buying sawmills

My husband designs commerical sawmills, has for 30 years, your looking at $100,000.00 (LOL)or more for the sawmill. Not sure what you could get for the houses. But a sawmill that can go here will cost dearly.

Paul that thing leaves me lost Is it a chinsaw mill or a eleictric bandsawmill?
Airotciv, I think you are talking way to big for what she has in mind now get hubby out and ask him what he would do if he needed a mill for just him and his brother and they were both broke.

Just Sawing.... I didn't say it couldn't be done. It's more like, people think it's easy. That's why I say sawmills are for people who want to be sawyers. You can't just let it sit around. You have to work at it.

Also wood mizers, I'm sure dont wear out any faster than others, woodmizers are probably also the best for the money....but if you buy one around here, it's worn out. Being worn out and wearing out are two different things.

Regarding the original start of the thread, I still would not recommend a woodmizer, because of the finacial commitment. Although, If you only saw four houses, the woodmizer would probably hold it's value. You just need to be able to find somebody who can afford to buy it off you.

At $.20 a ft. I'd pretty much figure it's cheaper and less hassle to have someone come in.

All that said....I really...really would like to have a sawmill.

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Your right, I'm thinking, saw mill, that to me to means, not only the saw but everything that goes with it. How I'm I going to move the logs, how big are the logs (ect)? Not like you can pick them up. When building houses you need different size lumber. I guess I should have thought about this more. What my husband said is, I hope you can salvage, and weld or find a used one.

Have a look at this website www.petersonsawmills.com

I bought a Norwood bandsawmill last year and love it..The options mite $ you to death but all in all it cost about $14,000 cdn.I rarely get a chance to use it yet but have sawed with and its quiet and precise.But I have learned that I,ll need a tractor to move the logs even tho its a portable mill.I mostly have hemlock and cedar .

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Gord in Ontario

A few things I know about sawmills (I helped put myself through college working in sawmills, from 1 horse operations to 40 men mills).

1. Sawmill work is hard work. If you can't or won't work hard, don't even go down the path of mill ownership.

2. Get a big enough mill. If it won't saw out a good 20' long 2x8, I think your custom sawing options are limited. And that costs you money. Bandsaw mills tend to have a lot less waste because of the small kerf, and because you have a small kerf, you can get by with less HP. Don't go too low, though. And depending on how much you think you'll be sawing, a small diesel can pay off in fuel savings, if you are getting a mill in that range.

3. Trailering the sawmill to the site sounds great, until you figure out folks will pay you about the same amount of money to saw their timber, and haul it to you, to boot.

If one has the ability to set his mill up, true, square and have a shed over it, one produces more lumber. It also helps to have a log rack, and a way to load it.

Instead of trailering and setting your mill up to saw, you're sawing.

4. Drying options....1"/year down here, if your lumber is end-ricked or sticker-stacked. But...I've seen many a house sawed out in January/February, and construction proceed in June.

Solar kilns are cheap, efficient, and something any custom sawyer ought to look into, as a value added product.

5. Don't forget, there's a lot more lumber in a house than just framing or sheathing material. Cabinets, walls, etc. can all be made from lumber sawed in your own mill.

Jolly - thanks for that great post! I'm thinking we might do a kiln if we get a sawmill, cuz anything we do, we want it ti pay for itself and if a solar kiln would help that, then so be it. We've also thought about growing walnut trees for timber 10 years or so down the line and so if we do that then it would be worth it to do it RIGHT, so to speak.

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Before you take the plunge, talk to the agriculture and forestry folks in your state. They can be a wealth of knowledge, and it's all free!

Another suggestion....before you plunk down your dollars for a mill, work with one for awhile. If a sawyer knows you won't be in direct competition with him, some guys will be glad to let you work with them a few days. That way, they get some free labor, and you get some free education.

After tailing a saw and stacking out green oak, you might decide that a mill of your own is too much sugar for a dime...or not...

Will do

It's actually my dad that would be buying one, and probably not for several years so that gives us plenty of time to test the waters. Although if I recall correctly I think his first job was at a sawmill so he might already have some knowledge of what is required but I could be wrong on that.

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Uncle Dutch Farms
Blogging from working city mom to homesteading housewife.
Rural Living Today
Encouragement for the Urban-to-Rural Transition
My review of the Piteba oil expeller