Slabs, it's what I do!

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With all the rain, I'm sort of excited to say I get to cut stuff today! My mill hasn't been started since March...bet it starts on the third pull(yes, it has a starter cord)?


On the 'schedule' today?
Flame Boxelder! Blonde Walnut(butternut to some)! American Persimmon(mineral stained)! Scyamore(just cutting in half for bowl blanks)! Eastern Red Cedar!


Photo's? Of course.... Video? Probably not....





Scott (stay tuned) B
 
As promised....photo's!


Took longer then expected to get everything sorted after such a long time away. Fun part was finding everything I needed to use! Lawn was as dry as I could hope for, so I ran the electrical and fired up the upright bandsaw. Started with Eastern Red Cedar, as I haven't had any in stock for quite sometime....even made some blanks out of ERC for duck calls(my stash).



Since I was so excited, I just jumped right into some Southern Red Oak, even did some burl pieces! Little hard to see in the photo, but those premuim burls are awesome...with the limited number of them, those might have to be hidden away too. On the plus side, you've probably heard about the mythical 'Tiger Oak'(basically a 15* to the grain cut) that sell for outrageous prices? I cut these in the same manner.


Mill time!!! WOOHOO!!!
After going full on combat with the red wasps that took up homage under the tarp(yes, I fight dirty....and I won). I got the piece of Flame Boxelder set in place and ready. I was wrong earlier, the mill fired up on the first pull of the cord....


Sure made for some nice flitches! Not much 'flame', but generally finding any flame at all here in central Arkansa is like finding a unicorn. I cut a few, nine flitches, and left the remaining 'chunk' as a big piece for cutting bowl blanks out of when I get ready for them.





I'll get started earlier tomorrow, and cut some more! Thanks for taking time to see my enjoyment....

Scott (it was freakin' HOT) B
 
triw51 said:
Wow great video and beautiful wood. That cedar has fantastic color would make some great band saw boxes. When you cut lumber with your chain saw do you use a special chain? Thanks
Click to expand...


About the only time I'm using chainsaw(s) is during the harvesting, or on really big logs that will not fit on my bandsaw mill. When I do have to get the chainsaw mill running it is using just regular chain...well, it was 'regular' when I started using it. As I have to sharpen, I do so at a different angle.....typical chain is 25-35*, I re-sharpen at 10*
It doesn't cut as fast, but it'll leave a cleaner cut.




Scott (hate sharpening) B
 
Cut a few more today....

American Persimmon, it has a wonderful mineral staining inside. Everything was trimmed to a 'tad' over 3/4in thickness. Two pieces were cut for my RingMaster bowl lathe...those were sliced at a 'tad' under 5/8in thickness.

Eastern Red Cedar, a bit more sapwood then I'm use to seeing. But it has some great feathered yellows next to those purple/red-ish heartwood. Had to re-stock the 3/4in thickness 'pile' for future pen blanks(cut everything I had in stock the other day). I also made a big thick slab that I'll process down into game call sized blanks!


It was warmer today with a LOT of humidity....but the 'cool' weather couldn't last forever! It is the south. And it stopped raining, finally. I cleaned up everything early as I have to go to 'the real job' tomorrow. When I finished up, I checked the weather app on the phone, it was 93*F with a heat index of 104*F





Scott (still had fun today) B
 
Those slabs....whew, I wish I could have made more!

But I'm cleaning around the mill. It needs to find a new home so I can order a BIGGER one. And I have a bunch of 'scrap' on the trailer....now. It'll be getting hauled off to the deer woods(we cut the top slabs into useable firewood), and I will just happen to find a bunch of timber to bring home:eek:


That American Persimmon is drying well, considering it's been in the higher end of the 90*F range. At least the humidity was 'decent' during the clean up today, I might have actually sweat off the big meal I had the other day?!?! Anyway, talk about hard! This stuff lives up to it's name....it use to be used as golf club heads on drivers.


Maybe next week....just maybe I can turn some of it, maybe?(that's a lot of maybes)


Cut a bunch of BIG bowl blanks, some Scyamore and Boxelder(minor flaming). Now if someone could just turn down the heat.....or remind me to plug in the roll around AC unit in the garage!



PS: I'm going to start cutting into that big piece of Butternut to get me some big bowl blanks!!!



Scott (I need to cut more) B
 
Last edited:
Bob Wemm said:
Wish I was there.

Bob.
Click to expand...


Me too! Sure could use a hand when it gets hot/humid....
And I could be training a person that could use this bandsaw mill(wink, wink). The LT-28 is in the near future....

Bigger mill means bigger slabs and flitches. I'll be able to step up from 19.5" widths to 28". Might not sound like a LOT, but it is huge in the world of 'portable milling'!



Scott (more is always more :biggrin: ) B
 
Was getting 'things together' this morning before the humidity and heat came calling....found a 'chunk' in my pile. Decided to give it a spin after loading the trailer....


