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

[Torvy]

Right there with you. I need one, but don't really NEED one.

 

[Jstpssng]

It would be a great complement to your tractor and woodlot. Once you get it, do your projects and build a shed for it you will always have it when you need it.

The mill you are looking at is similar to mine and many others; low volume and not something you would want to saw out a house with
However when it comes to framing lumber I can cut the trees and sell them to the mill; then buy planed kiln dried studs for less money.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

You are planning to use this for a home addition, how do you plan on drying and curing the wood or boards? Green wood shrinks alot and may be infested. My father had a mill and used it a ton. Much of the pine he built with has beetles and the oak paneling shrank leaving nasty gaps.

I am researching that now. I do have a professional drying kiln a couple miles from me that will dry it for $0.15 per board foot. More than likely I will make a solar kiln though.

 

[caver]

Cutting is the easy part. Finding a place to sticker the wood out of the rain can be a hassle. Green boards weigh much more if handling by hand. The romance of owning a portable band mill quickly wore off for me. I recently had a guy offer me good money for my Baker mill and I seriously thought about selling. My biggest headache is if the Honda sits for any length of time I can spend half a day removing the carb and cleaning plus trying to remember where all the springs and linkages go.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Cutting is the easy part. Finding a place to sticker the wood out of the rain can be a hassle. Green boards weigh much more if handling by hand. The romance of owning a portable band mill quickly wore off for me. I recently had a guy offer me good money for my Baker mill and I seriously thought about selling. My biggest headache is if the Honda sits for any length of time I can spend half a day removing the carb and cleaning plus trying to remember where all the springs and linkages go.

Yeah, I get that. One advantage I do have is a 12 year old son whom I can employ to help on the mill. My plan is to definitely get all my systems set up well right from the jump so I am not half a$$ing it. Know how I am going to handle waste product and having a good area setup for stacking and stickering. That is one thing my buddy with the hydraulic mill down the road taught me. You are just bashing your head into the wall if you do not have a way to deal with waste and stacking. He does not and he wastes so much time and effort, it's kind of sad.

As far as the Honda is concerned, ethanol or non-ethanol?? I guess that is a question for another thread.

 

[Jstpssng]

The engine bit is something I am concerned about. I've had good luck with small engines if I run them dry before storing them. That on my mill doesn't have a separate shutoff. Fuel and spark are on the same lever.

 

[oldnslo]

Hawkinshollow
Remember a fool and his money are soon parted

My attempt at talking you out of buying one

 

[Jstpssng]

Hawkinshollow
Remember a fool and his money are soon parted

My attempt at talking you out of buying one

Hawkinshollow

Don't listen to that guy on your right shoulder. Remember, he never let's you have any fun!
:

 

[Rockbadchild]

sound like a no brainer, the only thing id say is as long as you are not in a rush to get what your wife wants doesn't sound like you have a whole lot of time and it is time consuming especially if you are planning on falling your own trees.

 

[4570Man]

I know 2 people that bought a lower end manual band mill with similar plans. They both came to the conclusion that milling generic construction lumber was too much work. Milling hardwood for woodworking that’s much more valuable was a different story.