Question for Ripsaw users

[aggiewoodbutchr]

hey don't let 'em fool ya... the big mills are definitely faster than the little csm/ripsaw combo, MUCH faster, but one hours work vs 2 days is pushin' things. Just so happens I milled about 900 bd ft of ash this weekend with my csm/ripsaw, took an 8 hour day and a 9 hour day yes, but I want to see somebody mill that much on a woodmizer in an hour.

He was trying to sell a full auto LT40.

 

[flht01]

hey don't let 'em fool ya... the big mills are definitely faster than the little csm/ripsaw combo, MUCH faster, but one hours work vs 2 days is pushin' things. Just so happens I milled about 900 bd ft of ash this weekend with my csm/ripsaw, took an 8 hour day and a 9 hour day yes, but I want to see somebody mill that much on a woodmizer in an hour.

I'm glad to hear that, the thought of a bandmill being that much faster might push me over the top. I have noticed my "production rate" is getting better, most of my time is getting the 3 sided cant using the csm. That, and cutting the stickers. Any secrets on an east way to accumulate stickers?

He was trying to sell a full auto LT40.

We've got several woodmizers working in the area and one lucas swinger. I WILL NOT even drive by and watch any of them working (I tell myself this every day) for fear of having a weak moment (I really want a peterson 10" wpf with the siding attachment)

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

I'm glad to hear that, the thought of a bandmill being that much faster might push me over the top. I have noticed my "production rate" is getting better, most of my time is getting the 3 sided cant using the csm. That, and cutting the stickers. Any secrets on an east way to accumulate stickers?

I started saving 3/4" plywood scraps and rip stickers from them. Cheap, easy and they work when I run out of 1x1's from the bandmill.

 

[woodshop]

I started saving 3/4" plywood scraps and rip stickers from them. Cheap, easy and they work when I run out of 1x1's from the bandmill.

I've used 3/4 plywood ripped to size too... problem was over time the glue tended to separate and they didn't stay solid, even CDX stuff. Almost all my stickers now are made from 1by stuff I pick up at big box stores in the cull lumber dept. Often the cull box has cracked boards with plenty of meat for ripping into stickers, but even a little warp is no problem since I rip them to 1 inch and crosscut on the radial arm to 14 inches. That gives me my 3/4 x 1 sticker for my 12-14 inch wide boards.

 

[woodshop]

I have noticed my "production rate" is getting better, most of my time is getting the 3 sided cant using the csm.

I too find that working the log down to a 3 sided cant takes the most time, especially if it's a big log. Once it's there though, its goes pretty quick knocking out the boards with the Ripsaw. I had to slow down and rest every other board, was getting tired pushing that thing down that 9 ft cant. You are right though, my production rate now is twice what it was when I started doing this. Just having the right tools and everything organized is half the battle.

 

[flht01]

I've used 3/4 plywood ripped to size too... problem was over time the glue tended to separate and they didn't stay solid, even CDX stuff. Almost all my stickers now are made from 1by stuff I pick up at big box stores in the cull lumber dept. Often the cull box has cracked boards with plenty of meat for ripping into stickers, but even a little warp is no problem since I rip them to 1 inch and crosscut on the radial arm to 14 inches. That gives me my 3/4 x 1 sticker for my 12-14 inch wide boards.

I was considering a custom set of dogs similiar to the ones peterson sells that would fit the top plate of a sawhorse. That would allow at least one 4/4 live cut from each of the three flitches (hope I got that right).

I'll have a look at the cull boards in the big box store, never thought about that.

Speaking of the ripsaw, I made a few sheetmetal "Z" shaped brackets to keep the guide beams from sliding around. So far, I think they are going to do just fine. Nothing to attach to the log, they just sit there. 3 bends - 3/4" up, 9" right, 3/4" up again. The first bend catches on the left (or right) side of the cant, the second (9") bend sits on the top of the cant and the third 3/4" bend up keeps the guide beam from sliding around. This will allow the guide arm to run up against the guide beam. I'll post a pict or two when I get back from vacation.

I'm fixing to leave on a two week motorcycle trip (Rocky Mnt Nat'l park, Mt Zion, Grand Canyon, etc...) and all I can think about is getting back early to build a couple of milling sawhorses, finish cutting up the pine logs and get started on a couple of pecan logs. This is a bad, bad addiction.

