sawmill platform? What to use?

[Sodo]

Thx Eagle1 I need "that kinda guy".... except who has already disassembled it.
I'd pay if it was "scrap price".

Buying new steel would cost a bit, and I may have to just do that if nothing turns up.
....but surely just the tow charge would be more than "new steel".
New Steel would be more fun to build with.....

 

[Eagle1]

Thx Eagle1 I need "that kinda guy".... except who has already disassembled it.
I'd pay if it was "scrap price".

Buying new steel would cost a bit, and I may have to just do that if nothing turns up.
....but surely just the tow charge would be more than "new steel".
New Steel would be more fun to build with.....

If I take it part rest assured the steel would be repurposed. I'll get to it........

 

[BlueKnife]

I live a few hours away so don't leave anything of interest visible "outside".

Bolt the track down to concrete piers or to a concrete slab. That's gonna be a lot less expensive, easier and sturdier than a mobile home or truck frame. Either of those is still going to need some sort of base anyway and given their larger size, the base will need to be bigger than it would for just the track. It's also gonna raise the whole thing up higher than you may want it to be.

Also, FWIW, a laser level makes setting up and leveling a sawmill a breeze.

 

[mikester]

I made a ladder frame for mine out of 2x4 tubing I had available. Put a 2,000lb axel for portability and 6 jacks under it for levelling.

 

[Menagerie-Manor]

This is my mill setup with 3 substantial concrete piers and full dimension Doug Fir 6x6 rails setup to cut 16 footers.

 

[Sodo]

All good input, thanks! Strange how stuff you see often over the years becomes a needle in a haystack as soon as you 'need it'.

Menagerie....... I may do it ^^kinda like yours^^.
I have lots of doug fir on-site. If I lay steel roofing over it, it will last a long time outdoors. But my place is under snow right now, I have months to stew over it.

The thing is... now.... it's move-able, but "in the way" when in-use.
This changes it to becomes a permanent fixture
-and-
it needs to 'out in the open'. I have one clear level area that I could put it, but I need that space for turnaround etc.

Menagerie what do you think about a bolted wood structure that's real heavy & stable. The steel track is bolted to the wood.
But I can skid it out into the open with the tractor.
Then drag it off to the side when not in use?

Another option is a lesser wooden structure, but setting it on an array of small concrete footings with threaded bolt holes for clamps.
Their tops at grade level in my 'open area' so I can clamp it "straight".
(and BlueKnife, confirm/adjust with a laser level).

OK thanks for the ideas, I like these better than dragging a POS frame out there.

 

[Menagerie-Manor]

All good input, thanks! Strange how stuff you see often over the years becomes a needle in a haystack as soon as you 'need it'.

Menagerie....... I may do it ^^kinda like yours^^.
I have lots of doug fir on-site. If I lay steel roofing over it, it will last a long time outdoors. But my place is under snow right now, I have months to stew over it.

The thing is... now.... it's move-able, but "in the way" when in-use.
This changes it to becomes a permanent fixture
-and-
it needs to 'out in the open'. I have one clear level area that I could put it, but I need that space for turnaround etc.

Menagerie what do you think about a bolted wood structure that's real heavy & stable. The steel track is bolted to the wood.
But I can skid it out into the open with the tractor.
Then drag it off to the side when not in use?

Another option is a lesser wooden structure, but setting it on an array of small concrete footings with threaded bolt holes for clamps.
Their tops at grade level in my 'open area' so I can clamp it "straight".
(and BlueKnife, confirm/adjust with a laser level).

OK thanks for the ideas, I like these better than dragging a POS frame out there.

Nothing wrong with a substantial moveable platform, just be prepared to check the setup after being moved.

 

[JPRambo]

This is my setup. Hud-son sawyer.6" x 6" with aluminum tracks lag bolted down. I shim the 6x6s each time as they are just set in the ground. Just put mill head in the garage while i spend christmas in Florida with the kids.

 

[civilian]

My Timbery sawmill track sits on 16 ft PT timber. Under that are 4 cross beams of 4x6 PT. Those sits on leveled 2x8x16 solid concrete blocks. Similar to Menagerie's pictured above. Sawmill sits in clearing all summer. The head unit is covered with a barbeque cover. When done sawing for the year it goes in the barn on heavy saw horses to be able to pallets on the floor under. Jon

 

[nickmags]

My suggestion, and what worked for me. First, find an area that is clear and relatively level that you can easily access from all sides. In my case I had to create such a space, Lots of smaller trees and sloping ground. I terraced the slope using good quality rail ties. Then back filled with very coarse river rock and gravel. Once I had it close to level I put down more ties, one at each crossmember of the saw's track. Then filled the space between ties level with crusher run gravel. Imagine a real railroad road bed and ties. Then permanetly anchored saw mill track to the ties. Periodically check track for level (once or twice a year) usually in the spring after ground thaws, or when I notice a waver/wobble in a board. First year had to re-level a couple of times due to settling but not hard, prybar and shovel in some additional gravel. Eventually I built a pole barn cover for the entire mill to protect from elements. Cost to me was minimal, traded cut white oak lumber from my back 40 for the gravel, had the ties stacked for another project that I decided not to do after all, mostly time and some fuel. I have a Woodland Mill's saw with a twenty-foot track.