Portable or not

Leggman · May 10, 2015, 06:21:34 PM

I am at a decision point in my build and I want to get some opinions.
Do I weld it to my trailer or keep it seperate so it can lay on the ground?
Trailer pros are portability of course but trailer cons are having to get the logs up on the thing.
It just seems like it would be easier to take the mill to the logs rather than taking the logs to the mill.
As usual looking for opinions and thanks.

zopi · May 10, 2015, 07:19:35 PM

It seems far easier to make a portable mill stationary than toale a stationary mill portable.

too...when it is time to clean up around it...move tue mill amd push all that crap.out with a blade and set fire to it.

getting logs up on is not so bad...there are all sorts of widgets to do the lifting.

Magicman · May 10, 2015, 07:25:55 PM

I would view electric/stationary as a long term decision with very few portable options. My original plan was to be stationary, but that lasted only a very few months. Now I am 99% portable. ;D

DeepWoods · May 10, 2015, 07:53:09 PM

Why not build it like my Norwood. The wheels and axles are removable if I want to lower it to the ground. I also have eight jacks that will allow me to adjust the bed level in a short amount of time without lowering all the way to the ground so I don't have bend over as much. Or I can lower it all the way to the ground for a huge log if needed. I haven't had a log yet that my winch has not rolled up on it.

Edit: Sorry, went back and found your previous posts on your build. I guess at your stage of progress, my suggestion may not work.

tmarch · May 10, 2015, 08:15:01 PM

Quote from: Leggman on May 10, 2015, 06:21:34 PM
I am at a decision point in my build and I want to get some opinions.
Do I weld it to my trailer or keep it seperate so it can lay on the ground?
Trailer pros are portability of course but trailer cons are having to get the logs up on the thing.
It just seems like it would be easier to take the mill to the logs rather than taking the logs to the mill.
As usual looking for opinions and thanks.

I went thru the same decision making and decided to make it with a removable axle and basically I never put the axle on it. If you take the mill to the logs you have to move the lumber so it really doesn't save much.

bandmiller2 · May 10, 2015, 08:34:06 PM

My bandmill is portable to the extent I can tow in to its permanent location, guess you would say semi-portable. I like working with a roof over my head to keep rain and snow off, both mills also have electric and compressed air. Its your choice mate, I would say make it portable, you want it high enough so your not bending down all the time. Frank C.

Ox · May 10, 2015, 08:43:29 PM

I built mine to be portable. I take the tires off and lower it to the ground for easier log loading. If and when I need to be portable putting the tires on and picking up will take around 1/2 hour to 45 minutes depending on the level of energy available on the day in question.

gww · May 10, 2015, 09:38:11 PM

It might depend on how much room you have. I have quite a bit and so I decided it would be easier just hauling logs to the mill then moving the mill to the logs. I have no equiptment and it is not that hard to hook a chain on a log hook it to something solid and pull forward to get it off. I do wonder about the point made above of build up of saw dust and cleaning issues. I intend to dry my boards till I run out of room so would have to move them if cut elsewhere. The last reason I thought stationary was maby better for me is;

Anybody who has seen my mill knows I need to be close to a welder :D

I keep thinking that the mill is not super heavy or wide and it would not be hard to jerk up on a small, say 16 foot trailer and move anywhere it needed to go if I changed my mind. Put it on drive and slip it off.

Then the trailer can be used for logs or for the mill.
gww

Ox · May 10, 2015, 09:44:09 PM

Good way to look at other options, gww.

gww · May 10, 2015, 10:37:37 PM

Ox
I didn't think of it, I actually before I built watched a lot of you tube as well as read every thing I could find.

One guy had bent his mill track hauling logs on it, and was going to make the mill stationary cause he only had one trailer. I also don't have enough equiptment to waste resources and mostly it I move anything it is with dads stuff. Dad does have this masive I beam frame that axils could be put under for a really solid mill base but I decided it wasn't worth it for me. If I could not store my mill in place I would have a differrent veiw just as I would if I cut for others.
Thanks Though
gww

bkaimwood · May 12, 2015, 07:03:13 AM

I would undoubtedly make it portable...I wanted to make mine portable, but by the time it was done, weighed 9k lbs..the front tires on the super duty are almost off the ground when I hook it up!!! Just remember one thing...you are far more likely to regret NOT making it portable, vs. Making it portable...

kelLOGg · May 12, 2015, 07:19:36 AM

Mine is portable but it has been a couple of years since I have taken it on the road. Now use my trailer to bring logs to the mill. I have far more equipment and control sawing at home than I do on the road and I had rather maneuver a 20' trailer than a 29' sawmill in the city. I guess that the most significant reason for being stationary is that I don't have hydraulics to speed up log handling.
Bob

Joe Hillmann · May 12, 2015, 08:59:45 AM

If your bed it too low to the ground it makes it difficult to see where you blade is and means a lot of bending over throughout the day. When I was building my mill I found 18-24 inches was a good height for the top of the bunks. So even before I had the axle mounted on it I had it up on blocks to get it off the ground.

Leggman · May 27, 2015, 11:43:02 AM

Well, I went portable. You can always make a portable mill stationary but you cant always make a stationary mill portable. I guess I said that right? Anyway it's done for now, I still am going to add two more jacks to the trailer for support.