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Portable jobs lasting more than a day?

Started by HD, February 04, 2011, 06:26:53 AM

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HD

This question is for guys that go out and cut for people on there place. I got a small job coming up and is going to last more than a day cutting.  It's about 40 miles from my place and it kinda in a remote place. I was wondering about someone stealing my mill.
I also woundering what other guys  do with there mills on jobs lasting more than a day.  Take it home after the day of cutting and then take it back to finish the job? Put a lock on the hitch and leave it there overnight?  Just wondering what the best thing to do.
Thanks for your time....

DR_Buck

I almost always take the mill home.     If the weather the next day turns sour and you don't go back, then the mill is at risk even longer.  The onlyy time I leave it is if I am completly comfortable with the security of the mill, such as if it is at a return customers location where it will be safe.   I never leave it where it will be unattended such as in the woods or field.
Been there, done that.   Never got caught [/b]
Retired and not doing much anymore and still not getting caught

terrifictimbersllc

Similar to Dr Buck.  I have property insurance on the mill which takes away some worry.  Usually leaving around 5-6 pm and getting back by 7:30 am not a lot can happen if the mill is at the customer's property (and he'll be there) or hidden back out of sight and didn't draw attention the day before.  Advantage of leaving it is more what you save on setup/takedown, easier driving and parking it at home rather than a little more towing expense.

I put the head at the front of the mill, lower it to the bed, and put an Abus motorcycle security chain and lock ($250) around one of the mast rails and frame.  This keeps it out of the travel config and give so much weight most would not be able to tow it.   Also put the full cover over the head .   And only leave it if absolutely sure I'll be back the next morning (weather etc).   If you get a chain make sure it will be long enough....one link less and mine would have not fit, and I have to wiggle it just right to make the ends meet. Could also get one of those hitch blocker lock things.
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

pnyberg

I've left my mill overnight in a customer's yard several times in the last year, and even from one weekend to the next a time or two.  So far, it's always been there when I go back. :)
No longer milling

HD

Thanks for replies. I do have insurance on the mill and its covered. Just the idea some jerk steals from you while trying to earn a little money, just gets me upset. If you take your mill home and take it back, then it costs you more in gas and then another set up after you get there. Do you charge more for this?

Magicman

I'm beginning my 10th year of portable sawing.  I have never brought the mill home during a saw job.  It's been left in the woods, out of the woods, secluded, fully exposed to passing traffic, and everything in between.  No worry and no problem.  All tools are always loaded into the truck at the day's end.

The mill head is not in the travel position and the battery is inaccessible.  I do not remove the fuel tank either.

Many times, especially with close jobs, I may pre-survey it and already have the mill set up, sometimes days, before I actually begin sawing.

Obviously, I have never experienced any theft or vandalism concerning the sawmill.

Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Magicman

Quote from: HD on February 04, 2011, 07:16:46 AM
If you take your mill home and take it back, then it costs you more in gas and then another set up after you get there. Do you charge more for this? 

How could you possible justify this additional expense to your customer when it was your option to take it home?
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

pnyberg

Quote from: HD on February 04, 2011, 07:16:46 AM
If you take your mill home and take it back, then it costs you more in gas and then another set up after you get there. Do you charge more for this?

I don't charge for the travel or the mill setup time on the second day if I choose to take the mill home.

--Peter
No longer milling

Peter Drouin

I put the head to the front, put a log on the loader arms, put the hitch in the back of the truck. and cover all. head and bed. some times ill put a log on the mill if it is a small one and lock it in. :D :D
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

HD

Peter drouin and timberterriffic. Both of you have good suggestions about putting head in a certain position and a lock and log on deck too.
MM your right. The customer should not pay for my discision to take the mill back home.
Thanks for your comments on this post. You guys are a wealth of knowledge.
I guess if I am not comfortable with the set up either i don't take the job or i just should take more precautions on protecting the mill.

Chuck White

I always leave my mill on the saw site until the job is finished!

Knock-on-wood I've never had a problem with leaving the mill on the customers property.

I would however be concerned if there was something like a public 4-wheeler trail that ran close by the mill.  Someone stealing gas, etc.

If I was real concerned about the security, I would get a Game-Cam and mount it somewhere so it would trigger if someone went close to the mill.

I always take anything loose, like Peavey's, cant hooks, chainsaw, gas tank & water tank home with me.  I take the tanks so that they can be refilled.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

ErikC

 With the peterson it's a little different because you can't just tow it, but I have left it all over the place, for weeks sometimes, and no problems. Usually it is on someones place, and hard to see from the main roads. I won't deny I have worried about it from time to time though. I never leave any tools, spare parts, chains, cable, etc.--too easy to walk off with.
Peterson 8" with 33' tracks, JCB 1550 4x4 loader backhoe, several stihl chainsaws

buzzegray

I used to leave my generator locked in a power box on my property. 10 years, never a problem. They only have to  take it only once then it is gone. Oh yea, - year 11-- its gone. It only took them 15 minutes to get it and go.

