I failed...

[bkaimwood]

Well, let me say thank you to all you fellas who welcomed me with with open arms...that's weird, never mind, let's start over...thanks to everyone here so eager to help a newbie like me, but, well, I kinda failed, and saw it coming...I put a deposit on a new LT40 diesel today...I went against my cardinal rule, and borrowed money to do it...I know, I know, stop yelling at me, I said I wouldn't...but let me explain...I decided I'm in a now or never situation...I've been sawing on a home made mill for over a year, saws nice lumber, but a lot of manual backbreaking work...and im old and shot. I'm very busy with my handyman/contracting business, and its a struggle, but I pay the bills...so I'm lucky if I get a day a week to saw...I'm lucky if I run a 1k bf a week...I spent last spring and summer being a log *Hoarder, a stockpiling logs...come winter when I spent weeks loading the logs back on the trailer to sell as firewood, I was mad. Well, as I was unloading another large trailer of logs Sunday, running out of room, the same thing is going to happen next year, nothing will change. Given the limited amount of time I have to saw, if the end paying the bills won't change, the other has to...I need something that can produce...so here I am...I  took the plunge, the leap of faith...now be gentle on me!!!

[1967Stroker]

welcome and start pulling leavers , got to make the donuts. lol and good luck i hope it makes life easier on you.

[Nomad]

     Good luck with your decision.  Sawing is great.  Have fun with it!  (And hopefully make some money at it too.)

[bkaimwood]

Thanks Stroker...time to make the donuts is right, well said...my old pith is bound to benefit, if nothing else...my goal is to have my log stack...about 8 foot tall now, 40 long plus, milled unto sellable lumber by late fall...oddly enough, that's when the calls seem to come the most for me...everyone looking for their winter projects...need to break into dimensional lumber market here, should help to fill in the rest of the blanks...with a production mill, it may now be possible...we'll see...

[beenthere]

If you break into the dimension market, will you need to find a way to get your product graded so it can be used in construction?

[gww]

BK
Good luck.  My old man said sooner or later you have to make a decision and after you make it there is no sense in worrying any more about it.  You made the decision and it is over and now its time to move on to the next decision.  I always found that I paid my bills some how even when on paper it seemed imposible and when I had no bills I still didn't save a million dollars. 
I wish you the best.
gww

[bandmiller2]

BK, were on this earth a short time if you want a mill DanG get it saving your but is worth much more than the price of the mill. You need to find a nitch like tool houses or wood sheds you cut build and deliver, the whole ball of wax. Frank C.

[Dad2FourWI]

bkaimwood,  congrats!!!!!  You will love it and your back will too!!!

I worked on a manual mill and I managed to forget I wasn't 30 any more and blew out my back badly... the following Spring my wife of 25 plus years conspired with our WM rep in Mosinee and one day we took a ride up to see him and came back with a used (new to me!) LT 40 !!!

My back LOVES it!!!!... I never knew those little levers could be so much darn fun!  :D :D :D

As my wife (and kids) keep telling me... "work smarter, NOT harder!!!!"

Now... very important... we need pics!!!!!  ;D ;D ;D

-Dad2FourWI

[starmac]

Not exactly what it is you failed at. I just picked up mine last week, not near as nice as what you have coming, but it is hydraulic.  I am planning on mainly cutting for myself, and should have time to do it, in spurts anyway. I lucked out and didn't have to borrow anything, but at this stage in life I would not even try a manual.

I have only had mine since saturday, but enough people have hit me up just since then with enough work to probably make a years payments, or close to it on a new mill, if I was inclined to saw for the public.
Good luck with yours.

[Sixacresand]

BKaimwood,  Way-to-go with your new mill. Have fun and save your back.

[bkaimwood]

Sorry beenthere, should have been more  specific when I said dimensional lumber...I'm familiar with the grading system and don't mean on that scale...I mentioned in an earlier thread that I've been working in numerous mini niches, and doing mostly custom stuff so far, and its done OK so far and got me started...I have no interest in competing with big box stores and large lumber yards, most people call me when they want something you can't get there, or when their prices are crazy... Dimensional lumber, to me, in this area, caters to all the DIY's building their own sheds, garages, barns, etc, and like myself, want to support local economy, enjoy the look, feel, and quality of a real 2 x4, and like to save a couple bucks while thinking outside the box. Recently got calls for 2500 bf of board and batten, and framing lumber for such projects...that's big to me...don't need to be rich, just pay the bills, be happy doing what I do, and have some time for life, cuz it passes u buy quick...

[bkaimwood]

A couple of u fellers had some wise dads...I'm a big fan of simplistic thinking as such...I'm sure u guys make them proud...

[Chuck White]

Congratulations on the new mill!

[YellowHammer]

Some of the best and biggest decisions of my life caused me to reflect on "what have I done?"  Going to an all hydraulic mill from my old manual mill made me think the same thing. Looking back, it was the right decision   I used to saw all week with my manual mill.  Now I can mill the same amount in a day or two and have the rest of the time to spend on other things. I'm not necessarily sawing more wood than I used to, but doing it in a fraction of the time with a lot less effort

Congratulations on your decision and your new mill. 
YH

[mad murdock]

you just bought yourself a "time " machine.  You will have more time, (and energy) to do the "other" thingfs you've been needing/wanting to.  Mebbe even squeeze in a little fishing ;)

[bkaimwood]

Nice thought...fishing...we'll see...thanks fellas...mill is due to arrive at the dealer tomorrow...I told the receptionist at WM that I would be standing in the parking lot waiting at 6 am...after a long uncomfortable silence (for her), I told her I was kidding...see you at 8 am...will get pics up soon as I can

[gww]

bk

Nice thought...fishing...we'll see...thanks fellas...mill is due to arrive at the dealer tomorrow...I told the receptionist at WM that I would be standing in the parking lot waiting at 6 am...after a long uncomfortable silence (for her), I told her I was kidding...see you at 8 am...will get pics up soon as I can

:D :D :D :D

[bkaimwood]

Another thing...I think the ride along seat, umbrella, and an umbrella drink would be good...never mind, pass me a beer...but seriously, WM gets like 1100 bucks for a place to sit...I'm thinking I could fab one easy non invasively for a couple hundred...am I wrong?

