Sawmill School - Log Handling & Log Loading Tips & Tricks

[@splenda89]

We just got our first sawmill and have been scratching our heads a bit and cursing a lot when trying to maneuver our first large log around. Been watching and reading your articles for years Dave and I can’t thank you enough for sharing your knowledge. This video was exactly what I needed to see and I should have watched it yesterday! I knew as soon as we were struggling to turn the log on the tracks that I needed to find one of your KZbin videos and lo and behold this is exactly what I needed. From a fellow Missourian and lumber lover, thank you a million times.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks for watching, and for the comment. Glad you found the video useful. I generally tell people you just have to be smarter than the log... not always the case with me, but I'm still learning. I'm about 20 miles south of Joplin. Drop me a line if your in the area.

[@russwilkins1622]

​@@daveboyt6810 nice job DAVE, GLAD you are still making saw dust. I am sure that you are smarter than any log you have come across.

[@daveboyt6810]

@@russwilkins1622 Thanks, Russ, good to hear from you! I'm still learning.

[@waykreid]

There aren't enough Bob Rosses in the world. Thank you, Dave, for being one of them. Wise, calm, and steady are just what we need.

[@daveboyt6810]

Coming from you, that's a real compliment (I get more comparisons to Red Green). I enjoyed your videos, especially "Life Unmeasured". Looks like we have much in common.

[@denverrenfro2933]

The Bob Ross comment was spot on. Your concise, straightforward way of explaining things is just what is needed! Another great video

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks, Denver. Seems I get compared to Red Green more often.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks! I like Bob's steady, calm approach. At least if he'd dropped a paint brush on his foot, he probably wouldn't be saying things that had to be edited out-- not so with a log!

[@peteraulbury1100]

Thanks for the video, Dave. I have an 8/27 Lucas swing blade mill down here in NSW Australia. Our hardwoods are mainly gum trees, eucalypts. I have the slabbing attachment too. I just cut timber for a hobby and a bit of my own building projects. Your video was just plain common sense, which ain't so common nowadays. I'm 70 next birthday and still enjoy making sawdust. I think it keeps me fit. When it's hot down here in summer (now) the temp can get easily in the 30's to near 40 degrees centigrade. That's when fatigue takes it's toll on me, and I can get a bit tired. Can't wait until the cool weather in May, June, July. That's when I like milling best. Cheers from downunder, Peter

[@daveboyt6810]

Hi, Peter, thanks for the comment. Those swing mills are fascinating. I like the idea of having the log in one place and just taking it apart one board at a time, especially on the big ones. As I understand it, gum & eucalypts can be pretty tough to cut. Yeh, when the temp hits 40, it's a good time to find something else to do. Weather here has been crazy. Just glad I don't live on the west coast with all the flooding. I just watched your "No Flat Tyres" video. Nicely done, brings back memories of cycling across Europe back in '76.

[@TheRealGunGuyTV]

Outstanding. God bless you, sir. I learned so much from you.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks for watching. I'm still learning, too!

[@GTDwithMatt]

People who teach are the greatest people! Thank you, from Rhode Island 🇺🇸👍

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks, Matt. I did teach 8th grade Industrial Arts in my younger days. I hear Rhode Island is getting hammered pretty hard by the polar vortex. Hope you're staying warm (-15 here, as I write this!).

[@corneliusmcgillicuddy2522]

You are a great teacher. Thank you. Paying attention to you today will hopefully help me keep my hands and toes and legs in one piece. No board is worth an injury and your experience and common sense are invaluable resources. Thank you.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks for the comment. Common sense seems to be in short supply, these days! Best to get info from several sources & sort out what works for you. I definitely agree about keeping all your original parts intact. I think the biggest mistake people make is to focus on not getting cut, and not notice the other ways a person can get hurt. Hope you & your sawmill have many good days ahead making sawdust.

[@billcoats3985]

Always enjoy your videos. Another Missouri boy here. You’re helping us make a decision for a mill. Norwood is at the very top of the list

[@daveboyt6810]

Which mill are you looking at, and how do you plan to use it? Drop me a line, if you're ever down this way (20 miles south of Joplin). I'm in the Neosho phone book.

