LUMBER PROCESSING MOBILE SAWMILLING – NORWOOD
The tongue and groove configuration is a selling point
Shaping logs to shape a business
The Norwood LX26 Log Moulder
Making log cabins starts with the right materials and the “ perfect ” cutting tools to get the job done right
Larry Fleece of Orleans , Ontario is the proud owner of one of Norwood ’ s new LX26 Log Moulders . With a supply of red pine , white pine and tamarack in his woodlot , he settled on the LX26 as the perfect tool to accurately shape them for premium log home construction .
“ Right now , I ’ m just milling for myself ,” Larry began . But he plans to soon be using his LX26 to mill log cabin kits to sell . “ I really like the idea of putting a ‘ D ’ face on logs ,” Larry explained , “ Putting a tongue and groove in the logs locks them together for a tight fit without cracks .”
After looking at other log shaping machines , he decided on the Norwood Log Moulder LX26 . Larry likes the idea of the log remaining stationary while moving the cutter-head over the log – it allows him to work with bigger and heavier material while minimizing his workload .
Another big attraction is that he can use the same track for both the sawmill and his Log Moulder . Although he does not have his sawmill yet , Larry bought an extended Norwood HD36 log deck and trailer package as a base for his Log Moulder .
“ It will be great to have both a sawmill and my Log Moulder on the same track ,” he said . “ That way , I can set the Log Moulder at one end of the track while I mill the log into a 6 in x 8 in cant . Then , I can fire up the LX26 to round the outside edge for the cabin , put a tongue on the top of the cant and a groove on the bottom .”
The LX26 worked perfectly right from the first log .
“ I got a load of pine delivered , and I ’ m pretty amazed with what I was able to do with what Norwood
created to shape those timbers ,” he said . “ We milled some cants to see how they would stack , and they fit perfectly . The finish is really smooth . It is amazing how clean they came out .”
Larry finds the movement to raise and lower the LX26 ’ s cutterhead to be very precise and “ the engine provides plenty of power ”.
Larry has tongue and groove knives in addition to ‘ D ’ -profile knives . Because he equipped his LX26 with the optional second cutter , Larry can simultaneously mount the different profiled knives side-by-side . This allows him to groove one side , rotate the cant for the ‘ D ’ face , then rotate the log again for the tongue – all without changing knives or taking the cant off the mill .
“ It ’ s amazing how easy it is ,” he said .
Although Larry has not looked into marketing pine shavings yet , he has a growing supply .
“ A couple of boards and you have 2 in of shavings on the ground ,” he noted . But that “ waste ” has value and can be sold for a premium to horse owners who are always on the look-out for a source of clean , high-quality pine and softwood shavings .
Shavings will have to just keep piling up , for now . Larry ’ s first order of business is to build the 12 ’ x 16 ’ demo cabin to show to prospective customers – future log cabin purchasers . Larry ’ s goal is to mill the logs and build the cabin in a month . “ If that 12 ’ x 16 ’ cabin works out , it will pay for itself
42 International Forest Industries | JUNE / JULY 2017