All loaded up and headed to the cabin to get the rest of the White oak I left in October. Hopefully I can get it all slabbed today and maybe grab some rounds for firewood too if I have room. My buddy has our community trailer full of scrap so I only have my truck. Think I have everything.
Nice! My wife's family chipped in and got me an Alaskan Mill for Christmas. Pretty excited to put it to use. It always pains me to cut up a clean log for firewood when I know it would make great boards.
Most of the guys around here only use the waste flitches for firewood. They keep the live edge slabs and boards.
I know what you mean. I’ve had a bunch of logs over the years I wanted to mill but ended up turning into firewood. I finally bought the mill after I cut this cherry up, it killed me but I had no mill, needed the log out of the way and needed firewood. Good luck with your mill. Have fun and be safe.
What a awesome day out at the cabin. It’s been a long time since I spent any time out there alone doing what I wanted. Partly sunny and 40 doesn’t hurt the mood either. Went on a hike with the dogs when I first got there then got down to business. Was able to make three more boards today. This is the second time ever using my mill. Between the two times out I made 8 cuts of 9 feet each. I could tell on about the 5th cut the chain was getting dull, by the 8th it was shot. Going to have to learn how to sharpen ripping chain I guess. I was cutting white oak, maybe I’d get a few more cuts with something a bit less dense. I ended up running off towards the ends of the boards as you can see in some pictures. I think I fixed that by moving the “on/off” bar closer to the middle of the log, seemed to help with finishing the cut. Couple observations: 1. It’s hard work. 2. A respirator might be a good idea for all those fumes. 3. It’s a lot of fun and will take quite a while to figure out all the ins and outs. Still can’t belive how nice of a cut a chainsaw can make. I know it’s not a bandsaw or anything but I was totally expecting a much rougher finish.
Couple shots of the end where I got a little squirrley. Hopefully I can clean that up in the planer. Was able to get this one up on some horses as I already took some slabs out of it. And ideas from the more seasoned sawyers out there what might happened? I think it was that “on/off” bar was out too far to the edge of the log but not sure. Couple loaded up truck shots. Would of been able to get a lot more cord wood home if I had my trailer. What’s left behind. One more half finished 9 footer and one 20 footer I still haven’t gotten into. And of course my cutting companion all tuckered out from his day. Guy just turned 6 this year and I think he’s finally slowing down a bit. Used to log 10-12 miles in a day, only did 4.5 today. Great friends they are.
