Confused

[Dloiselle]

Hello all. I as many others am new here, have been doing a lot of reading :P and dreaming lol. I intend to purchase a mill but truthfully have no idea where to start. I have property that I intend to build upon in NY about 20 mins from the Vermont line. I have a lot of trees that need to come down and low and behold now I am going to get a mill ;D, just not sure what to get. :-\

I have read  :P through oljarheads thread - if I spelled it wrong Eric I'm sorry - and that real set my mind running. A good buddy of mine has a small Hudson, and said it barely does what he wants to do - size limited - so he wouldn't recommend going that route for me :-\. I have a skid steer with grapple and forks as well as a small excavator 14000 lb I can lift with. A big concern though, in my younger years I was a paramedic both professionally and volunteer and now pay the price physically with back and joint issues, and am fortunate enough that once retiring from that life, I bought a dump truck and stay pretty busy there time being a high priced commodity for me, hence the consideration of hydraulics. Which in turn leads to my dilemma of which and whose and what to purchase. :-\

The wife not very keen on the big payments, >:( lol. With my schedule, I would not even fathom being a custom sawyer , however one never knows what may happen. ;D

I would really appreciate thoughts and suggestions!!!!! COuldnt resist playing with the emoji lol ;D

Thanks in advance!

[sandsawmill14]

look for a good used mill and you can save alot of money   there are a lot of good mills out there with low hours

[drobertson]

howdy, and will say there are plenty of options to choose from.  As for the hydraulics,  they are handy, but there is still some back work that goes along with it.  There are many times you can find a used mill at a fare price, so looking there is not a bad start. Which ever you decide on, having the timber and the equipment you mentioned, you already of a great start on it.. more input will surely follow,

[red]

It's difficult to answer  so a few more questions back to you . What are you going to do with the wood you saw. What woods do you want to saw hardwood/softwood or both. Gas diesel electric. Ok that should be a good start. How many sawmills have you actually seen running .

[Chuck White]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Dloiselle.

[Den-Den]

With your support equipment, handling logs and beams that you cut should not be a problem.  With a little patience it is possible to load and turn logs on the mill with a boat type winch, hydraulics would make it faster.

If you will not be cutting much, almost any mill will do the job up to its size limit.  "A lot of trees to come down" means more than a bare bones mill to me, I suggest power up/down and power feed at a minimum.  If you can find a used mill with hydraulics, probably could get most of your money back a few years later if you want to.

Handling the lumber involves some manual work but this can be minimized with some planning.  Build some pallets, put one close for stacking lumber on and use the skid-steer to move the stack and set another pallet.

[WV Sawmiller]

Dloiselle,

   Welcome to the FF. Hope your dreams come true. You are light years ahead of me as to support equipment which is a major factor. In my situation, getting hydraulics was the smartest thing I did regarding getting a sawmill.  I have not investigated the design differences in the sawmills but I am generally happy with mine (Except for the limited use of the controls being at the head and I may fix that in the future with an additional battery).

   What is your long term goals for the mill? All I saw looked like was for personal use. Do you intend to sell lumber or saw for the public? If so more justification for the extra cost of the hydraulics. I personally think hydraulics encourages better lumber production because you are less reluctant to try to get one more board off the cant before flipping it.

   If you just plan on using the mill for a limited time keep up the maintenance and the mill will hold its resale value well.

   Have you ever run a mill? You might try to run your buddy's mill to see why he does not recommend it and see what extra features you would like. See if there are others in the area you can off-bear for to learn about their mills especially models you are interested in.

   If you have more specific questions search for them in the previous threads and you will likely find them. If not post them here and I am sure you will get a prompt response. Good luck.

[drobertson]

I'm sure you have seen this by now but if not,
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,88882.msg1365491.html#msg1365491

[Dloiselle]

With your support equipment, handling logs and beams that you cut should not be a problem.  With a little patience it is possible to load and turn logs on the mill with a boat type winch, hydraulics would make it faster.

If you will not be cutting much, almost any mill will do the job up to its size limit.  "A lot of trees to come down" means more than a bare bones mill to me, I suggest power up/down and power feed at a minimum.  If you can find a used mill with hydraulics, probably could get most of your money back a few years later if you want to.

Handling the lumber involves some manual work but this can be minimized with some planning.  Build some pallets, put one close for stacking lumber on and use the skid-steer to move the stack and set another pallet.

I was looking at the winch styles told the wife get Id get a 12 volt and really make some speed lol I really like the power feed option, no question there, I like the LT40HD but the wife not so much lol  My buddies mill is bare bones, and very small. One of the concerns I have is capacity. I have alot of medium size meaning up to 24' diameter trees. Intend to heat with wood as we do now, so unless something came up where I needed hardwoods IE flooring etc, it would be primarily softwoods. I have an abundance of hemlock and white pine on the property, then we get into a lot of maple and black birch.

