Improving the Woodland Mills HM122 - Part 1: Ruler and Pointer 

After watching your video I checked my yellow scale. It was off 1/4 inch in 20! I also checked the three yellow from Wesdtcott and one was off. Thanks. No wonder I was having sentiency issues.

I've been in construction for all most 30 yrs and never thought to snap the end of my utility blade off🤦‍♂️ great video!

I made the new pointer. It made a HUGE difference.

I made one of these this morning for my HM126. What an increase in accuracy and readability! Thank you for such a simple but really great idea!👍👍

Very good infos. I will upgrade the same way. Thanks.

Great idea, and pretty economical too. Thanks, I’ll do this to my hm122 .

My old TimberKing 1220 mill had the "plastic" magnetic scales and there were off also; I don't remember if over or under. My new Wood-Mizer LT40 has 2 quarter scales; Standard and Hardwood. The Standard scale increments are 1/8" over (4/4 = 1.125") which gives you just over the quarter thickness and the Hardwood scale is 1/4" over (4/4 = 1.250) which gives you just over 1/8" thicker than the quarter thickness. Go figure. Good, precise, video. Dave

This explains so much.... very helpful.

Gosh, it's great to know I'm not an idiot! Thought it was just me and my lack of ability to read the tape. Think before I buy a new one, might try just taking a fine point marker and 1/8 marks on the existing one. I see making a plexiglass indicator in my future as well. Thank you for the wonderful video! Take care!✌

Awesome! Genius! TFS. As I bounce around on what I'm cutting, I prefer the absolute and noticed it's off (Never Nothing). Definitely doing the plexi viewer! Might be a good idea to drill the hole 1'st?

It’s pronounced (in the abbreviated form), “D.R.O.” Said just as quickly as “DRO.”Just like on a tractor it is pronounced “P.T.O.” and not “PTO.” Really good video. Very helpful. I’ve ordered the same ruler and will pick up a piece of acrylic. Thank you very much for this and sharing. Stay blessed.

Excellent video. You did a great job of not only explaining what you did but also the reason for doing it. 

I have wondered about the stock scales allowing for shrinkage and kerf. First, who can determine how much wood is going to shrink when the type of wood varies and amount of drying that has occurred before cutting varies. Second, if you allow for the kerf on a 1” cut, then when you cut 2” instead, you will be allowing for 2 kerf widths, etc. 

I have been contemplating the acrylic pointer for a while. It’s great to know what to make it with and how to do it. I plan to do mine a little different. I will put 2 lines on mine separated by the kerf width (which is neither 1/16” nor 1/8” but somewhere in between.). When I have my square cant cut, the lower line on the pointer will be at the top of the cant. So if I want to cut something of thickness “x” then I move the pointer bottom line down by “x” and lower it a little more until the top line is at “x.” Now I have a depth of “x” plus one kerf width. Another thing I do is always lower the blade beyond what I want and then bring it up to the desired value. This takes care of stretching of the cable since it is always lifting. In machining this is called backlash. Always approach the desired position from the same direction to eliminate it.

 I believe the inaccuracies of sawmills is because their thinking is that the wood, once dried, will be planed to the correct size. So just getting it close is good enough.

thanks man!!!!

Nice 308!!

I like the clear window, thanks for all the info. Now let’s get the GoPro and go for a ride in the Ferrari 😮

Hi! I'm new to your channel because I'm looking to purchase a Woodland Mills saw, and I have been bingeing your videos. Thought I'd point out that it's not pronounced dro, it's just the letter names, like in USA, FBI and so on. I have DROs on all of my milling machines, lathes, the surface grinder, the back gauges on the shear and the press brake... One of the best inventions for the machining industry, imo. I love that clear panel with the red witness mark you made! A super upgrade, for sure. Gonna go watch part 2 of this video now. Thanks for the great content!

I rather quickly realized the wooland mills original rulers weren't accurate enough for my use. So I installed a digital scale, which lasted for about a year due to my mill being out in the weather. I had to revert back to the original rulers for a job and it was absolutely miserable. I've ordered a new set of DRO, this time a more expensive and sturdier version. I'll be making a video about it when it arrives. If it works out nicely I'll supply all the details of where to buy it and how to install, should it be of interest to anyone. I'd guesstimate to be posting the video in 4-8 weeks.

Great video , I thought the ruler was off . I’ve just been counting turns . But I’d really like to get Whr I can finish the last board off the mill the same size . I’ll be doing this . Thanks

Being precise with diameter is essential for sawing. I saw the same way cutting dimensional lumber or slabs or pretty much anything. If I have a squared Kant or top of a slab cut, I just do the same thing on all of them. When I return from my first cut , I always lift my wood mizer 15 up a full turn, which is 2 in. Return and let it down the same full turn 2 in. I’m right back where I made the cut. If I’m sawing one inch. I go down 16 or or 1/4 or half turn plus add 2 clicks for Kurf. For 1 1/2 3/4 turn plus 2 for the kurf. Whatever dimension it’s same process. Works fast and dependable and easy. Never use the scale really. AC

Is it possible the index marks on the winch induce an error as the cable winds and unwinds (diameter of the coiled wire changes). I really appreciate your videos. Very clear and concise. I'll be going back to the sawmill shed build (calculations). Thank-you very much for sharing.

Numbers mean things!!🤣😂

Going to replace mine with a fiber glass yard stick

My scale made so much noise when running I took it off. I just cut some different gauge blocks 4/4, 5/4,6/4& so on

I've been searching the Internet for this piece of information all afternoon. So each hole on the winch adjustment is 1/16th of an inch?

Since you have had your HM 22 for a while, do you think it is a good fit or would the HM 26 been a better choice. I am looking at both. Do especially have large logs, so not sure what to purchase.

Parallax will skew repeatability

Sounds like a design/manufacturing problem. What has Woogland Mills said about it?

The Oregon Rule web site insists minimum order must be $20. I called to ask how to buy a $3.75 item. Clerk said to buy through one of its distributors and rattled off a list. I asked why the $20 minimum. She didn't know. Always been that way. I told her about this video and said there would likely be others trying to buy one. I'll try a Google search.

I stopped using the scales I just use a ruler and pencil and mark the end where I want my cuts way way easier

Pay no attention to the Ferrari sitting in the background.