Today's milling

[Rough Hewn]

First time using the 64inch panther mill, intact first time milling ever, Addicted already. Any tips for storing the timber? 3inch oak slabs

Cut lots of 1"square stickers for stacking. One at each end and one every 18-24"
Find a really level area, put a few clean pallets down first, then get a spirit level to make perfectly flat.
Best kept out of the sun and rain with a few ply boards.(or in a barn).
Don't sharpen a chainsaw or anything else iron/steel anywhere near your slabs unless you like blue flecking.
Paint the end grain with pva.
[emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

[Squaredy]

38 minutes ago, Rough Hewn said:

Cut lots of 1"square stickers for stacking. One at each end and one every 18-24"
Find a really level area, put a few clean pallets down first, then get a spirit level to make perfectly flat.
Best kept out of the sun and rain with a few ply boards.(or in a barn).
Don't sharpen a chainsaw or anything else iron/steel anywhere near your slabs unless you like blue flecking.
Paint the end grain with pva.

All sound advice from Rough Hewn, just one more thing to add.  Don’t get any nice warm dry weather for a few months as this will cause surface checking.

[Rough Hewn]

Milled the elm log today,
Wasn't expecting anything special as the first photo shows light heartwood.
So this was a nice surprise.

Then my mill broke.
It's the third piece to go in a month.

[emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

[Conor Wright]

Big lump of maccie, took a slice of it with the alaskan and just managed to get it on the little mizer!
Nothing exciting coming off it.. destined to be 3x3s

[Wedgebanger]

I was reading through this thread and while looking at your broken mill I thought it is a bit odd that you have had 3 break and I haven’t seen anyone else say they had a broken mill. So I looked a bit closer at your mill pics 

 

This is Just an observation, Could it be your over tightening some of your nuts and bolts ?.

Some nuts and bolts looks to be done up unevenly. Which I think would put more stresses on your mill. Maybe it slipped/moved, then broke ?

 

i marked up your pics so you can see what I’m pointing to

 

Wedge Banger. ??

 

 

 

Edited April 5, 2019 by Wedgebanger

[Rough Hewn]

I was reading through this thread and while looking at your broken mill I thought it is a bit odd that you have had 3 break and I haven’t seen anyone else say they had a broken mill. So I looked a bit closer at your mill pics 
 
This is Just an observation, Could it be your over tightening some of your nuts and bolts ?.
Some nuts and bolts looks to be done up unevenly. Which I think would put more stresses on your mill. Maybe it slipped/moved, then broke ?
 
i marked up your pics so you can see what I’m pointing to
 
Wedge Banger. [emoji893][emoji375]
 
 
 

It's the soft aluminium against steel.
It wears and grinds away, constant vibration doesn't help.
It's totally knackered as the bolts that attach to the long bars have worn away the contact points.
3 out of 4 cast cross bars have all cracked in the same place.
Material limitations.
The design could be massively improved too.

But to be fair that mill has seen a hell a lot of use over the last few years.
[emoji106]

[billpierce]

I cant remember what it is in ft/lbs but mine had a sticker on saying what torque the bolts should be done up to. Its surprisingly low.

Rough, I'm sure you mill has had a fair battering, I've broken quite a few if the wee bits that sit between the u bolt and the box section. On your replacement I would definitely suggest tightening them more evenly if you dont already do this, be interesting to see if this makes them last a bit longer.

You should probably take up tig welding also

[se7enthdevil]

my tree, (well the customer's) being felled by the tree surgeon who has become a mate, a few days later a friend milling and me and another friend helping (and the customer) with a rather rare Pagoda tree Styphnolobium japonicum.

 

stunning timber.

.

 

[se7enthdevil]

it was a biggie...

 

.

[Rough Hewn]

Some absolutely stunning grain there Steve [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]