How to Use the Woodland Mills Sawmill Scales

[@carolemcconnell4651]

I'm a student ,absorbing every video ,I'm learning ,thanks for sharing!!!

[@sawingwithsandy]

I’m always happy to help Carole

[@rickyabbott7236]

Thanks. your videos are so helpful for us beginners. You can only imagine how much aggravation you save us. Keep up the good work.

[@larrymeyers6913]

I just got a ms126 and can't wait to start cutting lumber for a small off grid cabin on my property. Thanks to your videos I'm learning alot and its going to save me from alot of mistakes I would of made

[@sawingwithsandy]

Glad you tuned into the channel Larry. Happy to help

[@johnos4892]

Thanks great explanation. I hope to get my woodland mill going again, next Monday. My older mill only came with the yellow scale.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hope the sawing goes well once you’re up and running John

[@bluethunder1951]

Good show, the only thing I do differently is putting the scale upside down, and get a true reading from the bunk to the blade then set the scale, not the adjustable marker, that way I always know without having to do the math or remember what is left to be milled, but what works for some may not for others.

[@sawingwithsandy]

That’s an interesting idea. I kind of like it

[@bluethunder1951]

Hey, other than looking at numbers upside down, it’s so easy to know whats left on the bunk and how to figure out what boards you can get from the remaining cant.

[@TuckySlim]

That's how I do it too... 👍

[@kknows3512]

I also turn my scale upside down. If you don't calibrate your scale from bunk to blade you end up with an odd thickness of the last board and will have to make an extra cut to get the right thickness. I measure up the desired thickness of the last board and put a pencil mark on the end of the cant. Set the blade so the bottom of the blade kerf is at the pencil mark, then line up your scale and pointer at that setting. Like 2 on the 8/4 or 1 on the 4/4, whatever you want. Then as long as you use that scale rule it's set and no worries. I put a piece of blue tape on the pointer window over the scale I'm NOT using to avoid stupid. When starting a new log, make the top (last) slab cut lined up on one of the same scale marks, then continue as before. You do have to decide ahead of time what thickness dimension boards you want from the log. Happy sawing!

[@tomcrank8701]

Have you ever had any problem sawing the last board to 1 inch? Sometimes the clamp wont hold when trying to get clearance for the saw head.

[@ricklarade3593]

chomping at the bit, to get at my 126 i just bought, lots of logs in the woods cut, just got to get them out, over 200 on the ground, working on a tractor as we speek to haul them out, very informative channel!!

[@alfa_romeo55yush82]

Rick, where are you locted. Im interested in lumber to build a cabin. Have all my specs. I refuse to pay what the box stores want.

[@888timberwolf]

thanks Sandy. this is extremely useful and educational. I've been wondering how to use the scales properly and now I see that they have to be calibrated to each cant every time. Not an obvious method to a newbie but I'm wiser now.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Glad I could help Dean

[@wallacefrey6247]

This was a very cool video for me to watch since this is the first time for me to see the original mill shed. I started following your channel around May of 2021, and this video just popped into my suggested feed by chance, or divine intervention, so I will probably be viewing some of your older content soon.

[@Tradesman1156]

Thanks, not sure why I didn't have that straight in my head, but I believe I will be using the yellow scale from now on too.

[@a_farm_west_of_boring]

Old video, but good. You've come a long way!

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thank you!

[@traveleralice1007]

While this way certainly works, I believe this is not how they intended it. I figured if you measure from the bottom of the cant, i.e. from the log bunk, rather than from the top of the cant, the adjustment needs to be done only once on the day you use it for the first time. Not every single time you start a new cant. This way also ensures your last board is thick enough for the log support and dog to hold it in place easily. I believe their engineers thought along these lines because as you raise the head the numbers on the scale go up, which means you are measuring the distance from the bottom.

[@richvail7551]

Do you turn the ruler upside down or does it matter?

[@traveleralice1007]

@@richvail7551 the ruler stays in the normal position. Once you get your mill and assemble it, it will be obvious.

[@richvail7551]

@@traveleralice1007 k perfect thank you. Your reasoning makes sense and should make less steps in the milling process.

[@MartinAVHache]

Sandy, love your videos. Can you tell me where you got the red line marker for the ruler positions?

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for watching Martin. The red line came with the older 2017 HM130 model actually

[@MartinAVHache]

@@sawingwithsandy Thanks

[@craigjones1115]

Thanks for the video. Just got this same mill and this explains a lot.

