White Oak milling project Update 7/1/11

We only rolled the log so that we could work on a narrower edge for saw clearance. It also gave me a square edge to work with later.
I have read about getting the logs on an incline to make it easier. An incline wouldn't have helped us much yesterday. With our chain fouling issues, it was slow going even with both of us pushing the mill. I am actually a little sore fro, pushing it all day.

I found them with a Google search about 3 years ago. I don't remember the name of the place. They were around $20 each, I think. Sorry I couldn't help you out better.

I think this is where I got the flaps.
http://www.autotrucktoys.com/ford_t...d-Tough-Splash-Guards-Dually-P15226C4426.aspx

Works for me I can stack and do the set up...

I've heard they hurt worse than having a baby. Just remember, this too will pass. ;-P

See how he is pushing that monster saw think of that monster saw going down hill just less pushing and you can tell there is issue with the chain....My set up has a chain sharpening station just a few feet away....lol and 3 brand new chains....Not saying anything bad he done a nice job just work to hard for it.

Let me know a time I will be there, if its not raining.

lol no the engine not going to pick up rpm's but the operator sure going to fill better.....If the chains are right the push down the hill will be slight and your saw will run cooler as well. I am also running a aux oiler as well and chains at 10 degrees. This kid know hes way around a log no dought just maybe a little light in the # of chains.

lol your not the first one to say that. Inculding my self I step on a whole piece of coal for about 3sec's saturday before I could fill it and the blister got bigger than a golf ball.....Normally I would have flip that heat off my foot with no damage.

If you are going to try and wait for that oak to dry out a bit you are talking years. Even smaller rounds end up wet in the middle after 2 years. You may just have to suck it up and keep on working the way you were. Maybe just invest in a few chains and a sharpener and change it out eveery pass or two.

They are on backorder but I found a coupon code for free shipping (FSFDAY) online and placed an order.
Thanks much!

Both chains were plenty sharp. He could cross cut the 30" round in no time. After about 5 feet of milling the chains would be completely caked with brown resin. We could clean the chain with a quick cross cut, only to have it get all crapped up again after a few more feet of milling. I know that Oak logs will dry very slowly, but these were supporting leaves only about 24 hours before we started. I think the 1/2 way done one will loose some moisture in a few weeks because it is ripped open to the heart wood. The others could very well take years. We'll see how much patience I have and if they become firewood. The wood will dry much faster stacked and split.

JeffRey30747,
Glad you found them. What year is your F350?

I saw a milling operation where they used water on the chain. I wonder if it prevented the buildup of resin.

No its for cooling the chain and bar. I have the aux oiler on mine and some do use water. I am going to run veggie oil to start with but will change to water if the expense gets to high.

It sounds a lot easier to have someone with a band saw mill cut it up. I had a guy quarter saw 2 big white oak logs like yours into 4 quarter boards and kiln dry it for $120.00 I got 400 board feet out of it.

That is a bargain, but not much of an adventure. I wanted to do this because it is part of the restoration of my old truck. I figure it will be cool to say that the bed is decked by lumber that I cut, dragged out of the woods, milled, and installed myself. If I wanted more lumber like this, I would go the way woodmaster did.
The hardest part of this project is how darn heavy the logs are. Pretty hard to manage without heavy equipment or MANY people. I have neither.

+1 and band mills can not do the larger logs normally no larger than 24in.

That would be very cool IMO. Hope your adventure moves onward.;-)

That's true only for the smallest ones. All of the wood pictured here (and another 50 ton not visible in the photo) is white oak that was cut by a volunteer on the Onrust shipbuilding project a few years ago. Some of these logs were gargantuan in size. He used his mid-size Wood Miser. The ship frame my wife is sitting on had a huge sweep that all had to pass between the guides.






Here's a closeup shot to give some idea of the size of these frames.




This ship took three years to build and involved one master builder (my friend Howie Mittleman) and a few hundred volunteers. Toward the end, they had to toss several tons of first rate white oak because it got riddled with massive checks from sitting out in the weather. So Flatbed, don't wait too long or you may lose those logs. Get out your planking (plus 30% or so) and get it stickered, then chop the rest up to keep you warm a few years from now.

Thats Awesome! I am looking to get the big wide slabs my mill can do 36in. one slab dinnering room table will be my first project and like flatbed I need to redo my trailer. I also have a kiln so hope I can keep the warping to a min.

I know you need a special chain for this, but I'm still surprised the dust is not more noodley. Cool pics- thanks for sharing!

noddley is a differnt cut is more an angle to the log if you hit that log dead center when trying to noddle it will be a harder cut and the dust will be fine. (some can mill free hand pretty well)

A rep at Bailey's told be that the ripping chain isn't really much faster, just makes a cleaner cut. Seems several regular chains all sharpened and ready to go may do the trick, then run the rough stuff through the thickness planer once it's dry (in about a year or two).