My granddad built his own sawmill that used a circular blade like the one you have mounted on the wall beside your mill. In the early days, he would go out and set it up on a patch of standing timber he'd bought and saw there using a Detroit diesel power generator to run it. In later years, he set up a stationary mill closer to home. My evenings and summers in middle and high school were spent stacking lumber just like your sons and I can assure you that it made me appreciate the value of a dollar and what hard work meant. I'm in my mid-forties now and I'm grateful for the lessons learned in the hot North Carolina sun stacking lumber ten hours a day. I've really enjoyed watching your videos!
Thank you. After I retired I got into wood working and make hand made baby beds, replicas of old times wall phones. Give them all away. Enjoy watching you guys work with wood too. Jim
What great teamwork! That doesn't happen by accident. I use you guys as an example to show people what real teamwork looks like. Thanks for the great videos and great example.
I get up in the middle of the morning after only a couple of hours sleep... I watched this.. so relaxing.. I relax.. I am amazed at how you utilize all the wood you can.. Being a sculptor.. I also imagine what I'll create once I go back to bed... and awake.. I love the ancient wood, being resurrected for another use..
I've watched a few of your episodes and enjoy seeing the team work and coordination of your family. I was amazed at how you (all) managed to move the wood effortless without have to strong arm each piece. Its good to see a family working together. Your added commentary in this video helps this city guy follow your steps. It is fun to watch. Thanks and God Bless
Thank you for taking time to give feedback! I homeschooled our kids, so I am very glad to know the videos help others out and that you enjoy them, as well! Thanks for watching! Linda
I sawed my first boards with my alaskan mill this week and was tickled to death...I learned what you said about soft when I drug a slab on its corner across another I had on the trailer and it made a big mark all the way down it...It was a windfall layin uphill and I milled it still attached to the root wad goin downhill...lol..they thought I was crazy but the saw pushed itself....you guys do a top notch job and I could only dream of a setup like yours..thanks for the time and knowledge for people like myself to learn..matt
And what a wonderful and timely change of pace from watching election returns! Imagine, a hardworking family toiling together to make an honest living! This is why we all love you.
Hi Linda. Back in the 70s we were a little slow at Nichol's Boat works between barges in Hood River Oregon, so we crossed the Columbia and worked for SDS Lumber Co. helping them install a new debark-er. The steel fab shop was in the same building as the stud mill. And one day the most peasant aroma filled the area as the started to mill regular cedar. I can smell that red cedar through my laptop!LOL Keith L.
On my homestead, I've been cutting slabs with an Alaskan Chainsaw Mill. Running a chalk line with a circular saw to get one square edge and then cutting the other live edge on the table saw. So slow and laborious but truly gratifying. I can really appreciate that edger there and love watching how well you all work.
Our first edger was homemade. Pretty crude, but it was a stepping stone. The one we have now, is our third and we wouldn't be without it. Thanks for watching! Linda
I think it smells about the best of all the species we saw. Thank you for the compliments, I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Safety is & always has been number one to me. Thanks for watching! Linda
Great to see you guys it's been too long, Great video your shop must have smelled great after that cutting, and what beautiful wood. Keep them coming we miss you, God bless.
Thank you very much for the videos Linda. I admire your work ethics. It's too bad you can't add the aromas to the videos. I would have loved to be there that day to hang around, get in the way, just to enjoy the scents from the room. Keep up the great work.
I had a friend give me a cedar tree from out by the road on his property. It looked to a little larger than the logs shown in your video. I have a ton of bowl blanks still as well as a number of logs to mill. absolutely beautiful wood. I did a lot more work than just cut the cedar to earn it...sort of. I turned a beautiful bowl for that friends wife and, What do you know, there is a all cherry tree in the back yard that just has to go. Love your videos and am waiting for the day when I have my own mill.
That is some beautiful wood. I've been around freshly sawn red cedar before and I can almost smell it now. Thanks for posting this and Merry Christmas to you all. God bless.
Beautiful lumber. To bad we can't smell through the 'puter. LOL! I like watching how all of you work so well together and take up the slack when one is doing something else.