It is a piece of White Sassafras{Sassafras albidum}, to defective to make it to the website....




Little did I know, the piece had been spalting some. Cracks have been filled with thinCA and I'll let it sit for awhile until I decide for sure that the 'vase' shape with be 'OK'....
It was nice to sweat a little today.....tomorrow cutting Longleaf Pine will be a little different though.





Scott (building a porch at deer camp) B
 
Dai Sensei said:
Looking good so far

SDB777 said:
..It is a piece of White Sassafras{Sassafras albidum}, to defective to make it to the website....
Click to expand...

You do realise this is a pen forum, no such thing as too defective :rolleyes::biggrin:
Click to expand...


I couldn't see selling of a chunk of wood that I was sort of apprehensive on flipping the power switch :eek:"ON":eek:
I originally just had it tightened in between a live and dead center....made a tenon and turned it around and just went with it. Used a hand chisel to remove the bark, and then a D-Way 3/8" bowl gouge for the rest.





Scott (I'll finish it this weekend) B
 
A lot of fun things are happening at the bandsaw mill! And one sad thing.....

Bad news first:
The bandsaw mill has to find a new home. I've had fun running it, and it has made some of the best looking domestic wood(at the prices offered) that I've seen in the United States. It's been put up for sale all over the internet, and it's just a matter of time before someone grabs it!



The good news:
As soon as the WoodMizer LT10.....I'm ordering a WoodMizer LT28!
I'll be portable, that's right....more milling, just offsite. A number of things have made it possible for me to even think about this...and the biggest is the loss of income. It's hard going to a pile of logs, quoting a price, and then hearing they can not transport the logs. You give the person a name and phone number, only to hear back from them a few days later with "They won't return my calls."(I mean really, whom would turn down $3,000 to $4,000 for some milling??)



So....there it is. There will be a bit of time between the old mill leaving and the new mill being picked up.....did I mention 32" diameter and 21 foot log!!!!



Scott (stay tuned) B
 



Just because there is no bandsaw mill sitting out back, it doesn't mean I am not milling logs! That's right....I had this chunk of Butternut that was supposed to have been milled during a IAP Arkansas Chapter meeting, but... I milled it.


Known as the 'blonde walnut', it does share some of the Black Walnut traits. I was turning purple/brown from the sawdust! And my lathe tools(yes I turned some too) turned black(cleaned up fine with some WD40 and a rag).

Made a fine bowl.....and I'll have a pile of duck call blanks once it dries(unless someone on the Blank Exchange FB page grabs it while it is 'green').






Scott (can't keep me from milling) B
 
Finish is still drying. Couldn't help it...had to let this one out.




Another side....




Hollowed with a D-Way hollowing tool. Walls are 1/8th inch thick, and all but the last 7/8th inch in the bottom has been hollowed. This Cherry piece was a 'injury' on a branch(it was rubbing against an oak branch). I have been looking at it on the floor for months....now it's had it's third coat of lacquer. The weird black lines in the piece make it look like it has cracked, but it hasn't.....


If I could only figure out what to price it at??


Scott (super shined) B
 
Errrr........

I'm having sawmill withdrawals!
Guess I've still got another four weeks remaining?!?!? Can only make so many pens, bowls and ducks.





Scott (got the shakes) B
 
Lyn scrolled me a new sign! And I like it!!!




The countdown clock for the new sawmill has entered the 'less-then-one-week' timeframe! In fact, next Friday morning I'll get my butt out of bed and drive 4hrs 25mins to the dealer! Get to know the mill and give the fella a pile-o-cash.... Then drive back home!

And I have piles of logs laying all over that need me to release them from the dullness that they are now, into something purty!!!




Scott (I need to get rid of some calls) B
 
Woohoo!
It's finally home. Left this morning at 4am and just got home a short time ago. All day and then some, but tomorrow will be the fun day! Dropping a 39" Pine to make some board-n-batten siding as well as some porch supports, and the porch itself on a hunting cabin. Better then the tree just going to waste....







Of course I shot video for the 'training', but it'll be awhile before I get that all editted, it's really long too....so I'm not sure it'll get put on Youtube?




Scott (I'm pooped) B
 
mark james said:
... Too Clean... :)
Click to expand...

That'll be taken care of today:wink:



As soon as the sun comes up, this one is hitting the ground for milling!


BSea said:
mark james said:
... Too Clean... :)
Click to expand...
If I know Scott, it won't be clean long.

That is a really cool setup. I wonder if the Rangers will say anything if you bring that to Maumelle Park for a meeting someday? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...


If I could only get in there for a few of those American Chestnut trees they planted.....



Scott (scratchin' the paint today) B
 
Yes, the tree came down. But not without a fight. First tree in maybe ten years that needed wedges, four to be exact....but it ended where I wanted.

And it made a mess.



