Newb question

[oldiron]

I am in the research stage before buying and setting up a mill. It's most likely going to be stationary with a shed built over it. From an operation and ease of use perspective, is it better to have a stationary mill low to the ground or higher up? This will most likely be a manual mill, so I am thinking of managing the clamps down low vs the ease of loading on a low bed.

[TKehl]

Do you have a way to get the logs up if you put the mill up?  If so, a bit of elevation will be easier on the back.

[paul case]

On a circle saw or a bandsaw that is stationary, having the mill deck at knee high or so helps it not be so hard on your back turning logs with a cant hook, pulling lumber off and edging boards on the mill.

Sometimes the mill dictates how high it must be, as is the case many hydraulic bandmills as they need room under them for everything to work. Same for adding hydraulics to a manual mill, you will need the room. It makes clean up some easier too.

Most circle blade mills throw the sawdust down so they need room under them for sawdust evacuation of some sort.
Welcome to the forum.
PC

[WDH]

On my manual mill, knee height worked very well.  On the ground, too much strain on the body and especially your back.  Build a log deck the same height as the mill bed.  Makes loading logs onto the mill very easy.  However, you need a piece of support equipment like a tractor with forks to load the logs onto the log deck. 

[oldiron]

Thanks for all the helpful answers, and the welcome Paul.

I'm looking at the woodmizers, and probably will have a tractor with forks to load/unload.

On my manual mill, knee height worked very well.  On the ground, too much strain on the body and especially your back.  Build a log deck the same height as the mill bed.  Makes loading logs onto the mill very easy.  However, you need a piece of support equipment like a tractor with forks to load the logs onto the log deck.

That sounds like a great approach - does the deck get in the way though when you need to be on that side to clamp and adjust (without having to stand / crawl on it)?

[Kbeitz]

Not in the way if you put a hinged posts that you can
lift up after you roll the logs on. That gives you a walking
path between the two.

[thecfarm]

oldiron,welcome to the forum.
What's the lumber going to be used for? 
I just lay a piece of ¼X4 inches wide flat stock to bridge the gap. Than I pick it up and set it off to the side. I am "thinking" of making one out of metal,maybe a pipe one and than I can move the smaller pipe into a bigger one. Put a end on it,so it can't slide out of reach into the bigger one. Make it a few inches higher so you won't be rolling logs up hill. I myself put the logs onto the deck than use a peavey to roll the logs onto the mill. I try to keep the tractor away from the mill.
You will need either a candog or a peavey. The Logrite website on the left will explain which is which,if you don't know. If you buy one,get some Bluecreeper too.  ;)

[WV Sawmiller]

Oldiron,

   Welcome to the FF. As to the deck being in the way during sawing I'd say not likely but I am using a hydraulic mill and all clamping is done at the end of my mill by toggling a lever or two. Using the hinged deck sounds like a very good idea to me whether you land on a manual or a hydraulic mill. Good luck. Stay safe.

[WDH]

I built a simple log deck with arms that would swing to the side to allow access to turn and clamp without having to step over the log deck. 



 

[Brad_bb]

Oldiron, LT15 is a good platform that I like if you are going manual.  I don't have a log deck.  It would not be convenient for me.  I mill a lot of curved logs in addition to straight ones, and they wouldn't roll on a deck.  Plus a deck would take up too much space in my building.  I have a great little rough terrain forklift that I load logs onto the mill with.

What kind of milling would you be doing.  If all personal and not production, a log deck may not be for you.  Do you plan to do grade sawing, or all kinds of stuff?  If the latter, remember that a log deck may not be conducive to a lot of back and forth material moving and odd shaped pieces. 

For example, I cut for only myself right now.  I cut timbers for timberframing.  I cut straight timbers and curved timbers for natural knee braces.  I also an doing a lot of unusual resawing of barn timbers making trim.  I fix the head in place and feed the material through.  I also cut slabs from odd shaped stuff.  The LT15 is limited to about a 24 inch wide board max.  An LT15 wide will cut 34 inch wide board max.  LT15Wide bands do coast slightly more- maybe $1 or so from what I've read.  That would not be a problem for me, but for someone sawing grade to sell, or doing portable jobs, that might be more significant.  Those who sharpen their own bands (not me) would have about an extra 2 feet to sharpen.

At this point I'd like to get an LT15Wide for all variety of things I do.  I'd definitely get it up to knee height, and I get the electric motor option because I am inside.  Right now we have to mill with the big overhead door open. I cannot get the LT15Wide though because they have not made the MP100 planer to work with it and I love that  beam planer.  So I am stuck with the LT15 (I actually have an LT15GO so it already sits up and knee height). 

[oldiron]

Thanks for the comments everyone. The LT15 is what I have been planning on getting, but I'm still not 100% on it.

I'm going to be sawing for myself, first everything we'll use to build our timber framed house, then lumber for furniture after that. I'm working on the overall design of where the mill will be placed, how the flow will work to and from it, lumber storage, etc.

I really appreciate all the comments above. You all have a wealth of knowledge.