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How Mobile is the Mobile Dimension Mill?

Started by Mulekicker, June 04, 2015, 09:39:07 PM

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Mulekicker

So I've been considering buying a mobile dimension mill, and everyone I know that saws with them:

1. Loves them
2. Has them set up in a relatively permanent spot, i.e. not on a trailer...

I've read quite a few posts from satisfied owners here on the forum and,

I'm curious if anyone uses a MD mill on a trailer, or completely broken down and reassembled on site (like a Lucas mill for instance), hiking it in where a trailer cannot go, and setting it up remotely to saw a log you cant access from the road. 

I've been attracted to the Lucas Mill and similar swingblades for their portability, but finding a used one is tough and new ones are out of my price range.  So, recently I've been considering a MD, but I will definitely need to move it around, adn I don't have a tractor or log loading equipment yet....I've seen the video on their website with a couple fellas hauling the mill into the woods and setting it up, but in practice I don't know of anyone who does that, and I know the MD is quite a bit heavier than the Lucas....so just fishing for firsthand experience on how well it moves around and how easy it is to get it set up and cutting true, or if its a major pain ...

4x4American

I worked for a guy who had one, we had it setup stationary, but anyways that thing sure did produce.  It was an animal.  Kept me busy stacking lumber that's for sure.  When we moved it, we just picked it up with tractor and set in on a 9 ton bumper pull trailer.  I think you can move it by yourself without support equipment, just takes more time and energy.
Boy, back in my day..

DanG

Mine is mounted on a factory trailer but It hasn't moved in years.  It is no different to set up than a four-poster bandmill.  It was originally designed to be disassembled and moved in pieces, so that is doable.  You can even mount it directly onto a huge log for unlimited capacity.  Without the trailer, I wouldn't classify it as a portable mill though, more like transportable.  Setup time would be much longer than a swinger.
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

mad murdock

Unless you got a smoking deal on one, i would bet even used, you'll be looking at close to the price of an entry level Lucas. Around here they dont go for too cheap. If you can find one for sale.
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

dgdrls

Good morning Mulekicker, gents.
I too wanted a MD and searched high and low,
They are out there and the ones I found were about 2-3K
more than the Lucas I eventually purchased.

I cannot speak for their portability first-hand however, if you watch
their video they make a trolly trailer for the main beam and sawhead,
then its a case of managing the end-stands/log-bunks.
They also make the dedicated trailer which certainly seems easier from
a mobile standpoint but is certainly wider than most other portable bands.

Good luck with your search, you'll find the circle mill for you.

FWIW I asked a while back too
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,63648.msg946299.html#msg946299

best
DGDrls

DanG

Don't get too happy about the width of that trailer.  The engine and saw head have to fit between the endstands, so the lateral travel is only about 3 feet.
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Mulekicker

Hi DgDrls,

Thanks for that link, I read your older post and that was helpful, (as have all the other comments).

I don't know what constitutes a "good deal" on a used MD mill, but the one I'm going to be looking at is $6500 and needs some new belts, not sure what else or how old it is yet.

I haven't been able to find any used lucas or peterson mills in my area, or even a 500 mile radius in the time I've been looking, and to be practical for my needs I need one of the larger ones that can make at least an 8" cut, and those are $15k new.

The primary issue for me is log handling, in that I don't have a tractor yet so all of it is by hand for me, and also right now I am still a renter although the hope is to be on land building a house in the next year or so. The portable band mills in my price range, which is about $6500max, obviously dont have any hydraulics and the logs need to be rolled around a fair bit.

I have been fortunate enough to have several treeworker friends who have helped me salvage logs from trees they have been taking down, mostly firs and cedar although I hope to see some nice hardwoods in the future  ;)  So while I love using live edge slabs for furniture or custom options, I'm finding that the accuracy of a circ mill would be very advantageous to me in cutting boards and beams for building houses. (My day job) And I figure if I do get ahold of a primo log that I want to slab, I would need a chainsaw anyway.

I don't intend to saw for other people very much if at all, mainly for my own projects, to build a house for myself, and to process wood that I've salvaged and can use in building for other people, so its not like I'm going to be setting it up and taking it down every day...

Right now I have a short log truck load of cedar from some very large urban trees, and to hire the sawyer I normally use would probably run me $1,000 to get through all of it (2 full days of milling + who knows how many blades)  That has been the motivating factor for me to get my own, because logs seem to keep coming my way, and I've paid the sawyer thousands in the past couple years.

Up until this point I have been buying lumber, slabs and boards from small sawyers that use a variety of saws to produce their products, and I have not been super impressed with some of the dimensional lumber that came off a smaller bandmill. The stuff from the MD has been great. I realize I will be wasting alot of wood if I cut 1x material for siding or flooring or paneling with a circ mill vs. a band mill, but I'm slowly getting swayed by the argument that the savings in kerf is offset by the loss of two boards when a band wobbles or hits a nasty knot, nail, etc..

Thanks for all the advice so far, I'm hoping to check it out this weekend and I'll update the situation

PC-Urban-Sawyer

First of all, let me welcome you to the Forestry Forum.

You may be right that the MD is the best mill for your current situation.  I don't know much about them but if it is in good condition overall that's probably a reasonable price.

Once thing that concerns me it you mention several times that you want to cut dimensional lumber to use in construction of house(s). Have you checked into the regulations regarding use of "ungraded rough sawn lumber" in construction in your area? In many (perhaps most) places in the US you must have certified/graded lumber for structural use in construction. I'd hate to see you build a house and then have to tear it down because the lumber was not acceptable to the inspectors...

Good luck with your endeavor.

Herb

Grandedog

Howdy,
There's 2 folks in our area with 8" mills that are looking to upgrade when they sell their current mills. I know these prices are over you budget but asking price, and selling price are different. If you're interested, e-mail me and I'll get you the contact info.
Regards
Gregg
Gregg Grande
Left Coast Supplies LLC
1615B South Main Street  Willits, CA 95490
888-995-7307  Ph 707-602-0141                   Fax 707-602-0134  Cell 707-354-3212
E-Mail  gregg@leftcoastsupplies.com   www.leftcoastsupplies.com

DanG

Mulekicker, $6500 is very reasonable for a good MD mill, especially if it is a 128 model. Don't worry about wasting lumber with it.  You aren't going to just throw away whatever isn't of the target size, whatever mill you're using.  Also keep in mind that you aren't marrying the thing, and can always sell it and buy something you like better.  ;)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

oakiemac

I also have a MD on factory trailer. I used to travel with it and it pulled behind truck just fine. I don't move it anymore but that is because I decided to setup shop and just saw my own logs or cut for others if they bring them here.
Good mill for a lot of things like quarter sawing, sawing large logs, sawing dimensional stock. I'm in the market for a bandmill to supplement the MD. I think the two together would make a great pair.
Mobile Demension sawmill, Bobcat 873 loader, 3 dry kilns and a long "to do" list.

dgdrls

MK, Did you get a chance to visit the mill you were interested in?

DGDrls

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