Introduction & Questions

[LA Z BOY]

My name is Paul & I have been lurking & reading for quite a while . A week or so ago I went ahead & registered . This is one of , if not the most friendly & helpful forum I have ran across yet . I live not far off rt. 50 about half way between Clarksburg & Parkersburg , WV .
I just turned 59 yesterday & am retired from an electrical career . In my early working life I worked as a mechanic for a couple different new car dealerships , worked as a carpenter or carpenters helper for a couple years & was in the teamsters union & drove truck for a highway construction company . Have also done quite a bit of plumbing & played in the real estate market . I even worked as an off-bearer on a small backwoods sawmill for a very short period of time . The owner was sawing rr tyes & tried to kill me catching everything coming off the saw & carrying & stacking those tyes . I am mechanically inclined , so not to concerned about the mechanics of a band-mill .
I own between 72 & 73 acres of property which about 70 acres is woodland .
I have decided I want a small band-mill to play with . I have no intention of going in business & probably will never make a dime with it or try to . I do want a good sturdy mill . From what I've read I think probably something along the lines of a Timberking 1220 or Woodmizer L15 . I would prefer to buy used if I can find a good deal on a used mill . There is also a T A Schmid mill with a 20 HP Honda engine in my area that I have been considering looking at . I can't find a website for them , have they gone out of business & are they good mills ? If they have could I still get parts for it ? Bearings etc . that I might need in the future ?
From everything I have read & pictures I've seen there doesn't seem to be anything very complicated about these size of mills . I have never actually looked at one up close though . If I go to look at a used mill exactly what should I really examine on it to be sure it's not worn past it's useful life ?
Just as a note of interest , I have a natural gas well on my property & I have free unlimited use of the gas so I plan to convert the mill engine to run on natural gas . A small kiln using the gas for heat may also be in my future but I'll leave that for another time . Any & all thoughts & advice welcome & appreciated & by the way , is anyone on here that lives within reasonable driving distance of me that has a mill that I might be able to come & check out ? Just don't ask me to carry too many tyes .

I need to go clean the carb. on my chainsaw but I'll be checking back in a little later .

[zopi]

Welcome! Sounds like you have a good plan.
I know noting of the schmidt mill..never heard of it...the TK and Wm are both great mills...I of course will recommend the woodmizer....would recommend you look at the Go package or an LT28 though...being able to move the mill is a godsend....

I envy your property...I love that country up there....particularly along route 250...

[Magicman]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, LA Z BOY.  It certainly sounds like you have a plan and it will be interesting to follow your sawing successes.  Asking questions will get you plenty of answers here.   

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I can't do without my LA Z BOY. 

That's where I relax while I read the Forum.

Welcome! You'll really like it here and learn a bunch!

[paul case]

Welcome,
Good look with the hunt. PC

[LA Z BOY]

I can't do without my LA Z BOY. 

That's where I relax while I read the Forum.

Welcome! You'll really like it here and learn a bunch!

I use the moniker WV Hillbilly on most other forums I'm on but you already had one here . It just so happens that I replaced my old LA Z BOY with a new one a couple days before I registered . I also use a laptop & recline while I'm on the computer . :D

[toolman18]

With a quick google search it looks like they are still around saw some 2010 models anyway.  Here's a video of one from youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqIbvMf7B-8

[pineywoods]

Quote " I'm just gonna saw for myself, not going full time"  Yeah just about everybody on here has said that...Look at used mills, more mill for the money. As far as wearing one out, that's not likely. There's a WM LT40 right down the road that has 17,000 hrs plus on it, still going strong. I finally swapped out the engine on mine after 6000 hrs. As long as it ain't bent or completely rusted out, most mills can easily be put in tip-top shape without a lot of effort. That is especially true of manual bandmills. You will find that just about any kind of help you could need is available on the forestry forum and from the manufacturers..

[bandmiller2]

Tom Schmid  is a member here although I haven't seen him on the forum for a wile.The Schmid mill is a good one, many inovations.Don't be afrade of parts as far as I know its all standard off the shelf parts.Oh and welcome Paul.Have you considered a handset circular mill with a big ole engine sucking down that free gas, they can be had for the same or less than a bandmill. Frank C.

[LA Z BOY]

Thanks for the replies folks . I'm pretty sure I've read a thread or two on here & a couple guys on here were running the Schmid mills . I was under the impression that the circular mills with the big power plants were pretty hard to set up & more mill than one man would want to run alone . I might end up selling a few boards but I'm definitely not going into business if I can help it .
I do have two tractors , a compact 4X4 & a larger 2X4 . I figure I can probably skid all I want with them . I also have an atv but don't plan on using it to skid .
I have read about using a pressure washer to debark logs although no specifics was given . How well does this work & how many pounds pressure does it take to work ? I have a small pressure washer that probably wouldn't do the job but I might buy a larger one if this method works well . With the one I have I can at least wash the dirt & mud off the logs .
One more question for now , I read in another thread that there was a ( find a sawyer near you ) place to click on but I don't seem to see it . I would really like to find someone near enough to me to go see their mill & maybe watch a few boards being sawed . Thanks again & I'll have more questions if you guys can stand me bugging you for info.

