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Minimal support equiptment to run a small mill.

Started by Joe Hillmann, March 13, 2014, 12:36:09 PM

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Joe Hillmann

I am building a bandsaw mill and I know that I need equipment to go along with the mill to be able to use it.  I don't own a heavy duty trailer so for now my plan is to bring the mill to the logs and winch them on using a come along jack or a heavy boat winch. 

What would experienced sawyers here consider to be the minimal tools I or anyone would need to start sawing?

Jeff

Here is a pretty good list from another topic.
Quote from: John_Haylow on February 19, 2008, 06:12:37 AM
Thanks, Jeff, for the new section. I sure didn't intend for you to burn the midnight oil to make it :o

This is an alphabetical list compiled from the thread "Mill Toolbox" started by JD Tuttle.
More items can be added by individuals, and from the archives, by clicking on the "Modify" button at the top right of the thread and inserting item in the appropriate spot.
Then anyone can copy & paste the list, and customize to their own needs.

3/8 to 1 inch opened end wrenches
A bench brush for brushing sawdust off the mill when it gets too thick.
A couple of return springs for the hydraulic levers
A set of manuals for all your major equipment, a cell phone with numbers programmed for tech support, and a good woman to read the manual and talk to tech support.  :P
Aerosol air-horn for signaling
Allen wrenches
Alternator
Aluminum yardstick.
A plastic 6" drywall knife handy..great for scraping/brushing excess sawdust off the lumber as it goes in
Axe
Band Aids stored in an gutted out Speed Stick (deoderant container)
Bee spray
Belts
Benadryl (bee stings)
Blades
Blocking
Bow saw
Broom
Brushes for the hydraulic pump motor
Business cards
Button level..or a clinometer if you're anal about it..
Calculator, pen, sawing contract, billing tickets, and gloves
Camera
Camera Grin
Cell phone
Chainsaw, saw gas, and accesories
Channel lock pliers
Cordless circular saw (cutting out metal debris)
Digital multimeter
Duct tape
Dust mask
Emery Cloth or Sand Paper
Extra fuses , there are some inside the fuse box . Check if they are there.
Extra gas and oil
Files
Fire extinguisher
First Aid Kit (include Benadryl for bee stings)
Flat tip and Phillips tip screw drivers.
For my LT-15..I keep a couple of masons blocks and masonry twine..for truing the mill bed when I re-level it..
Framing square
Gas/Diesel
Gas line quick-disconnect male/female fittings (these can be bought wherever they sell boating supplies)
Gloves
Gov't surplus ammo cans are great for keeping stuff in them.
Grading handbook
Hammer and chisel
Hatchet or a foot ax..
Hearing protection
High-Lift jack (in addition to hydraulic jack)
Hydraulic jack
Jumper cables
Key for mill (also hide a spare key somewhere on the mill with a zip-tie)
Know your location\address
Know where the local hospital is located.
Leafblower (to blow sawdust off of mill)
Level
LogRite Hookaroon
Log scale ruler
Lubricants
Lumber crayons..keep the kids busy if nothing else
Metal detector
Misc. hydraulic fittings & hose
Paper towels and hand cleaner
Pen or pencil and notebook. So you can tally lumber, log count, etc or make notes on things you forgot to bring, or broke during the day.
Plastic wedges
Plyers, Regular & needle nose
Prybar
Rain coat
Round point shovel
Rust Reaper
Safety glasses
Sawmill operator's manual
Shop rags
Small chainsaw
Spare keys
Spare spark plugs .
Spare tire
Spare water line
Steel Wool - to clean contact strip
Stickers
Sunscreen
Switches
Tape measure
Teflon tape
Test leads (w/alligator clips)
Test light.
Tie down straps (bungie cord)
Tool Box
Two logrite cant hooks (48 or 60 and a 78 A.S.S.)
Utility knife
Vice grips
Voltage meter
Water, drinking
Water, lube
Wheel chocks
Wire (repair and electrical)
Zip ties and black tape
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

thecfarm

I just saw for me, So my time is not worth so called nothing. But are you going to saw and try to make money?
Magicman just made a log arch. There is a member that moves his log arch with just a Craftmans lawn mower. I guess you could haul the mill,than move the logs with a log arch with the truck that brought the mill. Would be slow,but could be done. You will need a cantdog or a peavey. Logrite on the left has them.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Joe Hillmann

I plan to make money with the mill but not by selling lumber, rather by making then selling things with the lumber.  I also may try selling small amounts of specialty lumber such as quarter sawn woods and burls.  For now my plan is to cut 3/8 thick by 3" wide lumber and let it age/weather/start to rot all (the worse it is the more my customers like it) summer before I use it. 

