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Being Flexible with your Sawmill business

Started by just_sawing, April 07, 2015, 07:42:10 PM

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just_sawing

I have been operating a Sawmill for close to 22 years here in Middle TN. One of the key things that I have learn is flexibility in the work model.
When we bought our dream home four years ago I big eyed a lot of the woods here. Meaning I saw the big trees and did not notice all the small stuff that was in the way. The timber that I am concern with is Red Cedar that is from 4 to 8 inches on the small end. Yes there is a market but it is by the ton and a good way to go broke and I run a Sawmill not a logging operation. 

 


 
This timber will not mature in my active life time so I was presented with a problem. The solution came from a friend that has a customer that needs split rail fencing. I am now in the rail business with one of the only 10 foot rail splitters in this area. It appears that this may be here permant 

 
You can follow me at
www.http://haneyfamilysawmill.com

WDH

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

Peter Drouin

I like that. Good luck. 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

samandothers

Way to react to what was available and had a demand!

dustintheblood

That's perfect!  I like the setup.  Just paint your splitter orange and sell the patent to WM.  Let's call it the PS9000   :D :D
Case 75C, Case 1494, RangeRoad RR10T36, Igland 4001, Hardy 1400ST, WM LT40HD, WM Edger, ICS DH Kiln

YellowHammer

That's really something.  What does a split cedar rail sell for? 
YH
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

hunz

I know the 10' locust split rails get $9ea. Ask me how I know how, and I'll direct you to my empty bank account. The local splitting man really loves me!
Dream as if you'll saw forever; saw as if you'll die today.



2006 Woodmizer LT40D51RA, Husqvarna 372xp, Takeuchi TL140

4x4American

Boy, back in my day..

Cedarman

We sell  a 10' rail quartered from a 6" log for $4.75 each.  We also split rails from sassafras.  Sold over 10,000 of them to Lincoln Boyhood Memorial.
JustSawing, I too am curious what you get for your rails.
Is your splitter just a 2 way or can you split 4 at once?
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

ozarkgem

how about some close up pics of your splitter? Nice looking rails.
Mighty Mite Band Mill, Case Backhoe, 763 Bobcat, Ford 3400 w/FEL , 1962 Ford 4000, Int dump truck, Clark forklift, lots of trailers. Stihl 046 Magnum, 029 Stihl. complete machine shop to keep everything going.

Jemclimber

Quote from: Cedarman on April 08, 2015, 06:36:23 AM
Is your splitter just a 2 way or can you split 4 at once?

Judging from the wedge with what appears to be 3 way placed at 120° apart I would say it splits 3 at once.  Maybe hard to see on your screen. 

I have family in Sante Fe, TN, not sure how close that is to you, but it's a beautiful area.  Nice operation just_sawing.
lt15

just_sawing

We have switched to a Single Blade on the wedge because we are in larger logs. We get $9.00 as of now for the rails at 10 foot. Our rails are averaging 1 ton per fifty in a bundle.
We loaded the trailer rated for 36k and had 47k on it. They are heavier than thought.
You can follow me at
www.http://haneyfamilysawmill.com

just_sawing

You can follow me at
www.http://haneyfamilysawmill.com

4x4American

Gonna have to edit your handle now to include splitting too :D
Boy, back in my day..

pine

Did you build the splitter or acquire it?  What is the drive mechanization for a 10 ft wedge?

Magicman

That is meeting a niche market head on.  My admiration to you.   smiley_thumbsup
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

Dave Shepard

Not sure how that splitter is powered, but this is how I'm going to power mine:



 

Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

just_sawing

Had a Mennonite welder friend weld the beam (It was 3 by 8 tubing totalling 8 pieces.) Then I welded then rewelded then rewelded more modifications. We are close to what we want on this one. I am powering it with a 12 horse and a 16 GPM Pump. I advise to go as big as you can for your power. 
You can follow me at
www.http://haneyfamilysawmill.com

Cedarman

We made an 11' splitter using a 2' stroke cylinder.  We have a straight wedge at end that we can put a 4 way on or bolt a 6 way if the logs are 8 to 10".  The pusher plate is at the end of the cylinder.  The whole cylinder slides along the I beam.  We put a pin behind the base of the rear of the cylinder holder each time we push the cylinder forward.  Takes a little longer than if the cylinder were 8 or 10' long.  When I first built it, I only planned to split a few hundred rails.  Probably have split 20,000 by now.  Use a MF 2165 for power.  Wife gets to set in the seat using the controls as the heavy lifters do their work.
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

pine

Quote from: Cedarman on April 10, 2015, 06:23:11 AM
We made an 11' splitter using a 2' stroke cylinder.  We have a straight wedge at end that we can put a 4 way on or bolt a 6 way if the logs are 8 to 10".  The pusher plate is at the end of the cylinder.  The whole cylinder slides along the I beam.  We put a pin behind the base of the rear of the cylinder holder each time we push the cylinder forward.  Takes a little longer than if the cylinder were 8 or 10' long.  When I first built it, I only planned to split a few hundred rails.  Probably have split 20,000 by now.  Use a MF 2165 for power.  Wife gets to set in the seat using the controls as the heavy lifters do their work.

Thanks for that. :)

That is what I was asking just_sawing because I did not see anything like that in his picture. 

Dave Shepard, you have a good size cylinder but still does not look like a 10 ft actuator. Are you going to so the same? Is there any kind of design that can avoid the reposition of the cylinder base pin?

Dave Shepard

It's about 8'. I'll do a sketch of my intended setup when I get to a real computer.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Dave Shepard

To get the length of stroke I need, I think I will use a two stage pusher. The log goes on the first stage to start the split, then you retract the ram enough to drop to the second stage. I'm not sure if there will be a problem with the log being stuck on the wedge and not dropping. For locust posts/rails, it may be as simple as manually pushing down on them. For splitting logs, you might have to push down with a loader or something. For high production of posts, this would be used in conjunction with a small log loader with a grapple.



 
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

just_sawing

Just came in for a breather. Here are some better [pictures of the setup


 


  

  

 
You can follow me at
www.http://haneyfamilysawmill.com

Brucer

Sometimes the simple solutions are the best.

I'd say a couple of supports spaced out past the wedge will help your helper ;).
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

Magicman

Yup, those multi-stage pushers are serving well.   smiley_thumbsup
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

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