How I Choose Where to Make My Cuts with Woodmizer LT15 Sawmill 

I'm not sure why RU-vid started recommending me your videos but, well, from the quality of the production to the information given, including the way you deliver jokes and all... it's just great.

10:23 "Different situations are different." Goes into my words to live by. Along with "It depends" and "How does that work?"..."Oh, about how you'd figure."

I appreciate your efforts to saw good lumber- and your willingness to stay fully dressed unlike some on RU-vid who think they have to wear spandex two sizes too small, and not much of that even! LOL There's a joke on the Forestry Forum about "spandex sawyers" who are only clickbait and NOT sawyers.

I’ve found that if I cut out the “pith” of the log, I get less twist and deformation. I usually end up with an approximate 2”x2” pith post that I put in my firewood pile. It’s an old trick that I picked up from the “old timer” sawyers. Excellent video! Take care!

Every time theres a new Wilson Forest Lands video, I have to watch it. Thanks for making fantastic content! I love the logging setup, its really unique and awesome to see how your system works. Thanks!

Very good explanation...speaking as a carpenter and not a sawyer the 2by6 and 2by8 with the pyth in them are not very structural in typical framing because of the direction of growth rings (for the purpose of rafters and floor joist) but they make excellent deck boards because of the direction of the growth ring ...of course I'm speaking of maximum performance of the board and not all situations require maximum performance...cheers

OSHA says that any log with 1 milled surface is a cant. USDA says a cant has at least 2 surfaces at 90 degrees. EVERYBODY else says 4 milled sides. Remember that this is your channel and you can call it anything you want; like "Gloria".

So, picked up a nugget on this one - basing all cuts *from* the pith, rather than viewing the log from the outside > in. Good stuff!

Good explanation and walk through of your process. When I first started sawing I obsessed over quantity. Took me a while to realize the wood “lost” making quality lumber was still useful. Keeps the shop warm through the winter and the campfires burning in the summer. Enjoying your content, thank you.

We have a wicked storm going on here right now, as I was trying to watch this video the power blinked off 3 times, after rebooting my computer 3 times the power went out again and stayed out. Now I have the generator running and was able to finish watching this video. The reason for my panic is that this subject is just what I needed as I just recently ordered a new Woodmizer mill(small homeowner dubber mill but a mill none the less) and I have no idea as to how to mill a log. Your explanation of your process was perfect and very helpful. I watch all your milling videos and find them fun, enjoyable and informative at the same time. Anyone out there considering a mill purchase, buy a woodmizer, they'll send you a nice little gift box with a couple hats, a pair of safety glasses, a sticker, a button, and even a pencil! Happy milling and take care

You know, I've learned so much from my mistakes...that I think I will make some more!😂 I play around with my my LT35 hydraulic...never knew I had so many friends. 😮 I like your videos Sir.

Hmmm, what changes to the mill could be coming??? 🤔

It's good practice to center the pith to get the highest quality boards from you log. Keeping the grain as straight as possible with minimal run out makes for more stable boards.

That’s exactly the way I do it, from inside out. I agree about centering the pith being more important in hardwood. Even pine is more forgiving than oak, poplar, etc… Another great video!

Excellent vid. Well spoken and taught. Thank you for sharing.

I log and mill here in Colorado….Doug fir and Pondo. I like to mark the butt with a cabinet makers triangle on my grade A logs for easy book matching boards. Bsafe

Hello I like your video I think you really know what you talking about. Can you show how you sharpen blades

Excellent explanation!!!

Terrific presentation and explanation. If I had a mill and if I had trees, I'd do it your way!

Another great video, so much for me to learn, thanks for sharing

Awesome video for folks wanting to cut to grade. Thanks for sharing!

This was a good watch. I should take the time to explain the cuts in my videos. And those squiggly trees sure do make for a lot of waste. I just finished up my squigliest logs and left a quite a pile of off cuts. I like your technique.

I want more videos like this; you could explain the sawmill process with figured or spalted logs. In that case, you're going for the "prettiest" boards. As a woodworker, that's what interests me. I'm also excited to see very wide boards where you could glue 2 or 3 boards together for a table or other large furniture.

Your splainin was clear as mud! Love it, great job. You cut some beautiful boards. Thanks for all you do. Stay safe, and God bless

Thanks for the lessons.

This was a very much needed video for me to help determine where, why, and how to make the cuts. Well presented. Thank you!👍👌👏👀💪

Time to watch Mr. Wilson with my morning coffee and then head out to the barn.

Great video! Makes perfect sense to me!

I like the way that you use the blade as a visual . Another good video!

Good old American quality!! 🤩Greetings from Poland!

thanks for splainin your approach, the centered pith makes perfect sense to me

Very well done!

That really explained that well. Keep it up.

It's a great video, I always have trouble cutting the log, knowing where to start, very well explained..

Thanks for the info..

I'm building a house with doug fir and oak. So a sister video to this one with oak would be lovely!

