Sawmill opinions PLEASE

[DragonsBane]

 I figures I weigh in on this subject. Most people capable of building their own home are also capable of building their own sawmill. Contrary to popular belief you do not need a machine shop to do it. It will take some trial and errorand alot of attention to detail. The only skill needed the average person doesn't have is the ability to weld, but that can be taken care of with a little trial and error, practice. and patience.

That being said, there is also alot of research involved in building a mill. After almost starting a swingblade project I realized a bandmill would better suit my purposes. I have been researching alot on the web and looking at alot of pictures of both homebuilt and factory built mills. A well built mill will take alot of time to build, but with some digging around it can be done cheaply. I am currently looking into using a frame from a house trailer for the mill bed. It should be more than heavy enough and also has the advantage of coming with the triler hitch already on it. Just cut it and narrow it to the width necessary. Burned out trailers can usually be had for hauling it away.

[woodbowl]

DB,
   That there trailer frame is like a coat hanger that warps and twists when it is stripped bare. I have a 40' MH trailer with a sheet metal bed. It is amazing just how much it stiffened up............I thought you were going to build a swinger!  I sure don't want to scratch your name off my "gona' build a swinger list" I was hoping to see you up and running in just a little while. Keep us posted anyway.

[brdmkr]

I'm with Buzz.  Pictures please ;D

[Rod]

Jeff,were are the instant messages at?

[Paul_H]

Top of the page(every page)

Hey, Rod,you have 2 messages,2 are new

click on the blue text.

[beenthere]

blue text?

mine changes to red when I move the cursor over the word "message"

Otherwise, it appears in 'black'.  Wonder what makes the difference?  I early on had to ask JeffB the same question, how to get at the messages, because I never thought to pass the cursor over the phrase "Hey beenthere, you have _ messages, _ are new".  : 

[DanG]

I thought it was black too, till I got a new monitor.  Sure enough, it is a real dark blue.  Couldn't see the diff on the old dim screen.

[Part_Timer]

dark blue /black ????? oh wait, I'm color blind never mind  :D

[Tom]

I just read the words  :D

Ever since the newly formatted forum all I saw was black ......till my wife got me the new monitor.  Now I don't know how to act.   All this input almost discombobulates the senses.  :D :D

What you have to do is de-sensitize yourself to all of the input, slow down and start reading the stuff on the page.    Once you learn how to handle the tags, the colors help a lot.  It's really self-gratifying to learn how to use the Search feature and find the forum extras and see all the possibilities that the picture gallery offers and discover the links that show the forum usage numbers and read the forum rules and disclaimers and look at sponser websites and learn to use the message icons, smileys and forum mod tags.   It makes communication so much easier to have Hyperlinks, bold printing, italics, billboards and the like to make your words more personable. :P

[Rod]

so I clicked the message button on top of this page,but I didn't find any new messages . it says i have 17 messages an 0 are new.Are you sure you sent the messages to me Jeff,or am I llooking in the wrong place?

[Tom]

Once you click it the messages are no longer "new".  The last one in your inbox will be the latest one received.  There may other new ones too.  That is why it is a good idea to do "housekeeping" in your instant message box.


Forum Extras :D

[beenthere]

Tom
That picture reminds me of someone - - can't quite put my finger on who  ;)

[Kirk_Allen]

Tom, I didnt know Charlie was a part of the circus :D :D 

[Tom]

Charlie is a circus, Kirk.  :D

[Robert_in_W._Mi.]

Norwood is not a sponsor of the forestry forum I would like to point out, even though they get commercials from Robert any time he posts. His reason for being on the internet I guess.

  Hi Jeff,

  I'm sorry you answered the way you did, as i "wasn't" the first one to mention Norwood and i'm sure you see me post answers here, that doesn't include me mentioning  my Lumbermate.  I was just answering the origional question truthfully, and i assure you if i thought  it was a POS i would have said that too....

  Anyway, thanks for the site and allowing me to express my opinion.

  Robert

[JP]

Hi all:  I retired 2+ years ago and bought the Norwood Lumbermate with 23 hp moter, I have found it to do all I ask it to do and at a price of under 7000 was the best buy.
You can see pictures of the mill, projects, add ons and stuff at:

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumList?u=4231442

JP

[flip]

I have a co-worker that is selling a Norwood Lumbermate for about $4000.00.  I'm not sure of the engine size but I think it is less than 5 years od.  Just an idea for pricing if you're looking for used.

[D._Frederick]

JP,

One of your photo's show a "laser line set-up".  Do you us it in bright daylite?  How does it hold up to the vibration from the saw?

Is it worth the cost?

[JP]

The laser cost 19.95 at home depot// it (the one in the picture) only showes a 6-10" line so you swevel it along the log--- it works in all but direct sunlite- in my setup its in the 8-10 am time when the sun is directly on the log.

almost every time I cut a slab and dont bother using it I wish i did///.

I bought another straight line unit that shows a line all along the log but it is to week in normal lite .
I like it and reccomand it . JP