For a source of lumber , as well as a profitable business , a portablesawmillcan be a key piece of equipment on your farm .
The seasonal nature of agriculture intend there are drop-off times as well as times of low-pitched income . And there are always construction projects that range in scope from supplant a few instrument panel on the front porch to make a b .
Wood You Rather?
My first experience with a sawmill was in the early 1980s . I was assisting on an old circular lumbermill run by a compressed bang , which was labor by a tractor .
Besides the obvious endangerment of work in the propinquity of an unshielded 5 - foot blade that occasionally threw clenched fist - size chunks of wood in random directions , the John Mill had the nasty wont of hold the belt ( which also lacked condom shielding ) .
Hardhats and hearing aegis were unheard of . Somehow , I managed to keep all torso parts and some of my hearing integral while mill around enough baseball bat to build the peaceful solar post - and - ray of light home where my wife and I kick upstairs our sept ( and still reside ) .
From that experience , I got “ sawdust in my veins . ” When portable sawmills became available , I took a serious look at corrupt one .
A band - encounter portable sawmill is an efficient , affordable and safe way to covert log into timber . These factory are now usable in various size of it and prices , pasture from a $ 3,000 no - frills “ hobby factory ” to $ 80,000 product machines with 60 - horsepower diesel engines and full hydraulics .
The Basics
I needed lumber for a b and several sheds . I had a good supply of logs on my own belongings , too , so I purchase one . While hydraulic systems were usable , I opted to bring through some money and buy it as a manual sawmill . The locomotive engine powers the band - saw blade , but muscle business leader does all the log treatment .
Band - saw blades take about a1⁄8 - inch kerf — less than half that of the old set sawmill , which means they recuperate more lumber from each log and require less office to run .
The blades cost about $ 25 each , last for about four hours of cutting oak and can be sharpen several times . Manual mills typically employ aura - cooled gasolene locomotive engine in the 7 1/2- to 25 - horsepower range .
Dave Boyt
The 23 - HP Briggs & Stratton engine on mine , for example , escape all day on 3 gallons or less of fuel . It swear out a 20 - inch diameter by 8 - foot oak log into 2 - by-4s in about half an time of day .
Benefits
Being able to mill lumber the exact size I need is a huge benefit . To replace the decking on my trailer , for case , I milled white oak logs into 16 - foot by 13⁄4 - inch - loggerheaded planks for a perfect fit .
One of the most common requests for custom - sheer lumber is a fireplace mantle . But a lot of my wood locomote to woodworkers across the country for slab tabletops and other one - of - a - kind piece of piece of furniture .
Over the past 10 , the mill has provide me with lumber and a informant of income . As discussion get around that I had a portable lumbermill , I started get call from neighbour for items including fencing and barn woodland .
Dave Boyt
One of my favorite jobs is mill lumber “ sentimental ” tree from family line property . build article of furniture from these trees lets them stay part of the family for generation .
Logging Hours
leaping is always a meddling prison term for me , because I live in crack - prostrate Missouri . Anyone competent with a chainsaw is in high-pitched demand . latterly , I spent a full day serve a crane operator withdraw a vast tree from the ceiling of a theatre in a nearby town . I got some beautiful oak tree lumber , as well as requests to aid remove other downed trees from the tempest .
A portable sawmill can be a utile dick , even if you do n’t have a source of timber on your own property .
sphere Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree services are an fantabulous source of logs at a minimal cost , because it saves them the effort of cutting them up and hauling them off to a landfill . They can be a source of a wide motley of species , including sycamore , cherry , walnut , sassafras , box elder , elm and hedge .
The key fruit is being uncommitted to pluck up the logs quick , as tree service normally do n’t get bear until the yard is cleaned up . Woodworkers , in bend , welcome strange mintage for their projects . Specialty cut , such as quarter - sawn platan , can take higherprices than walnut , especially if your mill can turn out wideslabs .
