Equipment Barn Started

[inveresk]

Dave, the Bobcat with the grapple looks terrific. I'm having to skid with the tractor which means the logs get dirty along part of their length so I have to strip some bark before sawing. What wouldn't I give for a machine like yours.

Thanks for posting the shots. I'll look forward to the next batch and will monitor your project with interest.

 

[KentT]

My brother has put a few thousand hours on a Woodmizer LT-40 -- I think that's the correct model -- it's the biggest twin-cylinder gas model. He's on his second engine, having worn one completely out. He sawed the wood to build his own house and his daughter's house with it, and has custom sawed for several years as his primary source of income... he's quasi-retired now, and saws only for supplemental income...

 

[MarkV]

Dave, great looking project, I hope you will keep us posted as things progress.

At the risk of stealing Dave thread, I was wondering if anyone had an idea about the economics of having trees milled by one of the portable mills like Dave’s. I have about 30 pines that are lumber grade I need to move for a future out building. That is not enough trees to interest a logger to buy and remove in this area.

MarkV

 

[dmartin88]

I'm using the Woodmizer resharpening service given the low volumes we're cutting. We did get a bed extension ($600 new) so we can do 17' logs which is as big as I could ever use or handle! Given I already have a tractor and Bobcat, don't look to be adding any hydraulics but they are sure impressive!

There are quite a few brands out there and like tractors, pretty sure they get the job done and they do come in many colors.

 

[dmartin88]

No worry from me about "stealing" the thread.

At the Forestry Forum link that is in a couple of previous posts, on their home page, there is a function to find a "forester" and you can seach by state, etc. and then search for someone that would do custom sawing. There seems to be multiple ways to price this type of sawing, some go by the board foot of the lumber produced, some by the hour, some on shares (although not much unless the wood is particularly desirable). Some have portable mills, some want the logs brought to them, etc.

Prices look to vary by region and seem to be in the $.20 to .45 per bf or $40-65 per hour depending on equipment, how much help you provide, type of wood, etc. Specialty sawing like quartersawing is usually more.

Be interested to see what others can tell you, I'd bet there have to be a few folks here on TBN that do this at least part time?

 

[KentT]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( No worry from me about "stealing" the thread.

At the Forestry Forum link that is in a couple of previous posts, on their home page, there is a function to find a "forester" and you can seach by state, etc. and then search for someone that would do custom sawing. There seems to be multiple ways to price this type of sawing, some go by the board foot of the lumber produced, some by the hour, some on shares (although not much unless the wood is particularly desirable). Some have portable mills, some want the logs brought to them, etc.

Prices look to vary by region and seem to be in the $.20 to .45 per bf or $40-65 per hour depending on equipment, how much help you provide, type of wood, etc. Specialty sawing like quartersawing is usually more.

Be interested to see what others can tell you, I'd bet there have to be a few folks here on TBN that do this at least part time? )</font>
FYI -- I just got $.25 a board-foot for about 5,000 bf of white pine and $.20 a board-foot for about 3,000 bf of yellow pine in East Tennessee.

 

[Clyde]

I have a Woodmizer hydraulic sawmill and bought it originally just for my needs. Eventually, I was sawing for neigbors and friends. I had to check around and see what other sawyers were getting in Wisc and heard anywhere from $30.00 to $50.00 per hour. No one was sawing by the bd ft. The mill is very portable, sets up in 15 minutes, and we're sawing! No need for you to haul your logs to the mill. I charge $45.00 per hour, and depending on the crew assembled by the customer and the logs are clean of dirt, we can average up to 200 bd ft an hour. If I hit hidden metal or porcelin insulators that knock teeth out of the blade - the customer pays for the blade which averages $21.00 plus shipping. Depending on the size of the job and the driving distance, I only charge for the sawing. Charged hours are taken from the engine hour meter and therefore you aren't charged for log handling or downtime. In clean wood, a blade can last up to 4 hours and then has to be removed for resharpening. You can usually get 4 sharpenings out of a blade before is breaks from fatigue. A mill like mine can run in excess of $25,000. It's hard work but I enjoy it. I'll never get rich but that isn't what it's all about for me. The bandsaw removes 1/8" kerf compared to a blade saw's minimum 1/4" and that means extra boards to the customer. This is important for woods like black walnut and cherry. When I leave the jobsite, you have a stack of slabwood and a pile of boards to stack for drying. Woodmizer can provide you with a list of their owners in your area that do custom sawing. Best of luck to you. Clyde

 

[inveresk]

Nice mill, Clyde and the prices you charge would bring you in plenty work here where prices are between 40 and 50 cents CAN per board foot plus a set up fee of $50. Sawing the lumber I needed for the barn would therefore have cost me around $3500, about half the cost of buying my mill.

Had you been closer . . . . .

What you say about blade sharpening is what I've been advised. I got about fifteen blades with the machine but until I try them out, will not know whether theyre past their sell by date or not.

 

[midlf]

Clyde - what part of WI? I don't need sawing now but if you're close I'd like to file the info for future reference.

 

[Clyde]

Steve - I sent you an email

Clyde