[@andylynnpei]

Thanks for this video. I just got my new hm122 delivered to Prince Edward Island. Set it up and did all the checks. Cut 5 spruce logs first time no problem. Just had to idle the engine down after the motor warmed up after the first cut becaus I was then hearing that dingle you talked about in the clutch. Your video on that saved me too, as how would I have known? It took me 3 hrs to cut the 5 logs, as I took my time as I never used a mill before and made good cuts with little waste. But this video really helped me to know how to make my cuts. Thanks. Could you do a video on if one should cut 2x6 2x4 etc to store bought dimensions and how much to leave for drying. Do you recommend doing that for selling? As some city folks here building a shed etc. turn their nose up at lumber not the size they are used to.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Thanks for watching Andy. You sure do live in a nice province. I’ll see about talking about drying time in future videos. Take care and happy sawing

[@stevejohnson1313]

Could you send me link of your first scale video. This one was great, thanks.

[@knkknk9971]

I just finished putting together my new mill. Never used one and I was just looking at the measurements. I like the red line you have on yours, where did you get that? Mine isn’t like that and I was thinking it was hard to see the measurements it is pointing to. Would like to order that red line one.

[@bills1669]

Hey, Sandy. Just watching some of your videos. I use the white scale on my HM126. As you said it is all a matter of preference. Because I have used the white scale for the past 10 years that is the one I am used to. I like milling true to dimension. Besides ...my lumber doesn't sit around long enough to shrink. 🤣 I'm not good with math so for me simple is better. Thanks for explaining it all out. Incidentally, I made a similar scale indicator as yours from plexiglass about 8 years ago. Works great. Woodland Mills has finally caught up to us and are sending out new scale indicators. 😄😄😄😄😄😄

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hey Bill! I'm just like you. Lumber sure doesn't sit around too much to shrink haha. I appreciate you watching

[@PatrickSmith1-cr6nl]

Do you have any of the new woodland mills scales? And if so could you explain a little on them. Thank you

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hi Patrick. I don't have any up the recent versions of the scale

[@johnlangham877]

Hi Sandy, great video, thank you. Where did you get the scale line pointer on your mill?

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hi John! Thanks for coming along for the video. In my recent video involving loading the sawmill with my log loader trailer I've got a link to the new scale pointer in the video description. Hope that helps and thanks for watching

[@FlomatonFamous]

Thank you for posting this

[@Leadfarmer2010]

Did that scale indicator come with your mill? If not where did you find it? I’m not liking the one that came with my 130max.

[@joev467]

Great explanation...thanks a lot!

[@AndrewBrowner]

so if you want to cut boards that come off the mill green in box store dimensions, 1.5" 3.5" 5.5" ect, the best way to achieve that is to use the left hand side on the yellow scale that is true dimensions accounting for no shrinkage or blade kerf, but then add 1/16" to every cut manually?

[@philipjoron9626]

thanks for info woodland should have a video like this for info , I would like to cut a 2 inch board exactly so where would i set it up to

[@M5tworude]

Thanks Sandy. By the way, I just took the magnetic scale off my panel, as you store yours, and the paint has bubbled underneath. The only young I don't like about my HM130 is the scale, it always vibrates loose.

[@sawingwithsandy]

That’s really too bad about the paint. Sorry to hear that

[@bard44]

Very Informative! Appreciated the information. One question: How do you cope with either scale when cutting true dimensional lumber? ie: 2x4, 2x6. 2x8, etc. which are 1 3/4 x 3 3/4 etc.

[@sawingwithsandy]

I typically just use the yellow scale and as long as I follow the scale that accounts for the kerf of the blade the dimensions end up being true

[@bard44]

@@sawingwithsandy OK Thanks - I said 1 3/4 x 3 3/4. Actually, I should have said 1 1/2 x 3 1/2

[@boatmaninc]

Thanks for the walkthough. I have a 130Max and am still making sense of the scales. I would like to figure out the simplest way to cut 1.5" boards that are a little thicker than 1.5" to account for dressing and drying? Can I still use the 4/4 yellow scale? Thanks

[@g.m.fallon3135]

I have the trailer model 130...so the bunks are 30" off the ground. That makes the scales extremely difficult to both calibrate and read when lowering for the next cut so I use the number of revolutions of the adjustment wheel to get my thickness of cut. That and the blade guides are the failings of the Woodland Mill. I hope they design a better setup that will retro fit on the older 130s. SAW ON BOSS have FUN! 👍🌲

[@johnnylee9919]

Hey Sandy, I am in the Near North area of Ontario. We have a hm130max and 100 acres of mixed forest. My question is do you use the fir you mill for your structural beams on your projects? Thanks!

