Improving the Woodland Mills HM122 - Part 1: Ruler and Pointer

In part 1 of a series, I improve the ruler scales on my Woodland Mills HM122 by using a sharper, more accurate ruler and a clear window-style line pointer. In part 2 (coming next week) we'll install a DRO and compare it to the ruler.
Some links:
Part 2 video (DRO): kzbin.info/www/bejne/raKuZXWqoKeZmqM
Last year's video on sawmill ruler scales:
kzbin.info/www/bejne/h57SloVugK1lfbM
Adhesive rulers from Oregon Rule Co:
oregonrule.com/orc/product-category/polyesterrules/fractional/
This is the specific white vertical 24" ruler I used in the video:
oregonrule.com/orc/product/1-25-wide-18er-easy-reader-18-grads/?attribute_pa_length-fractional=024in&attribute_pa_reading-direction=verticaldown&attribute_pa_color=white
Westcott Magnetic Strip Ruler, 12-Inch, Set of 3 on Amazon:
amzn.to/3RWvAwS

[@lukefisher7618]

After watching your video I checked my yellow scale. It was off 1/4 inch in 20! I also checked the three yellow from Wesdtcott and one was off. Thanks. No wonder I was having sentiency issues.

[@Mike-wn5ru]

I've been in construction for all most 30 yrs and never thought to snap the end of my utility blade off🤦‍♂️ great video!

[@michaelkay9442]

I made one of these this morning for my HM126. What an increase in accuracy and readability! Thank you for such a simple but really great idea!👍👍

[@lukefisher7618]

I made the new pointer. It made a HUGE difference.

[@TheOldManAndTheSaw]

My old TimberKing 1220 mill had the "plastic" magnetic scales and there were off also; I don't remember if over or under. My new Wood-Mizer LT40 has 2 quarter scales; Standard and Hardwood. The Standard scale increments are 1/8" over (4/4 = 1.125") which gives you just over the quarter thickness and the Hardwood scale is 1/4" over (4/4 = 1.250) which gives you just over 1/8" thicker than the quarter thickness. Go figure. Good, precise, video. Dave

[@bobbyg3333]

Awesome! Genius! TFS. As I bounce around on what I'm cutting, I prefer the absolute and noticed it's off (Never Nothing). Definitely doing the plexi viewer! Might be a good idea to drill the hole 1'st?

[@farnorthpicker56]

Great idea, and pretty economical too. Thanks, I’ll do this to my hm122 .

[@lumberjill6598]

Gosh, it's great to know I'm not an idiot! Thought it was just me and my lack of ability to read the tape. Think before I buy a new one, might try just taking a fine point marker and 1/8 marks on the existing one. I see making a plexiglass indicator in my future as well. Thank you for the wonderful video! Take care!✌

[@chr394]

Very good infos. I will upgrade the same way. Thanks.

[@BissellMapleFarm]

This explains so much.... very helpful.

[@mst5632]

It’s pronounced (in the abbreviated form), “D.R.O.” Said just as quickly as “DRO.”Just like on a tractor it is pronounced “P.T.O.” and not “PTO.” Really good video. Very helpful. I’ve ordered the same ruler and will pick up a piece of acrylic. Thank you very much for this and sharing. Stay blessed.

[@albiggers9348]

Excellent video. You did a great job of not only explaining what you did but also the reason for doing it. 

I have wondered about the stock scales allowing for shrinkage and kerf. First, who can determine how much wood is going to shrink when the type of wood varies and amount of drying that has occurred before cutting varies. Second, if you allow for the kerf on a 1” cut, then when you cut 2” instead, you will be allowing for 2 kerf widths, etc. 

