Total of our experience-Sawmilling

reubenT · January 27, 2015, 12:33:31 PM

Started logging when we bought our land in 1986, tried to saw some lumber freehand with a chainsaw, hard to get it strait that way. Dad bought me a LT30 woodmizer in '89. I cut several hundred thousand bd ft from it. Not a lot but enough to get as efficient with it and as good maintaining blades as I possibly could. (built us a new house out of a little of it) Sold it last spring when we were starting a trucking company and needed money, knowing I'd miss it. So today I'm going over and load up an old bellsaw mill owned by a friend, just the metal parts, the wood is all rotten. I have some 30' steel beams I'm gonna mount it all on. I'm going to enjoy doing it the older way for awhile just to see how it goes. (I drove truck all summer but my brother and cousin is out doing it now)

East ky logging · February 15, 2015, 08:47:31 AM

Hello everyone I'm a new member. I had a old circle mill for 10 years cutting ties and pallet cants mostly. I bought a woodmizer lt15 last fall for my son to use because he was having a hard time keeping it cutting straight.

Magicman · February 15, 2015, 08:51:59 AM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, East ky logging. Start a new thread and I am sure that you can/will get your sawing problem corrected.

East ky logging · February 15, 2015, 09:16:31 AM

Thank you for welcoming to the forum. Most of the problem my son had was inexperience a lot of those old mills is very tempermantal and you have to keep your eyes on it before a small problem becomes a big one

thecfarm · February 15, 2015, 07:14:42 PM

East ky logging,welcome to the forum.

wyowood · February 19, 2015, 03:44:47 AM

I put down 10 years, but my experience was in the form of working in a sawmill as a lumber grader. I worked as a grader for 7 years and as an inspector with a grade stamp agency for 1 year.

ncsawyer · February 19, 2015, 10:06:51 PM

I've worked around a Wood Mizer since 1994. Of course I was pretty young in 94 so all I got to do is work the green end, but I eventually graduated from toting slabs and now operate a small mobile custom sawing business.

Chuck White · February 19, 2015, 10:36:53 PM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, ncsawyer.

Hugh Darty · February 22, 2015, 11:20:51 AM

Foley Bellsaw in 1980, woodmizer lt 40 in 1986, cooks accutrac in 1995, sold out and started other business in 1999. looking for sawmill now to get back in it.

Jerry · April 14, 2015, 06:09:39 PM

I have about 3 years on Foley Bellsaw and around 9 years on a Woodmizer Lt 40 manual mostly sawing for myself and for family and friends.

Kbeitz · April 17, 2015, 06:07:53 AM

I'm betting the reason that 2.5% of the people has not voted is that the voteing log is missing a number...
0 Zero years...

fishfighter · June 17, 2015, 08:47:07 PM

Quote from: Kbeitz on April 17, 2015, 06:07:53 AM
I'm betting the reason that 2.5% of the people has not voted is that the voteing log is missing a number...
0 Zero years...

This. I a new bee. Less then a half a year.

deadfall · July 12, 2015, 01:38:50 AM

Back when I moved onto my own acreage (1973), there were few jobs around here. I got a CETA job at the local high school but was lucky to meet a shingle sawyer who got me out of there when someone at his mill got canned. I worked there for a couple years, running the big old Pettibone out to the yard, cutoff saw, splitter, and the deck chain, until I got canned for the old BTS equipment frequently breaking down.

Most guys who got canned there would get rehired, but I moved on and got into a partnership with my best friend (now ex-) on a new LT30 which I ran for a several years, custom sawing. I really loved the sawmill but the partner was making more money doing construction and decided to stick me working with some relative of his who I couldn't work with. I hired someone I could work well with and stuff started hitting the fan. He maneuvered for control of the company after incorporating when EcoTrust liked my sustainable business ideas and offered some financing. When money started looming large, things suddenly changed in our relationship. At cross purposes, we made a deal for him to buy me out. Then he stiffed me for most of the agreed buyout. He went deep into debt, figuring that was how to roll as a businessman. The company died and he went on doing construction as his mainstay.

So anyway, I knew if I could ever afford it again, I would get another Wood-Mizer. I'm over two years into having this one, bought as a first step to building a shop to make something that will be from sustainable harvested log, or resaw salvage, to end product. I have an idea for a product that I'm playing close to the vest for now. I want to set up a worker owned company.

One product that I have planned is sawdust substrate for growing gourmet mushrooms. I now grow shiitake mushrooms on logs. Not big enough to go pro on that right now with over 200 logs. Most markets want steady supply streams, and logs is a tough way to go for that. The ones you get at the market are probably grown on sawdust bags. Bandsaw sawdust is perfect.

rconkie · July 16, 2015, 12:36:49 AM

I just have 3 months at this point. But i love my mill, and have got a lot to learn about bandmilling and lumber. Need some experience life lines please.

Magicman · July 16, 2015, 07:58:35 AM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, rconkie. Now how about an "intro thread" and telling us about your sawing interest.

Quote from: rconkie on July 16, 2015, 12:36:49 AMNeed some experience life lines please.

The Forestry Forum is already a huge lifeline. No one person knows all of the answers, but collectively the answer is here. The only dumb question is an unasked question. Unlike other forums, you will never see harsh words or less than a friendly family atmosphere here.

Adding your location and sawmill description to your profile will help with questions.

Chuck White · July 16, 2015, 05:06:10 PM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, rconkie!

Tim · August 04, 2015, 05:46:24 PM

Quote from: rconkie on July 16, 2015, 12:36:49 AM
I just have 3 months at this point. But i love my mill, and have got a lot to learn about bandmilling and lumber. Need some experience life lines please.

Those are scars in this business...

Be careful!