Intro - Red Pill

[Red Pill]

Hello to all.

I'm newer than a newbie, I guess. I got the sawing bug recently and it's hard to shake. I have been an amateur woodworker for a dozen years or so, and I've always had a love for wood. Bandsaw mills were something I knew about, but they were somewhere out there on the horizon. It has always bothered me, though, to see good trees turned into firewood or mulch.

Several months ago, I started looking into taking a small mill down to Honduras for a non-profit I know and work with. Bread for a Hungry World is a great organization, started by a minister of our church, and doing a lot of good work around the world. We have a big connection to Honduras with a day care center there (originally an orphanage), and several other programs. My oldest son and my daughter have both been there twice to work on building projects and with the kids in Campamento.

Bread partnered with another organization to set up a farming operation to be used to help feed the people who live in and around the Tegucigalpa dump. When I saw how wooded their land was, and how much they needed to clear, I knew we needed a portable mill to turn those trees into usable lumber. We are also involved in building projects there.

So I went to the Woodworking Show here in the DFW area and got my hands on a Woodmizer LT-15 Go. That was a BIG mistake. I'm hooked.

The only problem is, I have no money, no place closer than 60 miles away to set up, and no experience. Aside from that, I'm golden. 

I'm learning a lot here. Some day, somehow, I'm going to find a way to make this sawmill thing work.

[Red Pill]

Oh, and I got to go to Honduras with a team this month. We built foundations for the houses we'll be putting up there, distributed food and chicken feed (we have a program to start people in egg and chicken production), hugged a lot of kids, and had a great time. But the sawmilling on the farm is on hold. Apparently the authorities have to okay taking down any trees, and are dragging their feet.

[Magicman]

Thanks for the good intro and insight Red Pill.  With your vision, you plan will work.  You just may not quite know what it is....yet.   

[Bill Gaiche]

Welcome. MM is right. Someday you will find the way to have a bandsaw of your dreams. It may seem that its not gona happen but dreams have a way of comming true. Keep up the good works and do keep us posted. Good luck, bg

[mad murdock]

Welcome RedPill. It is good to hear new of Honduras. I worked down there from 1989-1991. We were working on a little different level.  Unfortunately to do things down there you had to have the  blessing from whomever controlled that area, usually was a military Colonel. I am sure it hasn't gotten a whole lot better, but the work you guys are doing is backed by someone more influential than any potentate here on this earth. He will open doors for your work to move forward.
   Sound like the sawdust bug bit you hard. It will work out, you will be making some nice Honduran mahogany lumber in your future

[Red Pill]

Thanks, but no mahogany. I'm sure the mahogany poaching is behind the rules there, but where we will be cutting it's all pine. That's what makes it so hilarious that we have to get governmental permission to cut. And we're putting in a farm in this place. sorry, but we will have to cut trees. Crops generally don't grow that well in shade . . .

It's really a great project. The young man who is working there now has a great vision, and he is using innovative organic methods. It's building slowly.

[customsawyer]

Welcome to the forum.

[dgdrls]

Welcome Red Pill,  no Blue Pill for you Eh?? 
I would suggest you look to the Church  for some real-estate to cut-on. Cut in their parking lot if you have too.
I bet you would get lots of help from the parishioners.
You have a 15 Go so your portable, you can do it. 
You are about 3 steps ahead of me.

Best to you
DGDrls

[eastberkshirecustoms]

Welcome. I'm assuming you jumped down the rabbit hole now?

[mandolin]

Welcome to the Forum. Sounds like you gotta plan.

[Red Pill]

Yep, I've jumped down the rabbit hole. No blue pill for me.

Just to clarify, I have not bought an LT15. I just got to cut on one and got sawing in my blood.

[Chuck White]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum Red Pill.

This is a great place to learn, and to help others.

I'm sure you'll enjoy sawing, not to many people start, then don't like it.

Even though it's work, I find it very relaxing.

Good luck to you.

[jueston]

having wood to cut might seem like a problem now, but people keep telling me as soon as i get the mill home the neighbors and friends will start coming to me with wood to cut. i'm sure once you tell everyone at your church about your goal of bring the mill down to help out the mission[if you haven't allready] and hint at the fact that you need a few trees around the area to cut for practice and to prepare youself for the mission they will be lining up at your door. after all, everyone wins in that proposition, they get reasonably priced wood from there own land which they can be proud of, you hone your sawmilling skills, and make a few dollars and prepare yourself for going down to honduras.

welcome to the forum, and remember, where there's a will there's a way.