Logistics of small sawmill operation

   / Logistics of small sawmill operation #41  
In the manual for my Timberking, it says the best blade lube is a mix of diesel and bar oil. I am not particularly interested in using that combo, but they do say it works the best, and you can reduce lube use by something like 75%. They also say to use pine-sol in your lube if you are using water. I've also thought about adding some windex as a solvent. No harm in increasing flow either. Let us know if you come up with a good solution. Also, thanks for all the pics, you've inspired me to go wrench on my mill and get some milling done one of these days when the mercury crosses 15.
 
   / Logistics of small sawmill operation
  • Thread Starter
#42  
I might try adding Pine-sol instead of dish detergent, my manual recommends that as well. I'll probably also increase the flow to a steady stream, not just dripping. Windshield washer fluid was on sale today at TSC so I got several jugs as that is what I use in these sub-freezing temps instead of water. Hope to get back to milling tomorrow or Friday. Thanks for everyone's interest/input in this thread, seems to be a popular topic.
 
   / Logistics of small sawmill operation #43  
Hi all,
I plan on buying a mill within an year or so. I want to build a retirement log home. I have a TLB with a grapple, so moving logs onto the mill will be easy.
hugs, Brandi
 
   / Logistics of small sawmill operation #44  
Woodmizer owner since 1991, and I never use anything but water for blade lube. Tried a couple of things thru the years, didn't seem to make a lick of difference, went back to water.

Suggestions on your problem:

1. MORE water. Mine get to loading up like that, I open the valve on the water jug to where it is running LOTS of water. Water is cheap.

2. You may not have enough set in your blade. Loading on the very tip indicates that. Softwoods like pine require more set, .025-028. The typical out of the box blade is a compromise set of around .017-.019. ( Really hard hardwoods, you would use a lower set.....like .015 )

3. And yes, the blade MAY well be dull. Hit a few pieces of gravel in the bark or other trash, and you can dull a blade pretty dang quick.
 
   / Logistics of small sawmill operation #45  
Woodmizer owner since 1991,
…...And yes, the blade MAY well be dull. Hit a few pieces of gravel in the bark or other trash, and you can dull a blade pretty dang quick.
Wow Andy, 1991 was 23 years ago, thats a lot of experience.

I found that one pass thru bark that has dirt in the bark, it dulls the blade noticeably in that one pass (!) That's another think a new sawmill owner needs to know, A pressure-washer for (for some barks) may be required, or at least a hi-flowing waterhose, or debarker tools.
 
   / Logistics of small sawmill operation #46  
Wow Andy, 1991 was 23 years ago, thats a lot of experience.

I figure I'm somewhere in the 500,000 to million bdft range.



I found that one pass thru bark that has dirt in the bark, it dulls the blade noticeably in that one pass (!) That's another think a new sawmill owner needs to know, A pressure-washer for (for some barks) may be required, or at least a hi-flowing waterhose, or debarker tools.

I do several things....water hose, bark spud, chainsaw de-barker, and the trick I like best: Don't get in a big hurry to saw....let the logs lay there 6 months, and a lot of species, the bark comes off in sheets !

Also, when skidding out of the woods, I try my best NOT to drag.....either bring it out on the front forks, or if using the skidding winch on the back, skid right up to the winch, then raise the winch as much as possible so only the back foot or so is plowing ground.
 
   / Logistics of small sawmill operation #47  
I have an LT 30 I bought about 25 years ago. I don't saw as much as I used to (arthritis) but I sure would like to get a hydraulic mill to make it easier on me and hire a couple of Amish boys to off load.

Verticaltrx, you might just need to increase the flow of the lubricant. You don't say what type of wood you are cutting, hard or soft. For soft woods you want your tooth rake to be 13 degrees and hard woods to be 9 degrees. Using a hardwood blade on a soft gummy pine could produce what your picture showed.

Also if it has not been mentioned before, paint the ends of your logs. You can use paint or a wax sealer that you can buy. Painting the log ends slows down the drying process as the veins carrying the water in the logs will bleed out of the raw ends. This will cause the ends of the logs to check and you could lose a couple of feet on each end of a valuable log.
 
   / Logistics of small sawmill operation
  • Thread Starter
#48  
Thanks for the replies. The wood I've been sawing is Eastern White Pine, but I'm almost done with that and I'll be sawing Black Locust and White Oak next. The blades I'm using are the only one the company stocks for my mill, they are a Woodmizer blade but I don't know the specs. If I continue to have trouble I'll look into other blades. I think they might be getting dull, it only seems to happen after cutting about 300bd ft. I'm as careful as I can be keeping my logs clean (carry them out on the forks or log wagon) and any dirty areas I chop off with an axe before milling.
 
 
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