@@SawdustandSweatNCI was wondering if the lap siding attachment was throwing things off a bit. It would be interesting to use that attachment a couple of times and then recheck everything to see if the head returns to the exact same position.
Well friend that was one of the most important sawmill vids I have ever seen. I have been pulling my hair out forever trying to get my cuts to good instead of close enough. . I think you have made my day sir, I thank you. Time to get out to the mill and start doing some real leveling. Wish me luck.
Jim my friend, best to you. It is very encouraging knowing that I may have had a small part in helping out a fellow Sawyer. Good luck with your investigation and implementations.
I believe that you did an excellent job making sure that the mill is level. But what nobody tells us millers is that you will have to go back over and check everything out again at some point. I have to go back over my mill again and check everything. I would say probably once a year? Depends on how much wood you put through it. And if you want to learn some excellent milling watch some videos of Hobby Hardwoods of Alabama. I have learned so much from him it has helped me tremendously. Good luck sawing.
Thank you for all you shared and the spirit in which you share. Yes, HH is referenced often and I bounce things off of him. He sincerely wants to help. Thanks again.
Thank you for your video. It shows to me the importance of the relationships between plumb, level, parallel to the straight track. The plumb bob.Sring line. A good level / Lazer and tape measure does not lie. I lower everything then check them with a Lazer to find the highest elevation of the track then bring everything else up to that elevation. The same with the cross members . Then each side of blade elevation. All in perfect relationship to one another. You certainly found it. Good job. Thanks for sharing.
I have the same mill on a trailer, and I think I may just go through the same procedure once I check for wasps under the cover. I have cut paper-thin laminate off of it, but everything can be better. You did a fine commentary of thinking out loud without getting silly like some people do on UA-cam. Thanks for the extra work, like I don't have enough to do already 🙂
I don't know anything about that sawmill but it would seem to me that if your bed is level on the x and y axis then the adjustment problem would be in your cutting head. Does the band saw head adjust?
I agree with you totally on the x and y, my problem was with z, that being the rails in disagreement with the perfect 90 of x and y. Does this make sense?
@WallyKnorr Forgive me Bud but I'm lost, why would a feller get everything parallel and as precise as possible and then go back to not having things right by removing his shims? I honestly don't understand, help me out here. Thanks
Glad to see a Mason finally learned how to make something level cause I had to build alot of houses on masonry that was 2 -3 inches out of level from one side to the other but the supervisors always say the carpenters got to fix it . See level is important ask the carpenters.
Never having had a bandsaw mill I am not sure an authority on their operations protocols. However I can tell you that I have run hundreds of thousands of board feet on circle mills and these same principles apply. Sandy was correct in the statement that level isn't always necessary. However having the deck and rails and carriage square to the blade is essential.. Seems to be the same sort of application in that sense of things..
Thanks for the advice. I believe I now have things dialed in at the moment. I'm even considering installing some angle bracing between certain bunks for additional stability. Thanks again
Best to you. And check out an episode, I believe it was last week, I did a five or six month "Bed" check to see how this is holding up, of course, using the same homemade gages. I found it extremely enlightening. Best to you.
Consider this as an option for shimming the bunks . Automotive boby panel shims (U-shaped). Harbor Freight assortment , $10.00 It comes with : 1/64" (approximately .015 ) 1/32" (approximately .031 ) 1/16" (approximately .062) 1"8" .125 String line , shims , plenty of blocking and rigging & jigging is what I use for chainsaw milling. I only use the level for preliminary setup. Then adjust to what the string line is telling me.
I struggled with my HM130 max time and time again. I finally got the longest level I could find and put it on my rails. Looking under the level I noticed that I had created a crown in my rail assembly. The struggle is real but man I love turning out great lumber on a good day. Loved your content and truthful about the blunders we make while trying our best. I liked your block set up for testing your bunks, simple and effective, I will be using your idea. New subscriber, looking forward to what you get up to.
Thank you so much, i am going to try this on my HM130. Your video needs to go into Woodlandmills trouble shooting film sets so that we can all benifit from your hard work. Thank you again from Tasmania, Australia.
Thank you. I am not aware of the trouble shooting film but I am interested. Feel very free to share in whatever forum appropriate. I appreciate the commendation.
The way the Wood-Mizer manual has me check for this issue is by placing the sawhead at a certain height, positioning the head over each bed rail, then measuring down to the top of the bed rail from the lower tip of a down tooth. It's a pretty fast way to check if there's a rail out of whack.
May I ask, when you say "bed rail" are you referring to what many call the "bunks?" I don't want to get confused. The rails are what the saw head runs on and the bunks are what the logs rest on, correct?
@SawdustandSweatNC Yes. My Wood-Mizer is a cantilever head with one main beam with a rail that the head travels along. I call the log bunks bed rails, but that might just be me.
