really the problem. Small operators that aren't interested in bettering their knowledge of what they're doing is the problem!

I've never watched him.

I think your right though....

I'm thinking he's just ramming them thru as he knows I'm going to plane them anyways
and the price is dirt cheap. but still....

 

[chaikwa]

Opps.. almost forgot,

His set up is at his place of business it never moves.

Don't discount the fact that his mill could still move around. Unless it's on a cement pad that's sunk below the frost line, it will heave with whatever the frost makes it do.

My mill is portable but I have it set up on asphalt pavement. 'Hottop' for you New Englanders! This time of year, even with 6 rigid stabilizer legs and the axle off the ground, I've seen it go out of level by as much as an inch from end to end because of the amount of heave from frost.

 

[Preston]

My thing is I didn't want to dress the boards. I want to leave them rough sawn for board and batten on a shed.

Some of the boards I've gotten I got as 3/4 inch. One end would be 1 inch the other 1 and 1/4. The 1 X's I use for lathing or slabs for roof support. Some of them are 1/2 inch while others are 3/4 to 1 inch. Just all over the measurement spectrum.

 

[Kapriel]

My thing is I didn't want to dress the boards. I want to leave them rough sawn for board and batten on a shed.

Some of the boards I've gotten I got as 3/4 inch. One end would be 1 inch the other 1 and 1/4. The 1 X's I use for lathing or slabs for roof support. Some of them are 1/2 inch while others are 3/4 to 1 inch. Just all over the measurement spectrum.

Talk to your Sawyer.

If he can't straighten out the problem your going to have to go elsewhere.

Someone who can do it right or to the lumber store and pay top dollar.

 

[Preston]

I figured that up front. I was just wondering what the biggest reason for the problem was.

 

[betterbuilt]

Everybody needs a few 8 foot wedges laying around.

 

[Talltom]

You can make the wood a consistent thickness and still have the rough sawn look for siding by planing one side only.

 

[hamish]

Consider hot the setworks or depth of cut scale work on his particular mill. For the ones that move up and down, the angle to the operators eye changes and can cause variations is the operator is not compensating for it.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I figured that up front. I was just wondering what the biggest reason for the problem was.

The reason is,

1. He's just plain sloppy, or

2. He is too lazy to adjust the mill, or

3. He's too lazy to replace worn/bent parts.

My guess it's #2, but no matter, all of them are "operator" error!

Rob

 

[gemniii]

Don't discount the fact that his mill could still move around. Unless it's on a cement pad that's sunk below the frost line, it will heave with whatever the frost makes it do.

My mill is portable but I have it set up on asphalt pavement. 'Hottop' for you New Englanders! This time of year, even with 6 rigid stabilizer legs and the axle off the ground, I've seen it go out of level by as much as an inch from end to end because of the amount of heave from frost.

Is there frost in Milner Ga?

 

[Preston]

Sunday and Monday we had 18 degrees with the wind blowing at 20 mph. So for us it was cold. I really had the fireplace honking. Frost, we've had it but when it gets as cold as we just had it doesn't show up. :msp_smile: I have seen the ground really go crazy when it freezes. I don't know if my buddy ever checks his mill. But I will say when he saws 10 and 12 foot timber it's a lot better than his 16 to 20 stuff.

 

[chaikwa]

Is there frost in Milner Ga?

I dunno... is there humidity in Arizona?

 

[BlueRider]

There are a lot of factors that can affect blade tracking. If the saw is set up properly with propper blade tension then most likely cause would be a dull blade. Most of the time as the blade gets dull you can still get good tracking by slowing your feed rate. A sawyer looking to maximize bf/day may push his feed rate more than you or I would if we are tryng to maximize the quality of the boards.

 

[Preston]

So from the jest of the replies the problem boils down to operator. A lot of the machines problems can be overcome with a knowledgeable and conscientious operator. But that's so with most things. One has to care about the results to really achieve quality. :smile2:

 

[discounthunter]

The reason is,

1. He's just plain sloppy, or

2. He is too lazy to adjust the mill, or

3. He's too lazy to replace worn/bent parts.

My guess it's #2, but no matter, all of them are "operator" error!

Rob

and more than likely blaming the ill made machinery. which is also an operator error(pointing the finger!).