At the moment I think I can get by with the mill, a chainsaw, a large bar, a can't hook, the winch/come along, a jack and cribbing and ramps.

In the future I would like to build a log arch and find a hay wagon running gear cheap at an auction to use for hauling logs and lumber.  And if the price is right I would like to get an old tractor (from the 30's-50's) with a three point.  But right now I trying to figure out what I must have to be able to get a log on the mill, turned and start cutting.

drobertson

Howdy Joe, when I first started I too had just a little to work with, with intentions to saw part time. I had a tractor, but no front end loader. I dragged logs to the decking area, then rolled them with the cant hook.  For now you will need to learn a few tricks to help put your logs in a good rolling position to line up with the mill.  One thing I figured out was to use a piece that has been sawn off a butt log that has the angle cuts on it. I would make a clean cut on the butt making a wedge about 2" thick or so, and roll the log up on it, (centered,or close to it) then pivot the log how you need it directed then roll it further along.  Small saplings 3"dia. or so make good runners for rolling on as well. Getting any swell off the ground helps a little bit on the big side out running the smaller end. You will figure it out in short order I'm sure.   Hope all goes well for you, it's a great time of year to get started,     david
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

Chuck White

My minimum support equipment is 1. chainsaw, 2. couple of cant hooks, 3. log chain (might have to move a log with my pickup)
~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!

StimW

I think first you will need a location. (as in fill out your location on your member info) :)
New HF Band Mill
Branson 35 hp 4 WD Diesel Tractor W/Attachments- Backhoe, FEL W/ Bucket or Forks, 4' Tiller
4000# Clark Forklift W/24" Tires
Promark 6" Brush chipper W/18 hp Kohler

James MacDonald

I Love Jeff's list!
The only thing I might drop is the Bee Sting medicine.  After the initial shock of being stung I get a surge to my system that is Better than a cold Red Bull.
I plan to copy the list and make a few adaptations.  It reads like the solution to every mishap, with the goods to correct.  Well Done.
Jimmy Mac
You should see what I Saw

Timberking 2000, 1964 Hyster FL, Kabota 43DT w/grapple, Case 580C hoe and never enough Tools

POSTON WIDEHEAD

I didn't see toilet paper listed. But I did see steel wool and a Fire Extinguisher.  :D
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

WDH

David,

Toilet paper works much better than steel wool   :).
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

red oaks lumber

danny
you talk from experiance on knowing which is better? :D
the one thing i would add to the list... money, you need money, things just happen :)
the experts think i do things wrong
over 18 million b.f. processed and 7341 happy customers i disagree

WDH

Steve,

Leaves don't work as well, either. 

You know that you are civilized when you use toilet paper (old sayin'). 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

bushhog920

A good sharpener and a skidsteer, I love my bobcat a customer watched me moving logs and said it would pay for itself in medical bills on my back.

5quarter

Joe...Add a truck to your list and you'll be good to go. You've got the right idea. Finished goods will always yield the highest $$ per bf for you. What kind of logs will you be sawing? Have you started a thread on your saw build yet? we'd all like to see your progress.
What is this leisure time of which you speak?
Blue Harbor Refinishing

garyfg


justallan1

Joe, do a search on parbuckling, for the entire forum. All it requires is a winch (manual or electric) and chains or cables.
I don't know how high off the ground your mill will sit, but it will sure save your back and is a lot safer than rolling a log up ramps by hand. The next thing I build will be a log arch, mainly just to keep the logs clean and save my bands.

Allan

terrifictimbersllc

Black plastic mill cover over the sawdust pile makes a pretty good outhouse, sorry to say.  :laugh:
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

Tom L

first thing I would build is a some sort of cover or shed for the mill, then a covered area to store your wood once cut.
then a forwarding trailer or other trailer/tractor for getting logs to the mill.

