Newbie milling questions

[MattVT]

Hey everyone! I'm brand new here on the forums and am looking forward to reading through as much as I can and learning from everyone here.

My partner and I recently bought ~40 acres of forested land in central Vermont and plan to build a house on it. This is a whole new experience for us but we love the challenge of learning new skills.

We're clearing some land for the driveway and house site, and in the process will fell some nice trees. We've been working with a local forester and he's been a great help so far in understanding the health and makeup of our forest. The area for the house site is mainly red spruce - tall and straight but not very thick for their age as they're far too densely populated and fighting for sunlight. We probably have 50-60 spruce over 10" diameter. Among the trees that we'll have to fell for the driveway are several tall, straight white pines about 20-24" diameter. We also have some maple, black cherry, ash, birch, etc.

I recently completed the first couple of levels of the Game of Logging chainsaw training which gives me the confidence to fell some of the smaller trees myself, but we'll probably leave the white pines to the contractor doing our driveway.

We've also ordered a Woodland Mills HM126 portable sawmill (& trailer) which should arrive in late October. We'd like to mill as much of the lumber as possible to use in our house build. Vermont does not have residential building code (except energy efficiency codes) or building inspections - we've checked with the local AHJ and we're clear to build with our own lumber without it being stamped. Our home will be a stick-framed design so plenty of use for 2x6 studs!

Given the spruce and white pine we have, I'd love any advice on how to make the most of it so we can use it in our build. If I mill it into 2x6 boards, how long will it take to air dry? Does it need kiln drying to build with? Given so many building components are sized to nominal dimensions, do I need to mill to full dimension and then joint / plane / rip down to nominal?

Any advice welcomed, including good books, forum threads, blog posts, YouTube videos, etc. Thanks in advance!

[WV Sawmiller]

   Welcome and I think if you search and read the threads here you will likely find all you need to know about milling. You did not mention any experience with milling so I assume, based on the title thread, you have not used a band mill before. How far are you from Charlotte VT? We have a member there who you might want to call and go off-bear for if the opportunity presents itself. The mill brand may be different but the process is the same.

   Good luck and don't be a stranger. We love pictures too.

[RAYAR]

Welcome to the forum, MattVT. Here, you have a vast amount of knowledge with over twenty years of postings to search and acquire most of the info you'll need. Enjoy.

[Bruno of NH]

The spruce you want to saw quickly as it saws better fresh cut.
And build with it right off as it will split and twist as it dries.
I like sawing spruce.
You might have a challenge with it as being new to it.
Get your self some 4° and regular 7° bands for sawing it.
What part of Vt are you in ?
Bruno

[MattVT]

  Welcome and I think if you search and read the threads here you will likely find all you need to know about milling. You did not mention any experience with milling so I assume, based on the title thread, you have not used a band mill before. How far are you from Charlotte VT? We have a member there who you might want to call and go off-bear for if the opportunity presents itself. The mill brand may be different but the process is the same.

  Good luck and don't be a stranger. We love pictures too.

Yes, you're absolutely correct that I'm brand new to band saw milling. I'm not too far away at all from Charlotte, VT and I think I've found the member you're referring to. I'd happily spend some time helping someone on their mill so I'll drop him a PM to say hi - thanks for the tip!

I'll be sure to share lots of photos once we get the mill, but for now, here's one of the rough area that we'll be clearing for the house site - we love the green moss and although we have to clear some of it, there's plenty more on the property.

[GAB]

Matt:
I've heard of one individual who sawed out the framing lumber (2"x6") for a house and let it air dry for a while and just before using it resawed everything to 5-1/2" wide.  Doing this he took out some of the curves and other defects that occured while air drying.  Also windows and doors are manufactured for store bought 2"x4" or 2"x6" which are closer to 3.5 or 5.5 inches wide.  Doing this allowed him to have a very square building.
As an FYI: the Charlotte member that WV Sawmiller referred to is me.  I'd be glad to speak with you or give you a show and tell at a mutually agreeable time and date.
GAB

[MattVT]

The spruce you want to saw quickly as it saws better fresh cut.
And build with it right off as it will split and twist as it dries.
I like sawing spruce.
You might have a challenge with it as being new to it.
Get your self some 4° and regular 7° bands for sawing it.
What part of Vt are you in ?
Bruno

We're in central Vermont, not too far from Montpelier.