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

I too find that working the log down to a 3 sided cant takes the most time, especially if it's a big log. Once it's there though, its goes pretty quick knocking out the boards with the Ripsaw. I had to slow down and rest every other board, was getting tired pushing that thing down that 9 ft cant. You are right though, my production rate now is twice what it was when I started doing this. Just having the right tools and everything organized is half the battle.

Have you considered a winch system? It should be easy to adapt one similar to the one in Will Malloff's book, "Chainsaw Lumbermaking", to your ripsaw.

 

[woodshop]

Have you considered a winch system? It should be easy to adapt one similar to the one in Will Malloff's book, "Chainsaw Lumbermaking", to your ripsaw.

I actually did look into that among other things. If I had a permanent setup, a little yard, a place where I brought the logs to mill, then maybe I would do something like that. No... actually if I had a place to bring logs, I'd somehow beg borrow and steal the cash for a Woodmizer. But the Ripsaw has a nice little niche, its claim to fame is you take it to the log, and setup is quick. In 10-15 minutes of pulling op to the log, you're slicing lumber off of it. If I had to mess with winches and cables, setup the frame for something like that... it would defeat the purpose of the Ripsaw.

 

[trax]

hey don't let 'em fool ya... the big mills are definitely faster than the little csm/ripsaw combo, MUCH faster, but one hours work vs 2 days is pushin' things. Just so happens I milled about 900 bd ft of ash this weekend with my csm/ripsaw, took an 8 hour day and a 9 hour day yes, but I want to see somebody mill that much on a woodmizer in an hour.

I have a Woodmizer LT-15 Manual mill. How many BF you can cut in an hour depends on a lot of things. If I flat saw 4" thick flitches from 24" straight ash log's I could probably do 900 bdf in 3-4 hours by my self. If I'm cutting 4/4 with 4 square edges and edging all my flitches that slows things down a bit. The thicker the board the the more bdf per pass. I have helped a freind on his fully Hyd. Timber King and believe me that thing makes boards in a hurry. It lifts the logs, turns them, dogs them, sets the depth and sends the saw down through the log all from a controll panel at the end of the mill. The only thing you do manually is roll the logs onto the arms and take off the boards.I will try to take a pic of my set up this weekend and post it.

 

[woodshop]

I have a Woodmizer LT-15 Manual mill. How many BF you can cut in an hour depends on a lot of things. If I flat saw 4" thick flitches from 24" straight ash log's I could probably do 900 bdf in 3-4 hours by my self. If I'm cutting 4/4 with 4 square edges and edging all my flitches that slows things down a bit. The thicker the board the the more bdf per pass. I have helped a freind on his fully Hyd. Timber King and believe me that thing makes boards in a hurry. It lifts the logs, turns them, dogs them, sets the depth and sends the saw down through the log all from a controll panel at the end of the mill. The only thing you do manually is roll the logs onto the arms and take off the boards.I will try to take a pic of my set up this weekend and post it.

I have seen some of the mills working at shows, and believe me, if I could afford one or more to the point, if I had the room to store one, I would own one. Hey I'm only 53... and I may very well own a big mill some day. I agree, you can't just talk about how many bd ft you milled in a day. Slicing 100 ft of 4/4 out of a cant takes twice as long as slicing 100 ft of 8/4 out of that same cant. Twice the runs down the cant, twice the boards to handle and stack. I too saw a fully hyd Timber King at a Penn State Ag show last year, and watched it mill, then dog and edge a whole stack at once like you said... it was beauty in motion. I could watch it for hours.

My little Ripsaw and csm do fill a niche though, and I think they do it well. They were never designed to compete with larger mills. Comparing the two is kinda academic.

 

[poleframer]

Funny how things change, I buildt my unit to flatten one side of a pole for my polework, and maybe turn an occasional chunk of firewood into boards. Now I got about 4000 bf of logs I'm tackling.
All things considered, since I have well less than a grand invested and have come up with several grand worth of wood I think I'm doing OK.Dont think I'd chase this milling bug into debt, I'm wanting to fit it into a bigger woodworking picture. I appriciate the context that Woodshop fits his milling into. Context is everything, I've worked for Roseburg lumber. .

