# Milling Day



## IronAir (Dec 24, 2020)

Milled another 1,400 board feet of rough sawn today. 1,200 of which was quarter sawn red oak, and the balance 8/4 white oak and a bit of 8/4 yellow pine.


















































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## B Coll (Nov 2, 2019)

IronAir said:


> Milled another 1,400 board feet of rough sawn today. 1,200 of which was quarter sawn red oak, and the balance 8/4 white oak and a bit of 8/4 yellow pine.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Where are you located?


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## Chinook3 (May 2, 2020)

Looks like fun!!!!!

Chinook3


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## IronAir (Dec 24, 2020)

B Coll said:


> Where are you located?


In the midlands of South Carolina.


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## IronAir (Dec 24, 2020)

The 2nd milling day of 2021 is in the books. Added 1,100 board feet of 5/4 red oak, and 200 board feet of 8/4 white oak to the stores. Currently sitting on approximately 5,000 board feet of milled lumber.


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## IronAir (Dec 24, 2020)

We wrapped up our 3rd milling day of 2021 earlier this week. Added 1,400 board feet of plain and quarter sawn red oak added to the current inventory.


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## IronAir (Dec 24, 2020)

Another milling day is in the books. 1,250 board feet of white oak mixed with a bit of cedar and cherry milled and stacked. We’re sitting on 8,000 board feet of rough sawn lumber to date. Hope to add another 4,000 board feet by year’s end. 

Found a beautiful baby king snake when we moved one of the logs. Safely relocated.



























































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## IronAir (Dec 24, 2020)

Milling day seven of 2021 is in the books. We milled 800 board feet of white oak and 80 board feet of red oak. This puts us at 11,300 board feet in inventory.










Most of today’s run was cut to 5/4, we did cut some 8/4 live edge crotched red oak for future table tops.

We finished up earlier than usual so we took the opportunity to reinstall the starter and file the points on the old John Deere B, and take it for a spin around the farm.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

nice operation you have going there! do you have a market for the lumber? going to air dry it?


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## IronAir (Dec 24, 2020)

TimPa said:


> nice operation you have going there! do you have a market for the lumber? going to air dry it?


We sell some to local woodworkers and to dump truck owners for side boards (they want 8/4 white oak in 16-foot lengths). The rest we use for projects such as barns, sheds, treehouses, etc. We’ve been on a tear for the past year with a homestead project, and harvesting of storm downed trees. Currently we have way more than we normally keep on hand. We have 11,300 board feet stored and drying, and we estimate that we have another 4,000 to 5,000 board feet in the dead and damaged trees we intend on harvesting over the next several months.


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## Doboy (Oct 14, 2021)

Very interesting, Thanks.

I gotta ask,,,,, with all of that oak, how often you changing blades? 
Any guess, how many boards/ BF per blade? The cuts on those pictured boards look very nice, & smooth.
Do you take the time to touch up a damaged tooth or two?
And lastly,,, Do you sharpen you own blades,,, & if not, where do you buy your blades?

I need to buy a 10pk.?
I'm having some trouble finding a near-by distributor,, & having them re-sharpened.
(144" x 1.25 x .042) ?

Thanks Again


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## JIMDC49 (Oct 17, 2021)

Doboy said:


> Very interesting, Thanks.
> 
> I gotta ask,,,,, with all of that oak, how often you changing blades?
> Any guess, how many boards/ BF per blade? The cuts on those pictured boards look very nice, & smooth.
> ...


I had to buy a 10 pack on ebay because Wood-Mizer told me 2 months. 1 month for sharpening. I got the 10 off ebay in 1 week.


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## IronAir (Dec 24, 2020)

Doboy said:


> Very interesting, Thanks.
> 
> I gotta ask,,,,, with all of that oak, how often you changing blades?
> Any guess, how many boards/ BF per blade? The cuts on those pictured boards look very nice, & smooth.
> ...


We typically change blades every 250 to 300 board feet, but it’s heavily dependent on the lumber type, and how dry the logs are. We mill a lot of white oak which is hard on blades. We true and sharpen our own blades. We can usually resharpen a blade three times before it is no longer serviceable.


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## IronAir (Dec 24, 2020)

The sawmill project is complete!

Roughly two years ago we entered into a pre-construction phase that involved the felling of numerous trees here on our property, 20 to be exact. We’re not in the habit of taking down trees without reason, but these were either dead, succumbed during this period, felled by storms, or they were located in the new construction footprint.

Then there are the “Oh by the way, would you like another tree” trees. Those are the ones that came down in neighboring yards, farms, etc. So all told we ended up milling around 32 trees.

Yesterday we milled the last two (ten logs) for a yield of 1,477 board feet of red and white oak. Our current inventory on hand is in the neighborhood of 16,000 board feet.


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## Doboy (Oct 14, 2021)

Nice. I was hoping that you'd show the nice boards that came off of those nasty old beat-up logs.? Some people just want to cut everything up into firewood!
I'm just the opposite,,,, I cringe every time I see a 4' log go to waste.
Since I retired, I've been building all kinds of 'stuff' for the G-kids,,,,, mostly hunting sheds & cabins.

Here's 2 that I recently finished,,, & 2 more cabins that are on the design table.
Poplar trusses & studs, & anything available for floor joist & frame. Oak & cherry bunk beds. 
Junked Camper windows, & discarded/ abandoned boat trailers, for the frames.
Everything FREE!! ;>) (except the time!)











Finished project










Outside for final touches,,,,, & a whole lot of spray on stain!
Little girl thinks this one will be her play house. I said "YA-OK,,, Till ARCHERY SEASON STARTS!"









*YEP,,,, I sure love my sawmill!! ;>)*


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## IronAir (Dec 24, 2020)

You mean these crusty logs? Last winter we milled some “lord only knows how old” white oak logs that were laying in the woods at my friend’s farm. The sap wood was punky but the heartwood was rock start solid. 

Here’s another inventory photo of red and white oak along with some burl, and the crusty logs.


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## Doboy (Oct 14, 2021)

LOL,, Yep! & wow,,, what a pile of stacked lumber!
I have 6-7 of those old logs sitting in a pile out back,,, uncovered. mostly ash & oak. The outside was a sponge.
I started to cut them up for firewood,,,,, & NOPE,, NO WAY,,,, back on the 'boarding' pile next to the mill!

I wish I could find anyone who would like to buy some of my stacked & air dried boards. The upstairs of my barn is over full with racked stuff. I'll never live long enough to build/ use them all up!

Thanks for the pics! ;>)
Jerry


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