# Manual sawmill struggles



## arkyrick (Feb 13, 2008)

Hi everyone its been a while since I posted here, I am retired now and have more time. I have a Wood miser L15 manual sawmill that I have had since I moved to the woods in 06, I try to make extra income with it sawing lumber for customers. A guy has been bringing me oak logs to cut for him lately. Usually 4 or 5 at a time, I do all loading with an old Ford tractor my problem is turning the larger (24" diameter ) logs once they are on the sawmill. I have log cants but the larger logs are difficult to roll by hand. My wife helps me but I'm concerned she may hurt herself. Anyway I was wondering does anyone have any suggestions about making it a little easier aside getting a sawmill with hydraulics. Maybe some day:yes:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*some folks use a winch*

Any variation on this will work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57H7zBOk_Tk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEuEloMr-Dw


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Have you tried a longer handle on the cant hook? More leverage and all that jazz, should make things a little easier


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## ETWW (Mar 27, 2011)

A hook (1/2 of a set of log tongs works well) attached to a chain that is attached to your tractor FEL will turn the big ones. Wrap it about 3/4 of the way around the log and pound in the hook with a mallet. Lift the FEL and the log will turn.

My manual mill has a winch attachment that I use for winching big logs onto the mill (ones that my 30 hp tractor won't lift). The hook on the winch can also be used for turning logs since the winch sits about 2' above the bunks. Sometimes I have to take a strain on the winch and then assist with a 4' cant hook.


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## arkyrick (Feb 13, 2008)

Thanks guys good info. I think I will start with extending the handle on my cant as it stands I can just almost do it with the one I have,a couple more feet just may do it.


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## georger (Dec 3, 2014)

_I _use chains to haul my logs around with my FEL, I wrap them around the log at both ends and my bucket has hooks welded in, on some of the larger ones I had to do by myself I turned them by off setting the chains and pull up with the loader, hard to explain this one, my chains have a hook at one end I usually wrap the chain on the log hook at the top and tie the remaining chain on the tractor, when I lift it goes up, when I meant to turn them I wrap the chain with the hook at say 8 oclock, tie the remaining chain to the tractor, when I lift the log first turns till the hook is at 12 oclock than it goes up, hope that makes sense, I also use a similar trick to move the logs closer or further from the saw mill head, all my logs are bucked to max capacity so I don't have much give, its hard to line up the tractor just right in the first shot as I only have 1" to play with, so to slide them sideways I set them on the mill as close as I can than offset my chains to compensate for how nuch I need it to ho one way or another, and when I lift, the log will first slide and center with the loader, I'll see about some pics, hope this makes any sense, kind of hard to put this in words


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