Better LATE than never.....SEVEN Years in Idaho! (Page 6 of 36)
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150:
Hey! I'm still here.... I just now ordered my saw mill and it should arrive within 2 weeks. Over the last couple of day I just started clearing the main area where my barns, greenhouse, and my mom's place will be going.....so far 20 trees ranging in size fro 4" to 24" have been dropped and set aside for the mill, firewood, and the brush. I am also starting a part time job at the local lumber yard in March as well..... cabin fever was getting a little bad over the last month or so..... Will update shortly. |
"He was seeing the enormity of the smallness of the enemy who was destroying the world.[...] If this is what has beaten us, he thought, the guilt is ours." - Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
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Originally Posted By kill-9:
How's the weather been? Attached File Attached File Here I am just starting to clear trees in the area where I will be building most of my infrastructure. I have about 20 trees that are 20-30” within 30 yards of where my mill will be going so once I get the mill set up and running I will be staying busy. |
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150:
It's been sunny and 40's during the day and in the teens at night so the snow (4-6") is still around but is lessening every day. With the freezing temp at night the ground is still solid and makes working outside easier for the time being.... https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/384426/C5C93479-5FEC-427C-8FC2-CF7ECD684289_jpe-1285241.JPGhttps://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/384426/6F1B191E-FEB3-4FF9-8B24-70678618AD2E_jpe-1285243.JPG Here I am just starting to clear trees in the area where I will be building most of my infrastructure. I have about 20 trees that are 20-30" within 30 yards of where my mill will be going so once I get the mill set up and running I will be staying busy. Back in the day I had a chainsaw mill set up that I used to two side my houselogs. It would cut boards, but they needed surface planed to get the bite marks out. 
Bro, you have a really nice plot of ground there...I'm totally envious, but at my age and with my health issues I need to be closer to a hospital. I'd be somewhere nice again were that not the case. 
Enjoy!!! |
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Originally Posted By pcsutton:
So what model sawmill did you get and what kind of moisture meter are you using? Back in the day I had a chainsaw mill set up that I used to two side my houselogs. It would cut boards, but they needed surface planed to get the bite marks out.
Bro, you have a really nice plot of ground there...I'm totally envious, but at my age and with my health issues I need to be closer to a hospital. I'd be somewhere nice again were that not the case.
Enjoy!!! Woodland Mills HM30 Max with extension track to all 16’5” logs... With the timber framing that I plan on doing I don’t need a moisture meter. I mill it green cut the joinery and put it together. The support structure locks it in place as the wood cures. Plus green wood is easier to cut all the joinery..... I’m 15 minutes from the local hospital and 60 min life flight from two metropolitan areas with all the medical care I may need.... |
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/384426/F56CAC6E-B72C-4D94-BF17-3234C20F3282_jpe-1286583.JPG Woodland Mills HM30 Max with extension track to all 16'5" logs... With the timber framing that I plan on doing I don't need a moisture meter. I mill it green cut the joinery and put it together. The support structure locks it in place as the wood cures. Plus green wood is easier to cut all the joinery..... I'm 15 minutes from the local hospital and 60 min life flight from two metropolitan areas with all the medical care I may need.... Be safe! |
You can't teach Democracy to people that still shit in their hands and believe in sharia law. - EasTexan
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Well the weather is not being very cooperative at the moment. Snow is almost all melted but the ground is still frozen so it’s making it difficult to get much done. The saw mill came in and I am trying to get the ground prepped for its install but with the slow defrost it’s making things difficult. Will update with pics shortly. I am currently waiting on the internet guy to show up..... |
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Well I have been fighting the frozen ground with a bit of success and got the first timber in......took a but of work.LOL
Used my grand dads old one man post hole auger to break the ground a bit. We use to use this to plant trees when we did landscaping jobs back when I was in high school. Then put sand down and set the timber as my baseline for setting the sawmill. I hope to get the rest (8 of them) set today, weather permitting. I am using these sort of like railroad ties with the sawmill spanning them. the top side is set flush into the slight hill so that the logs will just roll on to the timber then right on to the mill. I have a winch attachment for the mill that will help get the log up onto the mill from the timber. Attached File Oh yeah....I have internet on the property now so I will have more frequent updates going forward. |
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Spent the day knocking out the timbers for the sawmill. Post hole digger worked great except for a few frozen spots that required the pick ax and shovel to loosen up a bit. A couple loads of gravel will be brought in to lock the timbers into place and then I will begin assembling the mill.
Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File For reference.... Attached File |
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For some reference here is a simple sketch I did to show the layout of the property and where everything is eventually going.......
Attached File |
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150:
*snip* Oh yeah....I have internet on the property now so I will have more frequent updates going forward. 
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Nobody ever wakes me at 2 in the morning telling me that my grass is out on the highway.~~Radiopat
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei
Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei
Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150:
Spent the day knocking out the timbers for the sawmill. Post hole digger worked great except for a few frozen spots that required the pick ax and shovel to loosen up a bit. A couple loads of gravel will be brought in to lock the timbers into place and then I will begin assembling the mill. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_0791_jpg-1303655.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_0793_jpg-1303666.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_0794_jpg-1303678.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_0797_jpg-1303679.JPG For reference.... https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_0749_PNG-1303669.JPG |
"He was seeing the enormity of the smallness of the enemy who was destroying the world.[...] If this is what has beaten us, he thought, the guilt is ours." - Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
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Originally Posted By kill-9:
Looking good! Are you still comfortable in your cabin? |
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150:
Well I have been fighting the frozen ground with a bit of success and got the first timber in......took a but of work.LOL Used my grand dads old one man post hole auger to break the ground a bit. We use to use this to plant trees when we did landscaping jobs back when I was in high school. Then put sand down and set the timber as my baseline for setting the sawmill. I hope to get the rest (8 of them) set today, weather permitting. I am using these sort of like railroad ties with the sawmill spanning them. the top side is set flush into the slight hill so that the logs will just roll on to the timber then right on to the mill. I have a winch attachment for the mill that will help get the log up onto the mill from the timber. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_0786_jpg-1302956.JPG Oh yeah....I have internet on the property now so I will have more frequent updates going forward. |
We haven't seen a duck, but something's been quacking and eating all our bread sticks.-Gareth Dean, on the failure to directly detect gravitational waves.
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Well, I started assembling the saw mill today..... WOW......what a job! It came very well packed and partially assembled but the overall weight of the pieces and the sheer number of them sorta kicked my butt today. I probably pushed myself too hard as my body will definitely be revolting tomorrow, if not later this evening. The first major event was getting it off my trailer and then turned around as it came off facing the wrong direction.... but with enough tow straps, a sturdy tree and my truck I was able to orient the pallet properly.......
Attached File Attached File The track took the longest but was relatively easy, other than the fact that the pieces were all fairly heavy (which is a good thing). 18 adjustable feet, and another 48 bolts and it was nice and level..... Attached File Attached File This took the bulk of the morning and early afternoon. Having 18 adjustable feet that have almost 5" of play will enable me to keep the track level even if the timbers settle....... |
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I then moved on to the saw head and that was absolutely too much for me to do alone, however, I pushed through and got it done. This mill is VERY well made and most of the support pieces were almost too heavy for me to handle as the day wore on. Almost......lol.
The support braces for the saw head were very beefy.....and after installing them I had to stand the damn thing upright. Attached File Attached File By this time I should have probably called it a day but I decided to get the controls, lift system and everything else completed before I called it a day......So basically everything is installed (except the battery box and battery) and the guide wheels as I do not have a 30 mm wrench needed to tighten them. I will pick that up in the morning. Attached File Attached File Attached File All that is really left to do is to get my neighbors tractor over to get it up on the tracks, install the battery, fuel, oil and the final blade alignment and adjustments and I will be milling some timber!!! |
thanks for the update.
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| Thanks for the great updates. That saw is looks very nice. Definitely looks like a lot of work. Looking at the ground and that set up, all I can think about is the coming mud season. Might want to put some gravel down. Good job on the set up! |
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I found that using a tripod and a pulley system allowed me to handle really heavy stuff by myself. I laid up all the logs for my cabin using one. 
It ain't as handy as a tractor, but it's still portable...even if it's way more time consuming. That's all I had.
