Lots of questions from a guy that knows squat

[Kenny]

Here we go,

With a tapered log, does it matter what end you start at?

How do I debark a log?

For building a log cabin, would I have to season the logs before milling/stacking? If so, how do I go about it?

How often do I need to sharpen a blade if milling oak?

Is there a best time or "season" to mill?

That's all for now, I think........

[Tom the Sawyer]

Kenny,

It would be easier to answer your questions if you had given a little background.  Where you are in the country, what species and size of logs are you dealing with, do you own a mill, and what the goal of your project might be ?   

I run a portable bandsaw mill in NE Kansas.  Most of the logs I mill are hardwoods and I have never built a log cabin.  My answers are based on my experiences.

Tapered logs - I generally prefer to start with the large end of the log, especially with large logs I want to make sure I can clear the log with the structure of my mill.  It takes extra time to try and back out of a log or to chainsaw off protrusions.  That said, it also depends on how my client may have staged their logs, crotches, etc.  I have heard that pines with lots of knots are sawn more successfully from the small end.

I don't usually debark my logs because the bark comes off with the slabs as I square up the cant.  I do inspect along where the blade will be entering the log to remove any rocks or other debris.  If the bark is starting to slip I may peel it off to avoid it falling into the mechanism of the mill or jamming a guide roller.  If I do remove the bark I use a tool called a spud and just remove it along the cut line.  Some bandmills have a debarker that runs just ahead of the band.  Others remove bark from logs using a power washer.

If building a conventional style log cabin I would think you would try to avoid tapered logs.  I have sawn some oak d-logs for someone thinking about a building a cabin but I think they changed their mind.

Seasoning logs - I prefer to saw freshly cut logs but have sawn logs that have be down for years.  A client had me saw up some white oak that he remembered cutting 16 years earlier.  The bark and sapwood were gone and some areas were soft but we still got a good proportion of useable lumber for the project he had in mind.  If by 'seasoning' you mean waiting for an extended time before sawing, I don't think it is desirable.  It is much better to get the logs sawn into boards and get them stacked for air drying.  They'll be ready to use long before the log is 'seasoned'. 

Blade life - I try to change my blade before I notice any difference in the quality of the cut.  Usually I can tell if it is getting dull by the load on the engine and the speed of the cut.  Hitting metal or extremely hard knots can accelerate that.  Some sawyers change blades on a schedule, every 2 hours or every so many board feet but the material I saw doesn't seem to be consistent enough to do that.  I have sawn all day on a single band or gone through 5 bands in a day, it just depends on what I am sawing.  It takes about 5 minutes to pull off a dull or damaged blade and replace it with a new or resharpened one.

When to mill - I'll mill any time the weather is suitable.  I try to avoid milling frozen logs but in my part of the country that doesn't come up often because when it gets that cold I don't mill.  There are some who propose felling logs only during certain times of the year but I doubt that it makes any difference in the milled lumber.  Keep in mind - I very rarely deal with pine. 

Hope this helps,

[Post Oakie]

Tom's response is complete, and right on, though you will find differing opinions and preferences.  Personally, I prefer to mill from the narrow end of a tapered log.  It is just easier for me to gauge the blade height setting, and believe the blade cuts straighter through knots.  It isn't worth the time it takes to turn a log around, though.  And yes, I do occasionally have to grab the chain saw and trim the log if I don't pay close attention.  

I prop the narrow end of the log up with a toe board (in my case, I use a scissors jack) to level the center line of the log.  You'll get straighter grain and a better yield that way.


I try to keep a hatchet handy to knock off bark that has dirt or rocks embedded in it, though a chain saw also works, if you're careful.

Hardwoods mill easiest within a few days of cutting the tree down.  Maybe someone with cabin building experience will weigh in on seasoning the logs.  I probably average 3.5 to 4 hours milling oak between blade changes, but as Tom says, you should change the blades when they're dull.  Since they dull slowly (unless you try to cut through metal), you may not notice that it is slowing down.  Certainly easier to notice if you have a manual sawmill.

I live about 150 miles south of Tom, so frozen logs are unheard of around here.  Any time it isn't too hot or too cold is a good season to cut.  I do try not to harvest timber when the ground is soft, though with the drought, that hasn't been a problem.

Take your time, learn from mistakes (other's mistakes, if possible), keep a few extra blades handy, be careful, and enjoy the sawdust in your face!

Would love to know more about where you are, what kind of mill you run, and how you'll be using your lumber.

[Kenny]

Great info, guys. Thanks.
I live in Ada Oklahoma, about an hour or so from OKC. We have mostly oaks around here, ranging anywhere from 3" to 36".
I do not currently own a saw.
I want to build a log house, and maybe get into making trim.
I'm 28, married with three kids and one on the way. Figure, if I'm gonna get into milling, now would be a good time to do it.

[Stevem]

Sounds like your growing your own helpers. 

Me and Harold are the swing saw guys on this board.  I don't know squat about band mills though I'd like to one one two too.

3" oak needs to grow up or become fire wood.

Welcome to our little world Kenny

[Post Oakie]

I do not currently own a saw.
I want to build a log house, and maybe get into making trim.
I'm 28, married with three kids and one on the way. Figure, if I'm gonna get into milling, now would be a good time to do it.

Might be a good time to get into milling, especially if you're building a house.  But be careful about going into debt on the mill figuring you'll be making money from day 1.  It can take years to build a going business.  Also, do you have a truck, loader, at least three chain saws, and other equipment?  Trim will require kiln dry lumber and a molder/planer.