thinking about getting a mill

[mferrall24]

This is my first post so hi. Two years ago I bought 35 acres of land that is 33 acres of mainly hard wood cherry and oak. I started cleaning up the woods and noticed I was cutting up a lot off good logs that could be turned into lumber. I also plan on building a barn. so I started looking for a sawmill. I soon realized that there are a lot of quality mills out there. So seems how this maybe a new step for me I would like to here some people opinions on mills the like. I'm leaning towards a norwood hd36. I also want it to be made in the usa. I also would like to know a list of support equipment that's need, so I can be prepared. Thanks for the info in advance.

[TKehl]

Welcome!

First, I'd recommend trying before buying.  Offer to tail for another sawmill in exchange for some knowledge and experience.

Second, have you considered having someone come to your place to saw logs?  May be worth it in any case as you could also knock out item #1 at the same time.

As for mills and support equipment...  How fat is your wallet, how much do you plan to cut, and what do you plan to do with the extra lumber after you get your barn built?   ;)  I move quite a few logs with a Suburban and an old propane tank trailer.  Skid steer is sure nice as are tractors.

There are a lot of nice mills out there.  The HD36 is nice as you can upgrade it later if you choose.

I'm partial to swing mills (can be set up around a big log without really moving it) and really want to get an EZ Boardwalk eventually.  The EZ is made in MO and it shipped assembled (welded not bolted).  A plus to getting started, but depending on location can be a minus for shipping.

[justallan1]

mferrall24, welcome to the Forestry Forum.
I have an EZ Boardwalk Jr. and really like it. They are in Missouri, a forum sponsor and great folks to work with.
One thing I'd highly recommend is finding someone with a mill in your area and see about working with them for a couple days to learn what it's all about and in some cases to find out if this is what you want to do. 
For support equipment I have access to tractors, but found that my work truck with a bale bed (for picking up hay bales) is much faster and I can take it anywhere that I would take a tractor for darned sure.
Other things you want to have would include a couple good chainsaws, chains, cables, cant hooks and a decent trailer. I think you can use the search option and find a list of things you want to have handy.
Have fun and be careful out there.

[mferrall24]

tkehl I have a friend that has a wm mill I'm going to go over and run it a bit. This is going to be a hobby I'm not looking to make a living off of it, but if I really get into I want the ability to up grade what I have. I know that this is more mill than I need. As far as support equipment I'm looking for what things are essential to milling.

[mferrall24]

Also is there some good reading material out there about sawmill and how to handle wood.

[mferrall24]

anyone with experience running a norwood hd 36 

[ButchC]

Your situation sounds identical to mine. Was cleaning up EAB killed trees preparing them for firewood thinking wait a minute,,, I buy all the lumber I use and I am cutting up salable/ sawable logs for firewood.  Nobody, not even the band mill owners will say that a midsized to large manual band mill is anything but real hard work. You need to consider how much work you want to do in a day.  "go hydraulics" most of the band miller's say and with good reason. I bring this up not to slam band mills or those who own them but to bring into the conversation cost/ labor to produce lumber.  A manual bandmill is simply not in the same league with a manual swing mill as for lumber produced per hour worked nor  labor involved, it's not even close, no contest.  BUT neither will a swing mill compete with a manual band mill purchase cost wise.  I intently watched the mills run at shows for years before I decided a mid sized manual band mill was simply too much work for this old man ( I had no interest in a small entry level mill)  and my choices went  to hydraulic band mill or swing mill.  I am happy with my Peterson swing mill, very happy. Swingers should be at least checked out as an option I think.
Dealer support? A manual band mill is about as basic as it gets and personally I wouldn't care if it was made on Mars. The engines are warranted the the engine manufacturers and the works are all off the shelf stuff. If your mill gets fancy with bells and whistles then manufacturer support does come  more into play.

Equipment needs will very with how strong your back is. A set of forks of some kind is almost mandatory in my opinion, a top clamp would be peachy. It can be a set of bucket forks on a tractor/loader or a dedicated machine but you will have them and sooner rather than later. Skid steers are OK but I am not in love with them for work around the mill. I have a Case W11B with QA forks and bucket. Didnt cost an arm and a leg and easy to get on and off which is important as one ages. I have no top clamp on the forks,, yet. If shopping for a loader/skid steer be certain that it has at the least a 3rd valve, 4 is REAL nice.

[Cappy]

mferrall24,

I have been running an HD-36 for a little over a year now. When i was going for a sawmill i researched about 25 of them including some of the ones mentioned in these posts. The Norwood HD-36 fit my billet the best. Not because its any better than the others, but for the sole fact that i can upgrade it to a fully automated machine in the future and it fit the parameters that i was looking for. The machine never gave me any real headaches and always performed very well, even when maxed out. I agree with the other folks here, give some of these mills a "test" drive before you make any decisions and check with Norwood, they have customers that are allowed to demonstrate their mill for them all over the country. They may be able to put you in contact with someone close to you so you can see how it works.. If so, they will set you up with that person so you can see it perform. Everyone has different feels and likes and one machine might be better for you than the other. My Norwood came from the New York depot, and i dealt with Bret Thomilson. They have a good customer service and will help you the best way they can along the way. Hope this helps.