[Lud]

You sound like me five years ago.  I got a manual mill with a 13 hp for under $5000.  I've sawed a lot of wood without any hydraulics.

You need have a place to stack and store wood. Cut a lot of 1" x1"  at 4'  to use as stickers.  They need to be dry and putting a stack of boards on the mill on edge and gang cutting is one of those things you can do on a new mill that you take for granted later but is danG cool the first time you do it!

Buy a Logrite cant hook. Wood handles can't compare.

I got a winch and mounted it to my tractor, welded up a log arch from an old disc frame and bring in logs from a half mile or more.  can't imagine dragging everything and dulling blades on the dirt in the bark.

You learn to deal with blades and blade sharpening. You can be cheaper the more you know.  Blades don't cost that much for what you get. 

I'm just now putting a shed over my mill. (Which I will be posting about soon) I'm glad I waited as I think I 'm getting what I really need with the earned perspective of experience.

Good luck.  It's a great ride! 8)

[Bill Gaiche]

LA Z BOY, welcome. Sounds like you have a good plan. A manual mill will do a lot of sawing. A good used one that has parts that can be replaced through parts house or original maker is important. If you go manual keep in mind as the older you get or at least for myself it becomes harder to muscle those logs and lumber around on the mill. Having said that when looking for that mill you may want to add a turner and toe board in the future. I did for my home built mill and it sure made a lot of difference. If you make it a permanant fixture do elevate it abound 12 - 20". takes out that stooping and lets you clean out under the mill. A kiln is worth having also. Mine lets me dry the lumber that I use for home projects. Good luck, bg

[paul case]

Forget all that stuff.
Find you a neighbor like Bill who built his own mill.
Go buddy up to him. Learn everything he knows. Complement him often. The enlist his help to build a mill.
I don't know if it will work but it would be a whole lot of fun and probably cost less than buying one.
Just thinking. PC

[LA Z BOY]

Paul , it seems as though you & I share a first name . There is also a dealer near me that sells the E Z Boardwalk mills . Actually closer than any other dealer I know of . Are you completely happy with your mill & if you had it to do over again would you make the same choice ? Thanks .

[5quarter]

Welcome La z boy...Ihere is a member here who worked for TA Schmid for many years. He hasn't posted in quite awhile, but from his descriptions of the mill, they apparently used mostly off the shelf parts and seem to be pretty tough mills.

[customsawyer]

Welcome to the forum. A mill from any of the sponsors on the left will work. They will stand behind them also.

[medic]

La Z Boy - Welcome to the forum.  One thing that hasn't been mentioned about your mill search is portability.  Are you going to set the mill up and leave it in one place or are you going to need to move it around.  I recently sold my TK1220.  It was a good mill that did what it was designed to do very well. However, in order to mill you had to remove the transport package.  It was a simple process that only took about 20 minutes but if you were going to move the mill a lot it could become a pain.  The WM LT15 and several other small manual mills are the same way.  The plus side of this setup is it puts the mill closer to the gound which makes log loading easier. 
As has already been mentioned, don't forget to look for used mills.  Sometimes getting a mill a couple of years older gets you a better mill for the same (or less) money. 
Good luck
scott

[schakey]

Good morning LA Z Boy and welcome. There is no better forum than this
one!
You are where we hope to be in a couple of years,now working as a driver
for Yellow/Roadway(YRC) and having 66 acres south of Wayne,Wv.
Qweaver lives in Weston,Wv south of Clarksburg and owns an WM LT28
and is buying another mill maybe he'll pipe in and get in touch with you.
Good look and keep us informed and thanks for joinging and your post 8)

[Lud]

Hey Schakey!  I'm just north of you in Westfield Township,  on Kennard between Wes tfield and Friendsville Rds.   You'll have to stop in and visit sometime.

Big gray barn I'm building my millshed behind ,  house has a curved porch.

[schakey]

Thanks Lud would like to take you up
on that offer 8)

[Lud]

Hey Lazy Boy,

             Oh yeah, forgot to mention the wood handling beauty of a hookeroon.  I make mine out of old shovel handles and hard iron . Sharp point with a bit of hook.  Extends your reach and saves your back.    Why,  the wood almost lifts itself! :D

[Ohio_Bill]

Welcome Lazy Boy ,  I am just across the river from Parkersburg and have a Woodmizer  . It's a LT40 super , but I started with a LT15 and was only going to cut for myself .   :D :D :D :D :D 2 of my friends have LT15's . You are welcome to come by and check things out . Just send me a PM .  One of the LT 15's is at my farm now .