Milling 2x4 lumber on the sawmill

Time to fire up the Norwood LM29 again to mill 2x4 lumber for our chicken hoop house. We took our first log from our felled tree from the previous week and put it on the sawmill only to realize it had a bad curve in it. We had to cut it short and fashion an extra guide to be able to secure it on the mill.
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[@haroldbevins393]

On a homestead with lots of good trees, it certainly pays off to have your own mill. It is nice to be able to mill whatever you need instead of having to go pay money for it at a store... Love the series Troy.

[@RedToolHouse]

Thanks, Harold. Yes, If I was buying logs, it would take a lot to justify the expense.

[@hoffmanfamily_homestead2381]

Loved the video thanks Troy!

[@justinrobertson1590]

Great job explaining.👍🏼

[@tomellington-taterroadfarm668]

You sure could use a grapple on that tractor. Makes picking up and placing logs very easy. Cleaning up brush is almost fun with one too

[@RedToolHouse]

I had a company approach me about doing a quick attach conversion on my Kioti as a video series. I would also need to add the wet lines which would make that more of a project.

[@brothertyler]

I felt the "AAHHH CORNER OF THE MILL!!!" In my soul.

[@eddeetz493]

Throw down a tarp to easily bag the sawdust for the chicken run deep bedding over winter. If you feed corn the pigs will turn the compost for you in the spring.

[@abauman7144]

I agree. I jimmied a 5 gallon bucket with some straps at the exhaust and then I dump it in big contractor bags. Makes great bedding in winter too.

[@danwheeler5130]

what I do in the case like this I mill the log as if I cut it off but dont cut it you will get some with bad ends but in the middle you will get full length boards

[@swatisquantum]

I came here to see a real 2”x4”. We only have imitations that are are 1.5x3.5

[@ricdenali4213]

Great video

[@updownandallaround]

Nice video, as usual! Sure wish I had a lumber mill... just might have to look into getting one. They look extremely useful.

[@joemc111]

Chris Spurr I think the Norwood is the one to get.

[@RedToolHouse]

If you have access to logs, they are handy!

[@Zemixify]

They're worth it, you'll get your money back in no time, you can get a good second hand one for between $2,500 to $4,000

[@mikegriffin3437]

Had me worried a couple of times remembering the post at the end of the popular what set to the top of it. Then you took the saw all the way past it. I was almost expecting the blade to run into it. Good one, You fooled me there Troy.

[@RedToolHouse]

I would never do that!!! (Again)

[@hilltopmachineworks2131]

Yeah I cringed for a second my self.

[@vidili68]

Hi there Good job

[@farmalllover8217]

Lmao “this has got good idea written all over it” I started laughing so hard when you said that.

[@RedToolHouse]

We are flush with great ideas around here...

[@aloberdorf4579]

Never even thought a "Common Core Tong Thrower"...possible......LOL !!

[@robertmalis4493]

Hi Troy and Kelly

[@stevencroon]

If you buy an extra log stop/rest to put in between the 2 you have you wont have to use a sacrificial board. I did and can cut down to just over 4 feet, lots of possibilities. Keep on sawing!

[@David-fv7zg]

So this is a few years old now, there were lots of questions regarding shrinkage. How much dod the lumber shrink? Its my understnding that originally cut to 2 x 4 will shrink to 1.5 x 3.5

[@FaithHopeLove77]

Did you ever try the “back to eden” no maintenance garden method in the farm? Looks like with your logging you would have the mulch for it

[@RedToolHouse]

Yes, we use wood chips all the time!

[@FaithHopeLove77]

@@RedToolHouse so cool thinking of getting out of the corporate rate race and getting a small farm.

[@henryarrington3446]

He bud just some FYI for ya. I got my mill put together and was having same problem with the throttle you might be having. Up under the fuel tank there is a nut you can loosen just a little bit to take tension off of throttle. Then I added a little spring on the return and it works like a champ. Keep the videos coming bud.

[@RedToolHouse]

Yeah, the spring that came with the mill isn't strong enough to return the throttle to idle. I will check that out.

[@henryarrington3446]

I took a picture of the nut to loosen but I don’t know how to post it. Lol

[@codyhatton6157]

I’da jumped off that tractor so fast and told him to do it his self so fast it wouldn’t of been funny

[@kingburrito7773]

That looks like an expensive machine

[@CaptMike]

Anyone tried making log stops out of wood?

[@wintryhard]

I have to ask. Isnt the whole reason that construction grade lumber is smaller than the name because of shrinking when drying? So why do you cut it to actual dimentions?

[@peytonthomas9378]

No, they plane and sand it

[@MrVailtown]

You should do a comedian standup.