[Skipper11A]

I saw an HD36 at a trade show and saw some things that really impressed me.  It had options like a log turner and toe boards that I thought were really well thought out.  I didn't realize that the whole thing is up-gradable to a hydraulic mill!  The ability to upgrade one step at a time seems like a smart idea that I don't see in any other manual mill.

[thecfarm]

mferrall24,welcome to the forum.
Go to shows and check out some mills.
I have a Thomas Bandsaw,built here in Maine. Sounds like you are a long ways from here,with alot of cherry on your land.It's an all manual mill. I think it's built like a EZ Boardwalk,rugged. 
No idea how big the trees are,but a tractor sure does come in handy. Need one with that much land anyways. ;)  I have a 3pt winch on the back of a 40hp tractor. But an arch and a 4 wheeler can do alot too. All I have is a chain and the loader on my tractor to pick up logs with. Slow,yes,but so is a manual mill. I only saw for me,my building projects,so no need to think about making money with it. I all ready am making money with it,because I don't have to buy lumber. Manual mills don't have much to go wrong. No switches and solenoids and other stuff to tell something to do this to go bad.
You will need a cantdog or a peavey to roll logs. Logrite,sponsor on the left, has them. Get some Blue Creeper too.
Manual mills are A LOT of work. But I have no need to 1-2 mbf per day. I saw,I build,than when I ran out of lumber I saw some more. ;D
I also built a place for me to put my logs on,than I roll them by hand onto the mill. Things can happen with placing logs onto the mill with heavy equipment.
Have fun!!

[Bruno of NH]

I have a bandmill
With a swing mill the board gets edged
That is a plus

[mferrall24]

I'm looking for some trade shows to attend, but I'm having a hard time finding any in Michigan. does anyone know of any. thanks ahead of time.

[mike_belben]

Picking a first machine is really challenging and only you can forecast whats best suited to your future.  Ideally we want a specific use machine for every specific use.. Thats how big industry does it.  But us little guys have to choose one machine and stretch it outside of its design parameters to cover all our needs until budget allows expansion. Equipment has a lot of overlap.  A skidsteer, backhoe, wheel loader, loader tractor and crawler loader can all work for loading logs.  Its your other uses that dictate what machine will serve you best.  A skid steer doesnt bail hay and a backhoe doesnt go behind your 3/4 ton pickup to a job.  


What are your other/future chores for this first piece of equipment?  

The first machine really does open up a world of possibilities as long as it stays running.  If not, it can really sink your ship.  Its hard on a fella physically and psychologically to go backwards from heavy equipment to a shovel and rake. 

[mferrall24]

well I made up my mind I'm going to buy a Norwood hd 36 in July or august. I have read a lot about proper ppe but I would like this forums opinions. thanks

[WV Sawmiller]

   PPE for me includes - Steel toed shoes (usually), gloves, ear muffs. I have used safety glasses when fighting a contrary wind in my face but honestly don't most of the time. Some folks wear paper masks.

    I guess you could include a couple of good Logrite cant hooks or peavys as they are a lot safer to use than flea market specials. Buying 2 is really a good idea. Let them know you are a member of the FF for your discount.

[Skipper11A]

The only mandatory PPE around my mill is safety glasses, and it's not just to keep the sawdust out of your eyes.  These mills can throw a lot of crap like loose knots, bark, dirt and rocks, not to mention broken blades.

[Southside]

Unless it's boiling hot I will have on my combo felling helmet, mesh face screen with ear muffs that pop up and stay out of the way if you want without removing the whole thing.  The suspension in the helmet helps keep things cool too.  I have been smacked more than a few times with chunks, knots, wads of bark, etc and the face screen helps a lot.  

[Dad2FourWI]

Welcome!!

We bought our "entry level" LT10 quite a while back now and that is when it really got into my blood!!! !

We milled hard and soft woods and all of a sudden our firewood stack started to pulled from... we would look over those "ugly" logs and say.... looks like we could get a few 4' boards out of that one!  :D

All went well until I blew out my back lifting a heavy log onto the mill bed all by myself.... I am still 18 yrs old in my mind.... and that took about two years to bounce back from.

My boss (aka my wife) then decided that since I was NOT going to give up being a sawyer that hydraulics were in my future! After watching and waiting for what felt like forever for a used unit to show up, we finally brought home a used LT40 and just like what everyone told me.... life just got better!

we still use our manual mill for special contracts but we always look forward to getting back to cutting on the LT40!

Where are you in MI.... we are just to the West of you... but you have to go around a bit of water!! 

-Dad2FourWI

[mferrall24]

I'm in battle creek mi

[bushhog920]

Polebarn. Think of the size you need then double it. Why cut all that wood just to have it lose value sitting outside. My 13hp manual Norwood has filled my 40x100 polebarn.