Ratio of time milling to time moving wood around

[slider]

At my age production is no big deal,i saw alone most of the time.I set my 12 ft roller table at my end far enough to walk through and the skid steer with forks on the outside for the slabs . Then 2 saw horses on the inside for the boards .I stack and sticker as i go.When i have a good pack i move the roller table out of the way and move the finished pack.It works well for me.

[TroyC]

 Did this little job last week. Started on Monday by cutting and hauling the tree. Finished on Thursday.






 


There were 7 8'6 logs from the tree. Butt log was about 30" or so.



 

Manual mill so labor intensive. One man operation. Boards were all cut to 2x10". 4 6x6x8'6" were also cut.



 

Finished and loaded.







Start hours 100.6.



 

Finished at 106.4, 5.8 engine hours over 4 days to cut and mill the tree and load boards on the trailer. Total board ft cut was right about 700 bd ft. This was not a straight 8 hour day during the process, a couple naps and other projects were included.

[Nealm66]

I'm noticing a similar bd ft per hour on my manual sawmill as well. I have a younger/stronger ( probably smarter) guy that wants to help starting this November and really curious to see if it more than doubles production once he gets skilled.  

[TroyC]

A helper will definitely speed things up. I spend a lot of time walking around and moving stuff.

[Larry]

This was not a straight 8 hour day during the process, a couple naps and other projects were included.

Naps are very important and should not be neglected, especially on hot summertime afternoons. 

"What one can do today can always be put off until tomorrow."  Larry

[Andries]

TroyC, nice follow up.
Photos are always a bonus.
You've put up some interesting numbers. In the four days milling, you racked up 5.8 motor hours.
Well, let's say that is four days at six hours each (two hours for texting his kids or zzzz) that gives him 24 hours total concentrating on that one job. A 1:4.1 ratio to get the logs, mill 'em and stack them up. From tree to invoice.
So, if Larry wanted to feel less beat-up at the end of each day, would a drag-back or a hydraulic mill change that ratio much? Would an edger or a hired hand speed things up and bring more cash ?
It's just another way to have a look at your very own, one-of-a-kind operation, and consider your options. If you change the operation, it's an easy way to measure the benefit. It's not always about the cash.
Only TroyC knows for sure.

[Larry]

So, if Larry wanted to feel less beat-up at the end of each day, would a drag-back or a hydraulic mill change that ratio much? Would an edger or a hired hand speed things up and bring more cash ?

Larry does have a drag-back and a hydraulic mill along with a bunch of other labor saving toys.  I made the decision 13 years ago that if I wanted to play with the big logs I needed more than a tractor and cant hook.

And I never feel beat up because I take naps! :D

[Andries]

I modified my post as soon as I saw my error in the names.
You're quick Larry!

[WV Sawmiller]

   I am pretty anal about keeping up with bf and sawing time and with 1400 hours and a little over 257,000 bf on my hydraulic mill I am sawing just over 184 bf per hour but that is just engine hours and not the other time I used in prep, stacking clean-up etc. I shut the mill off while loading the next log and usually take a load of slabs to the dump pile after every log or two when I am sawing at home.

    When I am sawing with a good helper or two, decent logs and swing 4/4 & 8/4 mixed lumber I can typically saw 2,000-2,500 bf in an 8 hour session with about 6-7 engine hours but that means the helper(s) keep the logs loaded and the boards/flitches moved off as produced.