I assume you first had the tracks perfectly straight. I am struggling to get mine straight. I have taken it apart and readjusted, but still not good. Ideas? Great vid. thanks
May I ask, and I sincerely want to understand.....when you use the word straight are you referring to level, up and down or straight as a gun barrel if you looked from one end to the other down the side of a rail?
And yes, i followed mfg. Assembly instructions and it milled satisfactory for several, several milling sessions and several logs. But now, I did put some really heavy logs on the mill. Again, yes, she was level, straight, and I did not check it early on, but I had assumed the blade was true to the rails and bunks.
@@SawdustandSweatNC The track has a low spot where two side pieces connect. I've tried to get it better but can't seem to. Maybe I didn't loosen enough bolts. If you lay a 6 foot level over it the track is definitely down.
@lukefisher7618 It's challenging as you know, but I feel you will get it worked out as I did. Yes, perhaps you need to loosen more bolts, perhaps put a bottle jack under the low area, perhaps try to see if you have larger diameter bolts so there is no play in the holes, perhaps even sleeving a bolt or two as you re tighten. ......I had the opposite issue with a hump in my rail. I spray painted where the hump was as a visual gage so I could readily see when I was making progress with my adjustment measures. You will get it. Good on you for caring about the issue and not being content with "Poor Quality Cuts." Keep me posted on your progress.
I have to sympathize with you, I have a this saw with lap-siding kit. Frustration is only part of the set up. Best adjusting tool 12 inch carpenter square, to adjust cables to the deck. Trailer mounted mill will give more trouble, because you pull it hits bumps things go out. The mill head will an does move. The blade will dip the 4 screws holding the saw head will shake it will go out. I learned after travelling a string line front to back use a bunge cord for tension on string line. The blade guides need to be checked with feeler gauges. 6 foot level and 2x10 under adjusting legs. Then cross fingers
Your logic is right on the money. I get my mill this week, and I'll use this method when I assemble it. I won't have any problems from the start then. Thanks for your effort in sharing this.
Thanks Dennis. May I encourage you to take your time during assembly. Don't fall for these guys who talk about how it took them a day to assemble. I'm pretty handy, yet it took probably 3 or 4 days, I mean not 8 hr days, but I remember it was probably a week from start to finish. Best to you.
I agree 100%. I bought mine several months ago. HM122 and the trailer. I FINALLY started it 3 days ago (about 1 - 2.5 hours at a time) I should be finished tomorrow then doing my test/practice cuts the day after
First of all I commend him on figuring this out, and by the way I am not being a smarta$$. When putting my HM122 together, when I put the head on the rails for the final tightening I made sure the head is level to the rails. To be honest I don't care if my bunks are completely level, eventhough I did get it less than 1/16". When setting up my mill, always level by my rails, head, and blade at correct tension. Now no matter what even after cut a few logs I will still be close enough and get good cuts. I will say knots, moisture, blade sharpness and blade quality with speed of feeding the blade will always have the largest impact on cut straightness. When the blade is dull, don't try to squeeze out more cuts, change the blade. Have fun and be safe.
Agree with all you've said James. My suspicion is, and this is only a suspicion, the tolerances of some eastern manufacturers are probably less specific than tolerances in the west. Also, in the production line, one batch may come off the line close to perfect while others, let's just say, not so perfect. And then of course we have the bolt to hole size on a bolt together piece of equipment. I guess one could surmise, assemble according to manufacturers specs then dial in as good as you wish. And fortunately, the equipment we have is good enough so we can pretty much make it perfect if this is our desire. Thanks for your insight and comments. If you are not subscribed I hope perhaps you will consider supporting me and my efforts. Thanks
When using shims, use as little as possible to get the results you need, in this situation less is better! Thicker first and as few thins as you need to get level!
I like the way you analyzed the problem and attacked it. Excellent! Where in NC are you located? I've got a live oak slice that needs cutting. Also hoping there's a saw mill in my future if the property I'm trying to buy works out.
I have gone through my mill so many times trying to figure out this very problem. I have 30 hours on my mill and probably have spent 30 additional hours trying to get it flat and level. I just recently wondered...do I need to actual shim the bunks? I almost thought it could not be the problem, and if I shim, am I cheating? After watching this, I emplore Woodland Mills in the nicest way possible to offer a shim kit with the 4 screw holes at 1/16" increments. Woodland Mills your an awesome company, do you hear us??? Please? Thanks for this great video.
Thanks for the comment. And even more, thanks for the relief of knowing I'm not the only one. I am going back over a couple of checks at the end of the week. I will do my best to be extremely clear on what we both are understanding. Thanks again!!
Hello, you’re a hardworking man. The tops of the bunks need to be parallel with the rails. The mill is a kit that comes in pieces as you know. Did you put a straight edge on the two rails at the seams? Just some thoughts, good video.
