Milling A Friends White Pine

[Drilling Man]

  Some time ago, a friend of mine had some straight line winds at her place.  Because of the wind, she had to take a couple of her white pines down.  One didn't have much for logs and ended up being "bon fire" wood, but the other one had two decent logs in it.  Anyway, she asked me if i'd take them and see that something was "built out of them", as those pines ment something to her husband who passed away a couple years ago.  Her husband was one of the two best friends i've had, so it was worth the long tractor ride for that reason alone.
 
  So, i drove my tractor, with running gear behind, the 11 miles to her house to get them,
 

 
  After milling a few logs that were by the mill, i loaded the "better" of the two white pines onto the mill bunks,
 

 
  I decided to make 2x12's out of the 14' log, as i told her i'd use the lumber "mostly" for a building here on my farm.  So, i started sawing, first taking the slab off, and then a couple nice wide flitches, and turned the log.
 

 
  With the log turned, i took off another slab,
 

 
  And a couple more 1-5/8" thick "flitches", leaving the log 12" wide to make 2x12's...
 

 
  So, i turned the log 90* and got started,
 

 
  Then, with the last slab off, i started taking off 2x12's until,
 

 
  i hit a pocket of carpenter ants!
 

 
  So i flip the cant 180*, and start making "straight as an arrow" cuts,
 

 
  Flat as the face of the level i set on the cant,
 

 
  Cut after cut after cut, even when i leave the 2x12's on top, as i keep cutting,
 

 
  Some cuts as thin as a quarter,
 

 
  More than 14 inches wide, the full length of the log!  (my scroll saw buddy loves these this pieces!)
 

 
  Untill i had the log all milled, and a nice pile of lumber for my efforts! (the wide lumber on the left)  You can also see i now have the "second" log on the mill, ready to be turned into more lumber for my project!
 

 
  Well, that's it for this time,

  DM

[hillbill]

very nice post, keep takeing pics and posting please.my dream is to build my next house entirely out of lumber ive logged and sawed myself.im saveing for a decent dozer now to clear where i want to build, then the next purchase will be a bandsaw mill to cut the lumber.ive already got a backhoe with forks so handleing the logs wont be a prob.yur mill looks deceptively simple, do yu turn the logs by hand? how much lumber did yu have to saw before yu could turn out really good true boards?ill be useing mostly oak, sycamore and walnut.we dont have the luxury of pine where i live.how does your mill do on the harder woods like red and post oak?

[torpedoman]

 You should make the lady something nice with some of the wood.

[Drilling Man]

very nice post, keep takeing pics and posting please.my dream is to build my next house entirely out of lumber ive logged and sawed myself.im saveing for a decent dozer now to clear where i want to build, then the next purchase will be a bandsaw mill to cut the lumber.ive already got a backhoe with forks so handleing the logs wont be a prob.yur mill looks deceptively simple, do yu turn the logs by hand? how much lumber did yu have to saw before yu could turn out really good true boards?ill be useing mostly oak, sycamore and walnut.we dont have the luxury of pine where i live.how does your mill do on the harder woods like red and post oak?

  I've done some land clearing (i have a dozer) and the best tool for stumps ect. is a hydraulic excavator with a thumb, so if you have a back hoe/loader, you already have the tool you need.  Unless it's one of those little ones.  Anyway, i learned long ago, it's almost always cheaper in the long run to hire the work done, rather than invest in a machine to do the work yourself...

  As for milling logs, pict. 3 shows how i turn the bigger logs, it's a cable winch log turner...

  Getting accurate cuts is not only a function of a decent mill, but even more than that, it's the quality and maintance of the bands you use.  I set and sharpen my own bands, so i can control that, and also, if you do much milling it's cheaper to do your own band maintance.

  My Norwood Lumbermate 2000 is becoming a classic for it's simple design and quality, at a lower price than some of the other brands.  Norwood has just introduced a new model, and it looks to be a step up from my model, it's called the MX34.  You can google Norwoodindustries to see one.

  I have no problems at all sawing oak or other hardwoods, it's just a matter of using good sharp bands and not letting them get too dull before you change them out.

  BTW, i already did make some things for that lady...

  DM

[Zulu]

Drilling Man,
You amaze me!  This is so cool!  The only way I have to get lumber is go to the lumber yard and pay out the a**.
Thanks for posting the pictures.  I enjoyed them.
Zulu

[charles p]

Any building codes where you are?  Some places require kill dried and faced lumber.  Friend in eastern NC ran into that on an addition he built in the 70's.