What is a realistic goal for BF output on a manual bandsaw mill?

Smakman · April 14, 2005, 09:49:31 AM

I know hydralics speed up the process a lot, but I was wondering what a fellow can really do in an average day with an all manual bandsaw mill with a 20-25 HP gas engine.

Dan_Shade · April 14, 2005, 10:06:44 AM

not sure how much this helps, I'm a novice, I have an 8HP engine on my Hud-son Oscar 28. working with 18-22" logs, 1 poplar, and 3 oak, I sawed up 300bf in one day last weekend. I finished up about 8 hours or so after I started.

of course this has some head scratching involved, and a little downtime after I sawed through a backstop

I think if I had my logs situated where they're easier to load (my log pile ended up being away from my saw location), I could pretty easily saw up 500bf in one day. I'd expect a 20-25hp engine to at least double that.

MULE_MAN · April 14, 2005, 10:15:25 AM

I think the big factor here is the logs your sawing, I'm suppose to be able
to saw 250 to 400 bd.ft. a hr. I have sawed some small & junk logs that I
was doing good to saw 250 ft in a half day. And then I have sawed logs that
I was doing close to 500 bt. ft a hr . That's sawing 8/4 12" wide stuff. My 2 cents
is the log quality & size is what makes a good day or bad day !! & a helper doesn't
hurt either . I think Wood Mizer is calling for 200 bd. ft a hr on a manual Mill.
Click on there link on the left side of the page & you can read the production
on all there Mills

D._Frederick · April 14, 2005, 10:40:59 AM

Two-three years ago when my back was good, I had some 12ft fir logs that were 12 to 20 inches in diameter. With my LINN LUMBER mill, powered by a 7 1/2 hp electric motor, I could approach 100 bdft.per hr sawing 2 X 6. Any thing small or larger in diameter would slow the sawing rate down.

Dan_Shade · April 14, 2005, 10:48:54 AM

I should mention that I saw everything 4/4

Randy · April 14, 2005, 11:01:34 AM

I am new at sawing(a few months) but I use a LT40HYD and its like Mule_man said its has "everything" to do with WHAT you are sawing. I can work by myself and average 250 to 350bft per hour easy--------Then there are some tree's---------one I can think of-----had to change blades 5 times for one 16ft log-------------Maybe 100bft per hour on that one. Alot of times I use a cant hook to turn my cant's instead of using the HYD's----Its faster for smaller cants (my mill is a 95 so I don't have that Fancy turner/clamp)Naturally it takes longer to cut 1000bft of 1" than it does for 1000bft of 2". With a manual mill you should be able to average 150 to 250bft per hour with Good Logs--Not to big, not to little. There will be logs you will not do 100bft per hour, then there will be times you will do 350bft per hour with a manual mill. Randy

MemphisLogger · April 14, 2005, 11:30:46 AM

Smakman,

With an experienced tail man and a setup like this, I can do 200bdft/hour of 4/4 or 300bdft/hour of mixed 4,6 and more/4. 8)
I don't like to walk back and forth with the head for more than 5-6 hours so with setup and cleanup, we usually only do about 1000bdft/day. :-[

DanG · April 14, 2005, 11:35:14 AM

Just to toss in my 2cw.....You'll get a more realistic expectation if you figure on what you, your support equipment, and your layout can handle in a day. The saw won't have any trouble keeping up with that.

The kind of mill you have needs to match the rest of your operation. It would be absurd to use a LT-15 with a live deck, green chain and front-end loader. Just as silly to feed a LT-70 with a cant hook. :

MemphisLogger · April 14, 2005, 11:40:26 AM

yeah, what DanG said

If we're being fed by a tractor with forks or using my Towmotor at the shop, we can put out half again as much lumber. ;D

Daren · April 14, 2005, 12:29:14 PM

I am working on a chart right now to track my cutting rates with a 13 h.p. motor. I am waiting for a bobcat with grapple bucket I bought to show up, that is going to speed up things, I used to use a Jeep with a homemade crane on the front. How fast I could load and what size logs were the variables for me. The more time I spent messing around and not sawing was the killer. I figured the old way I could always average just above 100 bft hr. all manual, all by myself with mixed logs (big, small, bent, rotten) With good logs 16"-24" I would get 200+. Both those rates include cleanup and stickering (I am stationary). I have several 24" walnuts laying in a pile, as soon as my bobcat shows up, I will see how much the machine helps (loading, hauling off scrap) Another thing that makes a difference is wood type too, a 20' cedar will cut as fast as you want to walk even with my little engine. Walnut slows me down a little, cause it cuts harder and I am more carefull with looks of the finished product.

sawyerkirk · April 14, 2005, 12:49:27 PM

We have run an LT25 Woodmizer with a 20hp for many years. With one experienced helper, sawing nice clean 15"x12' ash logs, we can average 250bf per hour. That is starting the engine at 1 o clock and sawing until 2. We use a loader to load each log, Does n ot include edging the boards, cause we don't. . that is sawing 1.5" stake lumber. 1000bf is a nice day. Not killing ourselves our working from sunup to sundown, and cleaning up our mess.

Part_Timer · April 14, 2005, 01:31:40 PM

with good logs I normally average 70-80 bf an hour by myself just a cant hook no loader (looking tonight). The best we've done is 1500bf in 9 hours but I had 2 helpers and we had a tractor w/loader. Your support equipment and helpers make all the differance. More time on a cant hook=less time sawing.