I have been contemplating the acrylic pointer for a while. It’s great to know what to make it with and how to do it. I plan to do mine a little different. I will put 2 lines on mine separated by the kerf width (which is neither 1/16” nor 1/8” but somewhere in between.). When I have my square cant cut, the lower line on the pointer will be at the top of the cant. So if I want to cut something of thickness “x” then I move the pointer bottom line down by “x” and lower it a little more until the top line is at “x.” Now I have a depth of “x” plus one kerf width. Another thing I do is always lower the blade beyond what I want and then bring it up to the desired value. This takes care of stretching of the cable since it is always lifting. In machining this is called backlash. Always approach the desired position from the same direction to eliminate it.

 I believe the inaccuracies of sawmills is because their thinking is that the wood, once dried, will be planed to the correct size. So just getting it close is good enough.

[@Lumber_Jack]

The "mill standard" lumber sizes (4/4, 5/4, etc) are all setup to target a particular finished lumber product. For example, 4/4 is sawn on 1-3/16" increments and intended to be dried and dressed to 13/16" boards. That is quite a bit of waste! Most smooth pine boards from a store come this way, and once you factor in the waste, processing, transportation, etc, it's no wonder they are expensive. I am pretty sure mills created these "standards" back in the old days by incorporating a healthy dose of waste in order to account for unknown amounts of shrinkage, planing, sanding, etc. A frugal sawyer could fine tune this a bit more (or just live with rough sawn wood) and probably gain 20-25% more lumber. I think one of the nice things about owning your own sawmill is that you can do whatever you want, and for me that means having my own custom sizes and working directly with the rough sawn lumber (which is not really that rough at all).

[@woodlandwrench]

I rather quickly realized the wooland mills original rulers weren't accurate enough for my use. So I installed a digital scale, which lasted for about a year due to my mill being out in the weather. I had to revert back to the original rulers for a job and it was absolutely miserable. I've ordered a new set of DRO, this time a more expensive and sturdier version. I'll be making a video about it when it arrives. If it works out nicely I'll supply all the details of where to buy it and how to install, should it be of interest to anyone. I'd guesstimate to be posting the video in 4-8 weeks.

[@throngcleaver]

Hi! I'm new to your channel because I'm looking to purchase a Woodland Mills saw, and I have been bingeing your videos. Thought I'd point out that it's not pronounced dro, it's just the letter names, like in USA, FBI and so on. I have DROs on all of my milling machines, lathes, the surface grinder, the back gauges on the shear and the press brake... One of the best inventions for the machining industry, imo. I love that clear panel with the red witness mark you made! A super upgrade, for sure. Gonna go watch part 2 of this video now. Thanks for the great content!

[@Lumber_Jack]

I used to work in a machine shop back in the late 80s -- we called them "ACU-RITE" or (jokingly) "R2-D2" back then. Nobody used "DRO" or "D.R.O." at all ! I think it was almost the same mentality as always calling a milling machine a "Bridgeport".

[@shawnyoung504]

I like the clear window, thanks for all the info. Now let’s get the GoPro and go for a ride in the Ferrari 😮

[@fivepointslawn2275]

Great video , I thought the ruler was off . I’ve just been counting turns . But I’d really like to get Whr I can finish the last board off the mill the same size . I’ll be doing this . Thanks

[@andycobbcobbbroslogging7125]

Being precise with diameter is essential for sawing. I saw the same way cutting dimensional lumber or slabs or pretty much anything. If I have a squared Kant or top of a slab cut, I just do the same thing on all of them. When I return from my first cut , I always lift my wood mizer 15 up a full turn, which is 2 in. Return and let it down the same full turn 2 in. I’m right back where I made the cut. If I’m sawing one inch. I go down 16 or or 1/4 or half turn plus add 2 clicks for Kurf. For 1 1/2 3/4 turn plus 2 for the kurf. Whatever dimension it’s same process. Works fast and dependable and easy. Never use the scale really. AC

[@benoitdesrochers1720]

Is it possible the index marks on the winch induce an error as the cable winds and unwinds (diameter of the coiled wire changes). I really appreciate your videos. Very clear and concise. I'll be going back to the sawmill shed build (calculations). Thank-you very much for sharing.

