Replies

1. 
   SCFrankland | Jul 01, 2004 05:03pm | #1

   Me and my dad started out with a lumber mate then went to a Alaskan Mill then to a Jonsered chainsaw mill and now we have a Norwood bandsaw mill. The band saw is so easy to us and the lumber is first rate. Starting off with a chainsaw setup will only yeild you enough lumber for personal use. It is slow going and you will have lots of sawdust at the end of the day. You need a big saw as you will burn out smaller saws in a real hurry if you are going to do any amount of sawing. Also invest in rip chian and learn to sharpen as you will need to do it often to keep things running smooth.

   Scott C. Frankland

   Scott's WOODWORKING Website

   "He who has the most tools may not win the race of life but he will sure make his wife look like a good catch when she goes to move on."

   
1. 
   PhillipB | Jul 01, 2004 07:23pm | #2

   Scott,

   Couldn't help jumping in when I saw the title. It reminded me of the following.

   I used to work for a Chevron refinery in El Paso. They had many elm tree's which were becoming a hazard due to limbs falling off and so on. Was probably Dutch Elm disease - not sure. Anyway, one day they needed to remove an entire tree and I asked if I could have it and they agreed but they had to bring it down before I could have it. I wanted the trunk whole so I could cut it in half and use it for furniture. They agreed to that also but little did I know just how much work lay ahead for me and a helper.

   Cutting to the chase, it took us 2 full evenings from 1700 HRS to about 2200 HRS to get it cut, into our trucks and home. My back is beginning to ache just thinking about those 2 evenings. I searched high and low for someone with a band-saw type mill to cut the trunk into 8/4 slabs but I could find nary a one in that area. So I had to use my Stihl chainsaw and that was not much fun freehand, but we got the job done. I have used elm for many of my pieces and 'stihl' have some.

   We now live in Oak Park, IL and I want to cry when I see the trees that they cut down around here. I only wish that I had the place to store some of this wood - if they would even let me have it. However, without slabbing it out and having a place to sticker it for a few years, there would be no point in even wishing for this wonderful wood. I just hate to see it cut into stubby, useless logs. What a waste!

   Hope you're doing well. If you remember I was having trouble attaching photos and you helped me out. Well, since then I have learned that my photos are much too large. They typically run in the 3 MB range and a Taunton person told me I would have to get them down to approximately 75 KB to attach them. Have not been able to do that as of yet.

   Regards,

   Phillip

   P.S. I tuned up my website. Have a look if you have time.

   http://homepage.mac.com/pabriles/

1. 
   sbanbury | Jul 01, 2004 07:42pm | #4

   I had a Sweet Gum with obvious curly figure come down in a storm 2 years ago and wanted to have it sawn for my own use. I couldn't find anyone in our area with a portable mill for hire so I bought one.

   It's a 1990 Woodmizer LT-30 Manual that I picked up in the boons of Missouri for $8000. It only had 680 hours on it when I got it and runs great.

   It produces absolutely accurate lumber up to 28" wide and 16' long. It will handle a round log up to 32" in diameter with no problem, up to 38" with a little notching and trimming. Anything bigger than that and we rip the log into 4 quarters before putting it on the mill.

   It will produce 100-150 bdft of 4/4 per hour even when I'm being really picky about sawing grade.

   I don't know that I'd start out with an Alaskan, unless I absolutely couldn't afford anything else. from my experience ripping big Oaks down to size, chain maintenance and sore back muscles would be a quick turn-off. I'd look for a used bandmill or swing mill.

   Attached are some pics of a 130 year-old cedar we sawed last week and a couple mugs of a couple big Cherry logs we picked up last week as well. The Cherry will be sawn for 28" wide 6 and 8/4 slabs--try finding those at the store! 

   
2. 
   SCFrankland | Jul 02, 2004 10:40pm | #10

   I went through the neighborhood after hurricane Juan last fall and cleaned up all the fir, spruce and pine and built myself a shed. Everyone was glad to get ride of there wind fall and I have a storage shed to get some junk out of the work shop. All of the wood was saw in a afternoon on the Norwood that my neighbor owns.

   Like the changes to the website. I have lots of updating to do on my site to.Scott C. Frankland

   Scott's WOODWORKING Website"He who has the most tools may not win the race of life but he will sure make his wife look like a good catch when she goes to move on."

   
1. 
   Timberwerks | Jul 02, 2004 10:49pm | #11

   Hey Scott, that shed looks great. I getting more excited about getting into milling. I just saw a huge Oak tree near my home that fell during are last big storm. I think I'll go have a talk with the property owner.

