Hi everyone, my name is Hunter and I run a small sawmill and furniture business in Northport, Al. I've been doing woodwork for around 2 years now. Mostly learned from family and YouTube. My father in law owns a large construction company and decided one day that he wanted to build his own cabin on a creek on his property. Knowing I did woodwork he decided to do something I never thought would happen. He went out and bought a sawmill. Specifically a Norwood HD36 manual mill. He stated his reason was to use the mill to process the logs to lumber and I cut cut lumber and air dry for my projects.. After 2 years he hasn't felled a single tree for his project/cabin 😂... I've been sawing and air drying lumber to sell to other woodworkers and slowly learning the trade. Now the time has come to turn this "hobby business" into a serious company. We're going to be selling our Norwood and buying a fully hydraulic woodmizer. We've acquired two 24' shipping containers that we will be converting into dry kilns. We plan to use one as a softwood kiln and the other as a hardwood kiln. We felt this would keep one kiln around 15 days turnover and the other around 30-45 days. Anyway, if you have any questions or comments, just shoot! Also would like to thank my buddy Joey Grimes for telling me about this forum.
Hi, and welcome. smiley_wavy
Welcome to the forum.
You did not mention how the logs are getting from the woods to the sawmill.
Welcome!
Quote from: thecfarm on November 07, 2017, 06:19:40 AM
Welcome to the forum.
You did not mention how the logs are getting from the woods to the sawmill.
Ahh forgot that tidbit! Well we have a few contacts that we get pine and W oak and R oak for free. Most other species we have to buy from local loggers. I also work with a guy who owns a tree service business at my full time job. Also to see how we load the logs on the mill, check out my gallery in profile. Perks of having a father in law with fancy "toys". Blessed is the best word that describes my situation.
Welcome to the Forum!
Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Hunter!
Hunter,
A big old War Eagle and welcome to the FF even if you are right there in the middle of RT country. My BIL lives there in Northport.
I love my WM LT35HD mill but I would love the wider cut on even a LT40 and I ran an LT50 for a guy a couple months ago and it really spoiled me. Check out all the specs on your new mill and make sure it will do everything you need and want or at least as much as you can afford. You can find good deals on good used equipment on sponsor Sawmill exchange and sometimes the dealers have connections and contacts so check with them.
Good luck on your new enterprise. I hope it works well for you.
Quote from: WV Sawmiller on November 07, 2017, 08:41:45 AM
Hunter,
A big old War Eagle and welcome to the FF even if you are right there in the middle of RT country. My BIL lives there in Northport.
I love my WM LT35HD mill but I would love the wider cut on even a LT40 and I ran an LT50 for a guy a couple months ago and it really spoiled me. Check out all the specs on your new mill and make sure it will do everything you need and want or at least as much as you can afford. You can find good deals on good used equipment on sponsor Sawmill exchange and sometimes the dealers have connections and contacts so check with them.
Good luck on your new enterprise. I hope it works well for you.
Haha Roll Tide! Thanks so much for your input! Seeing as my FIL is the benefactor of the business, I can't necessarily pick out the one we're gonna get. But I try to steer him toward what I feel my research and overall experience has shown me. Since I'll be the one operating and he will occasionally run it I hope to get the Lt40W super hydraulic. His personality of once he's serious about something, he'll get the best money can buy to do the job right. But of course we must sell the Norwood first. I'll be making a post on the sale page soon. I did just get the woodmizer winter savings pamphlet in the mail. And this would be the best time to buy new. Warranty is something we wish to have over buying used.
Welcome to the Forum Hunter. Keep us posted on your progress. Sounds like you have a great plan.
Thanks! There's a lot I still need to learn. However, I'm gaining as much knowledge as I can to grow this in to something special.
I forgot to mention that we currently have a pole barn being built to house the mill and store some equipment under. Should be finished within the week if the weather holds. I'll be sure to post update pics.