Yes. And you get it. You, my friend are spot on in what I'm doing here. My bunks, for whatever reason, we're not the same height off the rails. Now, I'm not talking inches, but as a carpenter by trade, I am seasoned at cutting the line out of leaving the line, if you know what I mean. Leveling the bunks and rails in accord with the blade, in my way of thinking, could be wrong, is the only sure Fire Way of ruling out poor cuts due to a poor bed setup. I'm definitely not through dialing this saw in. Just plan to be very intentional in every step I take. In cabinet and furniture work im used to tolerances to say 1/64. I know this is unattainable with this format of machine. However, as I said, I want to do everything within my abilities to at least start out in the next mill session that the equipment is as good as I can get it. Thanks for the accolades and support. Happy milling!!
It seems to me your bed was flexing when you moved the head back and forth accross the bunks.I would setup a string and then roll the head along each bunk and see if it moves.
Thanks for the observation. If the saw heads weight was anywhere close to capacity as far as what the bed rails and trailer rails could support I could agree with your premise. However, the saw head is so very light as compared to the capacity, even this China made steel can carry, anything that may have appeared on camera as flexing, just, in my humble opinion, is not possible. Now, having said that, your observation is very interesting. So I ask myself, could my foundation be giving way? Answer, not at the making of this episode. Could the jacks have play that could allow what you alluded to as flexing? Now this is a possibility of which I will need to investigate. So, a long way around the trail, but yes, something to look at. Thanks!
My biggest issue i think is in the so called laser cut rails that the carriage wheels ride on , mine are close but as they say close but no cigar , my woodworking backround about the same, like you say i know what straight is. I'm just an old carpenter who bolted a kit together i believe i got a pretty good hobby mill, & didn't break the bank.
A caution using a string - string has weight and it will always sag in the middle. Over a 4ft length maybe not enough to matter but when you start getting out toward 20" there is measurable sag. Depending on what you are doing, the sag may not matter but it is still there - that's physics.
For those cable. Lower the head that take the tention off the cable and give you the ability to mouve thos screw by hand then raise it and use a tape mesure to calculate both side. it has to be to the 1/16 when the blade is tight. I often have to adjust mine and it take less then 5 min. once you know you are on the 1/16 then tight all nut. if you try to put a block and specific height and try to match both side it take forever and once you will mouve the head it will be off aigain... you need to lower and raise it and then mesure to ensure evrythings is setel with all 4 post. other wise you rise a corcer and the post dont raise properly evrything will look good and when you mouve the head it will be off aigain.
It could be your trailer. The trailer comes in small pieces and has to be put together. I put mine together tightened all the bolts then welded the pieces together after leveling.
When I get back home tomorrow I plan to do more testing and analysis. I may need to weld as you. Been giving it though. I mean, the holes the bolts go through, even though you tighten big league, as we throw 3000lb logs on there, even gently in loading the bunks, it's got to move, in my opinion. A welded rail system makes all the sense in the world. Stay tuned.
Thanks Adam. You know, it seems some just don't get it. I mean, what I am doing here is not complicated. Really, it is about as basic as it can get. Level bed and bunks with level blade should produce level or flat cuts. Of course, provided the log stops are 90 degrees to the bunks and the cant is secured 90 degrees to the bunks. Thanks for getting it!!
I do not know. I am of the impression my mill is the product of Canada. I will have to do some checking. Regardless of its origin, my plan is to take what I have and mill the best lumber possible. Thanks
Woodland mills sure messed up on this ! I have been having the same problems with my 36max. I have beat my head on the wall, trying to get it fixed. Never thought about checking the head with each one.. All of them should bolt down the same. I never had a problem with my older wood-mizer i had.. It's just poor engineering on Woodland!!
The big problem with those cheap not so cheap saw mills is the rails are too light and they flex! Years ago I saw a original Woodmeizer sawmill and the bunk was made out of 3x6 inch tubing 3/8 wall thickness and I wanted one! so being a welder I purchase the raw material and built one! In my opinion this solves a lot of problems but is very expensive steel is very expensive these days. Want to get to the root of the problem go this direction.
Hey, anyone who says they are not learning or either disillusioned or lying. Sawmilling keeps us all humble. And yes, great advice. I've dropped a few accidentally and fortunately all AOK, but we ain't dealing with tempered steel here and it's probably certain enough impact and bad things can happen. ESPECIALLY, in my opinion, if you are on a trailer, with the jack stands. Appreciate your commenting and your support.
Thanks Daniel. If you check out my recent vids I have not had to do anything since dialing it in. I've checked it a couple of times and still pretty close to perfect. Thanks for commenting and would appreciate it if you would continue to support my efforts @sawdustandsweat.nc
Get yourself some MICROMETERS and or CALIPERS and check and make sure your bunks and everything else is the same size where it's supposed to be. The quality of products some manufacturers are turning out may not be as good as they claim.