(Saw) Dust in the Wind
If you require to look into sawmilling , set off by arranging a visit to a local sawyer . Most will be willing to show you the basic principle . And any three sawyer will have a half - XII judgment on matters let in cutting techniques and which mark of chain saw is well .
While many sawyer generally welcome some free Labor Department , do n’t gestate them to divvy up their sources or client with you . It takes year of hard piece of work to build up a clientele .
It pays to be flexible . I have set up out in lea , as well as private road and front chiliad in town . Any level piece of ground with enough space to maneuver the log can become a site for milling .
Market Yourself
Asfor the business itself , social sensitive is a powerful tool to commercialize your military service , trade timber and informant logarithm .
I have had some reception to ads on Craigslist . Facebook , however , dedicate people a expert approximation of who you are and what you have to offer . Repeat customer and word of mouth keep me pretty engaged .
Remember business organization card . I ’ve had a number of people stop by while I was mill at a customer ’s emplacement — or even when fueling the hand truck — to inquire about sawing .
Sometimes they just wonder what the heck I ’m tow . This provides me with the chance to make up a well yarn before promote the job .
While many sawyer charge for customs cutting by the circuit card base , I tear by the hr . Do n’t sell yourself short .
My world-wide rule is to buck three times what my time is worth . Here ’s why :
With a little experience , you’re able to figure your fee by looking at the logs . My fee average out around $ 0.35 per board foot . But the price is high-pitched for pocket-sized or crooked logs , which take longer to thin out and render less lumber .
Tools & Gear
The portable sawmill itself is the biggest investing in the business , but you need a few other putz .
A good chainsaw in the 60 - cc ’s tops the tilt . In addition , I have a 95 - cc adage with a 42 - in bar that I use to quarter log too big for the mill . ( My record logarithm at this time is a 50 - in - diameter sycamore . )
run a grinder as a peregrine service means you need a vehicle capable of tow the mill . A four - bike - drive,3⁄4 - ton flatbed motortruck is idealistic . My manual James Mill weigh only 1,800 pounds and towage easily . But bigger grinder with fluid mechanics can weigh more than twice that . Dave Boyt
A flatbed preview is also utile for hauling logs and lumber . I do most of my ponderous truckage with a 12,000 - pound gross exercising weight log trailer with electrical brakes and breakaway braking system of rules .
To load logarithm either onto the trailer or on the mill , you need a expert winch . I use a chainsaw - power winch to parbuckle logs up a pair of ramps . An electric winch and thick - cycle battery can also do the business .
Miscellaneous tools admit a ca nt hook for turn logs , a pocket-size axe and a couple of 8 - in plastic logging Cuban sandwich .
Protect Yourself
Personal protectionequipment deserves special reference as an of the essence investment funds in your business . For milling , eye protection is a must . I highly advocate hear aegis , steel toe boot and leather baseball mitt .
For chainsaw study , get a pair of chain saw feller and a logger ’s helmet . Chaps will cease a chain see before it bites into you . Considering that the median exigency room visit for a chainsaw injury involve 112 stitch , there is no excuse not to wear them .
The helmet includes a hardhat , take heed protective covering and face / middle trade protection . Wood chip exit the saw at roughly 60 mph . It only takes one in the eye to send you to the hospital .
Sawmilling is n’t for everyone , but if you do n’t listen hard study , being outdoors and occasional tenacious hours ( on a recent line at the client ’s location , we finished up after dark , control by the headlights of several vehicles ) , it can be a outstanding way to make an income .
I have made some undecomposed champion through the business , gotten to acknowledge some of my neighbors better , and even roll up with clean produce , wild mushrooms and love for my effort .
If you are concerned in set up up a small portable lumbermill , you could see more of my videos by explore YouTube for “ Dave Boyt Sawmill . ”
This article primitively appeared in the September / October 2019 issue ofHobby Farmsmagazine .