[@lloydr.6271]

Many thanks for the video. My wife and I have been struggling to turn logs and to get them up the ramp. But with your help we have improved and refined our technique . We were close but fell short on the finer details you covered which has made all the difference. Can't thank you enough. Take care and safe milling. From Wales, UK.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks for letting me know... that just makes my day! You're right. It's the little things. A sawyer from Sweden showed me the trick about turning logs, and I'm just passing it on. Keep in touch, if you want to, and let me know hou you're getting on.

[@spiff1003]

That is a businessman right there! When you are buying a log, it is a defect. When you're selling it, it is character. :) Now, he's got the attitude to make money. I'm not wired that way, unfortunately.! :D

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks for the comment. Actually, I'm not a great businessman, but I love what I'm doing!

[@chaplainand1]

Thank you. As I continue to watch your videos, I am becoming more convinced that this setup could produce the kind of secondary income my family is seeking. I am a woodworker, so, as I watch these gorgeous slabs emerge from the saw, I can visualize how they might be used to provide beautiful furniture etc. to homeowners in our area. Blessings to you - especially for demonstrating that neither age nor lack of powered equipment are impediments to making an honest living.

[@daveboyt6810]

I have several woodworking friends who bought sawmills. They put aside the very best material for their own projects, and make an income selling the rest. It gives you access to unusual species that normally get overlooked. My advice: make friends with owners of tree services-- they're a great source for logs, some of 'em for free.

[@danielf996451]

Thank you very much

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks for watching, and for leaving the comment!

[@jimmymike1881]

Great video sir. I use a manual LT28 Woodmizer mill with log handling. Have been milling for a few years. You provided lots of great tips....many lessons I learned the hard way. I have a Norwood Skid winch by the way. Great tool...nearly always hooked up to my tractor. Have used it to parbuckle logs onto my mill with great control via the capstan. Your comment about unlocking the beauty of wood that would otherwise be destroyed is what it is all about. Thank you.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks for the comment! Maybe one of these days I'll get a skid winch. I really like the smooth control with the capstan. Keep making sawdust, and stay safe.

[@dougrussell5084]

Hey man, love and appreciate your videos. Thanks for doing them. They help a lot.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks for the comment, glad they help. There should be more posted soon. Which sawmill are you working with?

[@dougrussell5084]

@@daveboyt6810 Hi Dave, Took the plunge on the HD38! :) Currently attempting to assemble the sawhead and carriage assembly. Missing a few parts however. They are on the way. Looking forward to sawing soon. Thanks again for your insight. Very helpful

[@daveboyt6810]

@@dougrussell5084 Congratulations on your mill! Just take your time and you'll have a great sawmill. I hope the series on assembling the mill are helpful! By all means, let me know if you have any questions. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2ipYoaNrtNnpKM kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWebdGtvjrOCp68 kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYSwnmCGi7aqqtU

[@dougrussell5084]

@@daveboyt6810 Thanks Dave. I am in process of installing the hydraulics. Took a break, rechecked the bunks squareness to the rails and to my surprise most bunks are off only on the operators side by 1/8" - 1/4"! Thinking I should stop and go back and square it back up?

[@daveboyt6810]

@@dougrussell5084 If it were my mill, the only concern would be is whether the carriage rolls smoothly down the track with no catches or dragging. IF it rolls easily from end to end, then I wouldn't worry about it. You're going to knock it a little out of square by loading logs and milling anyway. That said, it wouldn't hurt to give all the track and crossbunk bolts a final tightening down with an impact driver.

[@josephmartin8160]

Thank you sir for all your wisdom and knowledge about sawmilling. God bless.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks for watching and for leaving the comment!