[@sawingwithsandy]

Hey Johnny! Just saw this comment. I think I mentioned using firs on the other video you commented on but glad you found this video as well. All the best and happy sawing

[@laurieslade9344]

So I want to make 1 inch boards, exactly 1 inch when it comes off the mill, what scale do I use. I'm confused. Having a hard time with this!

[@sawingwithsandy]

I always use the left side of the yellow scale. It's a "true" dimension scale. Bascially whatever that measurement is, is the measurement from the bed of the sawmill (where the logs sits) to the blade. If I want to cut a 6" wide board out of a log. My first cut could be set on the 8" mark and then my next cut when I flip the log over would be set on 2" mark. This 8"-2" gives me the 6" thickness I want. Hope that helps.

[@laurieslade9344]

Sawing with Sandy If I want to cut 1 inch exactly thickness boards. How do I achieve that ( what scale should I use)

[@cancelchannel3394]

What size blades are you running on your 2022 woodland mills HM130MAX?

[@stephenwalters-bb3io]

i just ajust the height with the crank 4 turns or 7 turns .... but always same hole in the crank, but grate vid. thanks

[@sawingwithsandy]

Can't go wrong with that method. Would do the trick for sure

[@Plankmills]

I definitely liked the scales on my Norwood sawmill a lot better. I recently started using a friends Woodland mill and I don’t like the scale. I use my tape measure to get accurate cuts.

[@Tat2Power]

Yes!! Thank you I’ve been waiting for this. I’ll have to see if I can find the other video. ⚡️🙌🏻

[@sawingwithsandy]

Anytime. Thanks for watching

[@cancelchannel3394]

Are you running 1-1/4"X 0.042 or 1-1/2"X 0.055 blades

[@rockingwalker9786]

I have my mill level on both sides and the bed is flat and level and my blade is level .why when I cut boards or 4x4s its square on two sides and not on two or my boards are just over an inch on one side and just under on the other ?

[@sawingwithsandy]

My only guess is the blade could be sharpened.

[@jasonhale778]

I do agree it's a one time setting not every cant

[@dwightjacobs6067]

Thanks

[@kennkid9912]

So to get a 7/8 board from the mill....So to get 7/8 you set at 3/4?

[@sawingwithsandy]

I just set it to 7/8" as the scale accounts for blade kerf

[@kennkid9912]

On the yellow scale? Then the next cut is set at 1 3/4? Dont u think the dogs on the woodland need improving? And more of them?

[@Graywolf-f1o]

Where is the compensation for the blade cut thickness

[@sawingwithsandy]

I can't remember which side of the scale takes into consideration but one of them does

[@RoughAndWretchedRAW]

Big difference is the dimension you are actually cutting. For instance: any dimensional you are cutting that isn't whole or 1/2 inches you'll have to use the white scale if you want the blade and some shrinkage taken into the measurement. For instance you are cutting 1" boards so you can just use the right side of the yellow scale. Same if you cut 1/2 inch. But traditionally most wall boards on old construction aren't 1" they are 3/4" the right side of the yellow scale does not have a 3/4" mark. as such you'd have to use the left side of the white scale for quarter inch dimensional with blade kerf and shrinkage taken into consideration. SO put simply the yellow scale show true measurement on the left and kerf shrinkage finishing consideration on the right down to 1/2" resolution. The white scale has resolution down to 1/4 inch but only has kerf and 1/16 oversize so doesn't have much if any finishing consideration.

[@joemommone3619]

Understand scales set bland on can't adjust scale to board size then proceed cutting boards

[@pepperman9]

I cut both scales down the middle, I use the 4/4 of the yellow and the inch of the white because in my opinion - the other scales are total garbage.

[@sawingwithsandy]

Good idea. Whatever works is always best in my books

[@Tradesman1156]

How come you Canucks are using inches? I thought you used MMs aye?

[@sawingwithsandy]

We use both 😉 . Mostly use imperial for measurements dealing with the lumber dimensions

[@bartman59laj55]

That’s just something our moron government forced on us, inches and feet are what we actually use

[@6string327]

I'm lost

[@busterulmer7092]

Being deaf, I didn’t get anything out of this video without close captions. Hoping for better next time. WELL I CAME BACK TO FINISH THE VIDEO AND LO & BEHOLD CAPTIONS! THANK YOU!

[@sawingwithsandy]

That’s great Buster. I appreciate your patience.