Advice Needed on type of mill

[homesteader1972]

Hello,

I am looking into buying a mill to primarily cut ties. This will be the first mill I have owned, and am relatively inexperienced, though I have spent some time on an old Frick, as well as a band mill. I have two teenage sons that will help with the work. At least from my experience, band mills are safer (I may be wrong though), but circle mills faster, and from what I have seen, maybe a better value in the used market.

So my question is which should I pursue? Any thoughts and insights would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[logloper]

Go onto Bakers website and take a look at the twin blade scragg mill. The video is worth watching. Looks like a great setup for ties or block.

[Possum Creek]

I like both types of mills but for low grade tie logs I would go for the circle mill. With your two boys helping and a good log supply you could really put the ties out.                    PC                 

[stavebuyer]

Depends on your log supply and lumber markets. If you are going to be sawing mixed woods(gum/beech/ etc.) go with a circle mill. Higher value lumber logs like oak/ash/hard maple the equation changes. I run a Wood-Mizer LT70DCS and have added all the support decks and external hydraulics. We cut around 120 logs a day. That's less than half what a circle mill cuts but we get about double the amount of side lumber. We saw pretty much all oak and flooring lumber nets us about $670mbf; our side lumber sales brings in more than the ties themselves.

[drobertson]

there's no doubt that a circle mill will burn through the logs, and if set up correctly, the one inch will be fine too.  this said, with a mill capable of high volume, there must be logs available, as well as  support equipment for moving slabs, tie bundles and lumber bundles.  If it were me, doing it over, and considering a small window for custom cutting when it arises, I would go for an Lt-70.  this machine can drag back a full tie and all the lumber you will ever cut, as well as handle 20' large logs, shed set up will determine your niche, double handling is a killer,   david

[longtime lurker]

As a general rule there is no such thing as a good, profitable, slow sawmill.
Another general rule is that sawmilling is an industry where you either have to pay for labour, or for labour saving devices. The only way to decrease the unit cost of labour saving devices is to make more product ie double the number of ties you produce a month and you halve the per tie cost of leasing a log loader for example.

Look at your wood resource and decide if you've got enough volume available to support an ongoing operation. If you haven't then it's a hobby... buy whatever feels comfortable and gives you some flexibility to do other stuff as well.
If you have got the log volume available though... go with the scragg. It will make you more money for the same number of man hours input, and that equates to profit.