Timing is one of the problems I'm struggling with. Our mill won't arrive until late October, but the spruce needs felling by early September so we can start building our mechanical building. I'd love to build it with our own wood, but every local sawyer we've spoken to is backed up with work.

If we mill it in November with our mill, will it be ruined if we leave it over winter until we start building our house next spring? We don't have a lot of flexibility in our building schedule due to weather and permits unfortunately.

[MattVT]

Matt:
I've heard of one individual who sawed out the framing lumber (2"x6") for a house and let it air dry for a while and just before using it resawed everything to 5-1/2" wide.  Doing this he took out some of the curves and other defects that occured while air drying.  Also windows and doors are manufactured for store bought 2"x4" or 2"x6" which are closer to 3.5 or 5.5 inches wide.  Doing this allowed him to have a very square building.
As an FYI: the Charlotte member that WV Sawmiller referred to is me.  I'd be glad to speak with you or give you a show and tell at a mutually agreeable time and date.
GAB

Thanks GAB! My forum searching had led me to you so I'm about so send you a PM - thanks in advance!
That approach is pretty much what my research so far had led me to - milling down to full 2" x 6" dimensions, drying it, then jointing a flat face, planing to 1.5" thick, jointing a square edge and ripping to 5.5" wide on the table saw. Unfortunately searching for "surfacing rough cut 2x6" or similar pulls up a lot of information about buying construction-grade 2x6s from the store and turning them into "nice" wood rather than surfacing rough cut lumber one has milled themselves.

[delvis]

Matt, 

It's your mill and you can just as easily saw nominal as you can dimensional so that part is easy.  If you think you'll be needing to use store bought lumber to coincide with your own then I would consider nominal sizes.  This will also yield more board feet out of your logs as well.

Just remember one thing about white pine.  It's great for nailing through into something not so much for being nailed into.  Not only is it not as strong but nails and screws work their way out of pine studs too easily.

I agree that you'll want some 4 and 7 degree blades because the knots in spruce will make your blades dip and dive!

Best of luck to you and your partner!

[MattVT]

Thanks delvis! I guess my question with milling nominal sizes was more around how much extra I should leave on for shrinkage as they dry and anything I'd need to remove when surfacing them - e.g. mill to 1-5/8" x 5-5/8" to leave an extra 1/8" for shrinkage. Maybe they wouldn't even need jointing / planing for this application.

I fully expect to have to buy store-bought lumber, as well as things like doors, hurricane ties, etc which all expect nominal sizing, hence my thinking. But maybe I'm thinking about it all wrong.

It's entirely possible I'm asking the wrong questions here. I guess to back up a little bit, our situation is that we have several large EWPs (our forester estimated each one is 700-800bf) and a few dozen red spruce ~10-12" DBH. We have need for lots of 2x6 studs for stick-framed buildings and I'm wondering if it's possible to mill (some of) those myself. Am I thinking about it all wrong?

[btulloh]

Seems to me your thinking right. Saw a little oversize and it'll match up with store bought just fine. Planing all of it would be a lot of work for no good reason unless you use a 4-head machine. The square edges on the rough sawn can be a little different to work with compared to eased-edge store bought, but no big deal. Square corners actually help, but they can be tough on your hands at times. I use rough framing lumber sawed a little oversize quite a bit and it works out well. No problem with hangers and hardware. 

Sounds like timing is your big issue.  Too bad the mill can't get there sooner. 

[alan gage]

That approach is pretty much what my research so far had led me to - milling down to full 2" x 6" dimensions, drying it, then jointing a flat face, planing to 1.5" thick, jointing a square edge and ripping to 5.5" wide on the table saw.

I think you'd get tired of that really quickly with framing lumber. I personally cut boards at 1 5/8" (dries to 1 1/2") and keep the width over sized to trim down to size after sawing on the mill. With the mill you can quickly cut 8 boards at a time for final sizing.