Thanks for the suggestion. However, blade issues, in my humble opinion, usually result in wavy cuts. My issue was out of square cants. Blade not running parallel to the rails and then the bunks not parallel with thr rails, as described in the video was my issue. But yes, as you allude to, blade tension is super important. Thanks
Thanks Gene. I know I made a couple of videos about the bed. But, all in all, I think perhaps my issues may be more on the operator than the machine. You know or can imagine, having 50 plus years of joinery, whether it be in framing or furniture, one gets pretty acclimated to precision. Just transitioning to accepting wider tolerances I think is a process that is going to take me a little time to get accustomed to don't you guess? I don't know, I made what I thought was the best decision at the time. Thanks for the opinion and thought.
Pat, I would have loved to have been in position to get a Woodmizer. Maybe someday. The budget just would not permit it. Yet, I continue to dream big. Thank you for your comment and hopefully continued support.
Tim my friend, it appears you did not take the time to watch the video. Would you not agree, you may have the best blades in the world but if the situations as described in this video are not correct a person will not be having much success. Thanks for commenting.
And then you put a heavy big oak log on there, maybe clamp it down a bit too hard and everything is whacked out of plum because the entire frame will twist and woodland mills is garbage. Trust me, I've had the exact same mill for 4 years. I've had to place supports all along the frame because it's too thin and flexes too much with large logs on there. It also will flex in the frame where your log clamps are installed if you clamp too hard. DO NOT BUY THIS JUNK GARBAGE.
Thanks for the input. As you can see, I already have the unit. So far, it has served me well. The trailer appears to be of heavier material. I've had a 28" pine on it and so far so good. I do have some huge oaks and Ash on the yard I will be milling in the coming days. I will be sharing my honest assessment. Thanks again for sharing your experience.
The biggest issue is you clowns don't understand is once you drop a thousand pounds log on the deck to saw the mill is out of level you need much better base under supports my brother and I built a drive able mill in the seventies were sawing commercially constant issue
Excellent video. I made the same video last year using the string. It's the best method I use. I also often do it after I put on a big log. I'm not on a foundation yet. Nice explanation.
One determined old fart. Keep at it sir 🫡. Mine is cutting good but I know I have a bunk or 2 that needs to be shimmed also after watching this vid. Tks for sharing and happy sawing. 💪🏻
A 48 minute long content video on adjusting the sawmil. Can this day get any better. Awesome content and keep up the good work.
Thanks. Hope you enjoyed it. But tell you what, I'm glad I took the time to do this. Think it is going to make a world of difference.
@@SawdustandSweatNCI was wondering if the lap siding attachment was throwing things off a bit. It would be interesting to use that attachment a couple of times and then recheck everything to see if the head returns to the exact same position.
It definitely could. But I have mine strapped down so it absolutely cannot alter the head alignment. Good observation.
Well friend that was one of the most important sawmill vids I have ever seen. I have been pulling my hair out forever trying to get my cuts to good instead of close enough. . I think you have made my day sir, I thank you. Time to get out to the mill and start doing some real leveling. Wish me luck.
Jim my friend, best to you. It is very encouraging knowing that I may have had a small part in helping out a fellow Sawyer. Good luck with your investigation and implementations.
I believe that you did an excellent job making sure that the mill is level. But what nobody tells us millers is that you will have to go back over and check everything out again at some point. I have to go back over my mill again and check everything. I would say probably once a year? Depends on how much wood you put through it. And if you want to learn some excellent milling watch some videos of Hobby Hardwoods of Alabama. I have learned so much from him it has helped me tremendously. Good luck sawing.
Thank you for all you shared and the spirit in which you share. Yes, HH is referenced often and I bounce things off of him. He sincerely wants to help. Thanks again.
Thank you for your video. It shows to me the importance of the relationships between plumb, level, parallel to the straight track. The plumb bob.Sring line. A good level / Lazer and tape measure does not lie. I lower everything then check them with a Lazer to find the highest elevation of the track then bring everything else up to that elevation. The same with the cross members . Then each side of blade elevation. All in perfect relationship to one another. You certainly found it. Good job. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Buckwheat.
I have the same mill on a trailer, and I think I may just go through the same procedure once I check for wasps under the cover. I have cut paper-thin laminate off of it, but everything can be better. You did a fine commentary of thinking out loud without getting silly like some people do on UA-cam. Thanks for the extra work, like I don't have enough to do already 🙂
Sorry for the extra work, I do understand! Best to you. Thanks for the kind words.
I don't know anything about that sawmill but it would seem to me that if your bed is level on the x and y axis then the adjustment problem would be in your cutting head. Does the band saw head adjust?
I agree with you totally on the x and y, my problem was with z, that being the rails in disagreement with the perfect 90 of x and y. Does this make sense?
Eventually most mill owners figure it out, and then they get rid of the shims. So did I when I started.
@WallyKnorr Forgive me Bud but I'm lost, why would a feller get everything parallel and as precise as possible and then go back to not having things right by removing his shims? I honestly don't understand, help me out here. Thanks
I have a Norwood V-36 twin. Thank you for your knowledge it has given me an understanding I didn't have and I will make adjustments accordingly.
