Sawmill. What do I need to know.

[N80]

I'm thinking about getting a saw mill. I do not need one and I do not intend to sell lumber.

I've got a cabin on 250 acres that I've had for close to 20 years. There is always a big oak or hickory or cedar blown down. And I just hate to see it go to waste. We use some for firewood but a lot just rots in the woods.

My son-in-law has been ripping a big cedar with an Alaskan mill. It is slow and tedious and hard work but those cedar boards are gorgeous. He is siding a large chicken coop with the boards. It will last forever.

I plan to build a pole-barn type shop with a cement pad floor in the future. So I could use lumber for that.

So I want a saw mill. Budget is fairly low but requirements are fairly low too. This will be a hobby situation not a job. Pine. Oak. Cedar. Maybe some other hardwoods. The budget situation might be fluid. My son-in-law would pitch in some. A cousin across the road would probably pitch in some as well.

What do I need to know? Best brands? Features I can't live without? Things I need to know about storing and drying lumber? Dealing with saw dust?

Thanks for any basic info or considerations.

 

[newbury]

I'm thinking about getting a saw mill. I do not need one and I do not intend to sell lumber.

I've got a cabin on 250 acres that I've had for close to 20 years. There is always a big oak or hickory or cedar blown down. And I just hate to see it go to waste. We use some for firewood but a lot just rots in the woods.

My son-in-law has been ripping a big cedar with an Alaskan mill. It is slow and tedious and hard work but those cedar boards are gorgeous. He is siding a large chicken coop with the boards. It will last forever.

I plan to build a pole-barn type shop with a cement pad floor in the future. So I could use lumber for that.

So I want a saw mill. Budget is fairly low but requirements are fairly low too. This will be a hobby situation not a job. Pine. Oak. Cedar. Maybe some other hardwoods. The budget situation might be fluid. My son-in-law would pitch in some. A cousin across the road would probably pitch in some as well.

What do I need to know? Best brands? Features I can't live without? Things I need to know about storing and drying lumber? Dealing with saw dust?

Thanks for any basic info or considerations.

Basic info - determine if you need portable, trailerable or not and what is your timber size?
The Alaskan route is good if you need to "carry in" for an occasional tree and with the right chain and bar you can get a 6' DBH tree slabbed up. A Stihl 880 (120CC) 0w/ 6' bar etc would probably run around 2.5K.
A 10hp Woodmizer will do up to 20", cost about $4K and be moveable. If a 4"x4"x8' stick cost $5 that would be about 800 sticks.
You can buy a lot of lumber for the entry level price of a sawmill.

I've a Stihl 088 (120CC) and 41" bar. I've a Woodmizer LT10. I've a 24"DBH oak I want to lay down and make small. I'll probably use an Alaskan mill to cut the tree in half (or suitable cants) and then feed it through the Woodmizer.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

When you buy that lumber, all the money is gone. But, when you buy that sawmill to make that lumber, the sawmill has resale so all the money is not gone!

SR

 

[Jstpssng]

When you buy that lumber, all the money is gone. But, when you buy that sawmill to make that lumber, the sawmill has resale so all the money is not gone!

SR

Except that you can sell the logs and put the money toward building materials. While I would like to have something for sawing out small jobs and specialty lumber, there's something to be said for framing with kiln dried, uniform lumber.

 

[/pine]

I'll assume you are talking about a band mill ?
You can greatly reduce the learning curve if you can spend some time helping or watching an experienced sawyer for a while...there are lots of tips and techniques that make things easier than learn as you go...things like cutting stickers etc...
FWIW...A partner and I have a Hudson 36" Oscar Pro mill...shop around for a decent used one possibly one that can be demonstrated...HF sells them there are some here on TBN that have them...

Good Luck...

 

[newbury]

And there is also storage of the mill. I've got one shed that is has about 12x20 feet occupied by a rarely used sawmill. And another area about 12x15 where I dry my occasional lumber.
So you'll need space for the mill and equipment, plus drying space. For some of us space is not a problem, and you could probably leave it all outside. But the last time I was in South Carolina it was HUMID.

As far as

need to invest more in log handleing equipment than invested in mill.

If you've got the tractor and your son has the chainsaw equipment it's about like my set up. I added a set of clamp on pallet forks, a peavey, a cant hook and a few chains rounded out my logging equipment. Probably about $300.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Except that you can sell the logs and put the money toward building materials. While I would like to have something for sawing out small jobs and specialty lumber, there's something to be said for framing with kiln dried, uniform lumber.

It's a fact, logs aren't worth near as much to sell, as all the added value you get by milling them, that's why they buy them!

Kiln dried lumber picks up a lot of moisture back, by the time you use it, and it doesn't take long to get construction lumber to 20%, air drying it. That's about where kiln dried lumber is, by the time you get it!

