Micro logging and beyond

[bobvan]

I'm not in the logging industry as yet but I have some logs in the shape of trees.  I've been trying to make some decisions on what to do with 10 acres of oak.  I bought the property 22 years ago.  With the idea in the back of my mind that I would harvest some of the oak someday. That someday is now.  I had a man with a woodmizer saw up a days worth of work 18 years ago. We, he, myself and my son turned out 800 bdft. In the middle of the process the sawyer asked me to count the rings in the logs.  They were not big in diameter 14" was a big one. I got to around 90. He, out of frustration with the amount of labor it took to get any boards out of the logs, asked me, do you know how big those trees should be. He indicated much bigger, and went back to sawing. The soil is sandy the land is high and dry and as he explained the trees don't put on much girth year to year.  That's what I know about my forest. fast forward to today I have a gentleman that wants to purchase my land. I told him I wanted to take some trees and because I haven't been paying any attention to the property I walked it to mark my trees for harvest. One thing that became apparent is they have grown.  Sorry for the long story. My options are to truck out the logs to a mill. have someone come to the site and saw on site or buy my own mill and keep the property till I'm done harvesting what I want.  I believe that the tight grain of the trees makes them have some value. I could be wrong.
       Soooo I would love to purchase a band mill and get into producing my own lumber. I'm just not sure if the investment, if it can be called that, is justified.  I can get the boards milled rather reasonably, and the trucking seems to be reasonable as well.  I then sell the property and am out of the logging business.  If I purchase a mill and finish with my woodlot, what do I do then?  Can I purchase logs to mill and at such a small scale does that make any sense?  I think my market would be woodworkers and hobbiest.  Lots of adds on Craig's list for lumber. not sure if anyone is purchasing.  My main question is there any way a small guy can make a few dollars as I've described.  Or am I whistling in the wind?
      I have a Chevy one ton dually, 14,000 gvw equipment trailer, a new 40 hp 4wd tractor with front end loader with forks, 10 acres of trees and a good attitude.   Give me some ideas please.  Be brutal if needed.  I don't have to do this to survive but it would help.

[Puffergas]

Cut some logs out, load them on your trailer or have them trucked to the mill. You've had the land for some time without getting the milling bug so forget all the milling issues and enjoy the lumber. A lot of details to milling and even more issues trying to make an income with it unless it's really under you skin. But it doesn't sound like one of your passions.

[John Mc]

I'm not a sawyer, but I'm betting that 10 acres is probably not enough to pay for the mill (depending on what kind of mill you get). On the other hand, if it's something you are doing because you want to get into it, starting on your own land is as good a way to get started as any.

[Okrafarmer]

I guess it depends on how urgent it is for you to sell the land, or to make some money. Milling your own lumber and selling it CAN be rewarding, but it is hard work, and there is quite a learning curve. If you have money to spend on a sawmill, and it's something you feel you would enjoy, and have the time for it, then nobody's stopping you!

It would help if we know where you live--what state, anyway. Sounds like you live somewhere in the eastern US, but that's just a circumstantial guess.

There are a number of great threads on this Forum that deal with a small business. I did it myself for a year and half (after doing it working for someone else for about two years previous). It is doable, but success is not automatic. Read a lot of the old and recent threads in the sawmill section of this forum, as there is a lot of good information and experiential lessons represented here.

If it just sounds like too much work, then have somebody bring a sawmill in, cut you the boards you want, and sell the property when you're ready.