ErikC

 Anything that one or two guys can just pick up and take is pretty fair game these days it seems. Pretty sad state of affairs. :(
Peterson 8" with 33' tracks, JCB 1550 4x4 loader backhoe, several stihl chainsaws

Bandmill Bandit

Not that a mill cant be stolen, but there area couple of things that make it darn hard to steel. I always take my hitch off for starters and at the end of the day i park the mil head at the front of the mill and use a short length of grade 8 chain and a large high grade pad lock to keep it there. unless the have a pretty big truck and sizable lifting device the mill aint going now where fast. One guy up north told me he takes one tire off as well.
Skilled Master Sawyer. "Skilled labour don't come cheap. Cheap labour dont come skilled!
2018 F150 FX4, Husqvarna 340, 2 Logright 36 inch cant hooks and a bunch of stuff I built myself

Chuck White

Quote from: Bandmill Bandit on February 04, 2011, 07:54:35 PM
Not that a mill cant be stolen, but there area couple of things that make it darn hard to steel. I always take my hitch off for starters and at the end of the day i park the mil head at the front of the mill and use a short length of grade 8 chain and a large high grade pad lock to keep it there. unless the have a pretty big truck and sizable lifting device the mill aint going now where fast. One guy up north told me he takes one tire off as well.

Around here, the County Highway Dept. removes one wheel from their lighted construction signs if they are in-place overnight!

So, the idea does have merit! ;)
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

moonshiner

Hay if your like Me I always have a good sized chain on hand.A tree does wonders to padlock to.Most theaves dont want to waist much time trying to cut it.Just run the chain through the trailor frame & lock it up.If theres one close enough.

Peter Drouin

I use a square shovel to cleen up at the days end, And ill pull the saw dust smooth. come back the next day to work. and I can tell if someone been there :D :D  And sumetimes Ill put a mark on the far side of the lumber (top board). come back the next day and one look and I can tell if all the wood is there. you might be surprise.  :D :D :D 8) 8)
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

boman1

Do what you feel comfortable with ! It takes 10 minutes to hook up  and travel....it takes 10 minutes to set up to work.... I leave it at times and take it if I am uneasy.

texican

On the question of theft, if someone did steal a sawmill, they'd need to get new blades pretty quick (unless a box or two of blades was left behind with the mill...).  If it were a WM mill, I'd imagine they'd be trying to get WM blades.  IF a mill were stolen, and reported to WM, and they had an order from an unknown customer... would they be able to put two and two together?  Or if it were a TK or Baker, etc... the thieves might want to try and get blades through the mill manufacturer?

I know there are lots of used mills being bought/traded, and the manufacturers are always getting new customers... would be nice if there was a way... Ain't like you can go to Ace hardware and pick up some blades....

I had a Stihl chainsaw "borrowed" years back... went and talked with the main dealer/repair guy in the area... He actually remembered selling me the saw, and had the S/N.  If someone brought it in, he'd contact me.   Alas, never came in.

Bandmill Bandit

 I mentioned this to my son. He thought about for a bit and said he'd work on it. Figures it wouldn't be very hard nor would cost much to put a cell activated tracker on the mill. same idea and the iphone find my phone app. By the time the guys that stole it figure out they had been tracked by the mill it self they would likely be in the huskow.   
Skilled Master Sawyer. "Skilled labour don't come cheap. Cheap labour dont come skilled!
2018 F150 FX4, Husqvarna 340, 2 Logright 36 inch cant hooks and a bunch of stuff I built myself

Brucer

The few times I had multi-day jobs away from home, I left the mill at the customer's site. Mind you, he was living there.

My mill has been set up just outside town here for the last 4 years. The only theft I ever had was the fuel tank. That disappeared one weekend in December. Someone found it a year and a half later and got in touch with me.

Last year I removed the hitch and took it home -- not for security reasons but because I kept banging my ankles on it >:(.

There's been some good suggestions here for securing the mill with locks, cables, chains, etc.

If you really want security, you might want to get in touch with these guys: http://acglobalsystems.com/. They sell tracking and reporting systems for fleets and for recreational machines. The one that looks suitable for your situation is the "Toy Track" -- you can go directly to the page at http://www.toy-track.com/products. And yes, they sell internationally.

I saw a price recently for around $500. You'll also have to pay an annual airtime fee after the first year.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

backwoods sawyer

Like everyone else, I lock the hitch. I use a padlock and a ball lock. However rather then parking the head so all the weight is on the tongue, I park the head at the far end. (Pull the pins on the legs and see what happens) I have the full head cover for the mill and it helps keep inquisitive hands off the mill as well. Then I painted my mill green and yellow, makes it just a bit easier to find, then just another orange woodmizer.

