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Author Topic: Sawing Black Locust  (Read 8616 times)

Offline 4x4American

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Sawing Black Locust
« on: June 04, 2015, 09:43:53 PM »
Got a portable job to saw some Black Locust that's been down since September 2014.  The LO can't be there, so he's leaving me the tractor and I'm sending the bill.  Gonna go hourly on this one.  He wants 2x6's for building a raised bed garden.  There is also some white cedar to saw. 

I have 1-1/4" .045" 4 degree blades, and 7 degree 1-1/4" .055" Gonna be using the 4's for the locust, and whatever for the cedar.

Not really looking forward to this one.  Last time I was here I got my old mill stuck and LO pulled me and the mill out with tractor.  See how it goes.
2017 LT70 Super Wide with under 10,000hrs

www.KnightSawmilling.com

Offline furu

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Re: Sawing Black Locust
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2015, 02:05:51 AM »
Let us know how it goes. 
I presume the last time was with the old mill.  Your new one is a good bit lighter maybe it won't get stuck.
Integrity is not just doing the right thing.
Integrity is not just doing the right thing when no one is looking.
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one else will ever even know.

Offline furu

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Re: Sawing Black Locust
« Reply #2 on: June 06, 2015, 02:06:56 AM »
 Off topic a bit.
Did you get new cams for the cat claw now that you are using different (WM) branded blades?
Integrity is not just doing the right thing.
Integrity is not just doing the right thing when no one is looking.
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one else will ever even know.

Offline backwoods sawyer

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Re: Sawing Black Locust
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2015, 12:43:02 AM »
Sometimes it goes smoother when the customer has something else to do ;)

I do not saw much Black locus just a few here and there. I run .055 1 1/2" 10* with good results.

Good luck!!!

Offline Kirk Allen

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Re: Sawing Black Locust
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2015, 07:57:38 AM »
Customer involvement is a two edge sward!  The first cut job is always the indicator of what to expect in the future. If they listen and do what they are told all works out great.  I have had some that wanted to talk about the figure of every board cut.  That job went from BF rate to hourly after the fist log! 
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching!

Offline 4x4American

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Re: Sawing Black Locust
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2015, 09:14:53 PM »
The job went ok.  The customer wasn't available to help, so he left me a loader tractor with pallet forks there to use.  Was a john deere with hydrostatic.  I didn't think I would really like the hydro, but turns out I liked it alot.  Not sure if I'd want it on a tractor that I used to pull implements with, but for loader work it was nice.  I started with the cedar, found some spikes and nails.  Those 7 degree .055" blades still cut straight (in cedar) after cutting through a half inch spike!  After going through 3 blades from nail hits in the cedar, I was done with it and went to the black locust.  It had been sitting on the ground for awhile, and I was able to peel the bark off.  I just use a craftsman prybar, works great.  So that was a huge score that I could peel the bark off fairly easily.  I left the 7 degree blade on to try it out.  It worked great.  I was very happy with the way it sawed.  Reasonably fast and straight (but there was alot of stress in the logs). My chainsaws were having a tougher time going through the logs trimming them than my sawmill was.  It was going great until my mill started acting up.  The headrig wouldn't lower.  Would only raise.  Tested the drum switch, it was fine, traced wires for awhile couldn't figure it out.  So I reversed the polarity on the motor and lowered the head to get the mill home.  Talked with Marty Parsons of WM and he thinks it's the H-Bridge they're gonna send me one monday. 

Furu-  I haven't gotten new cams yet.  WM gave me some free resharp coupons so I'm set for a little while.  To get a new cam made up for my 4 degree blades, I have to send in a 3 ft section of new blade, and it costs like $75 or something.  I have 4 degree blades and 7 degree blades.  My grinder does neither angles from the factory.  Awhile back I drilled it out and made it so that it can do 4 degree.  Now I have to set it for 7 degree.  Once I get all this done I'll end up selling the grinder and getting a WM CBN grinder and automated setter  :D
2017 LT70 Super Wide with under 10,000hrs

www.KnightSawmilling.com