Want to buy a sawmill - Talk me out of it!

[plowhog]

gravel will keep the mud down,

Buy the Woodland Mills chipper and run all the tailings from the mill through it. You'll have enough wood chips to coat large swathes of ground. Oops spending your money again .....

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Where I live, woodchips start composting out and turn into slippery mud with chips mixed in, not something I want anywhere near around my mill.

SR

 

[HawkinsHollow]

If you don't plan on keeping your mill in that one location, gravel will keep the mud down, but then you will have gravel mixed with mud and sawdust when you move your mill. When my friend brought his portable mill on wheels over, there was a lot of walking back and forth in the sunshine (a shed would have been awesome), a lot of sawdust, and a lot of boards to stack. Keeping the logs clean has a lot to do with the sawmill blade staying sharp and cutting efficiently. And not cutting into logs that have wire stuck in them.

That spot is already much improved from what it was a month ago, there was just a bunch of crap sitting there. Now it is a usable area, if I move the mill it will still be much improved. I plan on catching the sawdust in a 5 gallon bucket hanging off the side of the mill. I will dump this sawdust in an IBC tote with the top cut off. Then I will dump the IBC when it is full. I have seen the mills with a 2 foot pile of sawdust along one side and that looks like a mess to me. Sawdust will still hit the ground because the bucket will not catch all of it but the volume will be MUCH less, and I plan on blowing that off to the side every so often. As far as wire, I plan on getting a metal detector from Harbor Freight and hitting each log before I put it on the mill. I will have a pallet for the waste boards to go in so at the end of the day I can take the tractor and throw them on the burn pile. Also I have a few neighbors who have stoves or fireplaces. I will offer them my slabs to use as firewood to get rid of it. Seems like the cutoff slabs pile up REALLY quick.

 

[MattB4]

Yes sir, check!!

Also thinking about getting a bark removal tool as well. Some people use those debarkers for the end of a chainsaw, some used aggressive grinding wheels on a angle grinder. I am leaning towards chainsaw debarker as I do not have electricity at this site.

I never had any fancy debarker when I had my mill. I just kept a stiff bristle brush and an axe to peel off bark. Blades will dull from naturally accumulated dust in the trees. That is why having a blade sharpener is a must. Hope you got one with your mill.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Buy the Woodland Mills chipper and run all the tailings from the mill through it. You'll have enough wood chips to coat large swathes of ground. Oops spending your money again .....

Where I live, woodchips start composting out and turn into slippery mud with chips mixed in, not something I want anywhere near around my mill.

SR

Yeah, I really don't have much use for chips. I made the mistake of spreading free chips on an area and it just holds water and stays muddy AND a $3000 wood chipper is not in the budget AND that seems like A LOT of extra work bending over and feeding a chipper to get rid of it. I will probably burn some, try to convert some to firewood and toss some over the edge and let it decay.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I never had any fancy debarker when I had my mill. I just kept a stiff bristle brush and an axe to peel off bark. Blades will dull from naturally accumulated dust in the trees. That is why having a blade sharpener is a must. Hope you got one with your mill.

I did not get a sharpener. Time is short and projects are many. I will just have to bite the bullet and pay someone to sharpen mine. There are local guys that do it for $10 and a guy a bit further away that does it for $6.

 

[duffer]

I will have a pallet for the waste boards to go in so at the end of the day I can take the tractor and throw them on the burn pile. Also I have a few neighbors who have stoves or fireplaces. I will offer them my slabs to use as firewood to get rid of it. Seems like the cutoff slabs pile up REALLY quick.

Don't sell yourself short with the cutoff slabs. Firewood is firewood whether it be round, flat, square, triangle, whatever. Post it on Craigs List or FB Mktplace for sale. Give your neighbors the "neighbor discount" but I wouldn't give it away.

I bought 4 full cords of cutoff slabs when I lived in PA, and it burned great in the fireplace insert. Heated the whole house with it.

 

[plowhog]

I made the mistake of spreading free chips on an area and it just holds water and stays muddy

Very interesting. I presume due to a different in climate. I want all the wood chips I can get ... especially to keep dust down in summer.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Don't sell yourself short with the cutoff slabs. Firewood is firewood whether it be round, flat, square, triangle, whatever. Post it on Craigs List or FB Mktplace for sale. Give your neighbors the "neighbor discount" but I wouldn't give it away.

I bought 4 full cords of cutoff slabs when I lived in PA, and it burned great in the fireplace insert. Heated the whole house with it.

Yeah, I just need to figure out a system so it doesn't get oppressive dealing with it. I have seen some guys keep a battery powered saw right by the mill and cut the good usable sections into firewood lengths right away and toss them into a crate. Not sure exactly how I want to skin that cat. I have seen a pile of slabs, they are a hassle to deal with. It seems like once they are piled up they are a lost cause. Like I mentioned earlier I plan on tossing my slabs into a purpose built pallet that will facilitate the movement of these away from the mill. Maybe I can chunk them up from there and toss them in ICB totes for storage.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Very interesting. I presume due to a different in climate. I want all the wood chips I can get ... especially to keep dust down in summer.

Yeah, I am sure wood chips behave a bit better in your drier climate. And I bet they are way less abundant by you. We have LOTS of trees here, a free load of chips from the tree service is very easy to come by.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Good to see some assembly progress. That lift cart looks pretty dang handy - on my wish list as well.

