Better LATE than never.....SEVEN Years in Idaho! (Page 27 of 36)
|
Originally Posted By Macumazahn: Nice thread OP, just found it. Subscribing. You may have mentioned already but I haven’t read the whole thread yet. What do you do about septic and water in the area? Keep up the good work! Compost toilet, grey water recycle, rainwater collection into two 2100 gal. tanks. |
|
It’s still too wet to get much done on the property but some changes, for the better(I hope), are on the way. I made a major purchase today that I hope will take this adventure that I have been on in a slightly different direction. It will help me get my new business off the ground and make the work I do out here for myself a lot more efficient. More to come! |
|
Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: It’s still too wet to get much done on the property but some changes, for the better(I hope), are on the way. I made a major purchase today that I hope will take this adventure that I have been on in a slightly different direction. It will help me get my new business off the ground and make the work I do out here for myself a lot more efficient. More to come! Looking forward to seeing what it is and what your plans are. Happy Easter! |
|
Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/mill_box_0301181231__1___2___1__jpeg-3177117.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/20__in_tube__4___1___2__jpeg-3177122.JPG Shipment is en route!! Safe thread 
|
|
I know the anticipation has been killing everyone…….😃 Attached File Attached File Attached File A Lucas Mill 10/30 tilt blade circular sawmill. It will make all my timber frame projects move much faster and I hope to have a bunch of timber frame projects coming down the road.  Cutting three logs into barn boards with the Lucas Mill This is a sample video of it in action. |
| Wow, I didn't know they made one that wide, very cool and must be efficient to do a bunch of loading, then a bunch of cutting, etc. |
"And I never did get my lawnmower back!" - Bandit 6
"On the bright side, the money we saved by not going to Mars in the 1970s, we spent on welfare and public schools." - @MorlockP
"On the bright side, the money we saved by not going to Mars in the 1970s, we spent on welfare and public schools." - @MorlockP
|
Well, I got the mill put together this morning…. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Gonna take the rest of the weekend learning how it cuts. |
|
Nice new mill. My guess was sort of right but mostly wrong since I didn't consider the possibility of the long tube being the rails of a swing blade. I have watched quite a few videos of those in action. Only limited by your ability to get the log to the mill or the mill to the log. I am sure that will be great for cutting down big stuff into posts and beams. Not having to screw around with having to roll your log to make a cant will really speed things up even with smaller logs. |
It’s better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt.
|
Originally Posted By BFskinner: Nice new mill. My guess was sort of right but mostly wrong since I didn't consider the possibility of the long tube being the rails of a swing blade. I have watched quite a few videos of those in action. Only limited by your ability to get the log to the mill or the mill to the log. I am sure that will be great for cutting down big stuff into posts and beams. Not having to screw around with having to roll your log to make a cant will really speed things up even with smaller logs. Yeah, that’s the main reason I chose this mill. Its portability is a huge plus, but the ability to cut big logs without having to roll those beast. That was the most time consuming step in the process. |
|
First simple cut on the mill….. Attached File Attached File Split a tamarack log right down the middle for a neighbor…… It cut like butter! |
|
Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: First simple cut on the mill….. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_1794_jpeg-3186781.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_1795_jpeg-3186782.JPG Split a tamarack log right down the middle for a neighbor…… It cut like butter! Very nice!!! |
|
Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: Yeah, that’s the main reason I chose this mill. Its portability is a huge plus, but the ability to cut big logs without having to roll those beast. That was the most time consuming step in the process. Time and *energy* consuming. Rolling big heavy logs takes a lot out of you. That previously lost energy can be put to building or other tasks now. That's actually a really nice looking log, glad to hear the first cut went well! |
|
Took a big, ugly, old pine log and turned it into dunnage for the mill…. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Hopefully it will make loading and unloading the mill a bit easier. |
|
I spent the morning picking up a downed tamarack at my neighbors. I threw the base of the log in the Lucas’ and started to mill posts for my next project…. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File My plan is to build a 16x8x8 passive solar wood drying kiln. I am going to start drying pine siding for my cabin and a couple shed projects as well as a bunch of Doug fir for flooring in the cabin. |
