Tractor pole barn, day 2

[treeboone]

Got half of the poles peeled. Put the forks on the bucket and decked about 400 BF of fir logs (skidding is faster, but this keeps them clean for the sawmill) Then dropped the backblade and 3 point hitch, hooked up the Woods backhoe and spent the rest of the day digging stumps. Got 6 out by 4:30 and decided to call it a day. I will spend the evening on the net researching bandsaw mills. This is going well so far. See attachment

 

[ronjhall]

Treeboone
Great looking building site. Looking forward to more pictures as project progresses.

 

[HalseyGreen]

Looking for band saw mills? I recently had the opportunity to see a Lucas mill in operation, it uses a circular saw instead of bands, little more waste as it has a wider kerf, but was easier to sharpen so the owner said. The blade is mounted on a head and rotates 90 degrees to make horizonal and verticle cuts, does not require turning of the logs like the bank mills. Whole thing came apart and transported on a pickup with a pipe rack. I have seen the different band mills at ag shows, but the Lucas really impressed me. This guy had the big one and said it cost around $11k. Of the band mills I have seen I like the Woodmizer, they seem to have their design refined, but they can become costly.

 

[dmccarty]

I've been playing around with getting a wood mill but I don't think I can justify the cost. I saw oodles of brands at the Farm Show last winter. They sure work but they sure cost some dollars. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif The saw that impressed me the most is from Logosol. Its also the cheapest! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Its simply a frame with a Stihl 066 mounted on a traveling platform. Its certainly not as productive as the band saw mills and even with the special bar/chain on the saw it chews up a bit more wood but it would work for my uses. One of the problems that bandsaws have is getting the planked sawn the same diminsion from start to finish. I did not see this as a problem with the Logosol. I checked what they had been sawing with a ruler and the plank was the same size from start to finish. The cost was around three thousand but I can't justify the price at this point. I can buy a lot of wood for 3K.

There is a magazine called "Woodlot and Sawmill" or some such. I subscribe to it and the last issue or two had a comparision shoot out on a bunch of different saws.

You might also contact one of the sawmill manufactuers. I think some of them keep a list of saw owners and refer customers to them for jobs. So you might be able to get someone to come out and do the sawing for cash or part of the timber that is sawn...

Hope this helps...
Dan McCarty

 

[Youare]

I have owned and operated a portable one man sawmill for almost 20 years. Durning that time I have looked at all different kinds of bandmills and circular saw mills. I have a circular mill, and they do have a wider kerf which makes more sawdust than the thin kerf band mills.

There are band mills to be had for around $3,500.00. Most of these are very manual, you have to push the band through the log much like oy would with the chainsaw powered one's. A band mill can cut consistant size lumber provided you follow the rules. You have to have a blade that is sharp on both sides of the teeth. Just like a chian saw will cut curves, a band saw will cut to one side or the other if the blade is dull on one side. This usually happens if the logs are a little dirty.

If you push the band too fast through the log it will force the blade to twist, then it starts going up and down, or maybe just up or down. Circular mills tend to be more expensive, put a little more log into sawdust but will tolerate a little more dirt on the log than a bandsaw will. Bandsaw mills tend to give you the option to cut wider boards than a circular mill.

I have a Mobile Dimension Saw, they have a website I think it is www.mobilemfg.com

If you have the time custom sawing can be a profitable business. I have customed sawed as a part time job for 15 years. I turn away more work than I can do almost every year. If this is the only building project you will tackle for a while then it will make more sense to buy the lumber you need. But, if you have other building projects in the future and can afford a mill now you will use it more than you think.

I enjoy the Sawmill and Woodlot magazine also.

 

[treeboone]

Thanks for the feedback. I haven't updated since I've done little work so far. One of the reasons I was considering a mill was the timber on my property is getting "ripe" but I plan on a sustained yield. I also like cool tools. I am probobly going to buy the lumber for this project and put off buying a mill until next year. My wife has pointed out that I have strained the toy budget this year and it is difficult to argue. I bought some back issues of this magazine in hopes of learning more towards when I do buy. The MSG mill is made locally (Spokane) and I was at the county fair yesterday watching a demonstration. Spent an hour talking with the sales rep. I want to take a closer look at the WoodMizer and may take a trip to Canada (BC) to see what our northern cousins have cooked up. Meanwhile back at the ranch, my logs are peeled and the site almost leveled up. I expect to layout and set pier blocks this week and maybe have the uprights set. I will have pictures then and will go to another title-day 3

 

[dmccarty]

Youare,

Have you sawed up timber that has been down for a few years? I've got lots of trees that have been blown down by the huricannes from the last five years or so. Some are off the ground and still have the bark on the trees. I'm making burn piles out of what I don't think I can save and piling up other logs for firewood. I hate to burn some of this stuff but I'm afraid its not usefull anymore. But I have recently sawn downed pine trees into logs. Parts of the trunk still had bark and the wood looked ok. I'm just wondering if any of the wood is salvagable....

I think I'm attracted to the Logosol product since I end up with a second chainsaw. And since I'm already familiar with how the Stihls operate I'm just more comfortable with the Logosol. Even if the timber I have is salvagable I can but lots of wood for 3K. I don't see myself running the mill as a business but only for what I need on the property. I suspect it would be mainly used to salvage trees blown down in past and future storms.....

Later,
Dan McCarty