If I'm cutting good straight logs with few knots I might saw at 6" with the expectation of sawing it down to 5 1/2" after drying but I don't get much good softwood around here so I often cut it at least 6 1/2" if I want to get 5 1/2" when done. Oftentimes I'll leave the boards even wider which gives the option of using wider boards or cutting two narrower boards out of it. For example a 10" wide board would give one 2x6 and one 2x4 if it didn't need to be used as a 2x10.

Alan

[DanMc]

Hello Matt!  Welcome to the adventure!  
It's great to see your forward thinking and being bold enough to buy a saw mill even though you have no direct experience yet.  Doing is the best way to learn.  
We have land in the Conway, NH area and when we bought it, I picked up the same HM126 mill.  Mine came with an extra length of track, so I can do up to 16 foot logs.  

Here are some thoughts for you to consider while waiting for the mill.  You've probably thought through much, or all of this, but haven't mentioned it in your post.
Site preparation:  You'll need to figure out where you'll put the mill, and you'll need a significant amount of space around it for moving logs in and lumber out.  You'll also need to figure out where you will stack your lumber.  Milling logs takes time, so when you're milling, then you're probably not building.  
Stack preparation:  You need to set up some reasonably level and perfectly straight footings as a foundation for your lumber stack(s).  One of the first things you should mill is a bunch of 1x1 or at least 3/4x3/4" stickers as spacers between the boards.  Stack them as high as you feel comfortable, then add some rocks or other weights on top to help hold down the top few courses of planks.
Track mounting:  The track for this mill requires something rigid to attach it to.  I think most people screw it down to some long wood beams and then set those beams on piers, blocks, etc.  When I got my mill, I screwed it down to the wood bed of my car carrier trailer.  That was a quick solution, but it tied up my trailer.  A little later I had a friend weld up a 20 foot long frame made up of 4x6 steel box tube.  It's very rigid and I can move it around as needed without distorting the track.  Maybe I'll turn that frame into a trailer, but for now, I pull it up onto the car carrier trailer if I need to move it.
Loading logs:  You didn't mention what kind of equipment you have for moving logs.  Logs are very heavy, so ideally you'll need a machine that can lift a ton.  People do move logs with ATVs and a log arch with a ramp and winch to get them up onto the mill track.  I can't speak to that since I have a tractor that's large enough for the job.  A 20+ inch 16 foot log is not something to be trifled with.  You'll also need a couple log tongs and chains, and maybe a log arch for transporting them.  Also pick up an inexpensive floor jack for levelling the log.  You will want the center of the log (the pith) centered on the track.  Logs all have a certain degree of taper, so in many cases, you'll have to lift the top end of the log and put shims under it.  A small hydraulic jack serves as a great means of lifting up a heavy log to make such adjustments.  You'll also need to make sure that there's a surface for that jack to sit on.
Realistic planning:  When you start milling, you will spend a significant amount of time working through all of your learning.  Milling your lumber for framing may not be the most realistic idea.  Once framing begins, you'll need a large supply of framing lumber all ready to go, and you won't have time to stop framing to mill more boards, and it may not be a great idea to mix your own wood with commercially milled wood.  Your lumber will probably end up being slightly larger or smaller than the commercial lumber, so keep using one or the other.  Additionally, with framing, you will want consistently dimensioned materials.  When you mill your own, initially you will very likely have some inconsistency in the boards.  You might consider milling lumber to be used as flooring, cabinets, trim, stairs, and any other secondary use that can come along later and will be easier to plane down to exact dimensions.  Milling framing lumber oversize and then putting it back on the mill, or planing down all 4 sides will consume a tremendous amount of extra time that I'm betting this isn't practical.
Consistency while milling:  Initially I milled my boards by using the little ruler that's provided on the mill head.  Later on, I figured out that doing this could lead to some inconsistency in board thickness.  So I switched to "counting turns" on the crank to lower the head at consistent intervals, and ignoring what the ruler said.  
When I got my mill, I had a fairly random batch of logs: White pine, beech, maple, oak.  
Videos:  You've probably already found that there's a ton of videos on youtube that feature the HM126.