[@texasyankee1013]

How refreshing to see you share your knowledge to the younger folks out there. Most need a computer to figure things out but the computer can't provide common sense and lessons learned while growing up on the farm or in the woods. How do you like that mill? I was noticing the galvanized frame on the mill, smart of Norwood.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks. I know what you mean about younger folks. I tried to show my son how to adjust the ignition on his car, but it was pointless! I like the Norwood mill fine. A little small for some of the bigger logs (anything over 3' diameter), but there's always a way to slice them up. It incorporates a lot of "little" things that make the mill easier to use, and it is the most adaptable to some of the oddball logs I cut, since the clamps can be moved anywhere along the track, and the log stops can slide on crossbars. Overall, a solid mill, and if something were to happen to it, I'd get another one just like it.

[@howardkettner]

Great point on spiking the peavey in where you want end of log. I’m always off on my placement. But in future, thanks to you, I’ll be right on the mark. Thanks!

[@daveboyt6810]

Glad you found it helpful. Lots of little things like that. Want to enter in a peavey chucking competition?

[@howardkettner]

Sooo good Dave. Been moving the sawmill lately. And more. Will connect in more detail including some deeper questions. Here’s to your continued goo health, humour and happiness.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks, Howard, good to hear from you. Hope life is treating you well, my friend.

[@brenchuckswood3826]

Nicely done. Enjoy learning new tricks.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks! I enjoyed your video on loading logs & hauling logs, too. Stay safe & enjoy the journey.

[@bryansaunter4124]

I have learned a lot, it definitely will go well with what I have in place. I use a log, firewood, standing on end drop can’t hook in it, has to be soft wood. Always where I leave it. Thank you for your helpful hints an tips

[@daveboyt6810]

Good idea. Thanks for watching and for the comment.

[@davidmarrow8698]

I wish this video would have been around when I got my mill 41/2 years ago lol. I learned a lot of this the hard way, but fortunately not from the downhill side of the log. Great video and spot on for log handling - I have also found that a few pieces of 2” pipe a couple of feet long can be very useful to slide logs around on or use for rollers. Ancient Egyptians were not total idiots lol.

[@daveboyt6810]

Yeh, but they also had a few thousand slaves to provide the muscle, too. Ya use what ya got! Hope you continue to learn and stay out from under the logs!

[@royramey5659]

I have a Woodmizer and i'm going to use your wench on a pole for turning. It's great to share ideals , always more to learn from each other. I've ran a Norwood and found it to be a great mill.

[@daveboyt6810]

The turning winch helps a lot. I've gone the next step and replaced the hand crank winch with a remote control 12V electric winch, and it works better for me. Thanks for commenting, and keep making sawdust!

[@jbbrown7907]

Very good

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks, JB. Got your mill ordered yet?

[@Logjam5]

Tricks of the trade..good Dave.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks. "Log Jam" certainly describes my situation, on many levels.

[@Alvin-n5g]

Gonna try to make a homade mill can't afford to buy one. Alwayse wanted one

[@daveboyt6810]

There are a few plans out there. Might keep your eyes open for a used mill. They do come up now and again.

[@PhouMalongSF]

Great job.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks. And thank you for watching.

[@jeffmosher433]

Thanks for the demonstration! Great tips!

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks, Jeff. Main things are common sense and an awareness of how the log can hurt you! Stay safe (and warm).

[@paulfranklin5855]

Thanks for that video I learned a lot. I wish I had seen it a year ago.It would have made my work on the sawmill much easier and safer.

[@daveboyt6810]

Hope you are still running the mill & staying safe! It is a long learning process. Someone said that "life tests us first, then teaches the lesson". Trick is to be smart (and, in some cases, lucky) enough to survive the test.

[@mikah4051]

Excellent instruction.

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks for the kind words... and thank you for watching the video.

[@michaeldow7222]

Dave, Really enjoy your videos. mike

[@richardwhitfield6202]

Enjoyed the video - I'm looking at getting a mill - your videos are the best i have found thus far !

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks, Richard. You'll love running a sawmill. Let me know if you have any specific questions about sawmilling.

[@Alvin-n5g]

6:45am Sunday oct midway I can learn from u

[@chriscunicelli7070]

Thank you, very cool

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks for watching!