Thanks Guy. Best to you! Appreciate your continued support.
That was in the owners manual, which I didn't adjust either and finally figured it out. Makes a big difference
May I ask, what specifically are you referring to?
Glad to see a Mason finally learned how to make something level cause I had to build alot of houses on masonry that was 2 -3 inches out of level from one side to the other but the supervisors always say the carpenters got to fix it . See level is important ask the carpenters.
Roger That!
I’ve not watched all of the video but you are on the correct path to great sawing
Thanks Thomas. I firmly believe you are right. I feel so much better about it now. Thanks again
Never having had a bandsaw mill I am not sure an authority on their operations protocols. However I can tell you that I have run hundreds of thousands of board feet on circle mills and these same principles apply. Sandy was correct in the statement that level isn't always necessary. However having the deck and rails and carriage square to the blade is essential.. Seems to be the same sort of application in that sense of things..
Thanks for the advice. I believe I now have things dialed in at the moment. I'm even considering installing some angle bracing between certain bunks for additional stability. Thanks again
i really enjoyed watching this and now I am going to go through my harbor freight mill and do the flattening tricks. thanks
Best to you. And check out an episode, I believe it was last week, I did a five or six month "Bed" check to see how this is holding up, of course, using the same homemade gages. I found it extremely enlightening. Best to you.
Consider this as an option for shimming the bunks .
Automotive boby panel shims (U-shaped).
Harbor Freight assortment , $10.00
It comes with :
1/64" (approximately .015 )
1/32" (approximately .031 )
1/16" (approximately .062)
1"8" .125
String line , shims , plenty of blocking and rigging & jigging is what I use for chainsaw milling.
I only use the level for preliminary setup. Then adjust to what the string line is telling me.
Thanks Cliff for the detailed advice. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Careful with the adjustments, with the cable going around pulleys it will muiltply or reduce by each turn of the adjusting nut!
Ok, thanks!
I struggled with my HM130 max time and time again. I finally got the longest level I could find and put it on my rails. Looking under the level I noticed that I had created a crown in my rail assembly. The struggle is real but man I love turning out great lumber on a good day. Loved your content and truthful about the blunders we make while trying our best. I liked your block set up for testing your bunks, simple and effective, I will be using your idea. New subscriber, looking forward to what you get up to.
Super Interesting. Thanks for the input. And yes, thanks for subscribing. I have some ideas I'm working on. Stay tuned. Thanks again!
Thank you so much, i am going to try this on my HM130. Your video needs to go into Woodlandmills trouble shooting film sets so that we can all benifit from your hard work. Thank you again from Tasmania, Australia.
Thank you. I am not aware of the trouble shooting film but I am interested. Feel very free to share in whatever forum appropriate. I appreciate the commendation.
Thanks for this video. I'm running into the same issue on my HM126 I will be doing these steps to my mill before I saw anymore lumber
Hope it works as good for you as I did for me. Thanks
The way the Wood-Mizer manual has me check for this issue is by placing the sawhead at a certain height, positioning the head over each bed rail, then measuring down to the top of the bed rail from the lower tip of a down tooth. It's a pretty fast way to check if there's a rail out of whack.
May I ask, when you say "bed rail" are you referring to what many call the "bunks?" I don't want to get confused. The rails are what the saw head runs on and the bunks are what the logs rest on, correct?
@SawdustandSweatNC Yes. My Wood-Mizer is a cantilever head with one main beam with a rail that the head travels along. I call the log bunks bed rails, but that might just be me.
Gotcha. Just now saw the reply. Sorry for not seeing this a few weeks ago. Best to you and the mill.
I have this exact mill, minus the bells and whistles. Thanks for posting this video.
Best to you in your milling. Thanks for commenting. And, would appreciate your continued support.
I assume you first had the tracks perfectly straight. I am struggling to get mine straight. I have taken it apart and readjusted, but still not good. Ideas? Great vid. thanks
May I ask, and I sincerely want to understand.....when you use the word straight are you referring to level, up and down or straight as a gun barrel if you looked from one end to the other down the side of a rail?
And yes, i followed mfg. Assembly instructions and it milled satisfactory for several, several milling sessions and several logs. But now, I did put some really heavy logs on the mill. Again, yes, she was level, straight, and I did not check it early on, but I had assumed the blade was true to the rails and bunks.
@@SawdustandSweatNC The track has a low spot where two side pieces connect. I've tried to get it better but can't seem to. Maybe I didn't loosen enough bolts. If you lay a 6 foot level over it the track is definitely down.
@lukefisher7618 It's challenging as you know, but I feel you will get it worked out as I did. Yes, perhaps you need to loosen more bolts, perhaps put a bottle jack under the low area, perhaps try to see if you have larger diameter bolts so there is no play in the holes, perhaps even sleeving a bolt or two as you re tighten. ......I had the opposite issue with a hump in my rail. I spray painted where the hump was as a visual gage so I could readily see when I was making progress with my adjustment measures. You will get it. Good on you for caring about the issue and not being content with "Poor Quality Cuts." Keep me posted on your progress.