[MattVT]

Wow, @DanMc - thank you so much for that detailed reply! I've been trying my best to think about most of the things you pointed out, but I'm sure I've missed a few things.

Let me start with equipment. About a month ago we bought a Kubota L3901 compact tractor. The loader is rated to ~1,100lbs and we have a pallet forks and bucket (with 3 welded hooks) for it. On the back we've mounted a Titan ballast box filled with sand bags, and our rear tires are loaded with beet juice. We also bought 2 logging chains (one choker and one regular) that we've been using to move logs around - either with the hooks on the bucket or a twisted clevis on the back. We've ordered an Everything Attachments 55" grapple (and already have the 3rd function hydraulic on the tractor ready) but it won't arrive until late September.

Last month we stopped by Sheldon Hill Forestry Supplies in Saugerties, NY and picked up a number of items - including a Woodchuck Timberjack log jack (which I can use as a cant too) and a Spencer combination diameter tape. We also picked up some logging tongs from Tractor Supply although haven't used them much as the choker chain has been working great.

As for the saw mill, we bought the Woodland Mills HM126 Woodlander XL that comes with its own trailer and can mill up to 16ft boards. We did this for a number of reasons. First, wherever we put the sawmill now, it's going to have to move in future as the site evolves, so being on a trailer gives us flexibility. Second, my rationale was that the trailer itself will add a lot of rigidity to the tracks - we have cleared some space (more on that in a moment) but hopefully the trailer will make it easier to level.

In terms of site prep, the whole site is fully forested except an old logging trail. We wanted somewhere open to start working so we cleared a space that was full of fallen and dead standing trees. We rented a 9" chipper and chipped almost all the slash and logs (most was junk anyway) and have begun spreading the wood chips in this area and out on some of our hiking trails. It's been raining the last few days but when it dries up I'll head out and finish the job. It looks something like this right now:



My hope is that we can use this as the staging area for the sawmill - enough space to get logs and milled wood out with the tractor, as well as clearing up sawdust, chips, etc. It's not huge, but I'm hoping it'll be enough to work with (and stack logs / stickered wood) for now.

I'm 100% behind the idea of not aiming too high to begin with and milling something easier than spruce for framing - we'll definitely need some store bought stuff anyway. That said, the spruce and pine trees will have to come down because they're in the way of our driveway and house site. We'll also be pulling out some black cherry, ash, birch, maple for the same reason.

Not knowing what we might use the wood for, and given that I'm a complete beginner at this, and will be starting in November in Vermont, any recommendations on cuts? Perhaps just mill the hardwoods into 2" slabs and the softwoods into nominal 2x material (e.g. 1-3/4" x 5-3/4") to deal with later? If When I make some mistakes it doesn't matter too much as there will be plenty more trees when we clear more of the build site next year.

As for stickers, I had read that it wasn't a good idea to use green wood for stickers so I was planning on having to buy some dry wood and cut it down - is that not the case?

I've been watching as many videos as I can find about milling, and in particular the Woodland Mills models. I've found lots of videos that show the milling process, but what I haven't found yet is a more thorough video showing what happens next. I have a bunch of dumb questions like: how long do you dry for, how often do you test the moisture content, how do you label the piles so you know what wood they are, etc etc

Thanks again for all your great pointers!

[Old Greenhorn]