Linda, excellent video. My son and I spent a couple days this week milling ERC, except for the sawdust it is great to cut. We got some really nice looking boards that my wife is eyeing for projects.
Hi LInda, love to watch your videos. The operation always amazes me wth its efficiency. A suggestion to try, for ease of work is to have the finished boards on a platform about 30" high, with slots so a forklift can be used. This would be easier on the back and still be within about 30" to 50" or so. Much easier on the back but still have the advantages you have now.
Shortly after buying a house on a wooded 7.5 acre peace of land and trees of many species that where blown down or dying I decided to buy a L10. I have some beautiful Black Walnut, Cherry, Maple and Hickory sawed and drying. Was already a amateur woodworker with a three car garage full of equipment so the L10 investment is saving me bucks plus it's fun.
What beautiful wood. The trims could be used for projects depending on the artistry of the user. I make star earrings from small cedar limbs. No two are alike and it is fun.
Yes, it is! Cedar jewelry, I never thought of that. The wonderful thing about wood, is variation! Especially in high character species/pieces. Makes life interesting! Thanks for watching! Linda
My father lined our closets with cedar he and my uncle cut from a low area , almost a swamp. He did this way before I was born and the smell was still there when the house was sold to my cousin about forty years later. No moths.
What in the world do you do with all the scrap lumber and saw dust? Is there any way to recycle all that? Great videos as usual Linda. Always enjoy watching that saw mill run.
That is a really good question...A LOT. I would guess somewhere between 400-600. You piqued my curiosity, so I may have to check my tally sheet and edit this reply later. Thanks for watching! Linda
first time I noticed the big corner fan operating. Is it because of the temperature, or moving in fresh air? I wish I had a few of those boards. We have western red cedar here. I wonder what the difference is other than location?
Different smell in the shop compared to other woods. To me they all smell good though. Linda, if you ever have time, could you show and tell us how the edger and bandsaw mill are run from the operators view? Will you be chipping up the offcuts and selling them or does the customer want them? Would be nice little Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers.
Oh yes, it has a smell all its own, and one of the best! I have one video of the edger. Check it out: ua-cam.com/video/ER4FN4O__pM/v-deo.html I will keep your suggestion in mind for the future. Thanks for watching and commenting! Linda
My grandfather operated several sawmills from 1905-1953 . He was bitten by a rattlesnake walking over a tract of timber and had to walk several miles to his car. They later had to removed his leg and he retired .
I make jewelry chests, if you send me the lumber I will make you one. just because I like your video and family involvement. and you are a very good worker anyone would be happy to have you working for them.
Thank you. I measure each row, so I can tally the board footage when we are done. 3:48 That particular machine is called an edger. Check out my video about the edger: ua-cam.com/video/ER4FN4O__pM/v-deo.html Thanks for watching! Linda
hi Linda, I'm so impressed by the way your family works together so well. it reminds me of the Energizer bunnies. do you have to stack the wood certain ways on the pallets & you are measuring alot ? it must smell awesome in there with all that cut wood! keep on energizing! thank you!!
Hi Sue, Thank you for the complimentary feedback! Funny; My hubby, sawyer Al, used to call me the energizer bunny. We try to keep one end and both sides of the pile flush. I measure each row to know how many board-feet are in the stack. Cedar the most wonderful smelling of all the species we saw, but can be very irritating to the lungs in large concentrations. We'll keep energizing. Thanks for watching! Linda
Unless we suspect it has metal, we don't check for it. If we hit metal in a customer's log, they pay for the blade. We do have a metal detector we use if the log is suspect. The metal detector gives an approximate location and we can either avoid that area or save it for last on logs that are worth wrecking a blade. Then we dig out the metal after hitting it. This way we know exactly where the metal is and we don't waste much lumber digging it out. Thanks for watching! Linda
I suspect that it depends on the customers specific requirements. I have noticed the same thing. There seems to be no set dimension the lumber is milled to.
It depends on species, dirt, and other foreign objects. If we have really clean, less abrasive species, the blade can last for 2-3 logs before needing to be sharpened. Thanks for watching! Linda
Chip the slabs and edgings and sell the cedar chips! Put them in small mesh bags for closets? How many hours/days as week would you say you are actually milling? Are you milling a lot of your own logs to market? Or do you rely more on customers to have their own logs?