@@SawdustandSweatNC Thanks for your advice. Will let you know.
I have to sympathize with you, I have a this saw with lap-siding kit. Frustration is only part of the set up. Best adjusting tool 12 inch carpenter square, to adjust cables to the deck. Trailer mounted mill will give more trouble, because you pull it hits bumps things go out. The mill head will an does move. The blade will dip the 4 screws holding the saw head will shake it will go out. I learned after travelling a string line front to back use a bunge cord for tension on string line. The blade guides need to be checked with feeler gauges. 6 foot level and 2x10 under adjusting legs. Then cross fingers
Thanks Bryan. Appreciate the advice.
Your logic is right on the money. I get my mill this week, and I'll use this method when I assemble it. I won't have any problems from the start then. Thanks for your effort in sharing this.
Thanks Dennis. May I encourage you to take your time during assembly. Don't fall for these guys who talk about how it took them a day to assemble. I'm pretty handy, yet it took probably 3 or 4 days, I mean not 8 hr days, but I remember it was probably a week from start to finish. Best to you.
I agree 100%. I bought mine several months ago. HM122 and the trailer. I FINALLY started it 3 days ago (about 1 - 2.5 hours at a time) I should be finished tomorrow then doing my test/practice cuts the day after
@1stclassmedia844 Best to you. Hope you are able to mill some very useful lumber for many years. Keep me posted on your progress.
Thanks alot that helped me out I been fighting wavy cuts myself and I also forgot to tighten those jam nuts mine was also not level
Good on you mate. Hope things work out for you.
First of all I commend him on figuring this out, and by the way I am not being a smarta$$. When putting my HM122 together, when I put the head on the rails for the final tightening I made sure the head is level to the rails. To be honest I don't care if my bunks are completely level, eventhough I did get it less than 1/16". When setting up my mill, always level by my rails, head, and blade at correct tension. Now no matter what even after cut a few logs I will still be close enough and get good cuts. I will say knots, moisture, blade sharpness and blade quality with speed of feeding the blade will always have the largest impact on cut straightness. When the blade is dull, don't try to squeeze out more cuts, change the blade. Have fun and be safe.
Agree with all you've said James. My suspicion is, and this is only a suspicion, the tolerances of some eastern manufacturers are probably less specific than tolerances in the west. Also, in the production line, one batch may come off the line close to perfect while others, let's just say, not so perfect.
And then of course we have the bolt to hole size on a bolt together piece of equipment.
I guess one could surmise, assemble according to manufacturers specs then dial in as good as you wish. And fortunately, the equipment we have is good enough so we can pretty much make it perfect if this is our desire.
Thanks for your insight and comments.
If you are not subscribed I hope perhaps you will consider supporting me and my efforts. Thanks
When using shims, use as little as possible to get the results you need, in this situation less is better! Thicker first and as few thins as you need to get level!
Thanks for commenting and thanks for your support.
I like the way you analyzed the problem and attacked it. Excellent! Where in NC are you located? I've got a live oak slice that needs cutting. Also hoping there's a saw mill in my future if the property I'm trying to buy works out.
Thanks. Email me at sawdustandsweatnc@gmail.com
I've noticed my rails have a small dip at the start, causing my last pc to be a little fat on the end of cut.
My guess is, we all, if we want good cuts, we all have to dial in our own Mills according to our Mills individual quirks don't you guess?
Dið you check the level on your blade?
Are you telling me you can adjust the pulleys to alter the blade level?
I have gone through my mill so many times trying to figure out this very problem. I have 30 hours on my mill and probably have spent 30 additional hours trying to get it flat and level. I just recently wondered...do I need to actual shim the bunks? I almost thought it could not be the problem, and if I shim, am I cheating? After watching this, I emplore Woodland Mills in the nicest way possible to offer a shim kit with the 4 screw holes at 1/16" increments. Woodland Mills your an awesome company, do you hear us??? Please?
Thanks for this great video.
Thanks for the comment. And even more, thanks for the relief of knowing I'm not the only one. I am going back over a couple of checks at the end of the week. I will do my best to be extremely clear on what we both are understanding. Thanks again!!
Hello, you’re a hardworking man. The tops of the bunks need to be parallel with the rails. The mill is a kit that comes in pieces as you know. Did you put a straight edge on the two rails at the seams? Just some thoughts, good video.