Hi Matt, Welcome to the forum! I have been reading along here for a bit and as you may guess, we see a lot of similar posts to yours over the years. They usually provide good reading and education to others. I note that you have gotten off to a very good start with some solid and valuable information already. I noted your concern about getting the mill in the fall and the time crunch getting started. I also note that you seem to have a good grip on equipment selection and tools and are off to a good start on that also (but I would have gotten the Logrite can't hook for the mill, not that log lifter which you will likely set aside after not too long ;D).
None the less here are a couple of things that occur to me for you to think about. An October mill delivery, then assembly and alignment, will make it tough, but you still have potentially a couple of months you can work before it gets 'rough'. It appears you don't live on the property yet, so I am wondering how far from it you are and how often you can manage to get in good work sessions when the weather breaks during the winter months?
I know you bought a portable mill, but here is a thought: Since we all mess up a bunch of wood getting through that initial learning curve and there is no way around that, consider taking some of these logs you already have and milling up framing lumber to build a mill shed. That is a shed that will cover the head end of your mill. Even though your mill is portable, you can back in into that shed and have the head protected from the winter snows and any deadfall that may come down. All you need to do is open the front doors and the head rolls out and you're ready to mill, then park it inside the shed when you are done. Kind of like a doghouse. It's also a good place to keep your tools secure. You may be able to tie that in with the other building you want to put up. Build it Green, right off the mill, it will give you a chance to work with the lumber you milled and should provide you with a little more feel for how that works. Certainly there is knowledge gained from seeing the behavior of the wood after milling and learning why pith location and 'sawing for grade' are more than catch phrases. (And take a while to learn and understand)
You mentioned you stopped at Sheldon Hill and that is a far piece from where your property is so I am wondering what your home base is right now? Sheldon Hill is about 20 minutes from me, they used to be only 10 minutes and I still have not forgiven them for moving. ;D Perhaps there are other members or mills close to where you live that could also provide some guidance during the time periods you can't get to the property. Or perhaps I am all wrong on my guesses here. :D
Creating a work space for the mill is critical in your situation and making things as easy as possible to start your workday are also critical to maximizing your time, so plan out your 'flow paths' for the slabs, scrap, drying shed, sawdust, tool storage, workshop, and all that so that it can function efficiently as possible for you over the period of years you will be working on this. You will never get it perfect on the first shot (well yeah, it COULD happen) but try to cut out enough room in the beginning so that you have easy work areas that you don't have to re-do over time.
You are going to need a BUNCH of lumber just to build your support structures, sawhorses, work benches, stickers, drying skids, and a dozen other things. Use your first learning logs for all that. Take a breath, make a plan, then work the plan until it makes sense to adjust it.
I know we all wish you the best of luck and will be around when the questions pop up requiring more detail. In the meantime, just start using the search function here to read up on subjects and questions you have, there is a plethora of information, just for the searching.
Tom

[WV Sawmiller]

   Any time you can go work with and observe active sawing is time well spent. Ask the sawyer why he does certain things certain ways. It may not work for you or may cut your work in half. My dealer did a hands on demo here at my home when they delivered my mill. The problem was it was was the first time I had ever even seen a mill in operation let alone use one and I did not even know what questions to ask. Most mill manufacturers (certainly all the sponsors here) have a great rep for customer service and I know mine has been very patient in helping me troubleshoot, repair and maintain it as needed.

   Observing will at least help you know what questions to ask.

[MattVT]

@Old Greenhorn thank you so much for your message. You and everyone else here has already been so helpful and made me feel very welcome!

Our property is near Montpelier, VT and we're about an hour away from it. We've been full time, RVers for the past 3 years, traveling around the US visiting the National Parks and finally decided to make ourselves a home in Vermont!

As for Sheldon Hill, I had been searching online for the nearest forest supply store to us (I wanted a good diameter tape) and they came up. Normally it would have been too far but we happened to have plans to pass through that area so we stopped by.

I really like your idea of the mill shed. A real project I can plan for and will be valuable, but at the same time something that's not critical for if when I make mistakes. I think that's a good route for me to take. 

I've been searching the forums, reading as much as I can and trying to absorb everything! As much as anything right now, I'm just trying to learn the right questions to ask!

What I'd love to find is a "first 10 projects for your woodmill" or something similar that steps through the real basics (cants for stacking drying racks on, saw horses, saw bucks, etc). You've given me some good ideas already!

