Anyone know what is driving the huge demand for sawmills?

[SwampDonkey]

All that free government money, gotta spend it. Doesn't have to make sense. :D :D It's like the poor man with 5 kids, never had any money at the end of the month. Gets a big inheritance cheque, two new ski-doos and a four wheeler and new car. Play time. I seen that happen with a couple fellas that got a big Workman Comp cheque. All that stuff now junk, still no money. :D :D Might as well just call it government stimulus, they know it all comes back in. :D

[VT_K9]

New here.  Been looking around for awhile. Here's our case:

Just ordered a new wood-mixer two weeks ago.  We were told it would be early to mid august (30 weeks specifically).  

We just had our 70 acres logged as part of land use in VT.  All types of wood taken with it mostly pine and hemlock. The least taken was maple at our request to be able to expand our sugarbush. 

At the end of the logging period we noticed a rather large pile of decent hemlock which could be turned into boards for siding on a larger garage, sugarhouse, and two sheds.  

I called the the regular sawyer we use and his first words, with a chuckle, were call me in the spring.  I confirmed what he meant and it seemed likely that he may say call me in the summer.  I found another sawyer and after talking with him he wanted the logs moved to his place, but would travel to ours.  

We have about 10,000 Bdft or maybe a little more ready to go.  We started talking about a small mill.  Actually have mentioned it a couple times over the years.  I know from real research a few years back (on this site) a small mill would be nice to have but it's not what is preferred to complete the pending job in a timely manner.  We started with a machine which could be upgraded as needed.  Not much of a savings in the end (likely longer waits if you really wanted to wait for the upgrade to arrive).  

Plus the thought of being able to make new posts and lumber as needed for potential projects and maybe a little money on the side.  Maybe something to go with sugaring when I retire to keep me busy... stilly many years away.

I see the mill as a very long term investment for the property.

Mike

[richhiway]

Thanks for all the interesting answers. Three guys at work bought tractors last year and I kind of get that. It just seems a bandsaw mill is kind of a specialty item, there is a lot to go along with owning one.
For many years there was only one I knew of in my whole county. He would come saw for us on occasion. That is how I got interested in it. 

[Strangewoods]

I saw some logs with a guy on occasion but I get tired of waiting for that one day or two a year he wants to fire up the mill, taking my logs there, then bringing all of the lumber and the slabs back.
 I been wanting one. Wouldn't break the bank to buy one, I like the work, I got 200 acre of woods. A lot of cedar swamp. I want to build a bunch of things. I had no idea the demand right now!
Do I buy one, use it,maybe sell it in a few yrs or..wait a few yrs and hope the used market is flooded. 
I too am concerned a big price hike is coming. 

If I could go cut cedar posts out of my woods and sell them 4x4x10s for 46$ like menards I'd be a millionaire. 

I could cut em! Probably couldn't move too many tho and no where near that price. It's a great thought though!

[Bandmill Bandit]

The requests for custom milling are really starting to come in daily now for spring sawing jobs. Pretty much 1 to 3 ish a day now and got 3 I need to go do inspection visit before Friday and 2 repeat customers that want the milling done last half of march. Have 4 to go do inspection visit next week and 1 that  will go cut next week, weather permitting. So 10 total that are on calender, 3 are committed, the 3 inspections next week are 90% committed and the 4 inspections are likely as they are referrals from repeat customers. 

2 of them are talking like they will move their logs the mile or 2 to Bent's place, one of my best repeat clients yard/landing. That way I can just saw at the one place for a couple of weeks. 

The combined log count was at 160 on the weekend in a mix of 12's and 16's, 12" - 16" average with about 25% 20" diameter small end, mostly white spruce and some lodgepole pine and Bent said they all had at least this week and part of next week to finish skidding out what they have on the ground. 

Bent figures will be about 260 to 300 logs between the 3 of them.      

[TKehl]

Hi my name is Ted, and I just ordered a sawmill during the rush.  (EZ Boardwalk 40 scheduled for July) Lol  For me it was a combination of factors.

1.  I sold my smaller bandmill last year, as I wanted to upgrade. I've been looking for about 5 years.  The model I wanted was not selling at much of a discount used. And when they were available they sold quick.
2. People keep asking for live edge boards and such, which is difficult to do on a swing mill.  
3. Little bit worried about inflation.
4. The money's right right now.  Have four kids, and stimulus money came in ( lol swamp donkey) which pushed me off the fence.  We're also working overtime at work and will be for several months if not most of the year.
5. I needed something to look forward to.  As mentioned in #4, we are working overtime for the next several months. 60 to 70 hours a week, plus farm work, and the kids activities.  Need something to keep me motivated and my mind right on these 12-hour days...  

[esteadle]

But that doesn't solve the lumber issue because no homes will be built in some parts of the country from portable mills with lumber not graded or stamped. The local building authority will stand over you with a stick until you take it down. 

I always hear complaints about building codes on the front (cost) side. Nobody ever talks about the lives saved, and the property and structural damage prevented by having building codes. But anyone with a roof left on the house after a storm should be very thankful that building codes and inspectors exist and are enforced. 
My local inspector passed my rough sawn porch as up to code when I built it from my own air dried lumber from my own mill. Equivalent measurements to code and correct joins and appropriate fasteners were the main considerations, not whether it was stamped and graded. 

[Strangewoods]

Holy wah... if I gotta wait till JULY or beyond I might just wait it out another year. Could bite me in the ars and end up being 2 but at some point things are going to have to slow down? and some percentage are going to look to offload these mills?  Strange times we're in. 

Will patience pay off or bite ya in the ars end?

[Walnut Beast]

It's that way with everything. If I ordered a Gooseneck trailer yesterday it wouldn't show up till August. That's just the way it is now

[TKehl]

I'm not saying this is what it is with sawmills, but with a lot of industries there are delays for material and lack of labor. I know we had a hard time getting certain materials over the summer, and we can't seem to hire anyone who will stay.  Though we did manage to hire someone who was just smart enough to milk the cove and leave policy for 7 weeks out of the 2 months he was employed with us...

[Bandmill Bandit]

But that doesn't solve the lumber issue because no homes will be built in some parts of the country from portable mills with lumber not graded or stamped. The local building authority will stand over you with a stick until you take it down.

I always hear complaints about building codes on the front (cost) side. Nobody ever talks about the lives saved, and the property and structural damage prevented by having building codes. But anyone with a roof left on the house after a storm should be very thankful that building codes and inspectors exist and are enforced.
My local inspector passed my rough sawn porch as up to code when I built it from my own air dried lumber from my own mill. Equivalent measurements to code and correct joins and appropriate fasteners were the main considerations, not whether it was stamped and graded.

It is actually quite easy to get a timber frame or log builder locally that is certified to stamp your own site milled lumber. I work with a couple of them. The fines for NOT getting it certified are kinda high and the inspection/certification costs are reasonable. Also no insurance co will insure without a proper build/material inspection docs and most counties won't issue occupancy certs untill all that is in the file with the all inspection reports in the file. It can be a bit of a pain but I think it is the right way to do it.