[@meandnature6452]

i wouldnt call those 2x4´s Maybe 1x3 lol. When they dry they will be even smaller than box stores

[@joemc111]

I liked the part when you super imposed the lines on the log, great information.

[@RedToolHouse]

Thanks! Wish I could do that when I was milling. Too much thinkin' makes my head hurt.

[@01mustang05]

shrinkage? after drying out the 1.5x3.5 will be even smaller right? HOW MUCH BIGGER SHOULD ONE CUT TO ALLOW FOR SHRINKAGE GETTING CLOSE TO BOX STORE? ADDITIONALLY, WOULD ONE CUT TO SIZE AFTER BOARDS DRY OUT BY AT LEAST LOSING HALF MOISTURE CONTENT OR MORE?

[@johanneslaxell6641]

Well, we have used ~5% shrinkage on pine. So to get 2"*4" (50.8*101.4 in metric) we cut ~ 54*107. Sometimes a little over, sometimes a little under but we aim for 2"*4" when it's dry. That is in mm (metric), I think that it's close to some of the quarter-scales?

[@ubetchya78]

Those sacrificial poplar strips could still be used for tons of things, so they're not necessarily wasted. I recall you also do woodworking in your shop, so there's a lot of potential there, too. But I wonder why you can't just get another log dog and put between those 2, so you have the first 2 about 4' apart for those rare instances you might want to mill a shorter piece of log.

[@RedToolHouse]

Yeah, I mentioned that as an option. Probably will invest in one at some point. It isn't a huge expense. The poplar boards will be used as rick boards when I mill the big red oak I have to mill.

[@michaelcardona3678]

Instead of messing up a board for a guide...just use a end peice from the burn pile and a c-clamp ....clamp the peice on the cross frame of the mill...your welcome👍

[@ExploringCabinsandMines]

Why cut the end off ?????? some of the lumber would have been 8 ft now none of it will be.

[@kenjett2434]

Hi Troy good job on decision to cut off the crook but you made a common mistake when deciding how to disect the log. Before slabing decide or calculate what the dimensions of your cant needs to be, in order to get what you need from that particular log. Also the biggest error is not allow your kerf waste of each cut your going to lose about an 8th inch that has to be calculated in. This then will allow you to better maximize each log ans also less cuts. In this demo i counted i believe 3 unnecessary cuts maybe more that could have been saved. That adds up on blade longevity.

[@ExploringCabinsandMines]

Why cut the end off ?????? some of the lumber would have been 8 ft now none of it will be.

[@kenjett2434]

@@ExploringCabinsandMines there is at least a couple good reasons to cut off a crook in a log. True you might get a couple long boards maybe but the extra time spent getting that extra 2 board feet of lumber often will cost more than the extra value you would get out of it. In Troy's case he has access to all the free logs he needs for his own use. He doesn't have to worry about extracting every marketable inch of wood. Time and wear on the mill is more of a concern than a extra board foot of lumber.

[@ExploringCabinsandMines]

it took extra time to get the tractor position the log and cut it a 3rd time, he could have left it alone and just started cutting. think about it.

[@kenjett2434]

@@ExploringCabinsandMines you obviously know very little about milling you just don't start milling a log just Willy nilly however it lands on the mill. Logs are neither straight nor perfect round and have to be properly positioned to get the cuts desired. Plus like I said he has free access to a ample log supply Troy doesn't have to make every cut in a conservative way. Plus he doesn't waste the flitches as he chips a lot of it for mulch and some goes for firewood.

[@ExploringCabinsandMines]

@@kenjett2434 Interesting, what else fo I know or not know ? You're saying it's absolutely impossible to mill a log with a crook in the end ? You're a moron. LMFAO who said willy nilly ? you did.

[@ynotshowme2ur3times]

I would of thought at least every other bunk would have clamps.....or at least moveable ones. I can move mine around and adjust the bunks

[@RedToolHouse]

What brand do you have?

[@ynotshowme2ur3times]

Well......it started as a thomas built but my dad rebuilt and remodeled alot of it and extendaed it to 18ft. And mounted it to a large trailer with top awning and a log deck. But as a thomas built each bunk had its own backstop and clamps.

[@CJ80ish]

I’m in eastern Kentucky… will he buying one of these within the next month… plan to mill enough tulip poplar aka yellow poplar from our 50 acre farm to build a 1900 square foot house… very informative video, thanks.

[@rexhavoc2982]

Good thing she dropped the log stop down cuz your not cutting that far.

[@MKMALM2024]

You should never walk under a bucket or boom very unsafe if that came down and hurt you

[@mvogelmeier1]

Yvo

[@jasonw.1096]

This title should say how not to mill 2x4

[@RedToolHouse]

Amazingly they came out a 2x4 shape. Crazy!

[@goodguy2406]

Liked for the cringe