That's a good idea! Unfortunately, we have to dry the conifers or our grinder doesn't like to eat them, so the smell wouldn't be as potent. We don't get a lot of Cedar and some customers want their trimmings, but we may try your idea next time. Thanks for watching! Linda
Linda, How did you determine that you could run a business like this cutting logs for people. I want to start a business here in Virginia Beach, VA but I dont know where to begin. Also what is the machine that cut the slabs down to lumber? Thanks
A friend (woodworker) was troubled that there weren't enough honest small scale sawmills of our kind locally to buy lumber from. We felt God calling us to begin a small Sawmill business. The first 3 years we were portable part time millers. Did a few shows and built our customer base. God put us where we needed to be at just the right time and that is how we got to where we are today. Thanks for watching! Linda
Yes, good point, we save quite a few large chunks for wood turning. They aren't big sellers, but I hate to use something for heat that can be used for beauty! Thanks for watching! Linda
Linda, could you explain something for me? I often see people selling lumber by the linear foot and by the board foot. What is the difference between them ? Occasionally I see lumber I would like to purchase for a project but am unsure of how to figure the pricing for it because of the two descriptions for how they are being sold. If I say I wanted to buy a 2"x10"x10' length of lumber, how would I calculate the cost if given linear vs board foot ? I appreciate all your video's and love seeing the amazing logs you mill up. Keep up the great work!
and in case numbers and formulas are not you're thing: 1 BF = a 12in square 1in thick (or 1 square ft per inch of thickness). I find it easier to "picture" the size of the board needed using this basic guide.
Good questions, I see you received good answers from other viewers. The only thing I would add is that wood sold by the linear foot would not take the width or thickness into consideration, it would be a price per every foot of length regardless of width or thickness. Board foot considers all three measurements: thickness in inches, multiplied by the width in inches, multiplied by the length in inches, and is then divided by 144 to get the board footage. Thank you for the complimentary feedback and thanks for watching! Linda
Hey how about a shot at the saw that you are operating LInda. I know it is some type of trims saw but i would like to see a closer look at what it does. Thanks
It really depends on the week! And our work is of ALL kinds for ALL business and property, so it would be hard to estimate an average (some weeks we saw all day everyday, some days the saw may only run a short while). I know many days I don't get any leisure time at all, but that is with household chores, as well. Hubby is most predictable (no household duties) and he puts in 9 or more hours daily. Our sons help with business, property and household, so no way to say. Thanks for watching! Linda
Put chunks of the wood in mesh bags and sell them. People use them to keep moths, etc., away from wool clothing, plus they have a nice scent for your home.
I know how long the log is and measure the boards that are not the log length. For layers with more than one length, I measure the width of each length and record them separately on my tally sheet. Thanks for watching! Linda
I was educated to learn that your cedar is soft? The types of cedar, fence posts and white cedar telephone poles, that I have had experience with, are hard!
About 6:26 in the video you are usi g the chain device to rotate thr log, but earlier in the video you said you didn't use the chain device because the wood was soft and could be damaged.
If you haven't gotten rid of the saw dust you might want to collect it and google a research on company's that bag it and sell it as closet aromatic things to hang it in closets and such.
Should sticker stack your lumber in a metal frame then lift out with forklift. Make a platform 3' high when pile is 3' high remove platform so your trim Sawyer is not bending over 1/2 the way.
Hey! I’m a subscriber and I really enjoy your videos, but I have a comment that I hope you’ll take in the spirit in which it’s given: I find the mill itself to be fascinating, but the edging, stacking, etc. to be as boring as cold toast. Maybe a camera position that has the mill in the foreground and the ancillary stuff in the background? Just my opinion.
My granddad built his own sawmill that used a circular blade like the one you have mounted on the wall beside your mill. In the early days, he would go out and set it up on a patch of standing timber he'd bought and saw there using a Detroit diesel power generator to run it. In later years, he set up a stationary mill closer to home. My evenings and summers in middle and high school were spent stacking lumber just like your sons and I can assure you that it made me appreciate the value of a dollar and what hard work meant. I'm in my mid-forties now and I'm grateful for the lessons learned in the hot North Carolina sun stacking lumber ten hours a day. I've really enjoyed watching your videos!
