[FishFactory]

New here, been exploring the site a bit. I really like the forestry topics. I love working in the woods and sawing lumber. We have a Norwood band mill that we acquired used and half destroyed. We built a new bed section for it (better than the original).

We have put thousands of bf of lumber through the mill. We do a lot of white pine for hire and personal projects. Some of the nicer stuff was a red oak that I took down for someone. It was hit by lightning and was dead. We got two 8' logs that were 36" in diameter from the butt. After sawing out the rot on the outside and the splits in the middle from the lightning, we wound up with 375 bf of clear 4/4 without a single knot.

Between my father and I we use a lot of wood, red oak being most common, so any time we get our hands on nice hardwood it goes on the mill!

 

[cabinetman]

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[Post Oakie]

FishFactory, welcome to the forum! Good to meet another Norwood sawyer! Which model do you have? One thing that I like is that the Mills are pretty indestructible, and you can get anything you need from the company, even on the older mills. Hope you'll post some photos. I'm about ready to extend the track on my mill, and could use some ideas. Did you have to split the 36" diameter logs with a chain saw? I have to do that from time to time. Pain in the neck, but you can sure get some good lumber that way!

 

[ibpdew]

Welcome from me too! The thing I like about this site verse others is how done to earth everyone is. A lot of us, including me, are just in the learning stages and not afraid to ask for help or opinions.

 

[FishFactory]

FishFactory, welcome to the forum! Good to meet another Norwood sawyer! Which model do you have? One thing that I like is that the Mills are pretty indestructible, and you can get anything you need from the company, even on the older mills. Hope you'll post some photos. I'm about ready to extend the track on my mill, and could use some ideas. Did you have to split the 36" diameter logs with a chain saw? I have to do that from time to time. Pain in the neck, but you can sure get some good lumber that way!

Yes, big logs, I have to split, this one had some rot on the outside so I scuffed it off with the saw first. Couldn't even tell you what model it is....its old though. The guy that owned it before works with my brother at the sheriffs dept. He used the bed section as a trailer to haul about three tons of cement siding and destroyed it.

We opted to build a whole new bed, 21 feet, can saw a log 16'-6" without extensions. I'll try and get some pictures up, I really like our dog design...better than the original was. Would love to step up to the LT40 Hyd woodmizer sometime but a few other expenses first. If you want some specific pictures let me know, may help out when you build your extension.

 

[FishFactory]

Here's some photos of that oak log.

 

[landman]

Niiiiice!!!!!

 

[Tennessee Tim]

WELCOME A-BOARD!!! LOL I always love to see the sawing...love that red oak!!! ain't nothing like wide!!

 

[Post Oakie]

Looks like quite an operation you've got going there. I second Tennessee's opinion of red oak! Bed looks good and solid, well supported.

Norwood will support older mills if you can provide a serial number. If you post a photo of the carriage, I might be able to identify the model number & be able to tell you were to find the serial #. What are you using for blades?

 

[FishFactory]

Looks like quite an operation you've got going there. I second Tennessee's opinion of red oak! Bed looks good and solid, well supported.

Norwood will support older mills if you can provide a serial number. If you post a photo of the carriage, I might be able to identify the model number & be able to tell you were to find the serial #. What are you using for blades?

We order our blades from cooks......its about $165 shipped for ten blades. We are really happy with cooks blades. We also sharped and set our own. That really helps quality in my opinion.....we aren't afraid to take off a marginal blade and put on a sharp one. Never have wavy cuts. I know a few people that stretch the last bf out of a blade till the cut looks really bad.