As for uniform, tune your mill up and properly stack it, and it will be uniform... Truth is, I don't mind nailing it up green, and it comes out just fine...

SR

 

[caver]

I got one for the same reason N80. It's very labor intensive. I found mine on ebay and only 100 miles away. Good bang for the buck is EZBoardwalk in northern MO. Amish? family, nice folks I went there in person to buy a log arch later on. Don't expect fancy internet site and they probably do business via phone. I would have bought one of their models had it not been for finding the Baker HD18 on ebay. Baker Wood Buddy is a basic mill and made only about 20-ish miles from my property. Lots of other smaller companies out there like Mister Sawmill, Lumbermate, Cooks, Hud-son and on and on.

Check FB Marketplace and just tweak the towns to find stuff outside your area. I've seen a few for sale over in the Ozarks. Also a few large circular mills since the area has a lot of Oak.

 

[N80]

Thanks guys. Good info here.

As for type, yes, I'm looking at a band saw. Portable. Does not need to be on a trailer.

As for quality of blow downs, I beg to differ. Have had plenty of healthy trees uprooted by the wind when soil is wet and loose. Solid from butt to branches. Some white oak blow downs are hollow at the butt but solid the rest of the way up.

As far as danger, I have no experience with a portable band saw mill but they do not look inherently dangerous. But as for recovering logs and trees, well, I've done that a lot. Log handling won't be a major issue as I'm not talking anything huge. I've got a tractor with a front end loader. I know guys with experience with portable band saws. Agreed it would be good to get one of them to come show us the ropes.

newbury, as mentioned, my son-in-law has the Alaska mill and a big Stihl he uses with it. He uses a ripping chain. The big cedar he ripped into boards was 90% bright red heartwood and hard as a rock. The boards he was getting were over 20" wide. I think oak or pine would go much faster. This was his first Alaska mill Great idea about reducing a large log with it to make it manageable for the band saw mill.

As far as return on investment goes, that would not be a major consideration. This would be for fun and to make decent use of wood that would otherwise go to waste. I'd probably give a lot of it away. I'll think up projects to use it. (I have an open tractor shed that I would love to put wood siding on, for instance.) And as mentioned, if it does not turn out to be useful it could be sold.

Also, we have planing and drying facility not far from here. When we built our cabin we bought pine boards from a local guy with a saw mill. We had them dried and planed at this place and it was remarkably inexpensive.

Anyway, still in the wishing/dreaming stage but have been thinking about it for years. My son-in-law went to a Wood-Mizer demo and was impressed. They have a new entry level model that will handle a 12' log up to 26" diameter for around $4000 new.

Not sure it will ever happen but you guys have been helpful.

 

[Jstpssng]

It's a fact, logs aren't worth near as much to sell, as all the added value you get by milling them, that's why they buy them!

Kiln dried lumber picks up a lot of moisture back, by the time you use it, and it doesn't take long to get construction lumber to 20%, air drying it. That's about where kiln dried lumber is, by the time you get it!

As for uniform, tune your mill up and properly stack it, and it will be uniform... Truth is, I don't mind nailing it up green, and it comes out just fine...

SR

I've found the exact opposite to be true. You can buy what you need, and not have a lot of leftover lumber which you may or may not need.

 

[ch47dpilot]

May just want to look at local saw mills. My local one charges $0.40/ board foot. I have access to old green treated power poles. A 8x8 24ft long is going to run only about $50. The only kicker is they charge $50 each time they hit metal. I'm planning on getting a good metal detecting wand, about $120+ on Amazon. Any suggestions on a good brand. I'm thinking any metal in a power pole will be close to the surface.

 

[timbatrader]

Hey a lot of it depends on what you want to use the timber for if you want big slabs or wide boards for cladding a band mill works best but if you want timber for general around the farm projects framing fence rails etc one of these swing saws work real good much faster cutting for less work portable enough that you can take it to the log and cut in place but if you have a decent tractor most people would bring the log to the mill the only real down side is not being good to wide boards the bigger swing saws cut 10 inch wide but they get pricey at that size what I have done with the little one is cut a load of dimension timber off the top until I get to just shy of the middle of the log then roll the log over and cut from the top again so I end up with one wide slab per log plus a load of 2 x 6, 2 x 4 or whatever
Junior Peterson - Small Sawmill with Big Features by Peterson Sawmills

 

[N80]

caver, I'm sure it is labor intensive but I don't mind the work. And it has to be easier than the Alaska mill. That sucker is work!

newbury, I've got plenty of straps and chains. Son-in-law has cant hooks. I've got a good sized open tractor shed. I'd have to move a few implements out but that's no big deal.

Humid. Around here? ;-)

 

[4570Man]

Except that you can sell the logs and put the money toward building materials. While I would like to have something for sawing out small jobs and specialty lumber, there's something to be said for framing with kiln dried, uniform lumber.