 

[flht01]

Hakanson Blade came in

...
As for the Hakansson blades, I've made two calls to the local distributor and still no blade. I think I'll give Nancy (US rep) a quick call Monday and ask about it, sure wanted them to work, especially at $11 each....

The sample Hakanson blade was sitting on the doorstep when I rolled in from vacation Thursday. I had a syp cant that needed cutting up so I gave it a try. I ended up with 10 ~ 13" wide 5/4 boards 12ft long it's still cutting ok. I had the usual dip/wave if I didn't do my part on the knots but so far, so good. I've got a pecan log thats been down about a year I'll start on next. I'll use the csm to cut the cant then finish up with the ripsaw. It'll be interesting to see how long the blade holds up. I'll keep you posted...

Kevin

 

[314epw]

education again.

Ok, you got the logs,you got the equipment.and now you know how to use it.I'm in hawley PA area.what can you sell red or white oak for per board foot.And who will buy it.Do you have to be a full time salesman too?Answer these questions and I'm ready to get my feet wet!!
Ed

 

[flht01]

Ok, you got the logs,you got the equipment.and now you know how to use it.I'm in hawley PA area.what can you sell red or white oak for per board foot.And who will buy it.Do you have to be a full time salesman too?Answer these questions and I'm ready to get my feet wet!!
Ed

I'm not sure which post this was directed at but I'll give you my 2 cents worth based on the equipment I'm using. After reading a lot of the posts on this site and the "other" forestry site I decided on the system "woodshop" was using, a csm and ripsaw and couldn't be happier with the results. I'm cutting for myself for small woodworking projects only, no way I'd ever try to use my setup to cut lumber for resale. (Way too labor intensive in my opinion.) I'd say if your looking for a return on your investment, look at the commercial bandmills or swingblades.

Kevin

 

[woodshop]

I'm not sure which post this was directed at but I'll give you my 2 cents worth based on the equipment I'm using. After reading a lot of the posts on this site and the "other" forestry site I decided on the system "woodshop" was using, a csm and ripsaw and couldn't be happier with the results. I'm cutting for myself for small woodworking projects only, no way I'd ever try to use my setup to cut lumber for resale. (Way too labor intensive in my opinion.) I'd say if your looking for a return on your investment, look at the commercial bandmills or swingblades.

Kevin

I agree with Kevin 100%. If you are looking to cut lumber and sell it in any volume, a csm and or Ripsaw is too slow and labor intensive. It was never designed for that kind of volume per day. I slice up several thousand bd ft of mostly hardwood a year. I have sold some, but to people I know only, and very little. I worked too hard for it to part with it. Most of my stash is custom sawn, specifically for certain things I make in my woodshop which I then sell at shows in this area. On a good day with no major problems, you can slice up about 400 ft of 4/4 or 5/4. A larger bandsaw mill in the $10-15K range will do that in couple or three hours. (of course it goes without saying that there are LOTS of variables that effect that figure up AND down). As for price... here in SE Pennsylvania, depending on how far out from the Philadelphia area you are willing to travel, you can get oak for $2+ a ft. Even less if you drive couple hours to central PA where the sawmills are, and grab it right off the mill wet and are willing to dry it yourself. OR, you can drive 10 minutes to a high end lumber retailer and pay $5+ a foot Up in the NE part of the state where you are, I have no idea what oak goes for, but probably less than down here in the SE. Jump on google, find a few sawmills in your area and pick up the phone, easy as that.

 

[379hammerdown]

Hey flht01, I noticed that you are in Southeast Texas, & was curious where you actually are. I'm from the area too, Buna. Just being nosy!

Keith

 

[flht01]

Hey flht01, I noticed that you are in Southeast Texas, & was curious where you actually are. I'm from the area too, Buna. Just being nosy!

Keith

You ever hear of Antioch cemetery

 

[379hammerdown]

LOL Small world! Down 1004 right?

 

[aggiewoodbutchr]

Hey fellas- Do I smell a GTG?

I have some big water oaks I'll be milling soon.

:biggrinbounce2:

And a few others not in the picture.

 

[flht01]

Hey fellas- Do I smell a GTG?

I have some big water oaks I'll be milling soon.

:biggrinbounce2:

And a few others not in the picture.

GTG would be fun. Sure hope that big yeller contraption in the background is the logmaster. There's not enough people on this site to csm all those logs