Loonnngg boards!

[scsmith42]

Joe, for making the v-groove T&G boards, rather than using a router and long extension cord, I've got one of these sitting in my shop...

It's a Baker M412 four sided moulder. The top and bottom cutterheads actually can run both planing blades and moulding cutters at the same time, so I can take rough cut lumber and make finished v-groove T&G in a single pass.

It beats having to joint/plane, and use a SRL on each side of the board, and then the router!

I've been slowly acquiring the equipment necessary to form a custom, wide plank flooring business. All that I need to complete now is a building to house it in. In the interim, I'll use one of my barns to get it started.

Scott

 

[junquecol]

Actually, Scott's wife said she needed some shavings for the horse stalls. So Scott got out the longest board he could find, so as to have to do as few of boards as possible. Nice looking boards Scott.

 

[Gofor]

AWESOME!! Kinda gives the term "Walking the plank" a new meaning.

Go

 

[Bas]

You know, I secretly think Scott uses such long boards because he's no good at joinery. If you make it all out of one piece, you don't have to worry about that! :-D

 

[Joe Lyddon]

Bas,

Good point!!

Makes sense... Now we know...! :lol:

It would also be harder to mount 2 boards, one at a time... and get them in perfect alignment... Yes? :lol:

You'd have to use a laser instrument to get it right... a string line would sag for that distance... :lol:

 

[scsmith42]

Bas - :lol:

Joe - and what makes you think that I don't have a laser..... :-D

 

[Joe Lyddon]

Bas - :lol:

Joe - and what makes you think that I don't have a laser..... :-D

Yep, you got me there... you have one alright... shoulda known... :lol:

You're doing it the best way... a piece w/o a joint is better than one with a joint... no matter how long it is... :eyeslam:

 

[Bas]

Considering all the other monster pieces of equipment you have in your shop, I expect your laser to be something like this :lol::

 

[scsmith42]

Bas - :lol:

Actually, I've got one of these:

http://www.cstsurvey.com/Products/LaserMark/LMH600.htm

It's a nice unit - good for extended ranges so I can use it for grading projects or building projects. 1/8" accuracy at 100' isn't bad either...

I've used it quite a bit - most recently to help align the metal roofing panels on the old farmhouse project. Set the laser on it's side and shoot what is usually the vertical beam down the ridge line, and then make reference marks from the side beams (90 degrees to the ridge beam). You align the edges of the roofing tin with the reference marks and the tin comes out dead on.

 

[Bas]

Definitely a sharp looking laser! It takes D-cell batteries, not AA - 'nuff said!

 

[Threejs]

A few years ago, my father-in-law, and I put down a bunch of ash boards as the flooring of the loft in his barn. The boards where 8/4 x 30' long ash boards of various widths. Most where cupped, or bowed, and had to be clamped into place before being drilled and nailed.

Now this was before I was into much wood working. I don't think I would have done that today.

 

[Joe Lyddon]

Bas - :lol:

Actually, I've got one of these:

http://www.cstsurvey.com/Products/LaserMark/LMH600.htm

It's a nice unit - good for extended ranges so I can use it for grading projects or building projects. 1/8" accuracy at 100' isn't bad either...

Scott, is the 1/8" accuracy per 100' due to the accuracy of the measuring / calibration hardware? I don't think a laser beam will drop at all in 100'... will it?

Looks like a SUPER nice unit with all kinds of flexiblity!

 

[scsmith42]

Joe, the beam is straight, but the accuracy has to do with how accurate the self-leveling mechanism is. 1/8" in 100', with a self-leveling laser, quite frankly amazes me!

I'll say this, when I use it for grading, the laser is way more accurate than my skills with the bulldozer!

For extreme accuracy over short distances, it's hard to beat a good old fashioned transit. So if I'm helping a friend rig the wings on an aircraft, or setting a machine in place that has to be dead-on precise, a transit is the first choice.

The laser offers fast, one person operation for all of my construction and grading needs though. I liked this particular model because it allows me to set up manual slopes, in addition to it's other feathres. The slopes come in handy for setting drain pipe, or precision grading (I used the CST when I built a horse dressage arena for my wife a couple of years back, and the grading was 1/4" every 10'. The more precise that I could keep it, the more consistent the riding practice for my wife).

Scott

 

[scsmith42]

David, your post brings back memories... the first load that I put through my kiln was SYP for a horse barn. 4000 bd ft of 2 x 12 x 24' of GREEN SYP - all hand loaded into the kiln (carried at least 40' by hand and then manually stacked up to 6' tall). Man, I thought that I was gonna die before the last boards went on top of the pile!

Before the next load went into the kiln, I built a track and cart system so that we could load the boards OUTSIDE (and unload them with a forklift!).

My back started aching just thinking about having to handle 8/4 30' ash boards!

The 40 footer SYP 4/4 boards really weren't that heavy. Me and two other guys grouped three together and walked them about 500' after planing to the building where they are going to be installed. Of course, about halfway there I was wishing that we'd only grabbed two boards and made an extra trip, but what the heck!

Scott

 

[Kyle]

now thats a long board! Those swingers will cut about any length as long as you have the track for it..

 

[jeff...]

now thats a long board! Those swingers will cut about any length as long as you have the track for it..

and log ;-)

 

[Joe Lyddon]

Joe, the beam is straight, but the accuracy has to do with how accurate the self-leveling mechanism is. 1/8" in 100', with a self-leveling laser, quite frankly amazes me!

I'll say this, when I use it for grading, the laser is way more accurate than my skills with the bulldozer!

For extreme accuracy over short distances, it's hard to beat a good old fashioned transit. So if I'm helping a friend rig the wings on an aircraft, or setting a machine in place that has to be dead-on precise, a transit is the first choice.

The laser offers fast, one person operation for all of my construction and grading needs though. I liked this particular model because it allows me to set up manual slopes, in addition to it's other feathres. The slopes come in handy for setting drain pipe, or precision grading (I used the CST when I built a horse dressage arena for my wife a couple of years back, and the grading was 1/4" every 10'. The more precise that I could keep it, the more consistent the riding practice for my wife).

Scott

Very good Scott,

Don't get me wrong... I think 1/8" per 100' is good too, but not being up on the equipment, it had to off due to the mechanics around the laser beam... 1/8" in that distance is good... very good.

Thank you for the very good explanation.