LT-15 w/15hp

slowzuki · April 14, 2005, 02:12:53 PM

I'm hoping to do well, I'l be sawing all 6x6 so the BF will stack up quick. Will be using a loader on the tractor too.

raycon · April 14, 2005, 03:37:45 PM

Time what it takes to make one typical pass on a 8'6" long saw log. From that you can get an average of your best case scenario.
I'd guess it would be around 30 seconds or less in hardwood cant 12" wide . If that was true then in 12 minutes you could of milled a 100 bdft of 4/4 boards if you had a 12x12 cant on the mill. Reality is on a manual mill it's the time spent manually turning the log, manually clamping, manually lowering log dogs, and adjusting toe that the majority of time goes to --when sawing solo.
Log loading is another time eater that can be solved by setup. I think a manual mill with two guys use to working together can put out 200+ bdft an hour (4/4). Flip,clamp , tail faster than a typical hydraulic mill run solo can but its more work. I try not to bring the manual mill or hydraulic mill to the log pile until everything is staged properly.

Daren · April 14, 2005, 03:46:31 PM

It helps too if you have a good plan, and work efficiently. Scott has it all figured out with the drawing out his work area before he starts, sorta like a coach drawing a play. I am going to encorporate a picture in my operation (probably just steal Scotts, scratch out the offloader and coffee, and add another spectator) :D

JP · April 14, 2005, 05:31:02 PM

I am running a 23hp Norwood mill with a 30 hp NewHolland tractor with homemade forks-logs,sticking piles,and slab pile located around mill.
I bring in a log and set it on the mill with the forks, back away about 6' park with forks back and above skidway bunks. saw off slabs -put on forks--saw 4/4 s or whatever and pile on bunks -finish log- scoop up boards on forks, drive to pile-stick boards--move to slab pile and dump slabes--move to log pile, pick up log put on mill start over. my goal is to not lift anything///

Im retired so only work when and as long as I want but can do 10 logs a day most days about 5-6 JP

Larry · April 14, 2005, 06:13:52 PM

JP, ya been peekin over my shoulder? ;D :D ;D :D

Bout the only difference is the slabs go on the loader forks while the lumber is stickered on the wagon behind me. Finish off the log, run the tractor to the slab pile, and bring back a new log.

Best thing I like about the system is when I turn off the saw I'm done. Slabs in the slab pile with the lumber stickered. I can either pull the wagon to the barn if it is full or throw the tarp on it for the next day.

spencerhenry · April 14, 2005, 06:51:34 PM

i run a lt40 super hydraulic with a 42 hp turbo diesel. i am not exactly sure what my bdft/ hr numbers are, but one thing i am sure of is that woodmizer's production figures are highly exagerated. i mill alot of beams, and 1x is a by product to get to the beam. i have done 1500 bdft in under 8 hrs, but had poor quality logs and lost some time. i think on thing overlooked alot of times is clean up. when i am milling, i can generate alot of slab in a day, i throw it off the opposite end of the mill, but the pile gets out of control fast. in the winter i just start a fire in the morning and throw the slab on all day, but spring summer and fall there are fire bans around here, plus everything i own is flammable (logs, sawdust, lumber, fuel, firewood). in the winter i have to dig the mill out of the snow almost everytime i use it. i stack my lumber directly on the forklift as i cut.
what others have said about log size and quality is very true. i think my best production numbers come with logs 14 to 20" dia, and under 16' long.
thats my 1.2 after tax cents

EZ · April 14, 2005, 07:12:49 PM

I run a 16 hp manual bandmill. Most of our sawing jobs are 800 bf per site. If the log is 40 inch dia we will have it sawed up in about 3 hrs. If the logs are 8 or 10 inch in dia we might spend 12 hrs sawing 800 bf. Its great for me that most of the logs we saw is 35 and 40 inch. My wife helps me most of the time and this is great cause she can take over the b.s.ing with the customer and I can keep sawing. ;D
EZ

Smakman · April 14, 2005, 07:47:23 PM

The reason I asked was that I am wanting to buy a mill and have it paid for outright, but I don't think I will have what I need to buy a hydraulic mill that way. Are there any brands that are upgradeable to hydraulics later on?

JP · April 14, 2005, 08:08:55 PM

I wanted to add pictures to my previous post but failed.
here are some of my setup etc. JP

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=4231442&a=31585418&f=0

raycon · April 14, 2005, 08:40:52 PM

Cool photo's JP whats that you got in the milk crates?

Retired? Looks like you're doing more work than some working folks.
Did you build that log carrier/trailer ? Looks good.

JP · April 14, 2005, 09:02:46 PM

Hi Raycon:
I retired from a survay outfit so I supply them with survey hubs ( 1 1/2" x1 1/2" x 12" Oak stakes.
the log carrier is from an old Public survace Pole carrier then modified with winch and ramps etc JP

Russ · April 14, 2005, 09:42:24 PM

J P : What size motor on the Norwood ? I was wondering if the two into one muffler would work on a 20hp Briggs. Is it quieter ?

Quartlow · April 14, 2005, 09:55:07 PM

Urban loggers setup would never work for me, the coffe is too close :D I've never timed it but I hate moving things twive, slabs go in a bunk lumber goes on the wagon, stacked and stickered. only thing left to do when I'm done is sweep the sawdust off the end of the concrete dump the bunk and pick the stack of lumber off the wagon with the tractor and put it away.

Logs are staged on a rack so its easy to roll them on to the mill with a log cant.