Thank you. After I retired I got into wood working and make hand made baby beds, replicas of old times wall phones. Give them all away. Enjoy watching you guys work with wood too. Jim
You work as a great team ...always one got the other's back...lot of people can learn from watching you and your team work...well done
What great teamwork! That doesn't happen by accident. I use you guys as an example to show people what real teamwork looks like. Thanks for the great videos and great example.
Thank you for the wonderful compliments! Thanks also, for watching! Linda
I get up in the middle of the morning after only a couple of hours sleep... I watched this.. so relaxing.. I relax.. I am amazed at how you utilize all the wood you can.. Being a sculptor.. I also imagine what I'll create once I go back to bed... and awake..
I love the ancient wood, being resurrected for another use..
I am glad we helped you relax! Thanks for watching! Linda
I've watched a few of your episodes and enjoy seeing the team work and coordination of your family. I was amazed at how you (all) managed to move the wood effortless without have to strong arm each piece. Its good to see a family working together. Your added commentary in this video helps this city guy follow your steps. It is fun to watch. Thanks and God Bless
my boys and i have been watching these videos. they are very educational and honestly we just enjoy watching..
Thank you for taking time to give feedback! I homeschooled our kids, so I am very glad to know the videos help others out and that you enjoy them, as well! Thanks for watching! Linda
I sawed my first boards with my alaskan mill this week and was tickled to death...I learned what you said about soft when I drug a slab on its corner across another I had on the trailer and it made a big mark all the way down it...It was a windfall layin uphill and I milled it still attached to the root wad goin downhill...lol..they thought I was crazy but the saw pushed itself....you guys do a top notch job and I could only dream of a setup like yours..thanks for the time and knowledge for people like myself to learn..matt
And what a wonderful and timely change of pace from watching election returns! Imagine, a hardworking family toiling together to make an honest living! This is why we all love you.
Yes, it was definitely something to take my mind off the election. Thank you for your kind feedback and thanks for watching! Linda
Linda great video. It is nice to see a family with such a good work ethic that produces a beautiful product.
Hi Linda. Back in the 70s we were a little slow at Nichol's Boat works between barges in Hood River Oregon, so we crossed the Columbia and worked for SDS Lumber Co. helping them install a new debark-er. The steel fab shop was in the same building as the stud mill. And one day the most peasant aroma filled the area as the started to mill regular cedar. I can smell that red cedar through my laptop!LOL Keith L.
Thank you for sharing your fun experience; Very interesting! I am glad I brought back fond memories for you. Thanks for watching! Linda
On my homestead, I've been cutting slabs with an Alaskan Chainsaw Mill. Running a chalk line with a circular saw to get one square edge and then cutting the other live edge on the table saw. So slow and laborious but truly gratifying. I can really appreciate that edger there and love watching how well you all work.
Our first edger was homemade. Pretty crude, but it was a stepping stone. The one we have now, is our third and we wouldn't be without it. Thanks for watching! Linda
Thanks for the video Linda, I enjoyed it. It is also a pleasure to see such great teamwork.............
You are most welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching! Linda
I love the smell of Cedar. You guys a such a great team and a great video. Remember safety is number one at work.
I think it smells about the best of all the species we saw. Thank you for the compliments, I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Safety is & always has been number one to me. Thanks for watching! Linda
Did you get your building completed?
LindasSawmillCinema We've sawn so much cedar we can't smell it any more. It grows on trees down here.
Isn't horses
Great to see you guys it's been too long, Great video your shop must have smelled great after that cutting, and what beautiful wood. Keep them coming we miss you, God bless.
Oh yes, it smelled wonderful! I will! God's blessings to you as well. Thanks for watching! Linda
Thank you very much for the videos Linda. I admire your work ethics. It's too bad you can't add the aromas to the videos. I would have loved to be there that day to hang around, get in the way, just to enjoy the scents from the room. Keep up the great work.
