The secrets to cutting straight lumber on your sawmill

[@DanSulyma]

Another long time sawyer here, very good video no bs just solid advice. No southern pine here but Doug fir causes the same issues.

[@MrRain-hk4zi]

All great points. Well covered. Iv'e owned a Wood-Mizer LT 40 years ago and now an LT 50 and I'm still learning! There is no better teacher than experience and listening to other folks.

[@jimhilton1023]

I've been milling with TK 1220 12yrs. Level bed end to end doesn't matter much. More importantly, the blade has to be the same height off the bed end to end. The most likely spot for error is in the middle, where on mine the front half of the bed bolts to the back half. TK allows adjustment there, and it has to be checked after a big log if, as you caution, the leveling feet are on a compressible base. Also, on blade wander, standard blades aren't made for frozed wood. They get hot, steam, and wander. TK can advise on blades for ice. BTW, wood thaws about as fast as the ground. So if you want to make a cut 4" inside the sunny side of a log, see if a spade will go 4" into sunny ground near the log. If you cut 4" up on the side of the log sitting on the ground, move the log and test the ground where it was setting.

[@MrMrkody100]

Really great video, Thomas. Very much appreciated. When it comes to sharing there’s not a single thing more valuable than well considered experience.

[@MrMrkody100]

Gary Atkinson

[@lynnhutchinson535]

Eric🎉u😮pll😅

[@markbedard4484]

Thanks for the video very detailed.

[@darngoodday5933]

One of your best instruction videos. Concur on use of diesel. Believe the diesel drip works better than anything else, at least on our new TK 2020.

[@TCSawmills]

Thank you. It's convenient since I already run diesel in all my equipment. Also with only a drip every second or so it lasts for a very long time.

[@charlieellenburg3465]

Thank you for this information and video. I've never had a mill nor been around it. Jumping in feet first as a hobby

[@matthewnelson9204]

I don’t know why I never thought about the issue with starting the log on the smaller end and the direction of the branch growth affecting the deflection of the blade. I’ve managed to work out a lot of kinks on our Norwood HD 36 and we run a good wood, Mizer blade, and cut for Damily hardwoods, but cutting some of those pine with all those branches usually made our boards look like a roller coaster. Going to give your technique a try. Thanks.

[@TCSawmills]

Sounds great. I hope it helps out.

[@macheightfivemark8275]

Thanks Thomas for a great approach to ensuring the best sawing experience. Nothing is more frustrating to me than sawing WAVY lumber! My nemesis is white oak. And, for those sappy woods, maybe a future video on diesel drip would be helpful. Thanks again!

[@TCSawmills]

Thank you for the kind words. White oak is definitely hard, but quarter sawn it's absolutely beautiful.

[@MikeP-ev2vj]

White oak is definitely my least favorite also! At least for what’s native here. -Poultry Punx Game Farm (and mill) Clarksville, Tn

[@dannysulyma6273]

About the most informative sawing video I've come across, thank you for putting it together.

[@rexhavoc2982]

Good job. A few of my tips, More set uses more horse power and makes more sawdust, When turning large cants don't drop them, Some cants have a lot of stress and bend when cut, if your lumber is thick and thin turn the cant over more often. If you have enough Horse power the blade will be happy and sing when the cut speed is much faster than what your cutting now. Blow off the mill every day, saw dust will hold moisture and cause rust. ATF is the best lube for everything except ball bearings, sawdust wont stick to ATF like the motor oil. Don't coil sharp blades.

[@FatherOfTheParty]

Great tips! Thanks, Thomas. I cut Honey Locust and Black Walnut and they are unforgiving if your mill isn't set up correctly. Blade tension and going too fast seem to be the biggest factors for my mill (if everything else is right).

[@TCSawmills]

Glad you enjoyed the video. Hardwoods can be tricky, they are heavy, hard and if they have large knots that adds a whole new level of difficulty.

[@bennyjeffords3065]

Thank you for your experience! Very helpful!

[@royburgess3500]

Thanks for your video..I enjoyed it

[@charlieellenburg3465]

My 1620 was delivered last week. The awswome Delivery man used a 4 ft level ,then I tweaked it with a 6 ft level but it didn't look right so inset up 2 different Topcon laser levels and it was 1 1/4" out of level using a 6 ft level, front to back

[@johnwoody4905]

good video. most of the good sawmiller use diesel as wipe or dip it is better for the blade and little cheaper because you can saw saw 6 times as much as you can with washer fluid at $2.99 a gal. your video will help a lot of new people. take care, be safe and well happy thanksgiving how is mr. Roberts doing?

[@TCSawmills]

Thanks and Mr. Robert is doing well down in Mississippi. We talk weekly and are planning a meet up and video this winter.

[@4110mahindra]

Sawyer not sawmiller

[@jakeclinton6571]

Thank you sir, very informative, new sawyer here and i benefited greatly. Subscribed

[@paularthurwebb7212]

Thank you, I appreciate the information.