[Old Greenhorn]

Well Matt, I wish I could point you to the thread on my mill shed build but I was new on the forum then and did not think to make a thread to be able to follow the project (which I thought would a take a weekend and wound up being 3 months). I made a Mill shed for tools, equipment, and getting out of the weather, I didn't build a 'doghouse' as it didn't suit my needs. But I had my updates spread all over on the forum, some were on the weather thread, some on the 'watcha milling' thread and others in other paces. No matter, the point is, it was quite the learning experience for me milling lumber, building a shed out of hardwood, dealing with the weather and all the other stuff that comes along. It was after that project that I learned to start a thread to follow the project, or in my case, just the whole dang year, which is easier. :D
 I get it now how you wound up at Sheldon Hill, but can't imagine there isn't such a place closer to you. Sheldon Hill has a good website by the way and you can 'mail order' if they still use that term. Also, we have many good sponsors here on the forum who get high praise from this discerning membership. LogRite is one of those and you may want to invest some time looking their site over. They make fine stuff and we all use them with great success.
 As for my shed build, you can go look in my gallery, but photos are spread all over. I am terrible at finding my way around in galleries. I still can't figure out the sorting.
 All I can say is read all you can. You can't search for summary subjects, you need to pick specifics such as "cant hook' or 'toe board' or 'centering the pith'. Learning to use the search tool will empower you, trust me. Try the advanced search also.
 You are in for some fun, you just need to develop the questions. :D

[Don P]

First 10 projects is easy. I would saw a board, take it to the house and proudly exclaim "was once round". She let me get away with that about 10 times.

I'm a plane and straightline rip everything guy. I saw framing 1-3/4" thick x full dimension, if it is longer stock I might go even wider. Sticker, let air dry as long as possible then plane and rip just prior to use. I do hit right on store bought dimensions mainly just in case I run out but also nails, connectors, everything construction is set up for nominal dimensions. We wrapped up about 5,000 bf for house roof framing and some studs today... 4 trees. I was sawing the 20' 2x12's around 12-1/4" wide and hope that was enough, in white pine it would be, I was in poplar which tends to crook more. Winter milling is actually better for the wood if you can dress for the temps, no bugs and no fungi. By the time it warms up the wood will be dry enough to be much less appealing to both. Good luck sounds like you are on a fun journey.

[WV Sawmiller]

   You are right and I think Tom (OGH) nailed it on the shed lumber. Many of us, me included, used our first practice lumber to build a mill and/or drying shed. I know I did. I built a 14'X62' drying shed. It did not matter what species the wood was or it was a little thick or thin. I used locust poles for uprights and squared them on the mill which gave me some practice sawing long stuff. I first sawed 1, 2 or sometimes 3 sides. I should have sawed at least 3 sides on all as almost immediately I filled it up and had to start building big heavy duty shelves to go vertical. 

   Another handy thing to saw and build is lumber stacking pallets with the first course of stickers permanently nailed in place for use and as a placement guide for others stickers as you start adding rows of boards. There are several threads and designs for them here you can review. 

[farmfromkansas]

Did not see any buildings on your site, so think if this were my project, would start with a shop building.  You will need a jointer, planer, and a table saw at least for this project.  Maybe a shaper too if you like hardwood flooring, and you can make trim with a shaper as well.  This will not be a 90 day build job.

[Random ROG]

Matt,
I have a suggestion for an early project from your mill.  Look up Jim Rogers video title "Sawhorse assembly".  Make 4 of them, you won't regret it and they will serve you a long time.
Random ROG

[leeroyjd]

Matt congratulations on land and mill!
We have the HM 126 and are very pleased with it.
One thing you may have thought about is debarking. The logs I've milled were all moved with my forwarder, not skidded, much cleaner but bark can still be imbedded with years of wind blown dirt, etc.
I've tried peeling with a drawbar, a "spud" and an axe, and find the axe is best in my opinion. You can buy an attachment for a chainsaw that debarks as well, called the Log Wizard.
That may save time as you could just hit the path where the blade will enter log, although I'd hit the exit side as well if there was obvious mud.
Blade life has been noticeably extended with peeling. Worth the time, again, in my opinion. Takes around ten minutes per log, and I find it most enjoyable. Really gives me time to assess log. Right on the forks, spin with the peavy. This is in White Pine. Hardwoods won't peel as easy.

[DanMc]

@MattVT:  I'm glad to see that there was something useful in my response.  It's great to see that you have a tractor and all the tools you'll need.  Getting the mill on the trailer solves a lot of problems, so you're in great shape there.  