You are most welcome! I am glad you enjoy them. Thanks for watching! Linda
I had a friend give me a cedar tree from out by the road on his property. It looked to a little larger than the logs shown in your video. I have a ton of bowl blanks still as well as a number of logs to mill. absolutely beautiful wood. I did a lot more work than just cut the cedar to earn it...sort of. I turned a beautiful bowl for that friends wife and, What do you know, there is a all cherry tree in the back yard that just has to go. Love your videos and am waiting for the day when I have my own mill.
Oh yes, Cedar would be beautiful for a bowl! Cherry is another wood beauty! I am glad you enjoy the videos. Thanks for watching! Linda
Nice video explaining in detail the steps and obstacles of sawing logs. Thanks for sharing and best regards. -Yves
Thank you, I'm glad you found it interesting and entertaining. Thanks for watching! Linda
That is some beautiful wood. I've been around freshly sawn red cedar before and I can almost smell it now. Thanks for posting this and Merry Christmas to you all. God bless.
Thank you, it was pleasant to saw. I hope you had a Merry Christmas, and God's blessing to you, as well! Thanks for watching! Linda
I love watching y’all it’s so relaxing one day Iam gonna get me a sawmill we own a tree business so we have access to a lot of yellow pine trees
Beautiful lumber. To bad we can't smell through the 'puter. LOL! I like watching how all of you work so well together and take up the slack when one is doing something else.
Thank you for the find feedback and thanks for watching! Linda
great to see new video from you guys could watch you guy for hours
I am glad you enjoyed the video! Thank you for the feedback and thanks for watching! Linda
last time I paneled a cedar closet, I cried and sneezed all day, but I felt great on the way home.
Linda, excellent video.
My son and I spent a couple days this week milling ERC, except for the sawdust it is great to cut. We got some really nice looking boards that my wife is eyeing for projects.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the video! It's really hard to saw beautiful wood and not envision potential uses. Thanks for watching! Linda
I see a very clean safe and well organized shop.
I love to watch your clips its great to see what you do with the logs. Andy
Thank you for your feedback! I am glad you enjoy the videos. Thanks for watching! Linda
Hi LInda, love to watch your videos. The operation always amazes me wth its efficiency. A suggestion to try, for ease of work is to have the finished boards on a platform about 30" high, with slots so a forklift can be used. This would be easier on the back and still be within about 30" to 50" or so. Much easier on the back but still have the advantages you have now.
nice video of that, and nice looking limber, and nice looking sewmil.
Thank you and thanks for watching! Linda
LindasSawmillCinema am sorry but are you trying to get in touch with me? Cause my name ant Linda..lol
I'll bet the whole shop smelled wonderful!
Oh my yes, but it can be overpowering. Thanks for watching! Linda
I worked in a cedar mill for years and loved the smell. But man you can sure get cedar poisening with no problems.
Yes, it can be very irritating to the lungs. Thanks for watching! Linda
you go a fair amount of lumber from them logs. it's pretty rare to see any of our ewc get that big around here. good video! Kev
Yes, they produced a lot of nice lumber! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching! Linda
Nice job on cedar we got a world of it where I live some lot bigger that ones you sawed the place is called cedar creek.
Shortly after buying a house on a wooded 7.5 acre peace of land and trees of many species that where blown down or dying I decided to buy a L10. I have some beautiful Black Walnut, Cherry, Maple and Hickory sawed and drying. Was already a amateur woodworker with a three car garage full of equipment so the L10 investment is saving me bucks plus it's fun.
It's nice to get good use out of downed trees. Keep on having fun with your new mill. Thanks for watching! Linda
ive watched lots of your videos, and only now do i notice the massive fan in the corner ;0)
pretty nice wood that you got to mill :-) nice colours
derKarl n
Yes, very nice! Thanks for watching! Linda
What beautiful wood. The trims could be used for projects depending on the artistry of the user.
I make star earrings from small cedar limbs. No two are alike and it is fun.
Yes, it is! Cedar jewelry, I never thought of that. The wonderful thing about wood, is variation! Especially in high character species/pieces. Makes life interesting! Thanks for watching! Linda
Nothing smells like red cedar! Nice video! I enjoyed.
