Looking to buy a mill

Richstreeservice · December 01, 2011, 08:41:07 AM

Hi I am new to this forum. I am looking to buy my first mill. Yes I said my first mill. I have run woodmizers and a jonsered 600+. Does any one know a good place to start my quest. I am looking for a manual bandsawmill or a chainsaw mill.

Kansas · December 01, 2011, 08:55:45 AM

Go with a bandmill. Downside, looking at your name, is that metal may be a problem if you are milling yard trees. Upside is that you can cut a lot better, faster lumber If you want used, sawmill exchange or craigslist. Theres a lot of small personal mills out there for sale. New, check Woodmizers link. Also check their used mill link. Other companies make smaller personal mills. Baker, and Timberking come to mind. Just start clicking on the banners.

I do know where a used lt30 woodmizer manual mill is located in Kansas that is for sale, if they could ever figure out what they want for it. It was the mill we started out with. It hasn't been run for 10 years, so I wouldn't buy it if you weren't mechanically inclined. At least its been under a shed.

customsawyer · December 01, 2011, 09:10:27 AM

Welcome to the forum and pull up a seat. I would lean towards a used band mill as there are lots of good used ones out there. Some are used very little and in fine shape. The sponsors to the left will help you just as much with a used mill as they will if you buy new. Lots of the small used mills run just fine it is just that the mill owner wants to upgrade to a hyd. mill.

zopi · December 01, 2011, 09:16:31 AM

Get the most mill you can afford...hydraulic if possible, manual otherwise...nothing wrong with an Lt-40 manual, and you can pick up some great deals on them...

Bill Gaiche · December 01, 2011, 09:25:20 AM

Welcome and good luck on finding that first mill. Its out there so do some scouting. bg

york · December 01, 2011, 09:29:41 AM

WELCOME,where is Pearl River?

Magicman · December 01, 2011, 09:34:24 AM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Richstreeservice. Our sponsors to the left sometimes have used sawmills as well as new ones.

Manual sawmills are OK if they meet your needs, but bells and whistles are for a reason. Hydraulic log handling, debarkers, and computer controlled setworks, etc. are more than luxuries. They speed production, increase blade life, and insure lumber accuracy.

Richstreeservice · December 01, 2011, 10:42:41 AM

Pearl river is in New York about 40 min. From Manhatten

Richstreeservice · December 01, 2011, 10:47:02 AM

I only need a manual mill because the demand for wood is low here. It's mostly for my personal projects.

Chuck White · December 01, 2011, 11:20:32 AM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum Richstreeservice!

Always glad to see another NY'r join us!

Chuck

Ianab · December 01, 2011, 01:03:11 PM

What are you planning to cut and what sort of equipment and operation do you have?

Mill is a fixed location and bring the logs to it, or move the mill to the logs?

Reason I ask is that log size and the ability to move logs has a big bearing on what mill is best.

A manual bandmill will "Get-R-Done" with smaller logs, providing you have the equipment to move the logs around and aren't too worried about how much you saw per hour. Chainsaw mills. while they do work, they are very slow and also make you work. OK for special projects like oversize logs, or valuable wood in a hard to get to place.

Personally I went with a Swing blade mill as I have access to some large logs, but not usually machinery to move them.

Ian

catskillpond · December 02, 2011, 10:32:07 AM

Welcome to the Forum we have a manual mill if its just for your projects you can cut alot of lumber in a day Good Luck

Fil-Dill · December 02, 2011, 12:57:19 PM

www.ezboardwalk.com

ahlkey · December 02, 2011, 01:54:43 PM

I have the L2000 manual Norwood mill with the trailer package and it works well for me. The only issue I would see is that with larger logs it could be a problem when rotating but I believe their new models have some hydraulics you can add or you can customize it yourself with a winch if you are handy. I would suggest you consider a used model though. While the manual mills will never be high production I have routinely cut over 1,000 board feet per day with a little help. The hand held log-turner from logosol works really well on smaller logs.

paul case · December 02, 2011, 05:32:32 PM

Quote from: Fil-Dill on December 02, 2011, 12:57:19 PM
www.ezboardwalk.com

X2. PC

mikeb1079 · December 02, 2011, 08:59:15 PM

get a small bandsaw mill over a chainsaw mill. chainsaw mills are slow, wasteful, and outrageously noisy (that's why i liked em so much :D) having milled a fair amount of logs with both setups i can assure you that you won't regret the extra expense of a bandsaw mill. chainsaw milling has it's place but for what you want to do (milling for personal projects) a manual bandsaw mill should work great. besides, milling with a manual bandsaw mill is plenty of work by itself! 8)

Knute · December 02, 2011, 09:18:32 PM

You will be happy with a bandmill. Manual is fine if you don't saw a large volume, but consider a power feed. I wouldn't be without that.

Richstreeservice · December 04, 2011, 12:36:09 AM

Thank you everyone for your advice I actually purchased a granberg for some extremely large walnut logs I have and am awaiting delivery on a used wood-mizer my uncle found in a farm auction. It needs a new motor but the price I paid should be illegal So I don't mind replacing a 17 hp motor. I think I even have a small Kubota pony motor in the shop. I got the mill for less than 500 if any one was curious. I was the only bidder around here nobody even knows what a sawmill is. I definitely got lucky on this deal.

ladylake · December 04, 2011, 06:09:08 AM

More than a little lucky, put at least a 25hp on if it will fit or a newer 34 or 38 hp Kohler, a LOT more torque than the 25 - 27hp Kohler. Steve

Magicman · December 04, 2011, 08:14:24 AM

Looks like you are on a roll now. Congrats on the sawmill, and as Steve indicated, "HP is good".

Meadows Miller · December 04, 2011, 10:50:29 AM

Gday

And welcome to the forum Richstreeservice ;) ;D ;D 8) I reckon you did get lucky on that deal even with the blown motor its a steal and it will make a dang fine mill for you and you cant go wrong at that price for what you got Mate ;) ;D ;D 8) 8) 8)

BTW Got any pics mate ;) ;D ;D

Regards Chris

pineywoods · December 04, 2011, 04:50:58 PM

You will find that woodmizer can supply you with complete motor kits at very attractive price. Installing a non-standard motor is quite easy. My LT40 has a kawasaki liquid cooled engine off a lawn tractor. Replace a briggs. The only thing you need to watch is weight. Sticking a 350 pound diesel or a big heavy electric motor on one of the older mills can get a bit sticky.