   Thanks

   Dale

1. 
   SCFrankland | Jul 02, 2004 11:20pm | #12

   People will pay you to haul away old trees from there yards. After the storm I went and cut and cleared up all my neighbors yards. Anything no good for saw logs where junked up for fire wood and give to people in the neighborhood who burned wood. The saw logs were my payment. I had people stopping and offering me lots of money to come and clean up there yards after the storm. I just stuck to just helping my neighbors though as I had a full time job that demanded a lot of my time during the storm also. I love working wood but I also love milling lumber. When you get some practice at it you will be getting better grades of lumber for your logs and you will be better able to read a log and figure out just how to make the best cuts. It is a labor of love.Scott C. Frankland

   Scott's WOODWORKING Website"He who has the most tools may not win the race of life but he will sure make his wife look like a good catch when she goes to move on."

2. 
   PlaneWood | Jul 05, 2004 07:22am | #13

   Ok, a band saw mill costs a minimum of $5K, but how much does the tractor cost that it takes to get the log onto the bandsaw?????????

   How DO you get the log positioned??  And turned, when needed?

   PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood

3. 
   DavidxDoud | Jul 05, 2004 08:42am | #14

   but how much does the tractor cost that it takes to get the log onto the bandsaw?????????

   Mike,  it doesn't take anything very special to drag a log - if ya can't trade the use of the tractor for some sawing,  you can get a cheap old running tractor (Farmal H or M,  AC WC or WD,  Ford 8N or 600) for around $2000 - - I got a forklift tractor last year off ebay for $3250,  I mainly use it during harvest in my orchard,  but it works great for shuffling logs!...- ya got a couple of chain saws (say 16 and 24 inch) and misc tools (felling wedges,  Peavy's,  log tongs,  chain,  cables,  helmets,  chaps,  etc)?  several hundred dollars there,  maybe as low as $500 if you're resourceful...

   How DO you get the log positioned??  And turned, when needed?

   with the $5K mill (check around here to get an idea of what's availible and prices - http://www.sawmill-exchange.com/index.htm ) ya get a ramp to roll the logs up and you use a peavy to turn them,  or some manual system associated with the mill (cable winch or some such) - big logs are tough,  small/medium are doable - - shifting logs endways is the worst,  hard to slide a ton 8" down the carriage,  answer always involves leverage...

   I recommend more power!  hydraulics!

   "there's enough for everyone"

4. 
   Curtis | Jul 06, 2004 11:58am | #15

   Have you check out http://www.baileys-online.com/Mill.htm the lucas mill?

   you move the saw to the tree and then carry off the wood any way you would like.

   I know verry little about the mill realy but it looks realy neat!

   it cant hurt to check it out.C.A.G.

5. 
   Timberwerks | Jul 06, 2004 03:33pm | #16

   I just got the tape on the Lucas mill last week, very impressive. I think in the end that is the mill I will purchase. I will also have an Alaskan mill for slabs. There is also a mill similar to the Lucas made by Peterson but it's over my budget. Order the Lucas tape it's free and interesting to watch.

   Dale

6. 
   DavidxDoud | Jul 06, 2004 03:41pm | #17

   Have you check out...

   actually,  I have - I'm firmly in favor of having one of each (bandsaw mill and lucas type) - - I do think in my specific circumstance that the Woodmizer makes the most sense,  so I'll start with that one :>)

   Bob Smalser posted a nice pictorial of how he uses his Lucas mill  - http://forums.taunton.com/tp-knots/messages?msg=15180.1 - it can do things a bandsaw mill cannot"there's enough for everyone"

2. 
   KeithNewton | Jul 01, 2004 07:33pm | #3

   I bought a wood-mizer LT15 after a tornado ripped through my neighborhood in Little Rock Ar. in 1999. There were huge trees down all over the place free for the asking, and only a block from the shop. Some tree service crews will even drop off a nice log if I ask, rather than hauling it to the dump.

   I have also made three trips to a little historic town a hundred miles away to bring back some nice walnut and cherry last week. I cut most of it 8 10 &12/4" thickness. I don't use 4/4 much anymore, and the thicker dimensions are harder to find.

   The LT 15 can cut boards up to 27" wide, and the kerf is only as wide as a quarter, and the surface quality is excelent. I like to start with larger trees (36" to 54" dia.) which I quarter with my chainsaw, then finish sawing on the mill. I have to tell you, it's pretty exciting to be seeing wide quarter sawn boards that are flitch matched.