Good video Linda, that cedar really smells good, I got a world of it on the farm makes good fence posts the red will last long time in the ground.
Thank you! Smells good and definitely weathers better than many hardwoods. Thanks for watching! Linda
Why aren't you cutting to maximize quarter sawn wood. Is it not worth the extra time or does it radically slow everything down?
My father lined our closets with cedar he and my uncle cut from a low area , almost a swamp. He did this way before I was born and the smell was still there when the house was sold to my cousin about forty years later. No moths.
Yes, the aroma fades slightly, over the years, but is still there smelling wonderful. It is a wonderful moth deterrent. Thanks for watching. Linda
What in the world do you do with all the scrap lumber and saw dust? Is there any way to recycle all that? Great videos as usual Linda. Always enjoy watching that saw mill run.
Could you please tell me what is the make of the board width saw you are using? It is the width resaw machine? By the way amazing videos.
Linda, why not embed a scale on the table where you run them through the edger so you dont have to pick up the tape every time?
I am glad I found your channel. Beautiful wood and nice work. Let me know when you open a mill in Germany. ;)
Thanks for ending my evening with a little humor! Thanks also, for watching! Linda
I would be interested in a close up of the end of the stack of wood. Interesting to see what yinz r seeing with yer precision stack.
While he was cutting the last piece, the next log was rising up. Was he doing that or was it automatically lifting the last piece up?
While the sawyer is in a cut, someone else can be running the hydraulic controls simultaneously. Thanks for watching! Linda
That was quite a pile of cedar ,how many board feet total ? Thanks for sharing.
That is a really good question...A LOT. I would guess somewhere between 400-600. You piqued my curiosity, so I may have to check my tally sheet and edit this reply later. Thanks for watching! Linda
first time I noticed the big corner fan operating. Is it because of the temperature, or moving in fresh air? I wish I had a few of those boards. We have western red cedar here. I wonder what the difference is other than location?
Yes, it is to give us a breeze on hot summer days, it also keeps dust out of the sawyer's eyes when the wind blows in. Thanks for watching! Linda
Good job guys.
Different smell in the shop compared to other woods. To me they all smell good though.
Linda, if you ever have time, could you show and tell us how the edger and bandsaw mill are run from the operators view?
Will you be chipping up the offcuts and selling them or does the customer want them? Would be nice little Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers.
Oh yes, it has a smell all its own, and one of the best! I have one video of the edger. Check it out: ua-cam.com/video/ER4FN4O__pM/v-deo.html I will keep your suggestion in mind for the future. Thanks for watching and commenting! Linda
LindasSawmillCinema Thank you. I must have missed that one!
love the great work you guys do
Thank you, I am glad you enjoy the videos. Thanks for watching! Linda
Man , that is beautiful wood.
My grandfather operated several sawmills from 1905-1953 . He was bitten by a rattlesnake walking over a tract of timber and had to walk several miles to his car. They later had to removed his leg and he retired .
Oh my how tragic! Thanks for watching and sharing your grandfather's story! Linda
You ,ve got a wel oiled company there!! ATB from the Netherlands!!
Thank you for the nice feeback and thanks for watching! Linda
I make jewelry chests, if you send me the lumber I will make you one. just because I like your video and family involvement. and you are a very good worker anyone would be happy to have you working for them.
What beautiful wood!!! Quick question: Why were you constantly measuring the boards after planing?
Thank you. I measure each row, so I can tally the board footage when we are done. 3:48 That particular machine is called an edger. Check out my video about the edger: ua-cam.com/video/ER4FN4O__pM/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching! Linda
Thanks for the explanations!
I love your videos. Can your setup do any sort of quarter-sawing, or only slab-sawing? Thanks
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Yes, we do a lot of quarter sawing, but don't publicize our method with videos. Thanks for watching! Linda
hi Linda, I'm so impressed by the way your family works together so well. it reminds me of the Energizer bunnies. do you have to stack the wood certain ways on the pallets & you are measuring alot ? it must smell awesome in there with all that cut wood! keep on energizing! thank you!!
