First full day sawing

[highway]

I sawed a full 6 hours yesterday. Customer wanted 3" x random widths oak planks for a timber bridge he is building. Logs were clean and straight bit small in diameter. Averaging 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Slow going loading and unloading by his tractor. But it all worked out. The hydraulics are amazing, so glad I bit the bullet and spent the money. The last two logs we sawed were 26" pine but logs, 8' long each. Those sawed nicely and he got some nice boards out of them.

I think I would have charged by the hour next time for the oak job though. The production was not what I wanted. Not sure what to charge for that? I charged .20 lb foot for the pine, maybe I am to low.

ended the day pushing the carriage manually through the last few pine boards. The drive motor for the carriage seems to have lost a square key that mates the drive motor shaft to the gear that runs on the chain, I haven't pulled it apart yet but was kind of disappointed it broke with only 12 hours on the whole machine..

Other than that I really like this Norwood HD36 mill. Had a local friend that was entertaining visitors from Switzerland stop by, he was incredibly impressed and jealous of the mill, I guess to get one in Switzerland is terribly expensive. They were taking pictures and movies and such, kinda fun.

Ed

[Bruno of NH]

Highway
Looking good .
To low on your bf price IMO
Some jobs should be by the hour .
Jim/Bruno

[slider]

Good job Highway.Things break from time to time on any mill.I thing you may be a bit low on your rate as well.I was a .20 a bd foot 15 years ago.

[ncsawyer]

I have some really good repeat customers that I will saw for for 0.20 per board foot, but they have loads of help and a good quick loader operator.  They always have nice logs and I can usually make around 3000 feet in a day.  Not to mention I get fed for free.  But the 0.20 per board foot customers are few and far between. 

[Magicman]

Considering the sawmill cost, fuel, blades, travel, and normal upkeep, there is not much left on the table for you @ .20 bf.  :-\

[highway]

I fixed the drive motor problem, .65 cent keyway and we are back in business.  8)

I did the math and as suggested am way low on the BF price, I will have to work on that.

Got the mill in the shop and added the 4' bed extension so I can saw the longer lengths. Should be good to go now. New box of blades arrived as well.


Ed