[@Chris-qf9qm]

Great vid, thanks for sharing.

[@charlieellenburg3465]

I'm going to be asking a lot of questions. How fast should I drip fluid on the blade

[@briansweeney4758]

Great video i have been sawing for 6 years now and have experienced everything you mentioned. I learned some stuff here and think this will help many mill owners. Curious where you bought the clamp on dial indicator.

[@charlesfoleysr6610]

Do any mills have a brush system to keep dust from building up on the wheels?

[@MikeP-ev2vj]

I don’t normally comment, but great video !

[@TCSawmills]

Thanks

[@tonybarker9891]

Can you make video about how to fix your sawmill going up words as you cut

[@douglasboxall9840]

Hello Mate , do you think , you have to clean off , build up, of surface dust, more often than not

[@charlesfoleysr6610]

I see this is a 4 post mill. I wonder about the cantilevered mills, if they have more of a tendency to deflect when you hit a hard spot or knot.

[@MrMakkote]

How much diesel you are using with water or just a diesel to lubricate blade?

[@toddhutchins8877]

Levels an string lines are not sufficient for leveling definitely need solid base as you say get a nice optical level or barrow one from buddy can’t go wrong it’s very precise for setting up mill

[@johnproctor7809]

That was an excellent video.

[@TCSawmills]

Thank you

[@edithfortier8231]

How many trees for one blade

[@mitchellbell713]

Great video.

[@TCSawmills]

Thank you

[@bwillan]

Many band sawmill operators in real winter climates use windshield washer fluid in their lube tanks. Diesel is rather pricey to be using as a lubricant despite it being great a preventing build up on your blades.

[@TCSawmills]

Yes I agree diesel is expensive, but I'm only using a drop or 2 per second.

[@danielinman9657]

I use diesel too, I get about 30 hours out of 5 gal. At a drip every couple seconds. Way cheaper than washer fluid in my experience.

[@TCSawmills]

Exactly

[@rexhavoc2982]

Out here on the Left Coast 95682 Diesel is $6 bucks per gallon. If it's cold enough to freeze I stay inside. My lube has a pump and sprays both sides of the blade, 5 gal a day on pine.

[@sittingduckfarm3776]

Why do you leave the previous cut pieces on the log while cutting subsequent planks?

[@TCSawmills]

Because I take the whole stack off at once with my tractor. I work alone most of the time, so any time I can reduce touch time, I do. If I had my sawmill set up in a different location, I could use the drag back, but that involves more handling of the boards later. Also, if I'm cutting a customer's log, I don't sticker and stack their wood unless they pay me to do it. By keeping the cut boards as a full stack, it helps to easily load their trailer when the job is done.

[@ronnielloyd4514]

The drilled holes in your blade wheel. Are they there to balance the wheel when turning?

[@TCSawmills]

Yes, used for balancing. The wheel is spinning around 55mph while cutting.

[@trex283]

I put in 10" concrete piers. Its very stable.

[@kristopherfrootloops6714]

How deep did you go? How are they holding up? I was thinking about doing this too. Thanks!

[@trex283]

@kristopherfrootloops6714 it holds up great. I'm in clay. I used 2' soni tubes (10" dia). Stayed 6" above the soil. Actually, i dug down so that i could roll the logs onto the track. I also used some vertically adjustable levelers set into pvc pipe set into the concrete. I'd be happy to send some pics. It's really simple. It's been holding up for over 3 years. I will set up another set of tracks near my cabin in Idaho in the next 3 weeks.

[@ronnielloyd4514]

Why did you move from Mississippi to Wisconsin? Do you prefer cold weather?

[@TCSawmills]

In the military so we move a lot

[@davidgordon8284]

Try windshield fluid over the diesel

[@kb9844]

thanks...good vedio

[@TCSawmills]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@justinwalters2264]

i have a range road it’s bang on level on concrete and i can never cut the same board twice it’s all over the place ready to take a sledge hammer to it tried it all

[@justinwalters2264]

i may get 2 8” logs sawed decent and then it’s starts going all over the place

[@slipshankd1307]

Great info.

[@charlieellenburg3465]

I bought a mill cause my granddad built all the barns and structures out of timber harvested off the farm and now I need to fix some buildings,buld more, so I bought a mill

[@jessewagner9646]

Where in wi are you located

[@TCSawmills]

Porterfield Wisconsin

[@GibClark]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻thank you

[@ronnielloyd4514]

Where did you get your complete knowledge of every single part on the sawmill. You are describing in detail about everything. Where did you get your knowledge of the TimberKing sawmill.

[@TCSawmills]

I've run a sawmill since 2003 and have owned 8 different sawmills and operated many more along the way. I love sawmills and cutting wood.

[@rickrack4812]

Use a long mason's level

[@thekiltedsawyer]

Excellent video buddy, everything looks great 👍, design build a are the best! Debarker owner's, pung system after milling in cold , yes change bands more often than not!🌲🪵💪💪💪👍🧡🧡🧡