Exactly and rough saw lumber isn’t worth a lot for building. It’s fine for a shed or something but it won’t pass building code for house or well anything that has to be inspected. I’d like to have a sawmill but it’s really not cost effective for me.

 

[caver]

caver, I'm sure it is labor intensive but I don't mind the work. And it has to be easier than the Alaska mill. That sucker is work!

newbury, I've got plenty of straps and chains. Son-in-law has cant hooks. I've got a good sized open tractor shed. I'd have to move a few implements out but that's no big deal.

Humid. Around here? ;-)

The work is dealing with the log getting it on the mill and turning it and then taking the slabs and limber off. Green lumber is way heavier and that is something I never thought about. Pushing the carriage through (with a fresh blade) is the easy fun part. I keep mine outside year round but it would be nice to build a shed but I've moved the thing a dozen times since I bought it years ago. Having a tractor helps with log handling but I envy those guys with the hydraulic machines and log turners. I have a Peavey and cant hook so was reluctant to spend the $$ on a good Peavey but those guys on Forestry Forum are right in that Log-Rite makes a NICE one.

 

[s219]

I have been impressed with Norwood mills, so check them out. I feel like WoodMizer is the best, but they are also the most pricey.

 

[Jstpssng]

caver, I'm sure it is labor intensive but I don't mind the work. And it has to be easier than the Alaska mill. That sucker is work!

newbury, I've got plenty of straps and chains. Son-in-law has cant hooks. I've got a good sized open tractor shed. I'd have to move a few implements out but that's no big deal.

Humid. Around here? ;-)

You also are losing a lot of wood to the chain kerf. I've been looking at the budget brand by Hud-Son Portable Budget Sawmill | Cheap Sawmills. If I bought one however, it would be without the gimmick paint job.

 

[dougtrr2]

One thing to keep in mind is the waste. Squaring up a log to produce lumber leaves a lot of pieces that can't be used. Even more if the tree isn't straight. When you talk to small mill owners, getting rid of all that wood is a consideration. The sawdust can do a lot of accumulating also. Sounds like an interesting project.

I had a portable sawmill come to me and mill nine logs. I have well over 375 board feet of walnut and 350 board feet of oak. As a small hobbyist cabinet maker it looks like a lifetime supply to me.

Doug in SW IA

 

[TnAndy]

Exactly and rough saw lumber isn’t worth a lot for building. It’s fine for a shed or something but it won’t pass building code for house or well anything that has to be inspected. I’d like to have a sawmill but it’s really not cost effective for me.

Not so in some States, including Tennessee. I got together with my local legislator and got a law passed for this State that allows the use of sawmill lumber in residential construction.

effective 05/23/2016:

SENATE BILL 822
By Bailey
HOUSE BILL 978
By
Hill M
AN ACTto amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5; Title 6; Title 43, Chapter 28, Part 3 and Title 68, Chapter 120, relative to native species lumber.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1.
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 43, Chapter 28, Part 3,is amended by adding the following as a new, appropriately designated section:
(a) This sectionshall be known and may be cited as the “Tennessee Native Species Lumber Act.”
(b)
As used in this section:
(1) “Agricultural building” means any structure used primarily for agricultural purposes or for forest product production;
(2) “Commercial sawmill” means any type of sawmill that produces lumber for sale;
(3) “End user” means any person who purchases native lumber from a commercial sawmill for the purpose of residential construction;
(4) “Grader” means the owner of a commercial sawmill, or the owner’s designated employee, who has visually inspected each piece of lumber; and
(5) “Native timber” means any hardwood or softwood species growingwithin the borders of this state.
(c) (1) The operator of any commercial sawmill may, when requested by the end user of the native lumber, certify in writing to the purchaser that the quality and safe working stresses of the lumber are equal to or better than No. 2 grade, in accordance with the conditions set forth in the American Softwood Standard PS 20–70 of the United States department of commerce, as amended; provided, that the minimum grade of lumber use din load-bearing wall members shall be stud grade.
(2) The certification provided pursuant to subdivision (c)(1) shall includeA) The name of the wood species; (B) The quantity of wood certified;(C) The location where the wood is to be used;
(D) Whether or not the wood is seasoned; (E) The name of the commercial sawmill where the wood was cut; (F) The name of the grader; and(G) The date on which the wood was cut at the commercial sawmill and graded.
(3)
(A) Upon the request of the local building official, the end user shall provide written certification of the quality and safe working stresses of the native lumber provided by the commercial sawmill operator pursuant to subdivision (c)(1),as part of the building permit application.
(B) The certification provided pursuant to subdivision (c)(3)(A) shall be accepted by code officials in lieu of any grade stamp requirements.
(d) Any person who uses the native timber harvested from and used entirely on the person’s own property shall, if required, certify that the lumber meets the requirements of any building codes
.
(e) No certification of native lumber shall be required in the construction of an agricultural building.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.