Yes. And you get it. You, my friend are spot on in what I'm doing here. My bunks, for whatever reason, we're not the same height off the rails. Now, I'm not talking inches, but as a carpenter by trade, I am seasoned at cutting the line out of leaving the line, if you know what I mean. Leveling the bunks and rails in accord with the blade, in my way of thinking, could be wrong, is the only sure Fire Way of ruling out poor cuts due to a poor bed setup. I'm definitely not through dialing this saw in. Just plan to be very intentional in every step I take. In cabinet and furniture work im used to tolerances to say 1/64. I know this is unattainable with this format of machine. However, as I said, I want to do everything within my abilities to at least start out in the next mill session that the equipment is as good as I can get it. Thanks for the accolades and support. Happy milling!!
Great video, nice job, happy sawing
Thank you!
Thanks!
It seems to me your bed was flexing when you moved the head back and forth accross the bunks.I would setup a string and then roll the head along each bunk and see if it moves.
Thanks for the observation. If the saw heads weight was anywhere close to capacity as far as what the bed rails and trailer rails could support I could agree with your premise. However, the saw head is so very light as compared to the capacity, even this China made steel can carry, anything that may have appeared on camera as flexing, just, in my humble opinion, is not possible. Now, having said that, your observation is very interesting. So I ask myself, could my foundation be giving way? Answer, not at the making of this episode. Could the jacks have play that could allow what you alluded to as flexing? Now this is a possibility of which I will need to investigate. So, a long way around the trail, but yes, something to look at. Thanks!
My biggest issue i think is in the so called laser cut rails that the carriage wheels ride on , mine are close but as they say close but no cigar , my woodworking backround about the same, like you say i know what straight is. I'm just an old carpenter who bolted a kit together i believe i got a pretty good hobby mill, & didn't break the bank.
I'm with you on all that you said. Thanks
A caution using a string - string has weight and it will always sag in the middle. Over a 4ft length maybe not enough to matter but when you start getting out toward 20" there is measurable sag. Depending on what you are doing, the sag may not matter but it is still there - that's physics.
@@rayherriott6517 Sounds like you may have experience as I do doing masonry.
Good job my friendi hope it all works out good for you Have a good day stay safe my friend
Thanks! And to you as well.
For those cable. Lower the head that take the tention off the cable and give you the ability to mouve thos screw by hand then raise it and use a tape mesure to calculate both side. it has to be to the 1/16 when the blade is tight. I often have to adjust mine and it take less then 5 min.
once you know you are on the 1/16 then tight all nut.
if you try to put a block and specific height and try to match both side it take forever and once you will mouve the head it will be off aigain... you need to lower and raise it and then mesure to ensure evrythings is setel with all 4 post. other wise you rise a corcer and the post dont raise properly evrything will look good and when you mouve the head it will be off aigain.
Thanks for sharing.
A big thanks from Wales, uk
You, my new friend from across the pond, are most welcome. Thanks for commenting and your support.
Good job, brother!
Thanks!
It could be your trailer. The trailer comes in small pieces and has to be put together. I put mine together tightened all the bolts then welded the pieces together after leveling.
Any chance you posted something about this on Facebook?
When I get back home tomorrow I plan to do more testing and analysis. I may need to weld as you. Been giving it though. I mean, the holes the bolts go through, even though you tighten big league, as we throw 3000lb logs on there, even gently in loading the bunks, it's got to move, in my opinion. A welded rail system makes all the sense in the world. Stay tuned.
Great video, great common sense approach
Thanks Steve. I am working on a subsequent/ part 2 vid on this subject. Hope you will be looking for it. Thanks again.
Great Idea. Thanks
Thanks Adam. You know, it seems some just don't get it. I mean, what I am doing here is not complicated. Really, it is about as basic as it can get. Level bed and bunks with level blade should produce level or flat cuts. Of course, provided the log stops are 90 degrees to the bunks and the cant is secured 90 degrees to the bunks. Thanks for getting it!!
19:02 you can see a dent in the stainless "inlay"
Yep! I did that. Fortunately, it's of no consequence. Just a tad bit of weight on it and it lays darn near perfectly flat.
haumachi
You did not consider that the machine Ridgely was built in China the quality control on the metal. Is that a specifications
I do not know. I am of the impression my mill is the product of Canada. I will have to do some checking. Regardless of its origin, my plan is to take what I have and mill the best lumber possible. Thanks
Woodland mills sure messed up on this ! I have been having the same problems with my 36max. I have beat my head on the wall, trying to get it fixed. Never thought about checking the head with each one.. All of them should bolt down the same. I never had a problem with my older wood-mizer i had.. It's just poor engineering on Woodland!!
Agree, but to true it up I had to do what I did. Best to you in your efforts.
The big problem with those cheap not so cheap saw mills is the rails are too light and they flex! Years ago I saw a original Woodmeizer sawmill and the bunk was made out of 3x6 inch tubing 3/8 wall thickness and I wanted one! so being a welder I purchase the raw material and built one! In my opinion this solves a lot of problems but is very expensive steel is very expensive these days. Want to get to the root of the problem go this direction.
Hey, appreciate the perspective and wisdom from your profession.Most all I'm getting is extremely helpful and I am very grateful, thanks.
Great video
Thanks Allen. Appreciate you, the comment, and the support!