Yeah that lift cart is CLUTCH!! I had been keep my eye out on Marketplace for one. Picked this gem up for $100. Paid for itself 10 fold already.

 

[ponytug]

Yeah, I just need to figure out a system so it doesn't get oppressive dealing with it. I have seen some guys keep a battery powered saw right by the mill and cut the good usable sections into firewood lengths right away and toss them into a crate. Not sure exactly how I want to skin that cat. I have seen a pile of slabs, they are a hassle to deal with. It seems like once they are piled up they are a lost cause. Like I mentioned earlier I plan on tossing my slabs into a purpose built pallet that will facilitate the movement of these away from the mill. Maybe I can chunk them up from there and toss them in ICB totes for storage.

Forks can lift and "organize" a pile of slabs, especially on a pallet, and a chainsaw could cut them in usable lengths over an open tote, or tote frame. As you say, it is all about how you want to organize or spend your time. If there is a local market for the wood, it might be worth the time.

If you do go the composting route for the sawdust, I would suggest spreading it out so that it is only a few inches thick, or it won't get enough air to decompose / compost quickly. Adding something rich nitrogen rich will speed the decomposition up. I have tilled it into garden beds for things like roses and blueberries that prefer acidic soils, and it works wonders in trenches for potatoes, once it has composted.

Some folks use sawdust as bedding in cages and stalls if it is dry, but walnut sawdust is a huge (often a lethal laminitis) problem for horses.

Great to see all the progress!

All the best,

Peter

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Forks can lift and "organize" a pile of slabs, especially on a pallet, and a chainsaw could cut them in usable lengths over an open tote, or tote frame. As you say, it is all about how you want to organize or spend your time. If there is a local market for the wood, it might be worth the time.

If you do go the composting route for the sawdust, I would suggest spreading it out so that it is only a few inches thick, or it won't get enough air to decompose / compost quickly. Adding something rich nitrogen rich will speed the decomposition up. I have tilled it into garden beds for things like roses and blueberries that prefer acidic soils, and it works wonders in trenches for potatoes, once it has composted.

Some folks use sawdust as bedding in cages and stalls if it is dry, but walnut sawdust is a huge (often a lethal laminitis) problem for horses.

Great to see all the progress!

All the best,

Peter

I was just planning on dumping it over the edge and let it turn into soil on its own schedule. This 1 acre is the top of a knoll with pretty steep drop offs in 3 directions. But I will explore the option of composting it.

 

[plowhog]

a free load of chips from the tree service is very easy to come by.

I don't do that, as unknown bugs and problems can ride in with chips from another property. I only use chips from my own logs ...

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I don't do that, as unknown bugs and problems can ride in with chips from another property. I only use chips from my own logs ...

Yeah, makes sense. I will definitely not be doing it any more, that is for certain.

 

[plowhog]

Forks can lift and "organize" a pile of slabs, especially on a pallet, and a chainsaw could cut them in usable lengths over an open tote, or tote frame. As you say, it is all about how you want to organize or spend your time.

Like all newbies, I did everything wrong at first. Including letting the side "skins" from logs get into a huge unmanageable pile. Never do that again.

I have a new idea but have not tried it yet. I put a sawbuck next to the mill. Skins from the log will go on it, an electric chain saw makes it firewood length right then and there. Anything resting on the sawbuck will get thrown in a large firewood bag. Whatever hits the ground will be dealt with later. Then keep milling.

At the end of the day, any firewood size scraps that hit the ground will go into the firewood bag. Then use the tractor and forks to haul the bag off to wherever I will store it until burning. I think this will work better ...... really look forward to trying this.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Like all newbies, I did everything wrong at first. Including letting the side "skins" from logs get into a huge unmanageable pile. Never do that again.

I have a new idea but have not tried it yet. I put a sawbuck next to the mill. Skins from the log will go on it, an electric chain saw makes it firewood length right then and there. Anything resting on the sawbuck will get thrown in a large firewood bag. Whatever hits the ground will be dealt with later. Then keep milling.

At the end of the day, any firewood size scraps that hit the ground will go into the firewood bag. Then use the tractor and forks to haul the bag off to wherever I will store it until burning. I think this will work better ...... really look forward to trying this.

Yep, that sounds like a good plan to me! I have learned exactly what NOT to do from a friend of mine that has a sawmill. I cannot tell you how much time and wood he has wasted because of his inefficiencies. That is why I am trying to start out on the right foot. Have processes to increase material and time efficiency whenever possible.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Like all newbies, I did everything wrong at first. Including letting the side "skins" from logs get into a huge unmanageable pile. Never do that again.

I have a new idea but have not tried it yet. I put a sawbuck next to the mill. Skins from the log will go on it, an electric chain saw makes it firewood length right then and there.

Are you milling logs or people? "Side skins" sounds like you are milling people. lol

The first cuts on a log make "slabs", second cut with bark on the edges are called "flitches", once all 4 sides are milled you have a "cant".

May as well get everyone on the same page here so we at least sound semi-intelligent...

SR

 

[LouNY]

Of course you can't forget about the people that will pay good money for a "live" edge slab or flitches.

 

[plowhog]

first cuts on a log make "slabs", second cut with bark on the edges are called "flitches"

Thanks! Appreciate that. Always helpful to better disguise how little I know.