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150:
I then moved on to the saw head and that was absolutely too much for me to do alone, however, I pushed through and got it done. This mill is VERY well made and most of the support pieces were almost too heavy for me to handle as the day wore on. Almost......lol. The support braces for the saw head were very beefy.....and after installing them I had to stand the damn thing upright. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_0805_jpg-1305103.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_0806_jpg-1305108.JPG By this time I should have probably called it a day but I decided to get the controls, lift system and everything else completed before I called it a day......So basically everything is installed (except the battery box and battery) and the guide wheels as I do not have a 30 mm wrench needed to tighten them. I will pick that up in the morning. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_0807_jpg-1305119.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_0809_jpg-1305121.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/384426/IMG_0810_jpg-1305122.JPG All that is really left to do is to get my neighbors tractor over to get it up on the tracks, install the battery, fuel, oil and the final blade alignment and adjustments and I will be milling some timber!!! What happens when the wood supports under the tracks rot/degrade? Can you replace those easily? (Sorry if this is a stooopit question. I'm just looking at that going, "I wouldn't wanna move that EVER.") 
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Nobody ever wakes me at 2 in the morning telling me that my grass is out on the highway.~~Radiopat
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei
Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei
Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe
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Originally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: Wow! Awesome progress! What happens when the wood supports under the tracks rot/degrade? Can you replace those easily? (Sorry if this is a stooopit question. I'm just looking at that going, "I wouldn't wanna move that EVER.") 
I did however get the mill head up on the tracks yesterday (by myself again  ) but I used several straps, a come along, some wood blocks and a lot of 'I sure hope this works' ingenuity. It took about 30 minutes and one brief 'Oh $H!t' moment and it was up....
The hardest part turned out being the leveling of the track. Bending over, in the mud, to adjust each of the 18 leveling feet proved to be the most tedious venture so far. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File All that is left is final alignment and adjustments of the saw head, engine setup, and the anchoring of the feet to the timbers. Then I should be able to start milling some timber!! |
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Well, everything is set up and ready to go. I got the saw head aligned, as per the instructions, fueled and oiled the engine, and lagged all the feet to the timbers so that it is as sturdy as I cam make it. I ran the engine for about 10 minutes and got everything buttoned up and ready to go. I also started my job this week at the lumber yard which is why I haven't started milling yet. but once I settle into my new schedule the milling will start. It's snowing again so I am just going to veg out and let my body recover from the weeks work. I had forgotten how badly working on concrete and asphalt all day can wear on the body........ My new camera should be in next week as well so there should be some videos going forward. |
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Ran my first test log today! What a beautiful cutting machine!!! Slid right through the pine like butter. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File It is a little off level. There was just over 32nd of an inch difference from one end top corner to the the opposite corner but it only showed on the first and third cuts. I have a couple more test logs to run before I start in on the main logs. This last pick shows the winch that I got with the mill to help me get the logs onto the mill without to much of an effort. It goes up to 2500#. Attached File |
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First full day at the mill........
Got up this morning and went out and did the final level of the track assembly and made a few minor adjustments to the saw head. It's about as close as I can get it to true, aside from pouring a slab for it to sit on..... First log was a 10' log with a 14" wide end tapering to 10". I made some squaring cuts and got a few 1x's of varying widths. I then finished this log into 4- 4x4x10's two of them will have to be cut to 8' to true up the end. They will be going towards my first timber frame project starting tomorrow.... Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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After a quick bite of lunch I tackled my biggest log to date......
16' long 19" base tapering to 13". This was a monster to move by hand but it rolled right onto the timbers and the hand winch did it's job perfectly. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Since the mill can cut up to 30", and I have a bunch of trees to fall that are that big it should be very interesting working with them. I will probably keep anything above 24" diameter at 10' max length just to play it safe until I can get a tractor. |
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After I got the log up there I did several squaring cuts rolling it every couple cuts to keep it fairly centered. Once I got it down to roughly 10'x10' I started taking 1x's again rotating as I went until I got it down to 6'x8'. I then spit that into 2-4'x6's for my project tomorrow.
Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File I'm still waiting for my new camera to come in so that I can put some videos up as I always forget to take enough pictures when I am working........ Tomorrows project should be good practice for the rest of the builds I plan on in the near future. |
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A LONNGGG day of cutting mortise and tenons by hand.......I am going to be making 2 or three sets of these and practicing all the techniques I will need for the house and the barns.
Attached File I started out great other than most of my hand tools are geared for dried wood and not green......especially my saws. So I pulled out the ancient camp saw that I may have used twice in my life and it worked like a charm. Attached File Attached File Once the bulk of the wood was removed I started in with the planes and chisels to smooth them out..... Attached File Attached File I did the other side as well and then cut a perfect mortise thru the piece...............only to realize that I cut the mortise on the wrong side  . So I have a 2.5 hr carved piece of firewood.
