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Green as Grass

Started by Boyd Stuart, July 27, 2016, 01:03:41 AM

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Boyd Stuart

I'm not scared to say I know near nothing about sawing, have been an avid woodworker, rancher, farmer, auctioneer and cattle buyer. Now you ask why (modified by admin) did you buy a sawmill? I have ADD and cant seem to slow down work or different enterprises. We got some land with and it has a pile of good saw logs. My question is.......questions>>>> I have a Woodmizer super 70 with 40Hrs on it now seem to be able to cut 700 feet per hour on good logs crew of 3. { counting second cuts as a slab but not edging} and 200/hr on 8 foot oddball stuff. Have  the workforce looking for work and looking to add an edger and resaw sawing greater than 22'' butts and 16-20'' tops. what kind of added production can i expect by adding the equipment and the support staff. Hoping by getting a crew of 6 to get 1800-2000 feet per hour once operators get to 80%. Or am I better to just cut 500 feet per hour with me and an offloader.
Lt Super 70 wide, Green as Grass but open minded with a strong back.

5quarter

Hi Boyd...Welcome to the Forum. Not much help with your questions, but others who can help should be along soon.
What is this leisure time of which you speak?
Blue Harbor Refinishing

ozarkgem

I believe customsawyer would be the man to answer this question.
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.

tnaz

Can't help either but welcome to the FF.  Should get some good replies shortly.

Terry

Chuck White

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Boyd Stuart!
~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!

Magicman

I'll just say Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Boyd Stuart.
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

Czech_Made


acewoodturner

Have you got either a personal use for a massive amount of green timber or a ready market for it. Paying the wages of six people will take a lot of timber selling to cover and unless you have deep pockets to cover that cost it wont be long before you have to sell the mill and equipment to pay them. Also it wont take you long to get through your own logs and then what? Getting more in has additional costs going out and that has to be covered somehow as well.

Peter Drouin

A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

DDW_OR

"let the machines do the work"

killamplanes

Welcome to the forum, and you seem ambitious. Good luck!!
jd440 skidder, western star w/grapple,tk B-20 hyd, electric, stihl660,and 2X661. and other support Equipment, pallet manufacturing line

Boyd Stuart

Yes have a very good market due to our ability to cut anything as well as oversize here. We have 250 acres of good spruce to cut. As well as an access to wood. I'm doing business goals as $500/1000 on corral boards plus the oddball orders of 10x10 or 4x6 to cut. Can cut all the 8x8 I want for $475/1000. My thought is my wood cost at $216/1000 labour $65/1000 labour $70/1000 blades fuel, and $30 incidentals. That leaves $94/hr for missed or profit. If I'm cutting 8x8 with side lumber that 85 feet out of the cant with good wood that's 4 pieces plus the side lumber at 100 feet min? I understand that that's gravy sawing and not everyday will be like that. However you can't tell a guy he's going to go broke before he starts. Like I said I have a strong back. Lol. Wasn't starting a fight just can't tell a guy he cannot make it.
Lt Super 70 wide, Green as Grass but open minded with a strong back.

red

The best way to have one million dollars in the sawmill business is to start with two million dollars .
Honor the Fallen Thank the Living

customsawyer

Welcome to the forum. There is more to it than just the mill and the edger. You have to have the right rolling stock to support the mill/edger. A log deck with a stop/loader will help also. It will take you a while to learn the tricks of running the mill to where you could hit anywhere close to those numbers. I would think you will get along better if you keep it a little smaller until you get the hang of running what you have now and then just add one or two pieces of equipment at a time. Live rollers, dead rollers, conveyors, green chains and the like will help to boast production up. Best of luck to you.
Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

dboyt

Good advice custom sawyer.  Another thing to consider: If your mill is down for a couple of days because of a mistake you could have learned from on a smaller mill, you still have payments to make and employees who depend on you to provide for their families.
Norwood MX34 Pro portable sawmill, 8N Ford, Lewis Winch

tule peak timber

Back when I wanted to learn how to be a better fisherman, I sought out "highliners" in Alaska and Canada and told them I would crew for free to pick up knowledge. I paid my own way, and suffice to say, turned out to be a VERY good investment.
There are quite a few guys on this site that have well oiled ops and cut some serious numbers. Just a thought.  Rob
persistence personified - never let up , never let down

carykong

If you have a market that can support the production, go for it.

ozarkgem

curious as to where you got your production numbers. Woodmizer says UP TO 940 Bf per hr and that will be with perfect conditions. Your saying 2000 bf per hr that would be 16000 bf per day. That is circle mill territory. I find it useful to double your estimated cost and time. May still not be enough. Just my thoughts. I want you to succeed and not be discouraged . I think Custom sawyer has some pretty sage advice. 6 people on the payroll will eat your lunch FAST. Ask me how I know. Good Luck  Keep us posted I am always willing to learn new tricks.
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.

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