new member with a Grizzley 30 sawmill

bikerbob · March 06, 2013, 08:43:11 AM

Hi all. New to the forum but not new to the saw dust addiction. Ran an American circle saw for years part time but went band mill eight years ago due to my increasing age and the lack of help. During my search for a used band mill, I stubbled on a Grizzley 30 all hydraulic with a 30' frame. Although a lot of the design and engineering is somewhat primitive, the price was very right. I bought it from the widow of a drug addict who overdosed and died. It sat outside uncovered for six years and had obviously been abused and neglected. Have most of the bugs worked out and it is quite fuctional. Just retired from the 9 to 5 the end of January after 40 years and am about to finish a shed over the mill. Will try to post some pics later. The mill is manufactured by Quality Machinery in Rome NY. Just wondering if there are any others around or do I own the only one?

dblair · March 06, 2013, 08:52:24 AM

welcome to the forum , you'll like it here , post some pictures of your stuff . I see your not far from my sister who lives in Princeton . Are you getting much from this latest storm ?

bikerbob · March 06, 2013, 09:03:31 AM

Small world! I worked for the Highway Dept in Princeton. We only have a couple inches of snow and predicting another 2-4 today.

york · March 06, 2013, 01:17:05 PM

Bikerbob welcome,

Not sure if they build your mill anymore,last i checked there website was down..

My mill is a Timber Harvester and they went out of business too...

Yep,they like pictures around here....albert

bugdust · March 06, 2013, 02:11:31 PM

Welcome aboard! I'm located in southern WV and making dust fly with a WM40HD. Set back and enjoy the forum, these guys have a wealth of info.

Ga Mtn Man · March 06, 2013, 05:53:52 PM

Welcome, bikerbob! We look forward to getting to know you and your mill. 8)

thecfarm · March 06, 2013, 05:54:12 PM

bikerbob,welcome to the foum. Congrats on the retirement. ;D Good idea about the shed. Have your own logs? I don't think I have ever heard of your mill.

DbltreeBelgians · March 06, 2013, 07:00:23 PM

Welcome to the forum Bikerbob.
I have a manual mill made by Quality Manufacturing. It's a 24" machine.I only have the head from Quality and the frame was homemade by the previous owner. Working on all the hydraulics right now to make it a little more user friendly.
Enjoy your retirement and keep us posted on your progress with your new mill.
Also I found their website is still up at bandmill.com

Mark K · March 06, 2013, 07:38:34 PM

Quality is still in business last I knew. I drive by there facility a couple times a month. About ten miles from home.

dgdrls · March 06, 2013, 07:48:40 PM

Welcome aboard Bikerbob!!

This is a great site with a great group of folks,

You close to Gauly and the New River??

Beautiful area, Co I work with owns the Hydro down there.

DGDrls

justallan1 · March 06, 2013, 07:50:28 PM

Welcome to the forum, Bikerbob.
Have fun with the new toy.
Allan

m wood · March 08, 2013, 05:19:25 PM

Welcome Bikerbob, another new yorker among us. Yes, pull up a stump. Enjoying retirement? I can imagine you plan to keep buisy with some sawing. Cant wait to see the pics of your mill...but what I am really interested in are your pictures of the saw shed going up. I'm in the clearing stages for mine right now. As the ground thaws, I keep getting a little more cleared :D
mark

bikerbob · March 10, 2013, 06:07:47 PM

Thanks for all the welcomes. I do have my own timber. We have about 300 acres and only 10 is clear. I am about 9 miles from Bluestone Dam where New and Bluestone rivers join. Below the dam, Greenbrier River dumps in. Don't know how anybody could not enjoy retirement! Finished the sawmill shed yesterday. Took a couple pics of the shed and mill.

bikerbob · March 10, 2013, 06:45:41 PM

Hmmm......thought I was adding pics. Will try again, but if not. just look at the album. Thanks.

thecfarm · March 10, 2013, 07:21:34 PM

You got tracks on that tractor? Can't quite tell. Nice shed too,real nice.

Magicman · March 10, 2013, 07:31:07 PM

Hello bikerbob and Welcome to the Forestry Forum. I like the sawmill and the shed.

dblair · March 10, 2013, 10:50:50 PM

that must be on top of one of those hills cause when I look at those beautiful pictures I can't see any more hills. great looking shed and mill ;D ;D ;D

redbeard · March 11, 2013, 01:18:27 AM

Nice job on the mill & tractor shed. Welcome bikerbob

Harry George · March 11, 2013, 06:35:39 AM

Welcome Bikerbob
Wow That a beautiful shed, very cool
What is the opening span, 18 feet?

dboyt · March 11, 2013, 09:54:03 AM

BikerBob, welcome, and thanks for the photos. I had an old TimberHarvester that had been left out in a field for a couple of years. Biggest problem I had was with the electrical. Switches and solenoid connections were in bad shape, and I had to replace a few hydraulic lines... but the price was right. Just one question, is it a little shakey on those cider block supports? Keep us posted on how it is going. Sounds like you've got a lot of sawdust ahead of you.

m wood · March 11, 2013, 06:50:26 PM

Hey there bikerbob. oops abouth the new yorker comment. Somehow your wv looked like a ny without my reading glasses.

:-\ :D. NICE shed. like the longer skinny rustic look you got there...and functional. Have you got any more support under that Grizzly mill yet? Those cinder blocks look shaky

. But seriously, the mill looks stout and fits under that steel beam opening real well!
congrats and welcome again
mark

bikerbob · March 12, 2013, 09:06:39 AM

Thanks to all for the comments and compliments. The old backhoe is not on tracks but I do have chains on it. Although it is not 4wd, I put chains on the front as well to help steering in the mud - helps some! Since I can saw 26 feet, I made the clear opening on the shed 27 feet. It is 14 feet wide and 48 feet long. Already wishing I had made it wider but I allowed the price of the metal roofing dictate the width. The mill has legs at all four corners and put the cinder blocks in the center where I removed the axle. I put mobile home anchors in the ground underneath and ratchet straps to hold it. Although they look shakey, it hasn't fallen off yet. Yes, I am on the top of a mountain - half mile from pavement and 8 miles from milk and bread!

Al Bunyan · March 27, 2015, 08:22:28 AM

Hi Bikerbob,
How are you liking the grizzly 30 sawmill? I like you building that you built.
Al

WV Sawmiller · March 27, 2015, 09:12:55 AM

BB,

Welcome neighbor. I guess I didn't pick up on your location when you first posted. I live about 4 miles up Madam's Creek Road. It's 8.5 miles from my house to the boat landing at the Pitts. I put in there and fish between there and Bull Falls most of the time. Figure I'll start setting out lines and chasing the catfish here in a few weeks. Caught 105 lbs Memorial Day night last year.

Good looking shed. I'm trying to mostly do mobile sawing. Stop by sometime and we'll compare notes.