First day milling some small logs!!!

[04titanse]

There were a few hemlock leaners in my back yard so I pulled them out with the loader and decided to give the mill a shot. Everything went smoothly, but I need some advice from you guys.

What is your process when milling? I will be making almost all 2x6's, 2x8's and 2x12's. Should I be making a square cant and then cutting boards from that or just cutting slabs from the round and then trimming them to size later? I am new to milling so I don't know the correct techniques.

Thanks guys!!

 

[hamish]

Think of bark on the board and pith in the post.

Till you get the hang of things just go cut some lumber! Everything eventually becomes a cant, the hard part is making sure you have useable dimensions.

 

[04titanse]

Think of bark on the board and pith in the post.

Till you get the hang of things just go cut some lumber! Everything eventually becomes a cant, the hard part is making sure you have useable dimensions.

Your going to have to clarify if you don't mind. What do you mean bark on the board and pith in the post?

 

[lps8]

cants are usually best

With my chainsaw mill, I would cut slabs because it is slower cutting than with a bandsaw mill. It takes a lot of time re-cutting the slabs. With the bandmill, I have gone to cants because I think it is quicker to cut to size on the bandmill than to resaw by hand. You have to just get to the point of being able to calculate how big to make you cant so you will have allowances for the kerf of the blade and not wind up with a piece you can't us.

I don't know about your saw, but some manufactures comes with a scale that allows for kerf for different board thicknesses. I have made one of my own for my "Gene's mill copy". I printed it off my printer, then laminated it so it will hold up to the weather and use. If you need one, pm me.

Larry

 

[04titanse]

With my chainsaw mill, I would cut slabs because it is slower cutting than with a bandsaw mill. It takes a lot of time re-cutting the slabs. With the bandmill, I have gone to cants because I think it is quicker to cut to size on the bandmill than to resaw by hand. You have to just get to the point of being able to calculate how big to make you cant so you will have allowances for the kerf of the blade and not wind up with a piece you can't us.

I don't know about your saw, but some manufactures comes with a scale that allows for kerf for different board thicknesses. I have made one of my own for my "Gene's mill copy". I printed it off my printer, then laminated it so it will hold up to the weather and use. If you need one, pm me.

Larry

So how do you figure out what size cant you can get out of a log? Do you base it on the maximum sized cant that log can be made into or is it based on the size lumber you are trying to create?

 

[lps8]

cutting boards

There is a really good utube on cutting quartersawn lumber on a bandsaw. It should be easy to find with search.

As far a flat sawn, I just raise the small end to center heighth of the big end and use a rule to lay out the end. I will sometime leave one side uncut and can cut it with a saw.


Larry

 

[Dave Boyt]

Congratulations on the new mill. It looks like you've got it level and well supported, which is important with an angle iron track. What do you want out of the log? I generally square up the log into a cant, because it takes too long to edge the boards individually. For a log like the one in your photo, for example, I would square it to a 4x6 or 6x6 cant, then saw boards to the desired thickness. The key is to think about what you want for the end product. If you want to match lumber yard material-- a 2x6, for example, you want to end up with a 1-3/4 by 5-1/2" board. Allowing for 6% shrinkage during air drying, and figuring on rough sawn boards, you need to saw 1-7/8 by 5-7/8. A cant 5-7/8" square will yield three boards (remember, you've got two 1/8" saw kerfs between the boards, which is where the extra 1/4" comes in for the height of the cant).

You're doing the right thing starting out with small logs, and gaining experience and confidence. Looks like you may need to get "his" and "hers" sawmills!

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Dave,

All store bought lumber here is 1-1/2" thick, so i saw ALL of my construction lumber at 1-5/8" thick so it will match store bought when it's dry.

Is the store bought lumber there 1-3/4" thick??

SR

 

[Dave Boyt]

Store bought:msp_confused:? I don't know, it has been a while since I've bought any. Seems like it keeps getting smaller, though.