Very good tutorial, Never will have a band saw but it never hurts to dream😊

Well done sir, a video version of what you 'splained to me during your visit. I've been putting your sage milling acumen to work for me -- only I don't have "Turbo-Mode" on my Timbery M100 E. Gotta order me that after-market conversion like you and North-West Sawyer have. Cheers from (a foggy) Linn County

Great video on explaining How you do it …. Boy am I glad you cleared that up. I was beginning to think I need to think on how I’m milling. I’m not milling like you do and maybe that’s a problem. Ok taking notes appreciate you sharing. 😂😂😂

good job with explanation of this method, merry christmas and a happy new year to you and yours

Btw. Nice story channel in some of the parts i can see a sawmilling.

Good explanation! Nice vid. Im sawing today using your method.

Pretty soon I'm going to be selling my bandsaw mill (I now use a Lucas swing blade). This method you're using is the way that I used to use my bandsaw, and I've never seen anybody else on youtube show this. I'm a perfectionist, and I used to love working from the centre, like you're demonstrating here. It's the one thing I miss about my bandsaw.

Thanks much for an outstandingly informative video. I would say you have done a through job of 'splainin good pointers for milling.

Quite informative.

There are few absolutes I agree. But one absolute, for sure, is don’t do it the way I’ve been doing it. lol I’m gonna hot the mill today and try this out. Thank you for the info!

I want to mill just like you, Benton County 😊😊

Awesome video because: 1. Weather magic. 2. If it's not a cant it must be a can. Which you obviously can do. 3. A small helping of pithy philosophy.

The extra care taken when milling just makes for better end product - should get you a better price (I hope) If I weren’t on the opposite coast I’d be adding you to my supplier list. Nicely explained. The other option, at least on a larger log , is to cut a 4x4 6x6 with the pith boxed in the center - theory goes you get a stable beam as the shrinking is equal (ish) on all four faces for all the reasons you listed. You get some QS (ish) boards clear of pith - never a bad thing, and then your normal yield above and below. Options, options options - the log will tell you if you ask it. Nice vid !

You seem to be only cutting 2 inch or 1 inch boards, what about some 1 1/2 inch fence rails, or even some 7/8 floor boards. From what I remember from woodwork classes 60 years ago, some mills would cut some at 60 degrees radial angle, to make boards that had a better grain structure ( maybe for furniture.)

I looked up the definition of cant to put a hypothetical question out there. Definition was all over the place from single cut to four sides cut. Sooo, I decided to leave that one alone😎

meanwhile, commercial mills are selling boards with as few as one corner.

What's the 2 x 8 rough sawm selling for today ? Very informative video, as always. Thanks.

I find its faster to cut bug wood , because I am not trying to get every last scrap out of a log . We get grubs or chew bugs in white pine and also spruce if it is left in the pile to long , here in Nova Scotia Canada .

If the leftovers where a bit larger you could talk quarter sawn but that just might add to the confusion 😃

Are you calculating for kerf loss or only using a scale on the mill? How does this scale allow for this when switching from 1” or 2”? You cut down to a 6x8 but with kerf loss wouldn’t your last cut not be less the kerf of the previous cuts?

Hi- I love your content, thank you. Why do you mostly do full dimensional 2" thick lumber, instead of 1.5" thick boards? Is that more of a western thing?

Enjoy your videos, however I have a question. When you move your saw height and talk of 2x’s, is your scale set up to allow for the blade kerf? Thanks

Jiminy Christmas (do people still say that) I think I recently asked you the very question this video answered. Oops 🤦🏻‍♂️👍🏼👍🏼

I'd like to hear about what you do with the lumber after you saw it. Do you air dry it, then do you plane any, or other mill work to get higher quality finish and also to get it dimension of building lumber?

What's the market like for this kind of dimension lumber? Do you forward the cut boards onto someone with a kiln and planer, to make standard-sized dimension lumber? Is there just a secondary economy out there of builders who use true-to-size two-by's? Or is this just lumber for your own projects, where you don't answer to anybody but yourself?

A video worth watching multiple times. How do you account for blade kerf, or do you bother

About how much shrinkage from the true dimensions you saw do you have in your final product after drying?

How exact are those measurements? does the machine do some automatic calibrating when you move it up or down 2 inches , or is it just the skill of the miller and handywork?

How about some quartersawing?

For the love of Pete (and i don't even know a pete!)

Cool video Wilson

I'll bet I know where your truck we. I bet that the bear,the deer, the mountain lion and the bees took off with it

For cryin' out loud--- heavens ta Betsy.

How do you, or do you account for the kerf in dimensional lumber?

Looking for a good 2x6 to build a mars rover,got anything on hand?Lol .Marry Christmas

A LOG BECOMES A CANT AFTER ANY TWO SIDES OF IT ARE CUT. HELPFUL?

I have no idea why i was leaving so much. Especially since i don't have a mill. As a non paid professional, youtube watcher have an understanding of why others do what they are doing

It's called a cant once two sides are cut. I know, I already said that. Regards today's video, Jan.17,2024, you can't do anything about "NitPickers". My wife is a NitPicker. I try to ignore it and just say "Yes Dear".It makes life so much easier. Less arguing. I don't try to change her mind. It's just the way she is. Same with some of the people that send you emails nit picking. Not telling you what to do. Just suggesting. Good Luck. I sure enjoy your vids.

I see that you are debarking your logs before cutting. What tool are you using?