   The mill I have is the smallest that wood-mizer makes, and I think the price is now over $5000. If you deside to go with the chainsaw type, and get a big saw with a 3' bar and are near Arkansas, I could use some help getting a red oak that is 67" diameter. I don't want to take it on by myself. I'm guessing there are 2000' of lumber in the first 12' of that log, and most of that can be wide and quarter sawn when you start with a tree that size and rip it up first with a chainsaw.

1. 
   Aberwacky | Jul 01, 2004 10:40pm | #5

   We're in NLR and my husband has an Alaskan chain saw mill he uses with a Stihl with a 28" bar (it will take up to a 32").  Not big enough for that monster tree, though.

   We use it a lot on our property up at Greers Ferry.  It is a backbreaker, but works well enough for the price.

1. 
   Timberwerks | Jul 02, 2004 03:36am | #6

   Thanks for the great replies everyone.

   Since I do have a couple large Husqvarna saws I may give an Alaskan Mill a try to get started. If all goes well I will have to make a choice between a Woodmizer type mill or a Lucas. I like the fact that the Lucas can be set up over a large log. Can you do this with a Woodmizer or do you need to set the log on a carriage.

   Thanks

   Dale

1. 
   DavidxDoud | Jul 02, 2004 04:25am | #7

   I've done quite a bit of sawyering over the years with a woodmizer - - I will be taking possesion of my own machine (LT-40) next month - -

   with the woodmizer,  the log is placed on the carriage for sawing - there is a loading device - this mill, the loader is hydraulically operated,  integral with the mill - other models have a manual system - - you make your choices and pay your money...

   I generally rack a series of logs on bolsters on a slight incline so I can place the mill and roll the logs downhill to the loader -

   log handling and lumber handling are the unglorious aspects of milling,  generally spend a lot more time and energy with those aspects than actually sawing...

   I believe Bob Smalser has a nice pictured tutorial at this site on his Lucas mill - - try the advanced search function and see if you can turn it up - - looks to be an interesting machine..."there's enough for everyone"

3. 
   jquinn | Jul 02, 2004 06:37am | #8

   I have had an alaskan saw mill for about 8 years.  About 6 or 7 years ago I was able to buy a Stihl 066 for it.  I think you need a chainsaw of this size to make the work easier and quicker, and go with something like the STihl that runs at the higher rpm's.

   I have cut several large cherry, ash and walnut trees with it, as well as some other species.  Some have been about 28" or more in diameter.  All of the trees were blown down in wind storms.  I use a 2x10, 8' long with angle iron screwed to the bottom for the starter cut, then go from there.  Depending on the tree, I will sometimes rotate the log to get more quarter or riftsawn boards.  I can usually get through about a dozen cuts through wide logs before the chain needs replaced and resharpened.  I bought my own small electric Oregon chain saw sharpener as I was cutting quite a bit for a while.  I usually cut in the fall and winter, as the heat and humidity gets pretty bad in the summer in W PA, plus less bees and other stinging insects.  We don't have many honey bees left around here, but on one warm fall day, the cherry sawdust must have attracted them and in a short time they were over everything.  I got out of the area and came back for my stuff at dusk.

   If you have the money to spend, plus a medium size tractor to move the logs about, a bandsaw mill is the way to go, but since I don't have but a small garden tractor, I'll stick with my alaskan for now.  The small tractor does have its advantages in manuevering through the woods.  It has a 20 HP motor, chains for the wheels, and I haul everything in and out of the woods in an articluted wagon (6' bed) I bought from Northern Hydraulics - these can be found in tractor supply shops too.

   It can be hard work with the alaskan mill, but compared to about $7000 fow a woodmizer, it is an easy way to get into sawing your own lumber.  I air dry my lumber in the garage for about 2-4 years.  I periodically check moisture with a pin type meter, and gets to about 10-12%, mostly 12.  I intend to build a duhumidifier "kiln" as in the article in American Woodworker a year or two ago, to speed up the drying process somewhat.  All I can say is that I have nicer cherry boards by far than I have ever seen in any of the local woodworking stores (soem of theirs is junk), and I woudl be spending big $ to get the quality and quantity of wood I have cut with my alaskan mill.

1. 
   DavidxDoud | Jul 02, 2004 08:00pm | #9

   here's a forum based around sawyering - you'll find lots of info and opinions there...

   http://www.woodweb.com/cgi-bin/forums/sawdry.pl

   "there's enough for everyone"