# Sawmill Advice



## wswartzwel (Mar 1, 2013)

Anyone have experience owning a bandsaw mill? I have been toying with the idea.

I could buy a lot of lumber for what a mill costs…. I like tools..I am self employed, and need to buy some to help me with next years taxes, but I also don't have money to throw away either. A small sawmill would be a big investment for me. I am sure there is a lot to learn about drying/storing and maybe even selling lumber that I don't know. I could end up spending a bunch of money and due to lack of knowledge end up with twisted split lumber. But on the other hand I could end up having a lot of fun cutting lumber. I have 80 acres of hardwoods in AR. that has never been logged.Oak, Hickory, plum, persimmon. Any tips/been there done that…. comments?

Thanks so much,
Bill


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## MR_Cole (Jun 1, 2012)

might save some cash: http://www.harborfreight.com/saw-mill-with-7-hp-gas-engine-67138.html

Harbor freight engines are surprisingly good. (i own 3)


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## wswartzwel (Mar 1, 2013)

I looked at those but was unsure of the quality. You own 3 of those mills? or 3 harbor freight engines.


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## woodnewbee (Nov 23, 2009)

Get a good mill. A four poster with actual hydraulic system will cut far more wood than the others. They will lift heavy logs with ease as well. Lots of physical work but worth it in the end. 
I used to run a Woodmizer then moved up to a large circular mill. My dad has a a Timber King that is a joy to operate.
Drying wood is important enough to do some real research. For me getting the logs is most difficult as I work fulltime away from the woods now. There is just something about building with wood you milled that is satisfying and you get a chance to find some real cool wood.


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## lab7654 (Mar 31, 2012)

If you're just playing with the idea or want to experiment, I would consider building your own smaller version, either with wood or metal if you can weld or know someone. If time is more valuable, then that harbor freight mill looks pretty solid for what it is.


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## MoshupTrail (Aug 11, 2011)

There's a lot to learn just to be a good sawyer. See my 7 part blog of milling a large quantity of logs.

Blog. Part 1


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## wswartzwel (Mar 1, 2013)

I have thought of building one. I am mechanic by trade, have all the fabricating tools and skills (Have built street rods) but don't think I could beat the price of the Harbor freight unit previously posted.and as I age time is more valuable. it has lots of good reviews I just read.

Moshuptrail. Thanks for the link I am headed there now.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

It's not a get rich quick scheme. Hard work, sweat, sawdust and dirt. It can be great and I absolutely love doing it. But you have to be committed from the start.

I have been threatened with being committed several times.


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## wswartzwel (Mar 1, 2013)

Not sure I want to get into it at that level. I worked at an old fashioned Sawmill when I was 19-20years old stacking Oak railroad ties as they came off the blade rollers. I may saw 20-25 logs a year. Unless i fall in love with it. Thanks for all the tips so far.

As far as hydraulic lifts, I inherited a fork lift from my dad that I can use for moving logs around.

where is a good place to get info on log care/ lumber drying. I currently have 8 26" pine logs and 3 24" oak logs and a cedar in my back yard waiting to be cut into lumber. I have them off the ground but haven't done anything else to them yet.


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## richardwootton (Jan 17, 2013)

Bill, I'm a fellow Arkansan and would love to have the space and ability to own a mill. I've thought about a slightly more elaborate chainsaw mill rig that would allow me to saw somewhat larger logs. If you go for it I'd be happy to trade labor and help for lumber.


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## wswartzwel (Mar 1, 2013)

where are you located richard? I am in Conway

I thought of going chainsaw mill route and buying a big bandsaw to do resawing and sizing… but figured a chainsaw mill would be slower than molasses


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## richardwootton (Jan 17, 2013)

I'm in Hot Springs but in Little Rock every Sunday and Monday. As a matter of fact I was in Conway today and scored a nice 605 Bedrock, Stanley #7, and a pretty nice #4. I know some have had good success with chainsaw mills, but I think the saw has something to do with that. It seems like it could provide a good opportunity to learn things about being a sawyer, at least until your willing to really invest in a band saw mill. A small solar kiln could also be a nice addition to a chainsaw mill so that you could get a return on your investment through kiln dried wood selling it at a fraction of the price our current hardwood providers sell their products for.


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## wswartzwel (Mar 1, 2013)

I have space in my backyard for a solar kiln. Next time you are in Conway look me up. I would like to know what the attraction is people seem to have with hand planes.


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## moonie (Jun 18, 2010)

Ya that would be sweet the mill well pay for its self and a solar kiln well cut your drying time in half.


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## sprucegum (Dec 6, 2012)

I am pretty happy with my Hudson 236 with a 23 hp vangaurd engine. It has power up and down and I added a 12 volt winch to assist with loading and turning logs. It is a ground mill so moving and setting it up is some what time consuming. It is sold as a 36" mill but sawing a 36" log is a little over the top for it , I have done it but it ain't easy. 30" logs go pretty good and 24" is a snap. If you are working alone as I often do power feed would not speed you up much. There are quite a few manual mills available in the same price range as the hudson, I went with Hudson because it had most of the features I wanted and there is a local dealer so I paid no shipping. Working alone sawing decent clean soft wood logs I can only saw about 100 bd ft/hr this includes the time spent taking care of the slabs and sticking the lumber I can do 2-3 hundred with a helper. I have sawed some huge rock maple, they are heavy and must be turned often in order to get the best grade: it is dam slow work alone but the results are spectacular. Building a mill was something I looked into there is no shortage of plans and kits but you will have a good bit of money in it when you are done and you will have a home made mill with little resale value. Resale was important to me because if I am able to sell enough hardwood lumber harvested from my own land to justify it I may want to up grade. I hope this helps and be sure to look at as many mills as possible before laying down your hard earned money.


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## wswartzwel (Mar 1, 2013)

Found a guy close by with a wood mizer, going cut logs at his place in a couple weeks, and see how I like it.


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## boxcarmarty (Dec 9, 2011)

I wanna be the first to put in an order. You deliver right???


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## wswartzwel (Mar 1, 2013)

Sure do Marty, Hot air balloon service.


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## MR_Cole (Jun 1, 2012)

I own 3 engines. The bandsaw is pretty strait forward


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## SteviePete (May 10, 2009)

Make sure you have enough power to handle the material-- dust, slabs, stickers and boards. Space to store what you cut. If you don't have a reliable crew - 2-3 I think it is too much work. Band mills are easy to overlook one thing or another and endup with crappy boards -like tapered, variation between cuts, and handling the lumber, etc. five or more times before you are done. Cut with an experienced owner a few times and see all that goes into it. I have found it easier for me to just look for good quality boards at a good price. Example-we have had 5 snowfalls in the last month-hand shoveled and snow blower to clear a large enough space to work in. (In a rush to get basswood cut before it stains.) Good luck. On Wisconsin


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## fge (Sep 8, 2008)

I also hope to buy a sawmill someday. Mainly to resaw mesquite which seems to have a strong market for here in San Antonio and is not cheap.


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