2nd kiln progress thread

[Big J]

Actually only took the one photo today:

 

 

The board is impressive, sure, but most importantly, managed to get both guns to fire!

[Bart]

Great milling, looks like you've got some quality stuff going in

[liamjordan]

big j, you've got the same mill as me and my granddad, we really pleased with ours and the last payment will be going out of my bank next month

 

when new ours was a bog standard unit with no trailer adaption, so the previous owner, got an axel and tow bar custom built, its great because the wheels can be removed so that you can set it up flat on the ground, he also go two extentions made for either end, so we can cut a 20ft log if needs be

 

(sorry for the slight de rail)

 

som really nice bits of wood you have there love that bridge support beam!

[Big J]

Thanks Bart!

 

FA - thanks mate! Not actually my Lumbermate (belongs to Tom D) - it was his elm I milled with it though. I had used a 5ft bar on the Alaskan for the elm, but wasn't able to mill it accurately due to the flex in the bar so Tom set up the bandsaw and we wizzed the rest of the log through that.

 

Cracking piece of kit though - read your thread regarding your Lumbermate a week or two ago. Will be very tempted to get bandsaw when finances allow - I wouldn't use it for all my milling though as the Alaskan on a 42 inch bar has a 34 inch throat, as opposed to 24 inches on the Lumbermate and many Woodmizers.

 

Jonathan

[Ben Ballard]

great work, very nice clean slab:thumbup1:

[liamjordan]

Thanks Bart!

 

FA - thanks mate! Not actually my Lumbermate (belongs to Tom D) - it was his elm I milled with it though. I had used a 5ft bar on the Alaskan for the elm, but wasn't able to mill it accurately due to the flex in the bar so Tom set up the bandsaw and we wizzed the rest of the log through that.

 

Cracking piece of kit though - read your thread regarding your Lumbermate a week or two ago. Will be very tempted to get bandsaw when finances allow - I wouldn't use it for all my milling though as the Alaskan on a 42 inch bar has a 34 inch throat, as opposed to 24 inches on the Lumbermate and many Woodmizers.

 

Jonathan

ah right i seee!

Yeah man they are brill bits of kit, but so are alaskan mills (i have a 36" one, thinking of getting some bigger rails though)

 

Yeah they do both have advantages and disadvantages, so its best to have both

 

I would highly recommend a Lumbermate, they are well worth the money, and ours was second hand in great nick which is even better

 

I saw the newest version of the lumbermate at the apf and that looked much better, i think i've got a pic somewhere, i'll have a looook

[Big J]

I had a good look at the specification of the new one (I think it's now called a Logosol LM Pro) on Willie Dobie's Logosol website. It certainly looks the business, but it's taken a fairly large increase in price too.

 

In researching on the web, I've come across a brand of bandsawmills called Timberking - the 1200 is reasonable in price (6k plus VAT) and has a 29 inch throat, plus there is a Scottish distributor. Anyone with any experience of them?

[John Hughes]

I've no experience of the Timberking, all I would say is go for a mill with hydraulics for loading, turning and adjusting for taper.

John

[Big J]

Thanks John. I think that a hydraulic bandsaw might be a good bit out of my budget unfortunately. Worth considering a good used one though if one comes up.

 

Kiln is finally done and closed. Bit of a funny day today milling slightly marginal timber to fill to the last half foot at the top. In the end the timber was pretty good - a 6ft length of stunningly pipped Oak and a nice straight, albeit narrow ash. Cut the Oak at 3 inch on the basis that I would produce and market lintels and mantelpieces from them. Cut the Ash at 2.5 inches because ash is rock hard and I hate it!

 

After loading the remaining boards (huge amounts of fun loading 3 inch Oak to the top and back of the stack!) I topped the stack with some of the crown cuts and some weighting boards from the last kiln. Total in the kiln, not including the guff weighting it down is a touch over 260 cubic foot. The stack looks superb and a world away from the first one. Just a few photos today as the emphasis was on just getting it done.

 

Exiting the kiln for (hoefully) the last time before it's dry:

 

 

Closing the doors:

 

[Big J]

Right!

 

53 days have passed and the kiln is being emptied tomorrow! Courtesy of Rob D, the swanky new moisture meter he sent confirmed that the timber is just about perfect (8-11% MC throughout) and ready for sale.

 

With having used the Borasic Acid, there is no mould anywhere on the timber and very little end checking too. I'll get pictures tomorrow!

 

Jonathan