That was truly an awesome video. Thanks for sharing. I learned a lot. 👍
Thanks James. Appreciate it. Hope something was found that you can use.
I'm just learning so if I'm wrong forgive me. But I'd say, be careful dropping logs on them.
Hey, anyone who says they are not learning or either disillusioned or lying. Sawmilling keeps us all humble. And yes, great advice. I've dropped a few accidentally and fortunately all AOK, but we ain't dealing with tempered steel here and it's probably certain enough impact and bad things can happen. ESPECIALLY, in my opinion, if you are on a trailer, with the jack stands. Appreciate your commenting and your support.
You got it brother we on the same page 💪❤️🙏
Thanks Daniel. If you check out my recent vids I have not had to do anything since dialing it in. I've checked it a couple of times and still pretty close to perfect. Thanks for commenting and would appreciate it if you would continue to support my efforts @sawdustandsweat.nc
@@SawdustandSweatNCyes sir soon as I seen NC I had to subscribe so I’ll be checking on ya
Thanks. You must be a bit more down East from the Piedmont. Take care, and welcome aboard!
@@SawdustandSweatNC bout a hour from Myrtle Beach
@danielmoore7039 Roger That
Get yourself some MICROMETERS and or CALIPERS and check and make sure your bunks and everything else is the same size where it's supposed to be. The quality of products some manufacturers are turning out may not be as good as they claim.
Thanks for the advice. And yes, I agree.
I have used beer cans for shims
Wow! You gettin' real tight on your tolerances there friend. Hey, thanks for commenting and your support! Appreciate it.
i hope it worked for you
@@cabotbluegill Absolutely. Thanks.
I need a frog hair getter!
Gotcha! Thanks for the comment and support.
@@SawdustandSweatNC love the channel
Check your blade tightening
Thanks for the suggestion. However, blade issues, in my humble opinion, usually result in wavy cuts. My issue was out of square cants. Blade not running parallel to the rails and then the bunks not parallel with thr rails, as described in the video was my issue. But yes, as you allude to, blade tension is super important. Thanks
Thanks for your time and sweat 👍
@mikemraz8569 Thanks Mike. I appreciate you appreciate these things.
Just my opinion but a shim the total width of the cross bunk would be better than a washer!
It didn't show in the video but I actually did put washers on both sides. Very observant point.
You should have bought a cook's sawmill and you would not be having all problems 😮😮😮😮😮 God Bless Y'all and have a great day
Thanks Gene. I know I made a couple of videos about the bed. But, all in all, I think perhaps my issues may be more on the operator than the machine. You know or can imagine, having 50 plus years of joinery, whether it be in framing or furniture, one gets pretty acclimated to precision. Just transitioning to accepting wider tolerances I think is a process that is going to take me a little time to get accustomed to don't you guess? I don't know, I made what I thought was the best decision at the time. Thanks for the opinion and thought.
Should have gotten a woodmizer
Pat, I would have loved to have been in position to get a Woodmizer. Maybe someday. The budget just would not permit it. Yet, I continue to dream big. Thank you for your comment and hopefully continued support.
Buy a 4 post mill that's not made in China
Appreciate the comment.
The rest are relieving, you are using crap blades
Tim my friend, it appears you did not take the time to watch the video.
Would you not agree, you may have the best blades in the world but if the situations as described in this video are not correct a person will not be having much success. Thanks for commenting.
And then you put a heavy big oak log on there, maybe clamp it down a bit too hard and everything is whacked out of plum because the entire frame will twist and woodland mills is garbage. Trust me, I've had the exact same mill for 4 years. I've had to place supports all along the frame because it's too thin and flexes too much with large logs on there. It also will flex in the frame where your log clamps are installed if you clamp too hard. DO NOT BUY THIS JUNK GARBAGE.
Thanks for the input. As you can see, I already have the unit. So far, it has served me well. The trailer appears to be of heavier material. I've had a 28" pine on it and so far so good. I do have some huge oaks and Ash on the yard I will be milling in the coming days. I will be sharing my honest assessment. Thanks again for sharing your experience.
The biggest issue is you clowns don't understand is once you drop a thousand pounds log on the deck to saw the mill is out of level you need much better base under supports my brother and I built a drive able mill in the seventies were sawing commercially constant issue
Excellent video. I made the same video last year using the string. It's the best method I use. I also often do it after I put on a big log. I'm not on a foundation yet. Nice explanation.
Thank you for your input into the conversation.
Thank you for the comment. Hope you will consider subscribing and supporting the channel.
@@SawdustandSweatNC I just did. Thank you
@BigelowWoodcraft Thanks Bigelow, welcome aboard!
One determined old fart. Keep at it sir 🫡. Mine is cutting good but I know I have a bunk or 2 that needs to be shimmed also after watching this vid. Tks for sharing and happy sawing. 💪🏻
Thanks Pete! And happy sawing to you.