I have a bad back - should I even consider buying a mill someday??

[Warbird]

Hey guys.  I dream of owning a sawmill someday but I have lower back issues.  Crouching, bending, or slouching for long periods of time hurt me bad.  I can lift okay but have to be very careful.  Standing in one spot for long periods also kills my lower back.

So what do you think?  Should I give up the dream of having one someday?  If not, then what sort mill would you recommend that is easiest on a guy's back?

I'd only own the mill for my own use, hobbyist stuff, and helping out friends.  Doubt I'd ever go commercial with it but ya never know.  Interested in your opinions.  Thanks.

[Skip]

Dont even think about it . 

[red oaks lumber]

you can own one just don't use it! 2 things you need strong, your back and well your back.

[TreeWinder]

Only you can say,  but many of us have very bad backs and still work the mills, I'm one of them.  I'm surr you have good days and bads, work it the good  days,.  Would not be surprise to see a person in a wheelchair running a mill.

Follow your passion.   Good luck to you.

[beenthere]

I used to have lower back problems.
Did two things... push ups, (25 a day), and changed how I stood upright so the spine was straighter in that lower back area.

Now, if I feel some lower back pain (tightness), I do 5 pushups and it is gone. Has worked for me for 35 years now (but still remember how painful it was).

[laffs]

it is hard on your back thats for sure. i went with full hydraulic and have some support equipment also and its still hard on my back. but if your going to do it as a hobby maybe you could get some buddies to help out and work at your own pace.

slow and steady

Brent

[WH_Conley]

I have had back trouble for years, have to think things out how to protect it. Hydraulic mill LT40 and a helper. The last couple of weekends I have been helping a young neighbor boy set up and learn to use his new LT 10. I would not attempt to use it by myself.

[POSTONLT40HD]

I had a back problem. And then one day my brand new, shiny orange Woodmizer LT40 HD G28 showed up and BAM.....I was healed, healed I tell ya!

True story.

[Jeff]

 Follow your heart. You can find ways to work within your abilities.

[Sixacresand]

I just had major back surgury last August.  I bought a Woodmizer LT10 three months later.  I have to pace myself and use my tractor, winches to move/lift things .  One thing, my mill is stationary and on the ground.  I plan to raise the mill a couple of feet off ground to reduce  bending.  The summer heat, flies and ticks concern me more than my back.  So, I say go for it and get a mill.  

[bull]

Broken back @ 17 osteo and rhumutoid  arthritis bad legs, still running my mill go for it !!

[fred in montana]

Probably best not to risk it.

[Knute]

Some type of back support may be helpful. I always wear a wide leather weight belt around my lower back while sawing and doing any heavy lifting.

[tyb525]

I'd say do it if it's your dream, nobody says you gotta be a production mill! Take it slow and use things other than your back to do the heavy work.

[cypresskayaksllc]

Ive had two broken backs and I can run a hydraulic mill. Never tried a manual so I dont know about that. My back tells me when breakfast lunch and dinner is.

[sigidi]

Warbird, here in Aus, I'm a university qualified Exercise Physiologist, pretty name but basically means I know stuff about the body, muscles bones exercise that kind of stuff. Majority of back issues can be greatly reduces or even negated all together by better control of abdominal wall muscles. Not so much making them rock hard, but switching them 'on' all the time, we tend to forget about them and more often than not it is abs not switched on which allows the lower back to roll into a much greater curve, this in turn loads up the lower back greatly and also means the weight bearing aspect of the spinal column is compromised. Go see a personal trainer/physio/exercise physiologist get some coaching on 'bracing' practice this until you do it as 2nd nature, you may find your back issues will almost all but disappear once your abs are doing their job properly.

I'd tend toward a swing mill ( I know I'm biased ) but you said standing for periods is a no go situation for you, with a swing mill you are doing light exercise (walking) most the day, when the board is to be tailed it is an edged board so you're not having to pick up a slab that needs resawing. I have a fairly serious leg injury and the walking back and forward has done wonders for me over the years - even now my right leg is still much smaller than my left, but it gets me through milling 5 days a week or more

[Ron Wenrich]

We're pretty automated, so there isn't a whole lot of handling things.  The biggest problem seems to be moving heavy slabs and boards.  Rollers probably could be used to move that stuff around, and some of the mills have a drag back feature that helps with much of the pulling. 

I've had back problems off and on for a number of years.  I've had sciatica so bad that I could barely walk.  Chiropractors didn't help all that much.  I finally ran across a website run by one of those therapy type guys in Canada.  He has lots of stuff to support his techniques.  I ended up laying on a tennis ball and put against some pressure points.  Sciatica was relieved in a matter of minutes and was gone within a few days.  Hasn't come back.  His theory is that back pain is a muscle problem in 90% of the cases.  It worked for me.

[Warbird]

Thanks for all of the excellent info and opinions guys.  I am in very good shape, excepting my back.  My back problems are brought on by scoliosis in the lower lumbar.  I have two 33 degree bends with 2 compacted vertebrae and arthritis developing in that area.  You can't tell it by looking at me and only a trained person would notice my gait is off a bit.  I wear a shoe lift in one shoe and it helps reduce much of the pressure from standing.  Even so, just standing really gets me.

That's pretty much my story.  A couple of buddies and I have been talking about sawmills for a couple of years now.  I love the big old circular saw mills but will likely never operate one.  Heck, I've never even seen an operating mill in person.

Being a new dad, I can't afford a mill right this moment anyway.  It's just a dream but it's a big dream.  Trying to figure out what I want to work toward.  On a side note, I really appreciate reading this board.  You guys are great.  Thanks again for taking the time to reply.

[Brucer]

I have had back problems in the past -- mostly in the lower back, mostly from lifting too much. First time was when I was 30. I have been able to carry on production sawing, first with a manual mill, later with a hydraulic mill.

I've got smarter with age and I know how much I can handle without risking my back. That's my secret -- I listen to those little warning voices and if something looks to heavy, I don't lift it. Since I'm handling timbers, some of them over 1000 pounds, I use rollers and gravity a lot. The front-end loader doesn't hurt.

One thing that has helped me a lot is good abs and good posture. That comes from doing 15,000 crunches a year (OK, so I'm a little weird ).

There are options if standing around causes you pain. I read an article a few years ago about a sawyer running a mill from a wheelchair. Wood-Mizer has a seat option on some of their mills (Magicman has one). Other manufacturers might as well. When you're just sawing for yourself, you can take frequent "back breaks". Mind you, I've noticed a lot of us seem to overlook aches and pains when the sawdust is flying and everything is going good .

If you have a chance, try one out. You'd certainly be welcome to run my mill if you ever made it this far south. I'm sure a lot of FF members would say the same.

[captain_crunch]

Go in pards with your buddys good sawyer don't need strong back just a sharp mind. Sawyer makes or breaks opperations My back should be shot from Logging and Rodeo but still going (mind might not be as good)
Brian