[@Lumber_Jack]

There is always a single wrap of cable on the drum of the winch (it never overlaps) so it's been very consistent in my experience.

[@justinheck1973]

Nice 308!!

[@shawndavis1759]

thanks man!!!!

[@victormcox]

Numbers mean things!!🤣😂

[@johnhenry8325]

Going to replace mine with a fiber glass yard stick

[@johnmoyer5515]

My scale made so much noise when running I took it off. I just cut some different gauge blocks 4/4, 5/4,6/4& so on

[@65895555]

Since you have had your HM 22 for a while, do you think it is a good fit or would the HM 26 been a better choice. I am looking at both. Do especially have large logs, so not sure what to purchase.

[@Lumber_Jack]

I would have bought a 126/9.5HP if they were available at the time just because I had budgeted for it, but I went with the 122/9.5HP based on availability. In retrospect the 122 has been absolutely fine for my needs. I haven't run into any situations the 122 can't handle so far. Some of that might be due to getting the optional 9.5HP motor (as opposed to the standard 7HP) which bumps the capability of the 122 up a notch towards the stock 126. It's never ever struggled and cuts very well. So I guess I saved myself $600-700 in retrospect. Other than size of the sawhead mouth opening, the main differences between the 122 and 126 are the track construction (126 has larger angle iron rails shared with the 130), different blade height winch/index design, and different bandwheel sizes. Everything else is very similar.

[@65895555]

Thanks for the information and insight. I like the size of the 122, I am going to mount it to my 12 foot utility trailer.

[@donwimberley4772]

Parallax will skew repeatability

[@hughcoutts4020]

Sounds like a design/manufacturing problem. What has Woogland Mills said about it?

[@OregonOldTimer]

The Oregon Rule web site insists minimum order must be $20. I called to ask how to buy a $3.75 item. Clerk said to buy through one of its distributors and rattled off a list. I asked why the $20 minimum. She didn't know. Always been that way. I told her about this video and said there would likely be others trying to buy one. I'll try a Google search.

[@Lumber_Jack]

Amazon has some of their rulers which you can buy in small qtys, but not the ones I wanted. I ended up ordering several vertical rulers from Oregon just so see what would be best, so I blew past the $20 minimum I guess (but then shipping was another $10). Maybe we need to setup a group buy if there is enough interest.

[@OregonOldTimer]

@@Lumber_Jack I found one of the distributors for Oregon Rule, but it didn't have the one you use, the one I wanted. Went to Amazon and bought another brand of sticky-back steel ruler for six bucks with free Prime shipping. Numbers are not vertical, but I can live with that. It'll be here this week. I checked my Woodland Mills rules today. Like you, I found them imprecise.

[@Lumber_Jack]

@@OregonOldTimer You know I haven't checked the other scales they provide (4/4, 1", 2") since I don't use them, but if they are as sloppy as the absolute scale that would not be good!

[@OregonOldTimer]

@@Lumber_Jack I liked the Wood-Mizer standard quarter scale on the Old Man and the Saw's LT-40. Couldn't find it on the Wood-Mizer web site, but found it as a part number in the LT-40 manual. It reads out 4- 5- 6- and 8-quarters. Part number is S11774. I have a video on that. Cutting 4-qtr boards with this scale yields slightly thinner boards than the Woodland Mills yellow quarter scale, for what that's worth. I think there are two different quarter scales out there: Standard and another one.

[@joshpage8464]

Pay no attention to the Ferrari sitting in the background.

[@kennethhanaburgh6877]

I stopped using the scales I just use a ruler and pencil and mark the end where I want my cuts way way easier

[@Lumber_Jack]

Not sure how that is easier than lining up a mark on a scale, especially if you are slicing off a bunch of boards of all the same thickness. The whole point of the scales is making repeatable cuts with no measuring or math necessary. You could also count index points on the hand crank and not need scales or rulers.