Baby mill reccomendations??

[furu]

I am jealous of what you have going there. So well organized and so many nice looking logs all prepared and waiting.

[A.O.]

I am jealous of what you have going there. So well organized and so many nice looking logs all prepared and waiting.

Thanks, I went out the other day and cut down 2 trees, it gave me 11 logs, 9-8 footers and 2-12 footers maybe 12-18" diameter.



Learning a bit on handling with out tearing them up to badly, but the grapple marks on the outside aren't too awful deep anyhow.

See the woods in the background? That's what I have to work with.

[starmac]

Looking GOOD, shoot the only thing I see wrong is everything isn't white. lol

You are way ahead of where I was when I got my mill for sure.

I Have a trailer just about exactly like yours, I do not like it for hauling logs, and I bet it isn't too long before yours looks a little different in the fender department. lol

[A.O.]

Looking GOOD, shoot the only thing I see wrong is everything isn't white. lol

You are way ahead of where I was when I got my mill for sure.

I Have a trailer just about exactly like yours, I do not like it for hauling logs, and I bet it isn't too long before yours looks a little different in the fender department. lol

We, on purpose, moved OUT of the snow belt, after being stuck in colorado for 7 LONG years, If I never see snow again in my life it will be too soon! But that's me.

Yeah, I already dinged one of the fenders a bit, then I cut some stakes for the stake pockets to guard them a bit.

And its all I have to haul logs right now, but its just from somewhere else on the property to my little saw yard.. for now.

[starmac]

I hauled one load on mine, I don't know why I had a better trailer for logs, I guess it was just the handiest one. I didn't ding it, but it was a pain and slow getting some of the logs off with my forklift.
I have since traded for a flatbed truck with a dump, more better. lol

[A.O.]

I hauled one load on mine, I don't know why I had a better trailer for logs, I guess it was just the handiest one. I didn't ding it, but it was a pain and slow getting some of the logs off with my forklift.
I have since traded for a flatbed truck with a dump, more better. lol

Yeah, I would think way better.. But this is just a "hobby" for me.. some stuff I'll have do do with what I have. And I can see how the forklift would be a pain for unloading. My grapple makes it a little easier..

And when I'm hauling a load, its from the back of my property to the front is all..

[starmac]

Yea, grapple makes it a whole different ball game, we loaded mine with a log loader (grapple) and the top logs were no problem, to balance the logs on the forks, I had to lift up one end of the logs and block them high enough to get the forks over the fenders.

Mine is just a hobby too, I am just lazy. lol

[A.O.]

Yea, grapple makes it a whole different ball game, we loaded mine with a log loader (grapple) and the top logs were no problem, to balance the logs on the forks, I had to lift up one end of the logs and block them high enough to get the forks over the fenders.

Mine is just a hobby too, I am just lazy. lol

My tractor has a QR set up on the loader, I have a bucket and the grapple right now, but I'm in the market for a set of pallet forks. I'm thinking they would be invaluable for moving stacks of lumber.

And look at all those trees in the background I need to harvest! ;-)

[starmac]

You will want pallet forks for sure, and with the qr, it will be sweet.
If it doesn't leak down or curl, like most loaders, you may even want to leave it parked next to the mill with the forks at your desired height and stack lumber offf the mill directly on the forks, I find this to be a labor saver with the forklift.

[A.O.]

You will want pallet forks for sure, and with the qr, it will be sweet.
If it doesn't leak down or curl, like most loaders, you may even want to leave it parked next to the mill with the forks at your desired height and stack lumber offf the mill directly on the forks, I find this to be a labor saver with the forklift.

I was looking for a leak last summer, filled the bucket with sand and left it up for two days, no problem.

[starmac]

Well, if you are lazy like I am, you will likely wind up parking it to off load boards off the mill onto, saves handling them one time. If I ever wind up building the pallets I want to, it will save two steps as long as I am cutting the same product.

[A.O.]