The overall objective, I hate the grid so to speak. I intend to do a homesteading setup as much as possible any how. I would like to build the house, out buildings - pole barns, small barns for some livestock possibly IE chicken coops etc. As far as running a mill, only in my dreams .

I don't intend to do any public sawing, but one never knows how it will play out in the end. More of my own need than anything else. I used to make furniture when I was a kid, lamps, tables, dresser or two etc. It would b nice to go back to that to an extent, and remember a simpler kinder, gentler time of my life.

I have a couple grandsons, that I would love to teach to run it down the road, and when my time comes to meet my maker have given them a skill that will stay with them and they can pass to their kids.

Thanks for all the reply's and suggestions so far!!!!!

[starmac]

My wife didn't like the idea of a mill UNTIL she watched me make my first board, then she loved it.
Personally I would do without before I went with no hydraulics, 20 years ago things would have been different.
There is no need for big payments, I would love a new LT40 super, but not planning on running it commercially can not justify haveing payments on a mill, so went with an older low hour lt40hd, they are out there.

[WV Sawmiller]

Dloiselle,

   If you are not wanting to do any public sawing the first thing you better cut and build is a privacy fence to hide the mill as when your friends and neighbors find you have one they will come.

   Don't know what to suggest to change the wife's opinion. Mine is the one who pushed me to get hydraulics. I was looking at the winch up loading systems. Next to marrying me one of the smartest things she ever did. I think I will keep her.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Just a suggestion.  Collect and arrange a half to a day's sawing worth of logs, then hire someone to come mill them.  Both you and your wife help with the log and lumber handling.  See what you think of the mill and the exercise.

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

If you're planning on using lumber you mill to build a house, better check on all the code rules for your area. Many (most) places won't let you use lumber which has not been professionally graded and bearing a valid grade stamp to be used for any structural framing...

Herb

[Alligator]

I don't have much input on brands of mills. 20  years ago (when I was 42) I was fresh out of the sawmill business. I still felt as though I had a bit of Superman left in me. (no job too big or heavy) Those joints, and back aches only get worse for the next 20 years, only one tweek at a time. One log roll here one heavy cant lift or roll there. Get all the mechanical help you can afford. Also you mentioned time, better machinery (hydraulics, power feed, drag backs) increase production per hour spent milling.

Hope I didn't kill your thread

[Deese]

Dloiselle, welcome to the Forestry Forum  8)

[OlJarhead]

Lots of good feedback here and while I'm no expert by any stretch I'll pitch in what I think might help.

I started with a CSM (chainsaw mill), a small one, and loved making my own lumber out of logs I had already but found it too slow for my needs so bought the LT10 which worked great and paid for itself quickly (in that I now made my own paneling for the cabin instead of buying it, with trees I had to fall anyway to give more light to the solar panels at my off-grid cabin).

I found moving the LT10 a bit tough (ok a lot tough) and moved it a couple times before I found myself out of work and considering some options.  By this time I realized I could saw for others too and built the trailer under the mill to make it mobile.  While a good move if you ask me, and one that paid for itself I knew that at some point, if I wanted to really mill for others I'd need a bigger motor (more production per hour) and wider bed.  The LT15Go would do that but I began to wonder if at 50 I wanted to load logs with a winch still?  Sure I could load with the tractor at my place but loading at a customers was another thing.  Also, turning a 1200 pound pine by myself is hard work and while at my location I could take my time and use the tractor if need be, it wouldn't do for someone else...hence the hydraulic mill now.

Now, I love my WM mills (the one I sold and the one I own now) so take that as it is, but if I was asked the above I'd suggest seriously looking at the LT15 with power feed etc.  or, if the body can't take the strain of rolling logs around too much than an LT35HD.  The LT35HD will do a lot of work and I darn near bought one myself but the sale price on the LT40HD got me and because I have people that want me to mill logs for them it made sense...but if I wasn't planning on any custom milling I probably would have stayed with the 35 and even then, it would do those custom jobs too....just not quite as well as the 40.

Anyway, price is always something to consider, hence the LT15 option or LT15Go even but the wife might take the price of the 35 better than the 40 ;) and oh boy do I love the hydraulics!