Hi Sue, Thank you for the complimentary feedback! Funny; My hubby, sawyer Al, used to call me the energizer bunny. We try to keep one end and both sides of the pile flush. I measure each row to know how many board-feet are in the stack. Cedar the most wonderful smelling of all the species we saw, but can be very irritating to the lungs in large concentrations. We'll keep energizing. Thanks for watching! Linda
How do you check for nails or wire? The few cedar logs I've fooled with w used magnets just wondered if you had a better way.
Unless we suspect it has metal, we don't check for it. If we hit metal in a customer's log, they pay for the blade. We do have a metal detector we use if the log is suspect. The metal detector gives an approximate location and we can either avoid that area or save it for last on logs that are worth wrecking a blade. Then we dig out the metal after hitting it. This way we know exactly where the metal is and we don't waste much lumber digging it out. Thanks for watching! Linda
How much is your electric bill each month and about how many board feet do you saw each month?
TrooperSgt their electric bill has got to be insane!
What do you do with the strips of wood you trim of the boards. CM in Louisiana
how do you determine how wide to cut the boards ? It seams totally random or is it the widest clear cut you can get ?
I suspect that it depends on the customers specific requirements. I have noticed the same thing. There seems to be no set dimension the lumber is milled to.
We saw random width to maximize yield, unless particular dimensions are requested. Thanks for watching! Linda
How long do these blades last? I've heard they wear out after 1 or 2 good logs and trying to figure if it is a good investment
It depends on species, dirt, and other foreign objects. If we have really clean, less abrasive species, the blade can last for 2-3 logs before needing to be sharpened. Thanks for watching! Linda
Chip the slabs and edgings and sell the cedar chips! Put them in small mesh bags for closets? How many hours/days as week would you say you are actually milling? Are you milling a lot of your own logs to market? Or do you rely more on customers to have their own logs?
That's a good idea! Unfortunately, we have to dry the conifers or our grinder doesn't like to eat them, so the smell wouldn't be as potent. We don't get a lot of Cedar and some customers want their trimmings, but we may try your idea next time. Thanks for watching! Linda
What and how do you charge for the milling of lumber?
Linda, How did you determine that you could run a business like this cutting logs for people. I want to start a business here in Virginia Beach, VA but I dont know where to begin. Also what is the machine that cut the slabs down to lumber? Thanks
A friend (woodworker) was troubled that there weren't enough honest small scale sawmills of our kind locally to buy lumber from. We felt God calling us to begin a small Sawmill business. The first 3 years we were portable part time millers. Did a few shows and built our customer base. God put us where we needed to be at just the right time and that is how we got to where we are today. Thanks for watching! Linda
Beautiful wood. Some of those larger knobs may be useful [i.e. valuable] to folks who turn wood bowls and cups on their lathes.
Yes, good point, we save quite a few large chunks for wood turning. They aren't big sellers, but I hate to use something for heat that can be used for beauty! Thanks for watching! Linda
I miss your videos, Linda. How come you don't make them anymore?
How long does the saw blade last? Do you get it sharpened?
Blade life has many variables. We sharpen them ourselves. Thanks for watching! Linda
Linda, could you explain something for me? I often see people selling lumber by the linear foot and by the board foot. What is the difference between them ? Occasionally I see lumber I would like to purchase for a project but am unsure of how to figure the pricing for it because of the two descriptions for how they are being sold. If I say I wanted to buy a 2"x10"x10' length of lumber, how would I calculate the cost if given linear vs board foot ? I appreciate all your video's and love seeing the amazing logs you mill up. Keep up the great work!
A BF is 144 cubic inches of wood.
The math is L" x W" x T" / 144 = BF
and in case numbers and formulas are not you're thing: 1 BF = a 12in square 1in thick (or 1 square ft per inch of thickness). I find it easier to "picture" the size of the board needed using this basic guide.
Good questions, I see you received good answers from other viewers. The only thing I would add is that wood sold by the linear foot would not take the width or thickness into consideration, it would be a price per every foot of length regardless of width or thickness. Board foot considers all three measurements: thickness in inches, multiplied by the width in inches, multiplied by the length in inches, and is then divided by 144 to get the board footage. Thank you for the complimentary feedback and thanks for watching! Linda
Have y'all considered custom or finish milling? Tongue and groove, etc?