[Magicman]

Congrats on the new sawmill.  Yup, you can fab a seat, or maybe you could find someone on here that is not using theirs.  (not me)  There is much more to the seat than just a place to sit.  All things considered, it is not overpriced.

[bkaimwood]

Please elaborate Magicman... I can't wait for the mill as u could imagine...I picture a drink holder and umbrella holder? What else? Takes a lot to convince me on an 1100 place to park my skinny butt...

[Magicman]

 

 


 
I don't have many pictures, but there is a fair amount of hardware riding on cam followers.


 
It also gives you a nice perch so that you can see the blade guide over the log.

[bkaimwood]

Thanks Magicman, those pics are plenty to show what's going on there...looks to be worth the price, but I'm tight and feel it should come with the good lookin fella in the chair

[Magicman]

 

 
OK.

[mad murdock]

Wow MM, just goes to show you how well built and well maintained quality equipment are well worth the $$. For all the wood you have run through that mill it is looking good,(the operator has faired pretty well too) 8)

[gww]

Man, that thing does everything, now if you could just get something to push the buttons you could stay home and watch tv.  No wait, Is that a tv on top of the control box?
Cheers
gww

[Magicman]

That last picture was taken in 2002 shortly after I bought the sawmill.  That is the picture on my business cards.   ;D

[bkaimwood]

Well, the day has come...this morning I picked up my mill...what a great facility Marty Parsons has there!!! And a great staff, very experienced and knowledgeable. Thanks again to Marty, who trained me. Thanks to Chelsea, who took all the money I had and then some, and set me up with my blades, parts, and additional information. I also noted the way their counterpeople interacted with customers...and there were lines of them...top notch place, that's all I got to say!! Onto my new LT40 diesel hydro...what an incredible piece of machinery...it is 3x's the saw I thought it would be...wish i would have taken the plunge sooner...updates and pics to come

[Peter Drouin]

Happy for you , and good luck bkaimwood 8) 8) 8) 8)

[Magicman]

Congrats on the sawmill.  I look forward to seeing pictures of your smile.   

[bkaimwood]

MM, don't think even a wide angle lens could capture it...and on a footnote...as fast as this thing will saw, I see the true value in the seat now...on my old mill, it was me helping the mill, and the mill was the production limiter...with this saw, I'm the production limiter...it just sits there running with a smile on, waiting its next command...now its the other way around...I can't keep up with it!!! I can't believe how fast it is...I wonder why there is an LT40 super...must need roller skates to keep up with that thing. The only thing I could see a benefit in is faster bed hydraulics...anything else faster and I'd need a barf bag in my chair!!!

[SawyerBrown]

Congratulations, sir!  Wish you were a little more excited about it though ...   ;D

[customsawyer]

Congrats on your new mill. Take good care of her and she will take care of you.  ;D

[78NHTFY]

Congrats on the new mill!  Always good when you pay for something and it exceeds your expectations... by a (s)mile!   8) 8).  Looking forward to pics of your journey.  All the best, Rob.

[gww]

I always wondered why them mills cut so much faster then a manual mill.  It uses the same blade.  I am guessing that 50 percent or more of the speed comes from pure horse power.  The rest from stream lining guide movement dogging, turning, loading and depth setting.  I do wonder though if it is mostly horse power that allows the blade to be shoved through the wood as fast as it does.
gww

[bkaimwood]

I supposed its a combination of things you mentioned, gww...I think I pooped my pants a little when Marty shoved/ran the blade through the first full can't cut...couldn't believe it...

[MartyParsons]

.I think I pooped my pants a little when Marty shoved/ran the blade through the first full can't cut...couldn't believe it...

Then BK pushed me out of the way and said let me try that!   

M

[gww]

Except for the posible smell, It sounds like an exciting time for everyone.  Must be a cool feeling knowing you are going home with that.  what is even cooler is a 40 foot long eight foot high stack of logs waiting for you to get home.  I hope the handy man needers are a bit paitient untill you get your equilibrium back in order, cause it is going to be hard to keep your hands off the new mill for at least a bit.

Good luck
ghww

[bkaimwood]

Much truth to that gww...unfortunately, handyman needers are about as patient as me...when they finally decide they want something, they want it now!!! So, got a reno to finish by Friday...then 3 tree removals next week... Then starting a rough cut lumber pergola...so unfortunately, sawing will be limited to Saturdays...but it'll happen...it has too...got lots of logs sittin' awhile with bad pith cracks presumably from sitting... I'll try to salvage 1/2 of my black walnut...I'm not worried as much about my other hardwoods, I'll be looking to quartersaw most of it anyway to maximize value from such logs, and hope to minimize losses...see how it goes...most of my pine is fresh, and I have a lot still coming in...best rest up for the haul...

[Nomad]

.I think I pooped my pants a little when Marty shoved/ran the blade through the first full can't cut...couldn't believe it...

Then BK pushed me out of the way and said let me try that!   

M

:D :D :D