Band mill advice needed

[Zundapp]

I'm needing to construct 4 out buildings over the next 3 or 4 years. with the price of lumber where its at, I'm seriously considering a small band mill strictly for my own use. I've looked into several Brand name mills on the market, but they all cost a little more than I care to spend right now. So I'm leaning heavily twords building my own. I'm a certifide welder & have fabricating experience. Has anyone had any experience building their own mill & would give me some advice?

[Bibbyman]

For one building a year,  I’d hire someone to come in and custom saw each project.  You’d be time and money ahead.

You could probably buy a used low-end mill for the price of the materials to build one – unless you already have most of the major components.

[Zundapp]

Bibbyman

Thanks for the reply.
I'm not on any real tight time frame on getting the buildings up.

I have watched for used mills over the last year, but aside from a couple of old Bellsaws, nothing has come up in the area & I don't want to travel across the country for one. I do have a pretty good inventory of steal & a Wisconson engine off a baler thats in good shape. 

[mike_van]

I built my own some 16+ years ago, not a lot of info. out back then, lots of "problems" to figure out & overcome. If you aren't planning on keeping it & starting a small business with it, I'd follow Bibby's advise. I think a used factory made mill [as long as they're still in business] will have more resale value then a homemade one.  You didn't say if you had logs or had to buy them too? Not to discourage you if you want to build, but it's a lot of work for a few buildings. Check Sawmill Exchange, or even search ebay, you can limit the search to 200 miles of you if you want, even an email to some of the mfgs. might do the trick.  Hey, let us know what ever -

[Zundapp]

mike_van

Thats the other side of the coin. I do own 30 acres of timber that runs heavy to Douglas fir & Ponderosa pine. Every year I lose 2 or 3 fir to root rot. The neighbors around us have butchered there ground, so I'm fighting the pine beetles. Total, I'm looking at seven or eight trees a year. Not enough for a truck load, but to much for fire wood. Seems like it would be best utilized If I could cut them into lumber for my own use. How much are used band mills going for?

[Bibbyman]

Fist check out the “For Sale” section of this Forum.  Someone may have just the mill for you at a great price.

Then too the sponsors at the left often have used mills or know where there are people wanting to sale their mill before buying a new one.

Here is the used mill section of the Wood-Mizer web site.  Check back often as their inventory rolls over pretty quick.

Wood-Mizer used mills

There are also other places that lists used sawmills.  But we don’t like to talk about them as they don’t benefit the Forum.

[woodmills1]

I think you should go with the first advice.  Get your logs and a cut list for the building, then you can learn how to dry and process so you can build.  Bet after the second or third building you own a mill.   Orange is nice!

[mike_van]

Zundapp, having your own logs is a good start, will certainly save you money. I can't tell you what used mills go for, or even new ones for that matter - I just never look - In the early 90's I searched new england for a planer, it took some lookin',  but eventually I found a real nice one [ after looking at a few that would have made boat anchors]  I know prices vary all over the country, but to give you a starting point, when someone brings their logs to me, I charge 30 cents a bf.  If they're small crummy logs [don't imagine you have any of those where you are] - I charge 20.00 per log. No ones ever complained, I have a lot of repeaters, and some have said I work too cheap. I'm not portable, so everything has to get hauled in.

[jpgreen]

Run an in the local "Nickle" or "penny saver" merchant paper for "Used sawmill Wanted". Sawmill guys always read those papers..

I have drumed up all kinds of deals that way.. 

[sawmilllawyer]

Ah Ha;JP, so now I know how the Kawamiser came onto the field of play (pre-Kaw, of course). Great tip, Andy

[jpgreen]

Kawamizer was rescued from a drug infested enviroment.. 

[jrokusek]

.......So I'm leaning heavily twords building my own. I'm a certifide welder & have fabricating experience. Has anyone had any experience building their own mill & would give me some advice?

Well, I'm kind of a hack as far as welding goes and haven't fabricated a whole lot of things, but was able to fabricate a working bandmill.  It's actually not that hard to do if you put your mind to it.  It does, however, take lots of time to build and you always have the little glitches in the thing that weren't "engineered" right the first time.

I really only built mine because I'm a woodworker and I have a difficult time getting reasonably priced hardwoods.  Now I can hoarde wood all I want!  It doesn't cut real fast but gives me great pleasure taking a tree and turning it into usable lumber.  I'm a paper pusher by day and find it relaxing to work myself half to death pretending I'm a sawyer.

Now I too have a crazy idea that I need to build a garage from all my own lumber.  My wife thinks I'm nuts - and she's probably right!

My advice:  Build one if you have the time.  Do a search for homemade bandmills on this website, check out the "bandmill kits" that you assemble from Linn Lumber, check out http://www.diybandmill.com for other people who have built bandmills, and ask lots of questions as there are lots of good people who read this forum. 

Good Luck!
Jim

[Firebass]

Like you I wanted to build buildings and cut my own lumber with a sawmill I made myself.  Its a fun project if you have the time.   IMO figure up to a year to build it and learn to run it if you work on it regularly at least 1 or more hours a day. Take a look at my gallery that's one years work at a hour or two or more a day.  Not counting the hours you'll spend here at the forum.  Looking at a running mill they look very simple but believe me there are lots of moving parts.  And Machine work is anywhere from 50 to 100 bucks an hour.   as for a cost it depends on how far you want to take it.  There one guy here that made a mill from a old motorcyle engine and a couple of old tires for the band wheels.  He cut lumber,  but most of all I bet he had a blast building that contraption.  (anyone know a  link to that beast )

In short this is one of the most satisfiying projects I've ever experianced.

 

PS Dont tell your neibors you have a sawmill until your done with your first building or you might not ever get to build anything yourself.

I say go for it

[Firebass]

My advice:  Build one if you have the time.  Do a search for homemade bandmills on this website, check out the "bandmill kits" that you assemble from Linn Lumber, check out http://www.diybandmill.com for other people who have built bandmills, and ask lots of questions as there are lots of good people who read this forum. 

Good Luck!
Jim
 

Well said
Firebass

[Ianab]

There one guy here that made a mill from a old motorcyle engine and a couple of old tires for the band wheels.  He cut lumber,  but most of all I bet he had a blast building that contraption.  (anyone know a  link to that beast )

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=11591.0

I think thats the mill you are thinking of?

Ian

[Zundapp]

Now thats what I had in mind. Looking at those pictures of that home made mill got me excited! Ain't purdy but gets the job done! Heck, I got most the stuff I need already. Never would have thought of using tires for band wheels, got lots of those. Even have a couple of old camper jacks. That Wisconson is rated at 14 HP & runs like a top, should work, ya think?

[Dan_Shade]

please don't skimp on blade guards, having broken a few blades now, not having guards on there to catch the blade is asking for trouble, good luck with your project!

[jrokusek]

please don't skimp on blade guards, having broken a few blades now, not having guards on there to catch the blade is asking for trouble, good luck with your project!

This is the best advice yet.  I don't want to talk about how many times the blade came off the first time I set up my mill!   

[Zundapp]

Thanks for all the good advice.

I'm going to do a lot of research before I attempt to build my own. Meanwhile, I'll be looking hard for a good used one. If I can find a good deal, thats the way I'll go. Ether way, I'll be back hounding you all for more advice. What a great forum, thanks again.

[Handy Andy]

  The first time I pulled the blade off my Cook mill, I figured out why they make the blade guards from 3/4 plywood.  You just put the blade back on and keep sawing.  Jim

[jpgreen]

Resale can be a concern also.  You would get more for a factory made unit later on.