2 years and still waffling on Sawmill purchase

[dirtymartini]

Just saw this on Sawmill Exchange....over my budget but a lot more mill also.

https://www.sawmillexchange.com/view_product/17735/

[ChugiakTinkerer]

That's a big boy!  It came down to cost for me, and to get to Alaska it was much cheaper to have the HM130 shipped than the EZ Boardwalk Jr.  The HM130 comes on a pallet (or more than one if ordering extensions) with some assembly required.  The EZ Jr is, I believe, pretty much ready to go.

[DanMc]

Time to buy a mill.  Any mill that you can afford.  You'll learn 10,000 times more the first day than you ever will by looking. 

Just do it. 

Be bold.

Be brave. 

Buy the mill and go with what you get.  Even the wrong mill is better than no mill!!!!!!!

[btulloh]

What he said.

I went through all that and waited much longer than I should have.  I bought one to fit my budget and purpose - very low price - and it all worked out.  If I needed to buy a bigger one, it would be easy to sell my HM126 and move up. What I've learned and the lumber I've produced more than make up for what I spent.  Go as big or small as you're comfortable with and don't look back.

[plantman]

I realize that these mills are quite a bit more expensive but have you ever looked at Mobile Dimension Sawmills or D&L Timber Technologies mills ? Both are manufactured out in your neck of the woods . The question you should be asking yourself is "Am I doing this as a part time hobby / business or am I going to work at this at least 3 days a week ?" Then figure out how much lumber you are going to produce with each type of mill. Swingblade mills saw huge amounts of dimensional lumber very quickly and save you a lot of money in blade sharpening costs.

[opticsguy]

Although I have not read about the models the original poster has expressed interest in I will jump in a little here.
First almost any sawmill can change your life, all depending on your motivation, interests and goals.
Not mentioned here are the Timberking mills. I am very impressed with the build quality of my TK1220, an all manual mill, but works perfectly for me. My goals are use as a hobbyist only and recently had to cut a whole lot of wood to build a building to put my wood in!!!   Go figure that one. However, I never have to buy wood for almost any project that comes to mind.
So, simply put, you get what you pay for and I got a very excellent mill with my Timberking.

[dirtymartini]

Although I have not read about the models the original poster has expressed interest in I will jump in a little here.
First almost any sawmill can change your life, all depending on your motivation, interests and goals.
Not mentioned here are the Timberking mills. I am very impressed with the build quality of my TK1220, an all manual mill, but works perfectly for me. My goals are use as a hobbyist only and recently had to cut a whole lot of wood to build a building to put my wood in!!!   Go figure that one. However, I never have to buy wood for almost any project that comes to mind.
So, simply put, you get what you pay for and I got a very excellent mill with my Timberking.

I watched the videos on both of those mills...very nice but way out of my price range. I just got a voicemail from EZ Boardwalk, I need to call back for my quote.  Right now I am leaning towards the Woodland Mills HM 130...but I'll wait and see what the quote is on the EZ.

[goku78]

So what did you decide and how do you like it?  I'm in the same boat with the same choice as you were. I am about to buy the HM 130 but EZ is attracting my attention.  I like the idea of mobility. I need to find out how much shipping will be for an EZ JR.   

[f350rd]

dirtymartni, welcome to the big show. I have the EZ 40, they are built like a tank good solid steel all welded. All you have to do is screw in leveling screw set carriage on, fill with gas and start cutting. I have modified mine from day one. I have pic in my profile. Feel free to contact me if you have questions. All the mills mentioned are good mills buy what you budget will allow and start cutting wood. I compared mills for about a year before making my decision good luck on your adventure to the world of sawdust

[plantman]

I spoke with someone who owned a Woodland mills sawmill and he liked it very much but he just used it as a hobby and for a small side business milling wood up to 10'. There are good videos on youtube of people who like the Woodland mills. It looks well engineered. But if it was me and I was going to drop a 5000 lb log on a mill I would want it to be built heavy. Everything about the EZ mill is heavy duty.

So what did you decide and how do you like it?  I'm in the same boat with the same choice as you were. I am about to buy the HM 130 but EZ is attracting my attention.  I like the idea of mobility. I need to find out how much shipping will be for an EZ JR.

[kelLOGg]

I waffled for 8 years and at 58 yo finally made my move and have been sawing since. Good luck with your decisions.

Bob

[fishfighter]

I have the Woodland 126. If I were to buy another manual mill, it would be a Woodland 130. I am very happy with my 126. I saw for myself. I bought it to build with the lumber I saw. 95% of the logs come off my place. ;D

One thing, I do have support equipment to help me load and flip logs on the mill. Without support equipment, I don't think I would of sawed as much as I have done the past 2 1/2 years.

Just this past week I started using some of the first lumber I sawed for some cabinets. ;D



 

And yes, I even built a small house with the lumber that came off my mill. So I feel that my mill has done paid for itself a couple times over already. ;D

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,82663.0.html

[DanMc]

When Martini-man finally goes out and gets a mill I think there should be some kind of celebration event to commemorate the day.   Somebody should give a public speech like Lincolns emancipation declaration. 