Grabbed the smallest chainsaw I have and limbed the main trunk and upper two trunks that come off of it. The impact with the ground caused a LOT of damage to the upper trunks, and I think I'll only be ably to get a piece that is 10ft off one side and 14ft off the other. But free is free!


To be continued.....

Scott (grab the IcyHot) B
 
Set the mill up. This is going to have a learning curve....it took about twice the lot of time that it should have. But I'll gain mind-memory to get the process down on these practice trees before going to job sites.

The unit was ordered with the trailer package, and part of that is the ability to parabuckle logs onto the mill without having to use external items. Works like a charm!


The process below:








Lets make some lumber(after all, it is a Pine tree....)!




More to come......

Scott (IcyHot is bogus....where's the whiskey) B
 
Where was I? Ahhh, the fun stuff.

Still milling....



The total yield from this one piece was 635 boardfeet of lumber! The weight was 3785lbs....I'm going to try to stay under that weight from now. Took 4 hours to mill and put the stuff on the trailer. Brought the mill home, grabbed the trailer and the wife, loaded the lumber and then stopped for a quick bite at CoCo's resturant. I'll probably take the three 5" x 7" x 8' beams off the trailer in the morning and start making a timber frame archway for my fence in the backyard tomorrow morning. Chisels and hammering next to the crackheads house equals FUN!
Then the rest of the material I cut was from a 'cut sheet' for the deer cabin....a porch and board-n-batten siding. Might not be enough b-n-b, but the porch will be topnotch!

The trailer....



Still some more to clean-up....



There is always next weekend!

Scott (today was a fun day) B
 
Milling called for an abundance of rain! The rain gauge says we had plenty, and I'm not a mud-miller.

Tomorrow is another day, and the ground will much more solid. And I can get the mill in-n-out without making ruts in this fellas yard. Still have a couple few oaks to slab at 6/4 thickness and I believe there was still three pine logs to make 2bys out of(I might be wrong on that count though).
Spoke to the customer this morning, and he is very pleased with the milling so far! Really like it when that happens....

When I was out there, I snapped a few photo's earlier in the day, but got a little caught up in the process and forgot to do the during photo stuff(sorry). The mill still has some growing pains, just things I'm not use to doing....but I am catching on quickly. And the timber is coming off quicker.


Some more getting ready to be rolled onto the mill.




These 2x4's are the real thing....not 1.5x3.5 Home Depot stuff!




The two oak logs I cut into 6/4 thickness slabs were awesome! I think I photo'd them just before I left(my mind is getting old...I forget). I'll go check the camera to see...and post them if I got them!

Scott (old and sore, that's how I roll) B
 
Found it!



Customer said he's going to dry them for a few years and make book cases out of them. I wish thinking natural edge tables or even floating shelves....but?



And another oddity I captured.



I know....wierd seems to follow me. It looked to be a 'pet', as wild pigs generally have longer snouts(yes, even domestic pig will have a longer snout when released into the wild due to the amount of rooting for food they do).




Scott (too pooped to pooh) B
 
Skie_M said:
That's a gorgeous bookmatched set of oak crotchwood ...

It'll make a great bookshelf! :)
Click to expand...



Should have flipped those pieces over to photo, as the other side showed the quartersawn flecks much better....but I was pretty tired of lifting 125lb slabs for that day.

I'd really wanted to remove the live edge from the 'flatter' side and give him a natural edge 'front' for the shelf, but I think he has too many ideas already.




Going back out for more today, it stopped raining..... :biggrin::biggrin:



Scott (no more piggy's though) B
 
SDB777 said:
Skie_M said:
That's a gorgeous bookmatched set of oak crotchwood ...

It'll make a great bookshelf! :)
Click to expand...



Should have flipped those pieces over to photo, as the other side showed the quartersawn flecks much better....but I was pretty tired of lifting 125lb slabs for that day.

I'd really wanted to remove the live edge from the 'flatter' side and give him a natural edge 'front' for the shelf, but I think he has too many ideas already.




Going back out for more today, it stopped raining..... :biggrin::biggrin:



Scott (no more piggy's though) B
Click to expand...

Nope!

The crotchwood as you've shown it is the "money" side right there.
 
Finished up a few jobs today. Although, I don't think I like to use the term 'job'....I'm having a blast, loosing some belly, and generally just feeling great! This mill should have been here a long time ago.

Only thing left to mill was a big chunk Southern Red Oak{Quercus falcata} and two pieces of crotch White Oak{Quercus alba}. Slabs of 5/4 thickness, natural edge....sort of boring, well unless ya know how to cut the timber to get the 'purty out'! Tiger Oak.....pfft.



Photo's? There was a few....

This one is to show the mill is getting dirty. But it cleans off easy at 50+mph on the way home.:eek::eek:




Here are a few close up's of the eye-candy!






Scott (just wicked....) B
 
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