The Logmaster is here!

[Big J]

Further milling today on the Logmaster.

 

Cut two wild pieces of elm to great success. First piece was lightly burred and the second as knotty as hell (straight, large stem, but about 6-7 branches ranging from 6-12 inches wide).

 

The knotty piece was actually spectacularly figured, but was cut more as a test piece. Any of you who have band mills will know the issues that oversized knotty elm will present.

 

However, it cut stunningly flat. Even when it hit metal is just blunted it, resulting in the remainder of that cut being slow, but still completely flat.

 

It's just so easy - I always used to have to try to feather the feed to get the exact right speed. Too slow resulted in poor production, too fast, a wandering band. Now all I have to do is set it going, watch the guide arm (the extra two inch width of cut is useful) and repeat.

 

The guys at Logmaster are currently designing a mill to 'European spec' (ie smaller so as to be towed behind a normal 4x4). My mill is going to be used here as reference for what I think needs to be changed or not. Anyone is welcome to come and see it in action, and I'm quite excited to see what they come up with as a hydraulic mill for general use here.

 

Jonathan

[Tom D]

have you got a transport system sorted yet?

 

BTW I have a load of v straight pop in dalkeith if you are interested, I know you had a clint for that stuff...

[Big J]

have you got a transport system sorted yet?

 

BTW I have a load of v straight pop in dalkeith if you are interested, I know you had a clint for that stuff...

 

Hi Tom,

 

I'm deferring transport solutions until spring. Almost all of my work is statically based and I need something big to tow it.

 

Could very well be interested in the poplar. I'll message you.

 

Jonathan

[Big J]

Lunatic day cutting the timbers for my new barn (except for the 40ft beams that they forgot to deliver!). Totally smitten with the mill - it demolished some pile of spruce today.

 

Overall timber cut:

 

4@ 16ft x 12" x 12"

 

26@ 20.5ft x 6" x 3.5"

 

4@ 20.5ft x 3.5" x 2"

 

Around 50 @ mainly 20.5ft x average 8-10" x 17mm cladding (some 27mm). All still waney edged, but will be mostly used as such.

 

Around 190 cubic foot I reckon.

 

All cut in 5 hours on 1 band (except for the first log which had the old band on - 8 other logs, and they were big, all done on one band). Cut almost without any deviation at all, and I really was gunning it. Also cut and split half the firewood offcuts in that time for my helper to take. Used 13-14ltr of petrol.

 

One minor design flaw is that a fair bit of the saw dust ends up on the track roller, which will be remedied by extraction. Otherwise, a simple baffle would be fine.

 

Can't tell you all how chuffed I am with it.

 

Jonathan

[delabodge]

how about some more vids/pics?

[Big J]

how about some more vids/pics?

 

Will certainly get some sorted when I get back (I still have vast amounts of spruce to cut) to work in a weeks time, but this week has been so busy, I've barely had chance to think about much but cutting.

 

J

[Rob D]

All sounds great Jon but it would be even better to see some more piccies!

 

 

 

 

[Big J]

Right, finally some videos! We were cutting poplar for garden sleepers yesterday, so here are a few videos.

 

Firstly, a tour of the mill:

 

 

And then a couple of action videos:

 

 

 

It was damned windy - I am very much looking forward to installing the extractor.

 

Jonathan

[bellringer]

link dont seem to work

[Big J]

Should work now