I went backwards and bought the mill first, then wondered where I would keep it and where I would stack up all the boards. created a real bottleneck in my hobby. it's better now but to do it over I would do the above.
stinks having a new mill and keeping it in the open with just some tarps over it. and stacking all of the lumber outside in the weather.

after that the list that jeff posted looks good

Planman1954

Probably the first thing you need is a cant hook. The next thing is a long chain. Then a trailer to haul logs, and a good truck to pull it. With those four things, you can do it with some effort!
Find logs (they're usually just laying around somewhere!) and park the trailer. Unhook the truck, lay a couple of heavy timbers on the side of the trailer and PARBUCKLE. Take the logs to the mill, unhook the trailer and tie it off to a tree, and pull to logs off with the truck. Cant hook the logs onto the mill. Whew! You are good to go!
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 / Solar Dry Kiln /1943 Ford 9n tractor

Joe Hillmann

Quote from: 5quarter on March 13, 2014, 10:12:08 PM
Joe...Add a truck to your list and you'll be good to go. You've got the right idea. Finished goods will always yield the highest $$ per bf for you. What kind of logs will you be sawing? Have you started a thread on your saw build yet? we'd all like to see your progress.

I am trying to avoid a truck at the moment, I am trying to get rid of extra vehicles  and trailers to make room.    For now I plan to saw the logs where they are and stack and dry them there that way when I move them they will be much lighter.  I was just given 7 or 8 pine logs 18 foot long that I plan to start with.  After that I plan to clean up down trees that are on the same property.  If you look on page two you should be able to find my build thread.


Joe Hillmann

Quote from: justallan1 on March 14, 2014, 08:15:37 AM
Joe, do a search on parbuckling, for the entire forum. All it requires is a winch (manual or electric) and chains or cables.
I don't know how high off the ground your mill will sit, but it will sure save your back and is a lot safer than rolling a log up ramps by hand. The next thing I build will be a log arch, mainly just to keep the logs clean and save my bands.

Allan

I grew up with a manual woodmizer and Parbuckeling (never new the name for it until I joined here) was how we got the logs on to the mill if the tractor wasn't around.

The bed of my mill will be about 16 inches off the ground  I figure with some strong wooden ramps and a post driven in behind the mill to attach the winch to it shouldn't be too much work to get the logs on the mill.

dboyt

I recently bought a 3,000# 12 V electric winch that I use to parbuckle logs onto the mill, as well as turn them when they are too big for a cant hook.  Just remember, the rope goes from the winch OVER the log, and back to the mill frame.  Believe me, it is well worth the money!  If the mill is stationary, I'd suggest building a log deck so you do all your loading at once.  Other items.. cant hook, chain saws (a small one, and one with a 30" or longer bar).  A lot depends on the size of the logs you plan to mill.  Aso plan ahead on storing and drying the lumber!



 
Norwood MX34 Pro portable sawmill, 8N Ford, Lewis Winch

Joe Hillmann

Quote from: dboyt on March 14, 2014, 12:59:52 PM
I recently bought a 3,000# 12 V electric winch that I use to parbuckle logs onto the mill, as well as turn them when they are too big for a cant hook.  Just remember, the rope goes from the winch OVER the log, and back to the mill frame.  Believe me, it is well worth the money!  If the mill is stationary, I'd suggest building a log deck so you do all your loading at once.  Other items.. cant hook, chain saws (a small one, and one with a 30" or longer bar).  A lot depends on the size of the logs you plan to mill.  Aso plan ahead on storing and drying the lumber!



 

I understand parbuckeling but how do you use the winch to turn the logs?

flyboy16101

chainsaw, cant hook, hatchet, chain (for skidding with truck), lots and lots of patience. the rest will come eventually or so they tell me at least   :-\
Wood-mizer Lt35, International 504 w/ loader, Hough HA Payloader, Stihl Ms290, Ms660, LogRite Cant Hook

tmarch

Quote from: WDH on March 13, 2014, 09:29:32 PM
Steve,

Leaves don't work as well, either. 

You know that you are civilized when you use toilet paper (old sayin').
Especially poison ivy or poison oak leaves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Retired to the ranch, saw, and sell solar pumps.

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