Wavy bandsaw

[trigger_andy]

2 hours ago, openspaceman said:

I used to use a small hatchet to knock the bark off the line of cut with the woodmizer.

 

A long time ago I went on a visit to a softwood sawing line and the chipper-canter ran a whole shift without changing blades on the new line because the wood was all debarked and sorted, previously they had to change bandsaw blades three times in the shift. The cost benefit was not in saving saw sharpening but in not having three losses of downtime as the bands were changed plus having bark to sell.

Sounds like a lot of additional work. Was it actually the case when you got into it? A shipwrights slick might be another option? 

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, trigger_andy said:

Sounds like a lot of additional work. Was it actually the case when you got into it? A shipwrights slick might be another option? 

We were cutting oak beams mostly so you tended only to need to remove bark for a few cuts, it was a pain and I looked at buying a Prinz debarker but never did.

 

I never really got into using the woodmizer as I left it to a chap that it came with  until he went to Afghanistan to convert the natives. The sawmill got sold after that.

[bilke_user]

To be honest, if your getting more than a couple of hours cutting softwoods you're doing well.  Hardwoods tend to be a lot easier on blades and can sometimes stretch it to 3 hrs.  
Larch and Douglas are very abrasive as is not so fresh Sitka, all to do with soft fibrous bits of wood and harder bits all in the mix, confusing the hell out of the blade.  With hardwoods it's pretty much similar density all the time so it doesn't confuse the blade the same.
Speed of the blade should be as high as the power of the engine will provide. Strat the cut slow and build up speed until the engine note dips, then ease of a little and keep to that speed for the rest of the cut. You'll get to hear the blade singing and know when to push it a bit faster or when to slow up.  It doesn't take long but a lot of folks just give up and say it's the blade's fault for them not learning how to use them properly.  

Stick at it and it'll reward you well

 

[Tippin Alaybye]

i think i am too lazy to debark. with my M8 the mill went to the trees but with the woodlander it is easy to drag them to a decent spot and the skid cone only protects the front. im going to use a wire brush or axe to get rid of the most fouled bits. used my dremmel to sharpen the blade today, too lazy to remove the chain stop on my grinder. i will try Stephens sharpening service but may invest in my own when i retire.

for the next year i will be souly milling spuce, and only one tree at a session.

[Shiny steve]

From my short time milling a wire brush is very handy for cleaning oak bark

[doobin]

6 minutes ago, Shiny steve said:

From my short time milling a wire brush is very handy for cleaning oak bark

If just cleaning the mud off then a pressure washer would on paper be miles better. Less trying to abrade it off, more washing it off.

[Tippin Alaybye]

Surprised how good the wire brush is. You only have to brush the cut line so takes seconds

[Tippin Alaybye]

No more wavy edges. Got the Ripper 37s on but I’m pretty confident the problem was secondary to blunt blades

[trigger_andy]

24 minutes ago, Tippin Alaybye said:

No more wavy edges. Got the Ripper 37s on but I’m pretty confident the problem was secondary to blunt blades

I was milling a rather sandy Walnut last monday. Used the same band on the next log, wavey cut like you'd not believe. Changed the band, instantly fine again. Was cutting the maximum 24" cant as well. 

[Tippin Alaybye]

My only quandary now is send them off to be sharpened or invest in the Grindlux