[plantman]

Ha ha very funny, but I think it was called 'emancipation proclamation'. That reminds me of a story I heard recently.  Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was a speech written to address a gathering at the dedication of Soldiers National Cemetery in Gettysburg. Ironically Lincoln was not supposed to be the star of the day. There was another speaker there by the name of Edward Everett who spoke for about 2 hours before Lincoln. Lincoln got up to the podium and in 2 minutes delivered a speech that is still  awed over by politician both American and foreign and it still has a strong emotional impact on all who read it today.

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." - A. Lincoln

When Martini-man finally goes out and gets a mill I think there should be some kind of celebration event to commemorate the day.   Somebody should give a public speech like Lincolns emancipation declaration.

[bandmiller2]

Buying a sawmill is a lot like swimming on the Maine coast. If you stick your toe in the water you won't go in you have to jump in. Building several out buildings will pay for the mill in short order and after you could sell it if its not your cup of tea, betcha don't. Frank C.

[Downstream]

i have owned the ez jr for about 18 months with honda 13 hp.  It has cut everything that I can fit on the mill and I do mostly live edge full width cut slabs.  I stayed away from the bolt together frames because with a manual mill you will be rolling/sliding/dropping logs on deck all the time and the all welded c-channel frame on the ez jr can handle with no problem.  Im not worried about it ever failing.   The entire sawmill can be picked up using the lug on top or I have a pallet jack that slips underneath and I can move it anywhere on my paved driveway which is nice for me since I have no tractor yet.  The angle blade does help pull mill into log as stated and if you angle the mill slightly downhill it takes some of the pushing force away. 

[plantman]

Sounds quite logical to me. Those oak logs weigh a ton, actually more .

[Peter Drouin]

That's a good idea with the pallet jack Downstream.

[Cedarman]

My brother and I went to a forestry field day in 1983.  Mill was hooked to WM truck ready to head back to Indy because we got there late.  LT 30 manual.  That is all they had.  No other band mills out there.  Never sawed a board in my life.  Had a lot of land with timber.  Took about 2 hours of talk with brother.  Decided right then and there that we could use the mill to make money.  34 years later and look what has happened to us.  Bought brother out 2 years after we bought the mill.  If you can visualize the future, then you can make it happen.  I didn't say it was easy all those years.

[dirtymartini]

When Martini-man finally goes out and gets a mill I think there should be some kind of celebration event to commemorate the day.   Somebody should give a public speech like Lincolns emancipation declaration.

Hold off on the speeches lol, I still haven't bought a mill. I know I just resurrected an old thread but somehow never saw this post. It really gave me a chuckle.  DanMC I expect your speech to be a dandy given all of time I've given you to prepare lol
Life has thrown me a couple of curve balls this past year but now I am back looking at the same two mills. I'm afraid I will have to sell a couple motorcycles to make it happen  :'(

[samandothers]

Choices and priorities!  Good luck.

[petefrom bearswamp]

Well it is after all a hard decision.
Love your handle.

[Darrel]

Forget the sawmill!  Bring on the maple syrup & butter for the waffles! I'm hungry already! 

 :D  :D  :D  :D  :D

[alan gage]

Another echo for not overlooking used hydraulic mills. I was in the same boat last year and was expecting to end up with a manual mill for around $5k or less. Hydraulics completely blew the budget. I was also expecting to drive at least 7 hours to pick up a used mill (northern MN or MO). Someone said they knew someone who had a hydraulic mill in town that had been sitting in the weeds for a dozen years. Called the guy, took a look at it that afternoon, and bought it for $4000. Put another $2500 and some hours into it getting it fixed up and now I've got a portable and nearly full hydraulic mill (backstops and head up/down are manual). Very happy things worked out they way they did.

Alan

[SawyerTed]

Just don't let the paralysis of indecision prevent you from following a dream.

Sometimes you have to make a decision and then make it right.  Sometimes you make the right decision to begin with.  Either way you've made a decision and moved forward.  Indecision means you are sitting still and losing ground.  I know life sometimes puts kinks in our plans, but once the kinks are worked out you gotta move forward.  Make the best educated decision on your mill and put it to work.

Five years ago, I never thought I would be semi-retired and sawing almost as much as I want to.  I'm sawing two to three days a week and would like to be consistently sawing 3 to 4 days a week.  There have been a couple of things that sidetracked me but I finally decided to jump into the unknown with both feet back in January.  I'm glad I did.  Had I known what I know now, I could have afforded more mill than I got.  But my decision is to work the heck out of the LT35 Hydraulic and put money in the bank for a bigger mill some day.

I believe in my case the hydraulics make the work easier less hard and therefore more enjoyable.  What I would have saved in sawmill purchase would have prevented me from using my mill as much as I do.  In other words, because I'm not killing myself handling logs, I have more energy to saw and my interest is as keen as ever.  Of course I'm sawing as a business and not strictly as a hobby or solely for fun.

YMMV