|
Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: I spent the morning picking up a downed tamarack at my neighbors. I threw the base of the log in the Lucas’ and started to mill posts for my next project…. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_1815_jpeg-3193454.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_1817_jpeg-3193455.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_1818_jpeg-3193456.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_1819_jpeg-3193457.JPG My plan is to build a 16x8x8 passive solar wood drying kiln. I am going to start drying pine siding for my cabin and a couple shed projects as well as a bunch of Doug fir for flooring in the cabin. Damn that is some beautiful looking timber. Even some quarter sawn stock. Very nice, that mill will pay for itself in time and labor savings quickly I imagine. |
Still learning to use the new mill….. Put the biggest log I have ever sawn on the Lucas today… put the tractor to the test just getting it there…..18’5” -26” at the base. Attached File Attached File Took some back and forth to get it between the supports. I needed two 18”- 6x8’s for the sill plates of the wood drying kiln. I also got two 4x4’s, on 4x6, and two 2x8’s but it takes a lot of mill adjustments when dealing with different sizes… Attached File Attached File Attached File This mill chews through the wood like butter. Once I learn the ins and outs of it I will be able to maximize the logs that I put on it. I hope! |
|
Over the last two weekends of running the mill I wasn’t real happy with how it was setup….. so I tore it down and did a little excavating with my tractor…. Attached File Attached File I then set the dunnage and locked them in place with old sawdust and fresh wood chips to give me a level work area…. Attached File Attached File Then I reset the mill…. Attached File |
|
That’s not to say that I did not get a good start on the foundation of the solar wood kiln…. Attached File Attached File I have a plethora of stumps all around so I decided to use them as my foundation piers. I set them on a bed of gravel in the holes and then set them with more gravel… Attached File Then the 2- 18’ 6x8’s are mocked in place and the 9 4x6 floor joists were all milled before I decided to tear the mill down…. Next week I will start setting the sills and joining all of the joist to them. |
|
Wow, that is A LOT of work in two weekends. Looking forward to the next series of pictures. On a side note, I hope everyone who is following along on this thread understands and fully appreciates how much work it is to even take pictures while you're working, let along post them up and write about it, then answer questions. I built doors for my house and intended to document the process, but never did until the second to last one. I took a few pictures at the start then forgot to take the rest. Then I remembered on the last one but I had already passed some of the steps so I said screw it. Good on you Dave for having the patience and willingness to document all of this. |
|
Originally Posted By A_G: Wow, that is A LOT of work in two weekends. Looking forward to the next series of pictures. On a side note, I hope everyone who is following along on this thread understands and fully appreciates how much work it is to even take pictures while you're working, let along post them up and write about it, then answer questions. I built doors for my house and intended to document the process, but never did until the second to last one. I took a few pictures at the start then forgot to take the rest. Then I remembered on the last one but I had already passed some of the steps so I said screw it. Good on you Dave for having the patience and willingness to document all of this. As a guy that never takes the time to slow down and take pics of my projects along the way, I completely agree. |
"When you need it and ain't got it, you're singin' a different tune..."
|
Originally Posted By BMSMB: That new mill looks awesome! Are you just wedging the logs to keep them from moving while milling? Our ground is still to wet to run the tractor in front of the mill  I fixed blocks to the far side of the runners and then use wedges and shims to hold the logs. Still learning the ins and outs of the mill. |
|
Spent yesterday prepping my ceiling wood for install. I picked up a salvage lot of pre-stained tongue and groove boards that survived a flood and then shipment on a truck 2 winters ago without a tarp….. Attached File The wood itself held up great it was just covered in a thin layer of mud/road salt. Then I stored it at my place over the winter wrapped like a burrito to prevent any more damage. With the aid of a power washer and sander I was able to start cleaning them up and get them ready for install over the next couple of weeks…. Attached File Attached File Attached File It turned out better than I expected (pictures don’t do it justice) nice weathered barn wood look that should give a great look to the cabin. |
|
Finally got back to the solar kiln today…. Finished rough cutting the 4x6 floor joists…. Attached File Then moved on to the final cut to length… Attached File Once I finished that I played them out and began marking them for joinery…. Attached File Attached File That’s about as far as I got before my circular saw (at least as old as I am) took a crap and then it started to rain so I put everything away. |
