Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[Loaderman22]

I did a little cutting/splitting yesterday. Broke out the MS390 to run some fresh gas through it, It's not my primary saw, it's one of the backups, and for larger logs. Runs/cuts great but for some reason my knuckles hit the chain brake. Usually it's just enough to irritate the skin on my knuckles, but when I'm cutting low on a big log, it tends to be close enough to my wrist to lock the brake. I have to pull the saw out of the cut, unlock brake, then get back down to where I was. That gets old fast. I'm thinking of upgrading it to a pro saw, maybe I'll swing past the Stihl dealer after work & take a look see.

 

[hunt4570]

I think part of the problem is, the manual sawmills are cheap so that is what people with limited acreage gravitate towards, but it also means there is a lot more work in sawing out the lumber. People buy them thinking they are going to saw out their home and homestead, and instead spend all their time sawing lumber. That is pretty depressing if a person is working a real job, and they have to saw all day Saturday, just to have a little lumber to build with on Sunday. That makes for ONE slow house going up.

Yes, I think you are completely correct. I have limited acreage (102) and bought a manual mill. I did not buy it to build a house though... that would take FOREVER!! I bought mine just for miscellaneous lumber for around the place here. I am also retired so I can do it whenever I want.
People that buy one to build their house in the woods are in for a big surprise once they start going on their project! Even if they bought a semi auto or a full auto mill, they would spend all their time sawing or moving logs and not building. Unless of course they were like the Alaskan Bush People that had a full crew and no jobs... then it might work!:laughing:

 

[Jstpssng]

I think part of the problem is, the manual sawmills are cheap so that is what people with limited acreage gravitate towards, but it also means there is a lot more work in sawing out the lumber. People buy them thinking they are going to saw out their home and homestead, and instead spend all their time sawing lumber. That is pretty depressing if a person is working a real job, and they have to saw all day Saturday, just to have a little lumber to build with on Sunday. That makes for ONE slow house going up.

That's what I will get if I buy one... probably a bottom of the line Hud-Son but without the funky paint job. All that I want is something to saw out a few boards as needed. I've also been thinking about building a small log cabin camp using the mill to flatten where the logs come together. As I mentioned earlier for larger scale projects I can sell the logs and buy the lumber- or sell the poplar and buy the OSB.
There's something to be said for building with planed, kiln dried material and 4x8 foot sheets.

 

[hunt4570]

That's what I will get if I buy one... probably a bottom of the line Hud-Son but without the funky paint job. All that I want is something to saw out a few boards as needed. I've also been thinking about building a small log cabin camp using the mill to flatten where the logs come together. As I mentioned earlier for larger scale projects I can sell the logs and buy the lumber- or sell the poplar and buy the OSB.
There's something to be said for building with planed, kiln dried material and 4x8 foot sheets.

Just curious, why the Hudson?

 

[Gordon Gould]

Sorry to disrupt the Mill talk, but I just got a nice chunk of white oak (17ft and nearly 2ft diameter) and I'm going to make a staircase out of it that goes to the treehouse I'm building with my kids. Any advice on what to treat it with to keep it from decaying?

View attachment 628172

A neat idea - the kids should love it.

My old school solution would be to slop on a 50/50 mixture of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. Keep putting it on until it won't soak up any more then do it again later when it dries. Let the log dry some first so it will suck it up better. Adding a little fungicide from a paint store won't hurt any. That's a big piece it will take a lot.

gg

 

[gladehound]

Nice Deerstand!!

You're not wrong. The deer walk right under it, and right past the bag with all the arrows in it.

 

[Jstpssng]

Just curious, why the Hudson?

Starting price of $2449 plus $250 shipping, and as near as I can tell it's made in the USA. For a low budget mill I believe it's at least as good as the HF bandsaw.

 

[hunt4570]

Starting price of $2449 plus $250 shipping, and as near as I can tell it's made in the USA. For a low budget mill I believe it's at least as good as the HF bandsaw.

Definitely made in china, despite how much they try to hide it. I did about 6 months of research on all these little mills before I bought mine in the spring of 2018.

And it is probably about the same thing as a HF mill, but with better back up in case you need parts and stuff. That is where the HF mill loses. Get electric start if you can, you will thank me later for that little tidbit if you buy one!!

 

[Jstpssng]

^^^
What did you end up getting? My next choice is probably a Thomas. https://thomasbandsawmills.com/compare-models/

They are quite a step up in price, but I try to avoid Chinese junk- er, stuff.

 

[Oldpath05]

Dang! I've owned a sawmill for over 20 years and I still enjoy milling logs!

Of course, I only run it when I want to, so most times I look forward to doing so...

SR

I think it's the handling of all boards and stickering that takes the fun out for me, theres no fun in heavy planks either. Even if my mill had more buttons switches and knobs think I still rather haul logs with a tractor............