We have plenty to keep us busy, but thought about it briefly in the distant past. Thanks for watching! Linda
Hey how about a shot at the saw that you are operating LInda. I know it is some type of trims saw but i would like to see a closer look at what it does. Thanks
It is a Morgan Machinery Edger and I have a video all about it: ua-cam.com/video/ER4FN4O__pM/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching! Linda
On average, how many hours a week does your team work? Also it is good to see a new video . Thanks for taking the time to post!
It really depends on the week! And our work is of ALL kinds for ALL business and property, so it would be hard to estimate an average (some weeks we saw all day everyday, some days the saw may only run a short while). I know many days I don't get any leisure time at all, but that is with household chores, as well. Hubby is most predictable (no household duties) and he puts in 9 or more hours daily. Our sons help with business, property and household, so no way to say. Thanks for watching! Linda
Put chunks of the wood in mesh bags and sell them. People use them to keep moths, etc., away from wool clothing, plus they have a nice scent for your home.
Someone mentioned that a little bit ago. It's an idea we are taking seriously. Thanks for watching! Linda
New subscriber here and looking at your shop setup. Maybe a cyclone inline to help with chunks going to impeller?
How come stickers are not used? Do you re-stack in a kiln?
We stack after we finish sawing and some lumber ships out green. Thanks for watching! Linda
Are you done making videos? Haven t seen a new one for quite awhile. Been gone myself for awhile too.
Where do you get all your logs from
How u resizing the skin pieces of a logs.. show that also..
No resaw in ur mill?
This vid needs "smell-o-vision"
Absolutely! :) Thanks for watching! Linda
LindasCinema
now im lying here with,,,,,,,,,,,, cedar on my mind,,,,
I see you measure each layer of lumber for width, how do you calculate for the various lengths?
Many Thanks!
I know how long the log is and measure the boards that are not the log length. For layers with more than one length, I measure the width of each length and record them separately on my tally sheet. Thanks for watching! Linda
I was educated to learn that your cedar is soft? The types of cedar, fence posts and white cedar telephone poles, that I have had experience with, are hard!
That's beautiful wood.now
i love cedar i love working with it cutting it the smell is nice
About 6:26 in the video you are usi g the chain device to rotate thr log, but earlier in the video you said you didn't use the chain device because the wood was soft and could be damaged.
Its Spanish cedar.?
What would you charge to mill a log like that?
We charge by the board foot for standard saw logs and by the hour for odd sizes, and unusual stuff. Thanks for watching! Linda
What was the thickness of these boards?
I don't remember for sure, but I think it was 3/4" thick. Thanks for watching. Linda
What are the dimensions of the logs and the lumber.
If my memory serves me correctly, it was around 1/2" thick and 6' long. Thanks for watching! Linda
Can teeth be on both sides of the band? Maybe you could lose a stroke?
That would be nice, but no it isn't possible. The saw is designed to cut forward only. Thanks for watching and commenting! Linda
If you haven't gotten rid of the saw dust you might want to collect it and google a research on company's that bag it and sell it as closet aromatic things to hang it in closets and such.
It is long gone, but the idea is good. Thank you for watching! Linda
Is this cured or green cedar?
Green. Thanks for watching! Linda
Where are you located?
Do you ship?
Ima thinkin comfy, aromatic Adirondak chairs
Very nice
I see a sauna, & a closet !
Should sticker stack your lumber in a metal frame then lift out with forklift. Make a platform 3' high when pile is 3' high remove platform so your trim Sawyer is not bending over 1/2 the way.
very nice
Thank you and thanks for watching! Linda
Where is Linda?
Hey! I’m a subscriber and I really enjoy your videos, but I have a comment that I hope you’ll take in the spirit in which it’s given: I find the mill itself to be fascinating, but the edging, stacking, etc. to be as boring as cold toast. Maybe a camera position that has the mill in the foreground and the ancillary stuff in the background? Just my opinion.