Square pieces were also milled and vary in length from five feet to 12 feet. The boards range in size from six feet to 16 feet long. Wooden spacers are placed in between each board to help them dry more quickly and to prevent any mildew from developing. Pieces cut with the natural bark still intact are “live edged.” I had all different species of wood milled into what is called dimensional lumber – black walnut, white oak, ash, spruce, cedar and others – all milled into planks or square boards. I am so glad to be able to use all this wood – there is no need to waste any of it. All these cut pieces are level and perfectly measured. Here is a pile of beautiful milled boards. This is the control panel, where all the cuts are entered and directed.Ī lot of sawdust is generated during the process – thankfully, it was not a windy day. Each of these cuts is measured exactly to the desired thickness. In minutes, the log has three flat sides. After each cut, the machine is stopped so the cut board can be removed. Here, one can see how precise the cut is along the entire length of the log. Here is a bigger log being repositioned, so another side could be sliced. Mauricio watches the movement of the bandsaw very carefully to be sure everything works properly. The powered head controls make sawing fast, accurate and nearly effortless. The sawmill is controlled on one end of the machine. Rotting logs will fall apart when milled. The logs must be very straight – not curved, and must not show any signs of rotting. Most mills are designed to hold logs at least eight feet long, so shorter logs can be a bit more challenging.Īfter a cut is complete, the log is turned and run through the cutter again.Įach log that is cut is carefully inspected and sorted by species, size and end use. Mauricio and his team adjust the log until they are satisfied with its position and then secure it within the machine’s loading clamps. The log is placed on one side of the sawmill. Here is Mauricio’s portable sawmill with one of the smaller logs already positioned on the bed for cutting. He has a wonderful showroom where he displays a number of tables, chairs, counters and other restored antique items. Mauricio’s company is a family-owned and operated business specializing in salvaging reclaimed timbers, and creating custom wood pieces. Those marked with an asterix sign are too big and need to be transported to a larger sawmill. Mauricio came by to mark the trees – those with an “x” can be milled here at the farm with his portable machine. Those earmarked for milling are then limbed, or stripped of branches. Whenever a tree falls or is cut down, I save it in a pile designated for either the sawmill or the tub grinder depending on its appearance and condition. Here are just some of the logs I saved for milling.
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