Our story is similar to yours, except our land, purchased in 2015, came with a small house already built on it.  We are off-grid and loving it.  We weren't starting from scratch, but I had no place for equipment.  There was a good number of trees blocking the view, and those had to go.  That created a small stack of beautiful logs, and I considered it a crime to cut them up for firewood, especially since we don't need all that much firewood.   When I found the mill (lightly used), I immediately went through all the logs and milled them according to what I thought would be the most valuable lumber.  Then the next spring the canvas shelter I bought earlier began to tear (I'll never waste my money on one of those again), so that led to building a 24x28 foot machine shed.  I didn't have time to go back and mill framing lumber because I had one summer, working on weekends and any other free time, to get the building up and enclosed before the snow flies.  But all the 2" planks produced with the mill the prior year served as very valuable planks for pump jack staging, and once the machine shed was available, some of that 2" lumber became a large work bench, stair treads to the second floor, and a small firewood crib.  Some of the 1" white pine lumber was planed and run across the shaper to make wide pine flooring for the house on the land.  The wood was wormy with blue stain, so it is strikingly beautiful once the worm-holes are filled.  I have a bunch of 16" wide 1" planks that will be turned into more flooring as time permits. My problem is I can't plane anything over 13" in width.  
Mill Head shed: That would be a fantastic first project for your own lumber.  But I'm guessing that you'll find other things that are more pressing and urgent.  I ended up putting the mill head in my machine shed and leaving the track out on the mill site.  I don't run the mill all that much because there is such an endless list of things to work on out here on the land, and I worked through all the logs I had.  Finding a source for good consistent logs has been a challenge that I still have not solved.  My daughter and son-in-law built their own little cabin on the land, and that led to another stack of logs, so now I'm close to making another batch of lumber.  Maybe that can go into a mill head shed.  But a semi permanent structure at the mill site is tough when there's still a good amount of site clearing to be done.
On your question of drying times:  I have found that white pine dries in about 3 months during the summer.  People say that oak dry time is 1 year per inch of thickness.  
On stickers:  I also read not to use green lumber for stickers.  I did it anyway and had no issues that I know of with my lumber stacks, other than a little discoloration of the planks where the stickers sat.  But that was gone with the first pass in the planer.    You need a lot of these stickers, and cutting up purchased lumber for this is too hard for me, considering how easy they are to make.  So for stickers, I used the logs that weren't very straight and wouldn't produce good long lumber.  
Milling operation:  Planks were milled, then off-loaded on to the tractor forks.  The left-over slabs are a real nuisance.  I used a leaf blower to clear off all the saw dust at the end of each day.  It gets everywhere.  Then brought the finished lumber to the stack, and stickered it and then put the next log onto the mill.  I ended up with 3 stacks of lumber of various species and sizes.  I found that loading logs onto the mill track using two log tongs with chains around the forks worked best.  I tried picking up the logs with the forks, but that was so much more tricky because it's hard to see exactly where the forks are, and time consuming getting it all aligned so I can roll the log off the forks and onto the tracks without crashing the forks into the mill track.  With the tongs, it's so much easier to lift the log up and then gently set it down onto the mill track.  Eventually a level staging ramp will be nice to just load a group of logs onto the ramp and then be able to roll them onto the track.  But I'm not there yet.  

[OlJarhead]

Welcome to the forum!  So much experience and good info here!

For pine, I mill it 1/8th over what I want (Ponderosa in my case and it shrinks less than most).  White pine in my area seems similar to Ponderosa so I don't do anything different for it.

If I plan to use with store bought (or a customer does) I mill 1/8th over and use rough sawn.  Only time I plane or resaw is if I want smooth for something that will be seen and handled, and something of a different dimension.

[luap]

I suggest that you have a rough sketch of what you plan to build so you can make a cut list of sizes of lumber and how many pieces.  And keep this in mind as you drop the trees on the ground and decide how to cut the tree into log lengths. More defects are visible with the tree laying on the ground than standing. Straightness, branches, insect damage, taper all come into play. A single sided planer is invaluable in salvaging miscuts. You are fortunate that you can build with rough lumber.