Well, if you are lazy like I am, you will likely wind up parking it to off load boards off the mill onto, saves handling them one time. If I ever wind up building the pallets I want to, it will save two steps as long as I am cutting the same product.

So here's my idea. Build small "drying platforms" on say stubbie 6x6 legs. I could set it next to the saw to offload on to it. If I'm cutting 2x4's, or 2x6s, 5/4 stuff... whatever.. I could move the appropriate platform to the saw side, when I go to cut something else.. move that one out of the way and move another one in. When they get too full to move easy, set it of to the side somewhere to dry and build another..
I know I'm thinking too much.

[starmac]

Pretty close to what I want to do, but except for legs, make them in the form of pallets of different lengths, to fit what I am cutting. I want to make them extra heavy duty so they will not distort and will be stackable.
I would like to be able to stack at least 2 pallets, maybe 3.
I also have in mind to make some lighter pallets with a sort of gable  frame to strap to the top pallet with a tarp just to cover the tarp, Because I have no plans to build a drying shed.

[A.O.]

I was just thinking the legs (6" - a foot is all) would keep the wood off the ground a little better for air flow and be easy to pickup with forks. They would be built like little "decks" without the decking.

[starmac]

That would work. I intend to have some beams running across every two feet on the ground that will keep the pallets up, and runners acroess the pallets in the same places, to keep from any distortion, and stacking them would hold the lumber down, it would be just like another sticker only bigger.

[drobertson]

Two foot between works out pretty good.  Seeing how most lumber that's sawn and stacked will be on the even numbers.  This would require 5 sticks for 8' lumber 6 sticks for 10', and 7 sticks for 12' lumber, ect...The main thing I've noticed in the short 10 years of sawing, is keeping the lumber the same length respectively.  As well as keeping the stickers in line vertically. Once the lumber starts stacking up, the weight of it adds up too.  Just a little bit  of misaligned stickers adds to some bowed up boards, and usually this bow is kinda permanent of a thing once dried.

[A.O.]

So 2 foot apart isn't to far for stickers? I was going to do 16 inches, but that's my construction background. 2 feet would save me wood, screws, and stickers..

Thanks for the tip on sticker alignment, I've always staggered them a bit as to not sandwich moisture in-between them, but then I've only dealt with lumber yard wood , and it wasn't very critical. What you said there makes a lot of sense.
 

[drobertson]

well they can go as close as 12"  seems like 18" is a common spacing for higher end lumber. my main point is to keep stickers close to the ends of the lumber and keep the stickers over the one below it.  And yes it takes a lot of stickers, it seems like at somewhere I and others mentioned that its really the first thing one with a mill needs to saw out, as well as blocking for stacking.  And whatever you do, make sure you use a good butt end or a second cut log for making the sticks, knot free as possible, you'll see what knots do when drying if you have them, let them air out. Keeping these straight is equally as important, they are what your lumber will be sitting on.

[A.O.]

So... how to keep them straight while they are drying?

[drobertson]

make a little base and stack them like  Lincoln  logs, allowing an air flow, one inch sticks will dry quickly enough to then put them in a framed up holder. You could just flat stack them, but they will mold when you do it this way. Mold may not be an issue, it knocks off after usage even though it does stain the wood.  Fact is you will have to deal with mold on your lumber too, that SYP and all that moisture will grow some beautiful mold in brilliant colors of green and shades of black and grey, 

[A.O.]

Thanks

[A.O.]

YAY.. Got my shipping notice today!!

[furu]

How much time for the shippers to deliver?  How often do you do an "online tracking check" to see where it is?

[A.O.]

How much time for the shippers to deliver?  How often do you do an "online tracking check" to see where it is?

Should be here mid-next week.

I checked 9 times yesterday afternoon, and 3 times so far this morning.. its still in New York!

[A.O.]

So I'm looking for a set of forks for my loader.. how wide do you guys stack your lumber piles?

I had come up with an arbitrary number of 4 foot wide, but looking at a lot of lumber piles out there I'm not thinking they are that wide. Maybe all I need is like 3 foot forks???