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

[paulsharvey]

You said talk you out of it; so here goes.
1) You may not be able to use un-graded lumber for structural work on the addition
2) you will need to dry the cut boards
3) hardwood (if that's what you have in mind) is kinda difficult to frame with
4) you will probably spend weeks cutting, adjusting, learning, ect before you turn out dimensional lumber
5) milling lumber is kinda like reloading ammo; it becomes the hobby, more so then building with the lumber (or the shooting)

Not saying don't buy it, but just some things to realize, before you jump in

I dont own a mill; but my dad milled a ton of wood when I was a kid, primarily with homemade 'alaskan' saw mill that fits on a chainsaw bar, and aluminum extention ladder for a straight edge. One day, maybe, ill get one; but you can buy a lot of dimensional lumber (2×4; 2x6; 4x4; 4x6; ect) before you reach the mill price. Even with the mill, 1; its not 100% free to run (blades); and you Will still need to buy some lumber

 

[plowhog]

You said talk you out of it; so here goes.

Legitimate feedback, of course.

One positive aspect I forgot to add is the financial end. Around here, a used sawmill hardly ever goes up for sale. Ones that do are snapped up quickly and sold for a premium.

So if you purchase one and decide it's not for you ... the financial pain is likely to be minimal.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

If you can afford to stay away from a manual mill you will be thanking yourself later.

I don't totally agree with this. It really depends on how much you are going to use your mill.

IF you are going to saw all the time, then the more automated the better, BUT if you are only going to saw once in a while, on a manual mill, there just so much less to go wrong on them and a LOT less to corrode and cause gremlins!

Loading and turning logs can be done with a winch,

and that's really where the most work is. They can be just as accurate and they have a lot less to go wrong, that is IF you don't buy the cheapest manual mill to begin with.

A manual mill doesn't have to be a lot more work, but it is going to be a lot slower.

BTW, for sheds, barns ect., milling softwood like pine, you can nail the lumber right up off the mill or you can sticker it for a month or two and it will be plenty dry.

SR

 

[LouNY]

Well let's see talk you out of buying a mill;
Don't do it,
unless you are going to go a few steps above the basic,
don't forget to get spare blades,
don't forget the materials and jig to sharpen them.
It's easy to go through 5-6 blades in a day especially if the logs have been drug through any dirt.
Lot's of sharpening in the evening.
As far as drying the lumber stickered and stacked neatly do a loose wrap with heavy ag plastic with the black side out leaving the ends protected but open it will be almost as good as kiln dried in a few months.
As far as protecting your mill after using it a while and loading logs and pulling cut boards you will have a good idea of what kind of shelter you want for it, just a roof or 2 or 3 sided and you'l be able to use your own rough lumber for the project.
So if you go ahead with step up a few steps from basic and be ready to buy more accessories.

 

[plowhog]

It's easy to go through 5-6 blades in a day especially if the logs have been drug through any dirt.

I was feeling good until I read this. Dang, I need some sawmill Viagra!

 

[Jstpssng]

Legitimate feedback, of course.

One positive aspect I forgot to add is the financial end. Around here, a used sawmill hardly ever goes up for sale. Ones that do are snapped up quickly and sold for a premium.

So if you purchase one and decide it's not for you ... the financial pain is likely to be minimal.

I ordered my mill at the start of Covid and by the time that I got it they had gone up 25% in price so I was pretty pleased. It was a newly introduced budget model Woodmizer. In just 3 years they have phased this model out and come out with a replacement which they are selling for the same price that I paid for mine... so much for holding it's value.

don't forget to get spare blades,
don't forget the materials and jig to sharpen them

The higher quality mills have a debarker option which takes care of dirty bark. I bought a chainsaw debarker for mine which seems to work OK; at least it beats sharpening or buying new blades as often.
I also put a clamp on the measuring scale to remind myself not to cut into the log stops. THAT really is hard on blades!

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I've never went through 5 or 6 bands in a day and although I have everything to sharpen and set them, an Amish guy here sharpens and sets them for $7.00 ea...

When I get 10 dull ones and I'm over that way, I take them to him and let him do it.

SR

 

[civilian]

Lots of bad talking OP out of a sawmill here. Mostly talking him into one. I have had my Timbery 120 for 2 summers. Ordered in May during covid, received in Oct. Cut a few logs, stored sawmill for the winter. In Feb the following spring I received 20ish red and white pine, 12ft long 22" to 26" at large end. Heavy. I have a Kubota B26TLB to handle them and the stickered piles. I think I ended up cutting 6 to 7000 BF that summer. That is air drying. Also cut about 1000 BF each of oak and cherry. This past summer maybe 1200 BF of white cedar. That red or white pine, maybe 2 logs in a 6 hour day. Cedar was mostly 10" to 12" dia, 10ft long. More logs cut in a day.

Built a nice desk chair for the grandson out of the cherry. Kiln dried it and oak for me. Rough cut wood takes a lot of time and handling and equipment to mill it for nice finished furniture wood.

Also built a deer blind out of the 2" rough cut pine. Again took time to resaw into 1" boards, plane, etc.

I won't talk you out of getting a sawmill, but being retired I can spend my days cutting trees into lumber. Also what it your supply of trees? Cut of your land, or someone's land? Buying logs adds to the negative side of the sheet.

Seeing your own logs turn into finished projects can be rewarding, but it is more time consuming than going to the lumber store to buy what you need for a project. Working a full time job, having a family means less time for sawing. Your wife is for the mill, will she help stickering the wood? Having a second person is helpful, especially with larger logs.

One thing no one mentioned, is moisture meter. I find it is helpful determining if I can use the air dried lumber or want to wait.

Long winded, sorry. Jon

 

[HawkinsHollow]

@civilian Not longwinded at all, perfect information!! And beautiful chairs you build. Also love the deer blind. Yeah, you have addressed my biggest concern, time to mill. Well now is honestly the time to get this mill, so I guess I am just going to have to make the time!!

Let me ask you about the Timbery, because I have seen them online. Have you been satisfied with it? Have you had an issues and how have they been addressed by customer service? I have seen them online but most people I have talked to have tried to steer my away from these mills. Yes I know a woodland mills is a chinese mill but it have a company that stand behind their machine. I am going to go look at the timbery a bit closer while I await your response.

 

[BlueKnife]

But to fool yourself into thinking you are saving anything by making construction lumber....forget it. You will never replicate the dimensional accuracy and stability.

My experience has been the opposite. I'm a building contractor and work with kiln dried framing lumber daily. For my own projects, I only use lumber I cut myself. It's much better quality than what I can get locally. If I screw up a bit when milling the dimensions can vary some, but in many of my applications, that doesn't matter. Even then, the straightness and quality is much better. If I do my part when cutting it, it's every bit as good. I'm using the same mill that the OP is considering buying.