[dchiapin]

another way to look at a hydraulic mill is how much would it cost to buy all the lumber for your projects? Tens of thousands of dollars. How much does it cost to fix a busted back? Tens of thousands of dollars. After you use a mill with hydraulics you will laugh at yourself for even considering a manual mill.
After all your projects are finished (Oh there will be more) you can always sell the machine and recoup most of your money fairly quickly over what you bought your mill for.
I rarely saw for other people (friends excepted) and I have plenty of access to free wood and have built 2 full houses plus all the little projects that come along. Can't ever imagine buying any more 2x4 lumber, just load a log and saw a 2x4 in a few minutes.
At 67 I am so glad I bought my TK B-20 instead of a manual mill.
Your wife will be thankful too since she won't have to list to your baby crying about how you hurt your back trying to turn a 1,000 lb log by yourself.
My advice " get a hydraulic mill"

[OlJarhead]

Good advice above!

My manual milled paid for itself in lumber I milled for myself (good way to think about it and the way I justified it to my wife) and my hydraulic mill is telling me:  You should ahve done this to start with! hahahaha but then I didn't want the price tag of it back then and while I don't want it now either I can afford it more comfortably today ;)

[Verticaltrx]

With the support equipment you have you've already negated some of the need for hydraulics. Loading logs should be a non-issue, and with the right type of grapple you can turn them too, if needed. I honestly only use the skid-steer to turn the largest logs (like 24"+ diameter hardwoods or 28"+ diameter pine), everything else is plenty easy to turn with the right cant hook. Logs under 20" diameter are a breeze to turn with a cant hook. I have 48" and 60" log-rite cant hooks and plan on also getting the 78" mega-hook from them, I personally don't think the turning is hard at all.

My version of hydraulics:



 

[Cedarman]

First, decide what mill you need.  Looking at mills , reading the forum etc should get the list narrowed down.
Second, get your wife on board.  As I have read there are some folks on here that have their wife behind them 100%.  Contact them and see if you could come visit.  Make some road trips and have a good time doing it.  Once your wife sees other wives, she might get behind you.  Once she feels comfortable with what you are doing, life will become less tense.  Of course no one knows your wife like you do, so you might have other ways and this one might not work.

[dgdrls]

Welcome FF,  there are folks here with much more experience than me but an option not thrown out would be a Dimension mill. no log turning and the mill returns the sawn board to the end of the mill.  you  can then use roller table to move the the boards to a stacking pallet/table                 
   
Dan

[thecfarm]

If you can use your lumber to build a house,the sawmill would pay for itself. Just go to a lumber yard and get a quote for the framing. Than the wood for the interior walls, floor,sides and roof. Than the sheet rock for the interior walls. And then the trim work. That would be a much higher figure for all that than a sawmill.
Easy to get my wife on board. But we bought a manual mill,cheaper than hyds,but I know in your case would not be a good idea. I built a few out buildings,A Women Cave for one. I can build out buildings all day long here. I have no idea about a house. Never checked out the codes here. Good luck in your search. Should be some shows coming up in your area.



 

[Brad_bb]

I've had a Woodmizer LT15GO with extensions for almost 2 years now.  I have the 19HP Kohler engine and it cuts fine but I wouldn't go smaller than that.  The hand rope crank feed is fine too.  I mill all hardwoods for beams and get boards from the outsides.  I would get a log turner and a way to lift each end of the log as needed before I went to power feed.  I don't feel I'm missing anything without it so far.  Like you I am not milling for the public, only for myself, but been doing quite a bit for myself.  In a couple years i may specialize and sell to timberframers like me.

I got Woodmizer because they've been doing it for so long, are well known, have good service, USA made and local for me, are pretty much the standard for bands. 

I wish I had a resaw, but just can't justify the extra cost for just me.

get the bed extensions you think you'll need. 

I have an LT15GO.  That means it's build on a trailer.  I've moved it once (this last month).  It's going to end up permanently stationary, so that wasn't the smartest for me.  I'm actually considering trading my mill in next year and going with a stationary electric LT15 to permanently put it inside.

[samandothers]

Welcome to the forum.  Great info here with many opinions.  I have a LT35 manual with a log deck package.  The package gives me a manual winch to control a log turner.  The winch also can help roll logs on the deck.   It gives me the toe boards to help adjust the log so I can center the pith i.e. raise and lower each end of the log.  I have enjoyed the machine and it works great with the 25 hp motor.  I do use a grapple on tractor to load my logs, at least most.  I have had a few I would drag to the mill and use the winch to load them up ramps to the deck.  The biggest manual hassle is trying to turn the log or cant once on the mill deck.  That takes cant hook and back or leverage.   I am pleased with my mill.
Given the projects you want to pull off and depending on how soon you wish to pull these off you may want to consider searching for a used hydraulic mill.  Manual mill are slower and take muscle/back work.

Good luck and I look forward to following your thread to see your decision.