[@rogerredden1079]

I watched a loaded log roll back and off the mill...Can we make a device that is spring loaded to go down while the log is rolled on ; remains up should the log does roll back to keep the operation safe.....thanks...

[@daveboyt6810]

Some log decks have something like that so that just one log at a time rolls onto the mill. I do like the idea of using something like that and It would have helped this time around, BUT it wouldn't be a substitute for common sense caution. The one time you depend on it, a piece of bark jams it, and you've got a log on top of you.

[@robertcochran3415]

Great tips. Thank you!!!

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks, Robert. Are you a sawyer or woodworker?

[@stetreault911]

Great stuff teach me more

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks for watching. Norwood has a number of videos, and I'm working on more... always open to suggestions!

[@d.marshall3073]

Great tips & tricks!

[@daveboyt6810]

Hope they help... just be careful.. a ton of log can move pretty quick!

[@profdave2861]

I’m seriously considering buying a mill and I’ve watched many of your videos, so firstly, thank you for all the time and effort to help those of us who have much to learn! Given your experience, do you even wish your mill had the capability to cut deeper, for instance for splitting full logs in half to make a half-log structure? I think the HD 36 has an 8.5” throat (please correct me if I’m wrong) but the new HD38 can cut up to a whopping 14” deep! However, it comes at a steeper price - and the mill looks huge - which is apparently why it’s comes standard with power up/down due to the head weight. Any thoughts you can offer would be greatly appreciated! Thanks from Dave in Ontario, Canada

[@daveboyt6810]

Dave, funny you should ask... yesterday afternoon, I picked up two pallets of HD38!! Norwood has asked me to make an assembly video, so I'll start out with that. It will be a couple of weeks (depending on weather) before I get it put together. You are correct about the 8.5" depth limit (actually, I try to keep it to 8" to keep from dragging shield fasteners on the wood). The new mill will give me a lot more room for quarter sawing. Can't wait to make sawdust with it!

[@daveboyt6810]

Don't miss the end!

[@dennisarvidson3176]

Is it possible to over tension the blade?

[@stevek5988]

Where did you get the grapple on your bucket

[@daveboyt6810]

That grapple is available from Norwood. It has a much more positive grip than logging tongs. You set it once and it stays put.

[@howardkettner]

What’s the name of the grapple manufacturer?

[@NorwoodsawmillsDirect]

Hi Howard Norwood makes those. www.www.norwoodsawmills.com/grapples

[@daveboyt6810]

I've fought with logging tongs for years. This grapple grips and holds the first time.

[@BK-oo1bl]

Never fails think it’s perfect and BOOM gravity proves you wrong 😂

[@daveboyt6810]

Gravity... it's not just a good idea, it's the LAW! I gotta admit, my wife was less than thrilled when she saw that segment of the video.

[@TheZigZiggy]

I'm having a deja vu moment, like I've seen this before .. weird 🤔

[@daveboyt6810]

Sounds like you've moved a few logs around. Stay safe.

[@ABBABEER]

I have not evolved enough,still using the come a long for the biggies.

[@daveboyt6810]

I've done a lot of hand cranking, too. I use a 12V winch on the big stuff now... lots of ways to get 'er done.

[@Richardson501]

I've seen several mills that have a log lift on the tapered end of log. Why would you want to raise a log up on one end to cut it?

[@NorwoodsawmillsDirect]

People raise the skinny end so that the heart of the log is parallel to the bed which produces a different angle of cut into the grain.

[@daveboyt6810]

To add to Norwood's reply, you get better yield from the log by leveling it along the center so that you cut the same amount of taper off of each side of the log. You do need to remember to lower the lift rollers once you get a flat side down on the crossbunks, or you'll wind up with long tapered boards. Ask me how I know!

[@rowal23]

All ya need is a brain and enough muscle to hold it off the ground. Ha this guys great

[@daveboyt6810]

Thanks. It's a quote from the book "Grass Beyond the Mountains". One of my favorites, a non-fiction account of a cattle rancher in British Columbia in the 1930s.

[@ironleatherwood1357]

👍