Thinking about getting a circle mill.

[stavebuyer]

Mobile (meadowsmills.com)

Redman Optional

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Mobile (meadowsmills.com)

Redman Optional

Huh? Optional?   That's just plan old fashion communism. 
Like the mill though, wonder what they go for new?

[moodnacreek]

Gave up chawin terbacky in my early fifties, beachnut. That was very hard to do especially going fishing.

[handhewn]

I love running my circle saw, I love running my sons MD. Both have their advantages. Soon my sons MD (in NC.) will be here next to the circle saw in calif. My mind is just boggled at figuring out how to set this up efficiently. Circle saw has live deck and amazing log loading hydraulics. It will cut a full 2 ft. cut 16' long in 12 seconds. Hydraulics will roll the log/cant on the carriage in either direction in seconds.  But, this circle saw has a 5/16" kerf main saw and 1/4" kerf for 3 blade vert. edger. This circle saw does not saw as accurately as the WM. See pics in my photo folder. You all know what a MD mill looks like. I want to take advantage of both mills best assets.

[230Dforme]

Good afternoon 
Always enjoy the band / circle saw discussion 
I have no dog in the fight
As my friend Moodnacreek knows, I want a circle mill because I am more interested in the machinery than being in the business 
As I have been in the welding and fabrication business for 40 years, my thought is to fabricate a substantial bolted together steel frame to support the required machinery 
The reason for this is the well discussed problem that to move a circle mill, requires much effort and time to accomplish. I believe from reading the forum, that this may take a year or maybe just give up
Under my scenario, the mill could be disassembled, transported, and reassembled relatively easily on site
This is an overview, without going into too many details, or pros and cons
I have looked at several mills to move, and considering the time, equipment, trucking, labor and
sometimes distance, it is quite an undertaking
As I am semiretired, this is would just be something for me to do
You're comments appreciated 
Thankyou 

[stavebuyer]

Study the Meadows portable design. The carriage is completely self-contained. Hitch it up and go. Only difference between it and a bandmill is moving the separate power unit. 

[handhewn]

My 60" circle saw is portable. It folds up for the most part. The one thing that really helps is the duel rear axle that apparently was taken off a big city firetruck. It turns! A simple  joy stick hyd. pump set up using a car battery. Opposite end of fifty foot mill trailer is a king-pin set up for a semi truck including landing gear off of 40' semi-trailer for support. The live deck and edger need separate trailers. If you are really interested I will try to send pictures. Two very talented men collaborated on the building of this mill. One was the best fabricator I've ever seen (and then some) and the other was a very old man who had run circle saws all his life and been sawyer/foreman at various sawmills in the old days. I remember (mid 80s) this old man building his own 48" circle saw at 86yrs. old and crippled at that. Things just slide together, rotate, fold-up etc. You can have a nice mobile set up using a circle saw. There are some pictures of this saw in my picture gallery. I watched the fabricator build this mill in the late 70s. Worked for him running this mill. eventually bought the mill. ran it for years. Parked it for years. Ran it for some more years.

[JonathanPace]

I still love my portable, automated sawmill. It does everything I need it to. No thanks to a circle mill! Your dog made his opinion clear! Good boy, Chief! :D

[Ron Wenrich]

I ran a Jackson Lumber Harvester portable sawmill for a number of years.  We made it permanent on a concrete slab.  All contained, was automatic, had a powered offbearer, downturns, set, tapers, dogs, sawdust blower, log deck and bar type log turner.  Their design on the carriage was that there were no trucks under the carriage.  It ran on bearings that were spaced at 2' intervals.  All hydraulic.  Repair parts were available local, which was a big plus.  Its an interesting design, and I think they still make them.  They have info on their website on the mill.

We pulled it home with a pickup truck.  But, you would also have to have something to move the power unit, and other support equipment.  Not good for small jobs.  We had it up and ready to saw in a few hours. 

[jpassardi]

Jake,

Somewhat unrelated: I assume he's an Australian Cattle Dog? Supposed to be one of the healthiest breeds. Have you had them before?
At least he didn't drop one right on the circle blade.  ;D

[customsawyer]

 He is a blue heeler that I rescued, I had a few heelers when I was growing up in Colorado. A couple close to 80 years old had gotten him and was trying to make a house dog out of him. They finally decided he was just a bit to energetic for them. I had concerns in the beginning, as some of this breed can be a little protective of the things they view as theirs. I also have no livestock for him to work.  With the number of customers I have coming in and out of here, I saw the opportunity for things to go bad. The worries were a waste. Chief fit right in around here and has never even raised a hair at any of the customers. If he ever does I probably won't want to do business with that one. The only thing that is of risk is him scratching a customer. I can't trim his nails due to his quick growing out close to the tips, and some customers like to pat their chest when they see him. I have Chief trained to get on the SxS when one pulls up but I can't train every customer. 

[jpassardi]

Yes, Blue Heeler also knows as Aus. Cattle Dog. Good looking dog and I like the name.
I keep telling my Wife we need another dog but she's not on the same page...

[Onthesauk]

Fellow re-doing my porch years ago had a blue heeler.  He use to ask the dog for one of his tools and the dog would run fetch it, never the wrong one.  Smartest dog I've ever seem.

[Resonator]

Had a blue heeler about 20 years ago, great dog. If nothing else was a cheap security system, if a stranger pulled in he'd let me know. If they asked what breed he was, I'd say mixed. Part sheep dog... part mad dingo.  
(Only kidding!) ;D :D