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Moving on to the legs......I was able to cut both or them and get the tenons smoothed and fairly uniform. Attached File Next came mortises 2 and 3! In the correct position!! Attached File Attached File Attached File By this time it was about 3 pm and I had been working for about 5 hours. I was a little bummed that I only had the two legs done so I pushed thru and did the top piece with its 2 mortises. The only problem I had was that each of the mortises had a damn knot running right thru it so it took a little longer than I or my back would have liked. Today's accomplishment..... Attached File Gotta work tomorrow but should be back at it on Friday. |
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Are you trying to do all your mortising sans power tools? I think the hand tools are neat as heck, but from a production standpoint they are a huge choke point. I'm assuming that you have a reason for using hand tools, but in case you don't, a cheap, used drill, sawzall, circular saw and some decent blades/bits could probably be had for under $200. I bet that would at least double your production, if not triple it once you get good at the layout.
ETA: if I haven't mentioned it previously, cool thread, I'm a little jealous. |
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Originally Posted By Buckshot4U:
Are you trying to do all your mortising sans power tools? I think the hand tools are neat as heck, but from a production standpoint they are a huge choke point. I'm assuming that you have a reason for using hand tools, but in case you don't, a cheap, used drill, sawzall, circular saw and some decent blades/bits could probably be had for under $200. I bet that would at least double your production, if not triple it once you get good at the layout. ETA: if I haven't mentioned it previously, cool thread, I'm a little jealous. |
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150:
I'm starting with hand tools for the knowledge and experience that I will be gaining. Also, where I have my sawmill setup and where the majority of the buildings will be built is currently about 150 yds from my cabin and it's just too wet to get my big generator over there to use the power tools at this time. As I ramp up production I will definitely be using power tools more and more, but since I have a lot of antique hand tools that I have collected over the years I will be using them as well. Other than getting my mom's place built I am under no time constraint, so I plan on using hand tools as much as possible. |
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: I'm starting with hand tools for the knowledge and experience that I will be gaining. Also, where I have my sawmill setup and where the majority of the buildings will be built is currently about 150 yds from my cabin and it's just too wet to get my big generator over there to use the power tools at this time. As I ramp up production I will definitely be using power tools more and more, but since I have a lot of antique hand tools that I have collected over the years I will be using them as well. Other than getting my mom's place built I am under no time constraint, so I plan on using hand tools as much as possible. Are you going to include plumbing (bathroom plumbing) in your mom's place? If so, how will you handle that? |
Nobody ever wakes me at 2 in the morning telling me that my grass is out on the highway.~~Radiopat
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei
Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe
Wine is sunlight held together by water~~Galileo Galilei
Well-behaved women rarely make history~~Marilyn Monroe
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Originally Posted By Kitties-with-Sigs: Interested: Are you going to include plumbing (bathroom plumbing) in your mom's place? If so, how will you handle that? At least that is my plan, which is subject to change. I did look into what it would cost to have the electric run from the top of my road to my main area by my mill(approx 4-500 ft) and it is $2.35 or so a foot to just run the main line, not including the service installation, so that is not even a consideration at this time. I can put in one hell of a solar system for that! A well estimate based on my neighbors wells was $15-18K which is not in my budget either. Just doing basic rain water collection of my tent roof and storage building in 5 gallon buckets, filtering into 50 gallon drums, and then using my 'berkey' for my drinking and cooking I had plenty of water all winter. So once I get solid metal roofs and gutters set up on all of my buildings (going forward) I should have plenty of water for all the needs on my property. |
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| Great work. Very interesting to see progress, and the lessons you learn along the way. What is that you are building? Some type of rack? |
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Originally Posted By ColtRifle: $2.35 a foot is $1175 for 500 ft. $1175 won’t buy much of a solar system. Oops!  $12.35 a foot just to run the underground. It was approx. $7500 to run the underground down the service road and set another box....then they had to run the service line to a pole in near my structures. Then I had to have an electrician come in and set the service......The total was right around $12,500. I can get a really nice solar system for that. |
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Originally Posted By Davidrw5150: Oops! $12.35 a foot just to run the underground. It was approx. $7500 to run the underground down the service road and set another box....then they had to run the service line to a pole in near my structures. Then I had to have an electrician come in and set the service......The total was right around $12,500. I can get a really nice solar system for that. That does change things a little! |