|
Well the rain didn’t last long so I decided to knock out a small project that I have needed to do for a while….. Attached File Using the scrap end of one of the tamarack beams I decided to make a wood mallet to aid in my joinery….Attached File Attached File And while I was at it decided to customize it a bit…. Attached File |
Great progress, and that T&G wood DID turn out better than expected. Nice score on that. Good looking mallet too.  I'm proud to say I've actually gotten some work done around the house myself the past three weeks. Tore off the lower half of the front of the house to replace with cultured stone. After that it's painting the doors I made, then installing them by modifying the existing jambs. Trying to get the major stuff knocked out before my is due the end of October. |
|
Began work on the joinery for the floor joists yesterday and got them all roughed in…. Attached File Attached File This morning I cut the joinery on the sill plates and started on the posts/joinery… Attached File Attached File Attached File Weather permitting I will get the remaining posts set and if possible to ridge posts milled. |
|
Originally Posted By A_G: It astounds me that besides all the hard, physical labor of maintaining your homestead and the building you're doing, you're using a bit and brace to drill the mortises. Thanks for the update! I really enjoy using them whenever time permits. The feel of the bit cutting the wood is hard to explain It’s calming I guess. Also, it’s the only two inch bit I have and I am trying two in sq. Tenons on the project) Don’t get me wrong, when I am under the gun I always pullout the power tools to speed the process along. 😃 |
|
Today I was able to get all the joinery done on the center posts and lower ridge beam. Attached File Attached File I threw a log on the mill and got several pieces @16’. A 4x6, 2-5/4x4’s, and a full dimension 2x6…. All of which will be used in the kiln. Attached File I also cut the joinery for the lower ridge and fit it to the two uprights. I also cut the pegs and wedges needed to secure the pieces together. Attached File Finally, I cleaned up and reshaped all my tools and organized them the next session. Attached File I hope everyone is having a Great Memorial Day weekend!!! |
|
Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: I really enjoy using them whenever time permits. The feel of the bit cutting the wood is hard to explain It’s calming I guess. Also, it’s the only two inch bit I have and I am trying two in sq. Tenons on the project) Don’t get me wrong, when I am under the gun I always pullout the power tools to speed the process along. 😃 Yeah, I completely understand the visceral pleasure of using hand tools. When I had more financial freedom (before a wife and kids ) I bought a few Lie-Nielsen tools. Any chance I have to use them, I do and it's always a joy.That kiln is really coming along, anxious to see it completed! |
|
Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: I really enjoy using them whenever time permits. The feel of the bit cutting the wood is hard to explain It’s calming I guess. Also, it’s the only two inch bit I have and I am trying two in sq. Tenons on the project) Don’t get me wrong, when I am under the gun I always pullout the power tools to speed the process along. 😃 You're a glutton for punishment!! I don't think that I have used a brace and bit for 30 years, but I can still almost hear the sound and feel the bit slicing wood. I can understand your sentiment about the calming effect. |
"When you need it and ain't got it, you're singin' a different tune..."
|
Originally Posted By A_G: Yeah, I completely understand the visceral pleasure of using hand tools. When I had more financial freedom (before a wife and kids ) I bought a few Lie-Nielsen tools. Any chance I have to use them, I do and it's always a joy.That kiln is really coming along, anxious to see it completed! Me too.... I almost felt guilty yesterday not working on it. Almost. I went about 30 miles out into Flood Woods with a buddy and we hiked into to some very remote areas taking in the scenery. |
|
Originally Posted By Volksgewehr: Been lurking this thread for a while, just wanted to say thanks for sharing this adventure of yours with us. Hard to believe it's been almost five years since you started. Yeah its is very hard to believe I have been here that long already. |
|
Yesterday I was able to fit the bottom ridge beam to the two center posts and get it installed… Attached File Attached File I also finished one of the rear posts and got it installed and then started on the top ridge beam before calling it a night…. Attached File Attached File Attached File |
|
Today, I finished the upper ridge joinery and the two short supports and got it installed… Attached File Attached File Attached File I also did all the joinery on the other rear post and got it installed …. Attached File Finally this evening I went to the mill and cut the top plate for the rear posts with I will get installed tomorrow weather permitting. I also hope to get the 5 short posts for the front and maybe even the top plate for them as well….. |