# Winter milling



## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Hi All,

I finally got my bandsaw mill last week, and have started playing around with logs that have been sitting around the place, and having a ball with it. 

I'm wondering though what to do about the water drip thing when it's well below freezing (which it is today). The dealer said he puts anti-freeze in there, but I'd rather not be dripping toxic chemicals on the ground (particularly since the sawdust eventually ends up in the compost, and might end up in the chicken or goat stalls on the way there). 

Do I even need to use the drip when it's this cold out (not getting out of the 20s F for at least a few days)?


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

I don't know anything any mills but there are safe antifreeze available. People use it on large boats that are not used in winter months. The fill all the potable water pipes with it. If I remember right most that I used was pink in color. Try a marine supply company such as West Marine.
Tom


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## Tdog (Dec 30, 2012)

*antifreeze*

Agree ,Most RV plumbing antifreeze is eco safe .
Tdog


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Thanks!

Come to think of it though: do I even need to have something dripping when it's this cold? I can't imagine the blades overheating.


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## scsmith42 (Jan 24, 2011)

SweetBJ said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Come to think of it though: do I even need to have something dripping when it's this cold? I can't imagine the blades overheating.


Yes, you need lube due to the friction between the bands and the wood. Ditto the other comments recommending RV antifreeze. You can buy it at Walmart.


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

I envy you having a mill. As to the antifreeze, the old style green antifreeze was made with ethylene glycol which is toxic to animals. The newer orange antifreeze is made with propylene glycol and is considered safe.


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## Tommie Hockett (Aug 26, 2012)

wow I want one I'm thinking about buying a lumber jack I think is what its called at the moment it's only $1800


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

djg said:


> I envy you having a mill. As to the antifreeze, the old style green antifreeze was made with ethylene glycol which is toxic to animals. The newer orange antifreeze is made with propylene glycol and is considered safe.


Ah, thanks... I'm familiar with PG because it's actually used to treat certain maladies for ruminants (like my goats), so definitely feel better about it knowing what the chemical is (they don't seem motivated to actually put that on the labels, for whatever reason). 

Don't envy me for having a mill, or at least don't envy my wallet after buying the thing ;-). 

Too damn cold the last 2 days to mill anyway, but the windchills are supposed to be above zero starting Friday. 

Tommie: I ended up getting the Hud-Son Oscar 328, since it seemed the best option for my weight-to-capacity-to-price ratio. Got it on sale, but ended up spending the non-sale price because I picked up extension rails (need to be able to cut 20 foot beams and 15 ft floor boards for the old barn).


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

BJ,

That's a great little saw and fits all the points you needed. I think it's the best pick for a small all-around mill. When I was a dealer, that was the small mill I always recommended ..... sawed good, could handle up to a 28" log....their 21 is tooooo small for average logs and boards ESPECIALLY if the log has a bow. HAPPY SAWING....RV plumbing antifreeze and is good for the blades not rusting and they clean up better for resharpening. Always keep proper blade tension. 

Have a Blessed and Prosperous day in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Tennessee Tim said:


> BJ,
> 
> That's a great little saw and fits all the points you needed. I think it's the best pick for a small all-around mill. When I was a dealer, that was the small mill I always recommended ..... sawed good, could handle up to a 28" log....their 21 is tooooo small for average logs and boards ESPECIALLY if the log has a bow. HAPPY SAWING....RV plumbing antifreeze and is good for the blades not rusting and they clean up better for resharpening. Always keep proper blade tension.
> 
> ...


Well, the only problem with it is it's a bit less portable than I'd hoped (fine with the tractor, but wasn't able to rig it for the ball cart). I might try to modify it a bit to have slip-on wheels on one side to move like a cart if I want to bring it to job sites. I had taken down a black oak that was 24"-20" on the trunk, but ended up just cutting it down to 5' pieces tat I could peavey onto the lift-gate. I'll just use the boards green for shelving the window wells for now (time soon to start the tomato and pepper seeds). 

Otherwise yup, it's definitely fitting the bill. I was a little worried about the horsepower, but it seems to be enough to do what I'm asking of it.


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

BJ,

I found a heavy duty 1200 lb cap wagon for a lawn mower and took the straight axles out from under it and bolted 2 straight 6x6's to the axles (one was a steering axle) and mounted the tracks to them for demonstrating the 328. I could pull out, steer and turn or even pull with lawn mower or atv. A small boat trailer would work great too and make 2 ramps to roll logs onto tracks. I can't find the pics at this time.
ALWAYS make sure the sawhead is anchored in place when moving or costs can get expensive for head repairs.

Have a Blessed and Prosperous day in Jesus's Awesome Love,
Tim


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## Tommie Hockett (Aug 26, 2012)

SweetBJ said:


> Ah, thanks... I'm familiar with PG because it's actually used to treat certain maladies for ruminants (like my goats), so definitely feel better about it knowing what the chemical is (they don't seem motivated to actually put that on the labels, for whatever reason).
> 
> Don't envy me for having a mill, or at least don't envy my wallet after buying the thing ;-).
> 
> ...


well mine would only be for hobby use and I very seldom find straight logs that long and the lumber jack only weighs a little over200lbs


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

About antifreeze....

If there were truth in advertising, "environmentally safe" antifreeze would be sold as "non-poisonous", which is not the same thing as _environmentally harmless_. For one thing, all those things are assumed safe and harmless until proven otherwise. Did anyone cough up the research money to study how the stuff interacts with trout piss in a wild stream? 

Also, its one thing to protect an RV drain, and something else to protect an engine with moving parts. When the stuff comes out of an engine, it may have metals in it too. 

So I'd just like to ask do you put cream or honey in your coffee? Before dumping/dripping "environmentally safe" antifreeze outdoors, consider whether you would still drink that coffee with a shot of "environmentally safe" antifreeze instead. If not, then please read the label and check with your county environmental health people about proper disposal of the "safe" stuff, too. Who knows, I might eat the fish downriver.


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## SweetBJ (Dec 3, 2011)

Tennessee Tim said:


> BJ,
> 
> I found a heavy duty 1200 lb cap wagon for a lawn mower and took the straight axles out from under it and bolted 2 straight 6x6's to the axles (one was a steering axle) and mounted the tracks to them for demonstrating the 328. I could pull out, steer and turn or even pull with lawn mower or atv. A small boat trailer would work great too and make 2 ramps to roll logs onto tracks. I can't find the pics at this time.
> ALWAYS make sure the sawhead is anchored in place when moving or costs can get expensive for head repairs.
> ...


Yeah, I was thinking about doing that, but for a lot of the places I work getting a trailer in next to the tree would be pretty much impossible, so I'm thinking of ways to move the head and track separately. In cases where I can get the log to the driveway, I can just bring the head down to the track using the lift gate (it's not too heavy to wrangle onto the track from there, and I just slide it up to the front of the body and rope it to the stake body for travel). 

What I probably should do if I want to throw cash is to get an ATV with a winch and trailer, but I've thrown enough cash for now. :smile:


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