At the end of the day, you just have to decide how comfortable you are with leaving the mill, but if you are uncomfortable with a customer, that is a different story, you may want to question whether or not you want to do business with them in the first place. 
Backwoods Custom Milling Inc.
100% portable. . Oregons largest portable sawmill service, serving all of Oregon, from our Backwoods to yours..sawing since 1991

weisyboy

i leave mine on site untill im done, if its a 3 week job it sits tehre for 3 weeks, weekends and all.

i dont think the key has ever been out.

people are generaly good. tehre are just a few bad eggs.
god bless america god save the queen god defend new zealand and thank christ for Australia
www.weisssawmilling.com.au
http://www.youtube.com/user/weisyboy?feature=mhee
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000696669814&sk=photos

Bodger

I am more concerned about vandalism when leaving the mill.  I have, however, for the past 15 years left it on site, over night many times.  I try to use good judgement when doing so.  I always cover the motor and take the gas tank (I gotta fill it anyway) and run the head all the way to the tail so it is not on the power bar.  If the mill is in close proximity to a highway I may take it, depending on where the customer's house is located, or cover the whole thing with a large tarp.  Never have really worried about theft that much.  Probably the most uneasy was parked in the woods next to a small town country club.  Thinking about kids getting out of school and wandering around looking for mischief.   
Work's fine for killing time but it's a shaky way to make a living.

Brucer

I think we all need to be careful not to get too complacent. The ability to sell stuff on-line makes it much easier to move stolen goods. I suspect sawmills are reasonably safe because they still well known to the public. People (including crooks) still aren't aware of what they are worth. But that could change.

The regional newspaper has been running an ad every couple of months about a stolen backhoe. It's a big construction machine that was stolen along with its trailer. A year later and the ads are still appearing.

One of my competitors chains up his mill every night, regardless of where it sits. He told me it's a lot easier to just make it a habit -- that way his customers don't get offended if he's got it parked at their place and gets out the chain at the end of the day.

You pretty much have to size up the situation and figure out where your comfort zone is.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

Magicman

Anyone that would steal my sawmill, would not be willing to work hard enough to run it anyway.   :-\
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Brucer

But they might be willing to work hard enough to sell it.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

pigman

In my area all we have are honest hard working people and extremely lazy thieves, so I don't worry about leaving my mill anywhere. ;)
Things turn out best for people who make the best of how things turn out.

Cedarman

For the 9 years I did portable custom work, I worried more about an accident while traveling than I did leaving the mill.  Never had anything stolen.  So I always left the mill over night as long as needed.  I bet more mills are damaged in transit than stolen or damaged in use. 
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

backwoods sawyer

I went to meet a customer in an Albertsons parking lot one day, so I parked about the middle of the lot so I could see him pull in. In the 10 min that I was parked there 4 vehicles had near misses with my truck. :-X  :o :-X  :o
Sometimes parking the mill out in the woods behind the customer's house seems a bit safer then parking in a parking lot waiting for the customer.   ::)
Backwoods Custom Milling Inc.
100% portable. . Oregons largest portable sawmill service, serving all of Oregon, from our Backwoods to yours..sawing since 1991

customsawyer

I have always left my mill where I was cutting and have not had any troubles. I am not saying that I won't get to the mill this morning and find it all gone but that is why I have insurance on it so I don't have to worry about it.
Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

weisyboy

thats right insure it ant its be ok.

it costs me $300 a year to insure my mill against, fire, theaft, and damage up to $40 000.

its not worth not having
god bless america god save the queen god defend new zealand and thank christ for Australia
www.weisssawmilling.com.au
http://www.youtube.com/user/weisyboy?feature=mhee
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000696669814&sk=photos

terrifictimbersllc

$25K worth of coverage for my mill with $3.5K on the side for other equipment costs $1000 a year. Maxim company inland marine policy it's called.  (this is besides the business liability coverage, that's a different policy).  Anyone know if I could do better any tips appreciated.   Makes me comfortable leaving the mill, the main reason though is being on the road with it.
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

customsawyer

All of my equipment is on the same policy so I don't know what just the mill would cost. I know that I have 2 tractors a back hoe, wheel loader, 4 wheeler, 2 sawmills, 2 edgers and some other small stuff on the same policy and it cost me about $2,200 per year.
Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

pnyberg

$30,000 coverage for the mill, no coverage for other equipment $825 a year. 

Since I never leave smaller tools on the job site if any were ever stolen it would most likely be from my home or my truck.  I'd hope that this would be covered by either my homeowner's or auto insurance.

I need to check my policy.  I'm guessing that I'm insured for current value, not replacement value, in which case I'm over insured.

--Peter
No longer milling

DR_Buck

I have policy that is underwritten by Scottsdale.  I pay $1200 a year.  It covers the mill at $30,000 and my log trailer at $20,000 for fire, theft and accidental damage on the road or on site.  It also covers medical up to $5,000 and accident and  liability up to $2,000,000


...............and I still take it home at the end of the day.   ;D
Been there, done that.   Never got caught [/b]
Retired and not doing much anymore and still not getting caught

Jim_Rogers

When I had a question about security, I'd take one tire off the machine. Makes it a lot more difficult to steal with one wheel missing.
I don't think I've done that more than once or twice.

With my older style mill, if you leave the saw head up near the hitch end the power strip is active. And even with the key off and out the hydraulics still will work. So I never leave the saw head up that end. I wouldn't want some kid(s) to get hurt playing around with levels pretending to be a sawyer.

Leaving the loader arms down and the outriggers down, makes it even more difficult to steal.

If my job is more then 15 miles from my home, I do charge something for travel time for a second day, but usually not much. It really depends on the total of the whole job.

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

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