Band Sawmill - any interest?

[scrout]

bandmillpics - a set on Flickr

This is a Linn design I built a couple years back with their headrig kit.
I have an 18 HP Briggs, have electric up/down and a HF winch to pull the carriage thru. Cuts very straight.
But a manual mill is kinda manual, and logs are darn heavy, but making lumber as a hobby is pretty fun. Built a couple decks, 20x30 sawshed, etc. Now thinking about a small timberframe structure. On thing to consider is designing for a common blade length, like 158 inches, so you can find blades on the shelf at various saw sellers, manufacturers.

 

[choffman41]

O.K. We're committed now as I've spent the money. No turning back! I started a page to document the build but not much there yet. Here's the link.

My Web Page, Chuck Hoffman, Genealogy, Steam Trains, Stuff

 

[David Devuono]

Great project. Trying to follow your build costs, I see that you went from $1300 kit + 70 dollars in hardware = 1750. Did that include the engine as well?

thanks

 

[buckeyefarmer]

love the music.

 

[choffman41]

Great project. Trying to follow your build costs, I see that you went from $1300 kit + 70 dollars in hardware = 1750. Did that include the engine as well?

thanks

That includes the engine and centrifugal clutch. I have included a spreadsheet on the webpage to track the total cost and man hours invested in the project.

 

[20 20]

O.K. We're committed now as I've spent the money. No turning back! I started a page to document the build but not much there yet. Here's the link.

My Web Page, Chuck Hoffman, Genealogy, Steam Trains, Stuff

For a kit that seems a little pricey??? I bought a complete mill brand new 12' of track and wheel kit for just over 3k. I also think you'd have been better off having a solid 20' instead of two tens. I added another ten to mine and regret it{total of 22'} 3 pieces. Not saying it won't work, mine does fine, it's just a pain to get setup "just right". Thanks for sharing your site, once you get sawdust in your blood there'll allways be a need for more boards .

 

[choffman41]

Well, it's pretty much done and it seems to work great.....

 

[johnk]

For a kit that seems a little pricey??? I bought a complete mill brand new 12' of track and wheel kit for just over 3k. I also think you'd have been better off having a solid 20' instead of two tens. I added another ten to mine and regret it{total of 22'} 3 pieces. Not saying it won't work, mine does fine, it's just a pain to get setup "just right". Thanks for sharing your site, once you get sawdust in your blood there'll allways be a need for more boards .

What kind of mill did you buy for that price? I've been looking for a mill but it's really hard to justify the price when I could go to Lowes or Home depot and buy my lumber. Give me the pluses ++++ to spend that money. Yoy could buy a lot of lumber for the cost of the mill. Thanks...

 

[choffman41]

What kind of mill did you buy for that price? I've been looking for a mill but it's really hard to justify the price when I could go to Lowes or Home depot and buy my lumber. Give me the pluses ++++ to spend that money. Yoy could buy a lot of lumber for the cost of the mill. Thanks...

Probably no plusses if you don't own your own timber. However, if you do a lot of building and need, for instance, a bunch of 4X12's or 12X12's, you could pay for them pretty quickly. I don't know if I'll cut $2500 worth of lumber, but the mill is still saleable.

 

[20 20]

What kind of mill did you buy for that price?

I bought the hud-son model oscar 28, NO regrets AT ALL.

I've been looking for a mill but it's really hard to justify the price when I could go to Lowes or Home depot and buy my lumber. Give me the pluses ++++ to spend that money. Yoy could buy a lot of lumber for the cost of the mill. Thanks...

For the lumber I have milled I could have justified buying hud-sons biggest mill way up in the $$$$$'s. My milled has payed for itself time and time again and then some. Heck just the picnic tables I have made and sold have easily paid for the mill. I milled allmost every piece of lumber{minus plywood and such} for our 2 story house a garage decks........, not to mention lumber for others houses garages etc.... I hate going to lowes or home depot for wood, infact I think they hate to see me going towards their wood racks. I usually empty a whole rack of lumber looking for 3-5 pieces of decent wood, and I refuse to pick up the garbage I have piled on the floor, I'll take my lumber ANY DAY over the big box stores{IMO thiers is____}.

I did use a lot of my own lumber, which was a good thing I believe, needed to be cleared either way. I also watch for free trees logs etc... you'd be surprised what is out there. Mills can easily pay for themselves as long as someone doesn't mind a little sweat blood and having patience. It is not easy but very rewarding and in my situation saved a boat load of $$$$$$$$.

 

[G.P.S.Investments]

For the lumber I have milled I could have justified buying hud-sons biggest mill way up in the $$$$$'s. My milled has payed for itself time and time again and then some. Heck just the picnic tables I have made and sold have easily paid for the mill.

Just wondering what was your $price$ on the picnic tables.And where are you located @.:thumbsup:Cause I would like to the same but don't wnt to cut into anyone pocket.

 

[20 20]

I doubt you cut in on any of my business looks like you're form another country . Craigs List seemed full of tables this year around here, but that didn't stop mine from moving Seeing some of the prices on picnic table's I'd would have expect them to be made of gold I just try to be fair and honest, funny how that can work sometimes though, if people see to low a price they think stuff is junk Oh well their loss.

 

[caver]

I found a used Baker HD18 on ebay and enjoy cutting up fallen trees on my property. Getting the logs to and up on the saw bed is a chore. I've got a stack of short leaf pine that looks better than any store lumber I've seen lately. That was from a tree that died and the outer bark was almost rotted off. I look at it as a hobby
EZ Boardwalk makes a Junior mill that is very affordable and a solid unit. Their made by an Amish family up in Northeast Missouri. Nice folks to deal with.

 

[jpm]

i started out by building a chain saw mill and it worked good but slow.than one day i saw a bandsaw at work ,much,much faster.than i was at a home show and a hud-son dealer was there with a oscar28 .after talking to him for awhile he said he sold the track to someone at the show .so what are you going to do with the head unit ? 4 hours later i'm driving down the road with a mill. if you need 2x4,2x6 dry wood quick the lumber yard is the way to go,but differant woods,odd stuff ect a mill is great

 

[podieroe]

ok i'm new to forums but i don't see any pictures? how do i do that?

 

[Mutiro]

Hi from UK, would love to see pics and any advice, am looking to start my own self-build saw but not too sure where to start!, Cheers, John

 

[alchemysa]

ok i'm new to forums but i don't see any pictures? how do i do that?

Go back to post #22 in this thread and click the link.