Whatcha Sawin' 2021 ??

Magicman · December 31, 2020, 10:05:41 AM

I started the original Whatcha Sawin' ?? topic with this picture back in 2014. Wow, how many of our logs have become lumber and sawdust in the past 6 years??

For my sawing, this next year is starting off with 19 sawing jobs on the list. Some of these customers really wanted it done this year but I decided to "schedule some vacation" and take a few weeks off.

So the question is: Whatcha Sawin' 2021 ??

terrifictimbersllc · December 31, 2020, 10:26:03 AM

2020 was shaky over the spring and summer, but picked up dramatically in September, so now I ended up almost exactly same revenue as 2019.

For 2021, I have 3 jobs scheduled and two who waiting for me to give them dates.

Then a dozen or so where we are going back and forth asking for information.
3/4 of those are probably still learning that logs are heavy, lumber is heavy, and wood has to be dried.

So things just keep rolling forward pretty much as usual.

Bruno of NH · December 31, 2020, 12:41:35 PM

After 2 week of equipment troubles and a bad snow storm.
I'm finally back milling.
2020 was the most lumber i have ever sawn.
I hope to better that in 2021.

firefighter ontheside · December 31, 2020, 12:54:45 PM

In 2021 I plan to promote my sawmill business more. This year I did not create a single ad to promote people bringing me their logs to saw. I just didn't want a lot of strangers coming to my place, especially early in the pandemic. I did have a few repeat customers and word of mouth folks bring their logs, but I didn't let them stay to help. If my production rate goes up like I hope it does, I will raise my hourly rate.
Aside from that, I want to get a lot of already cut lumber into the kiln and sold. I've got a lot of logs that need to be made into lumber before they become bug food. I think my next major goal would be figuring out some way to store dried lumber. Perhaps along the lines of Doc's container. I expect 2021 will be a safer time to have customers coming to my place.

SawyerTed · December 31, 2020, 04:15:03 PM

2020 had a split personality for me. Sometimes I had plenty of jobs and logs to saw. Sometimes things were very quiet. I sawed more lumber this year as well. The last few months since I adjusted my business plan have been more profitable.

For 2021 I have seven portable jobs scheduled already. I have a handful of standing orders with purchase orders in hand for first quarter 2021. There's a market I've got my foot into the door, I hope will expand.

longtime lurker · December 31, 2020, 07:07:49 PM

2020 was a mixed bag. Told my largest customer to stick it where the sun dont shine early in the year, then COVID had me second guessing that before it turned into a year of high retail demand, then picked up the nightmare dream job at the finish.

2021 starts with my own spec work backlogged, my regular guys all ticking away steadily, 1 contract sawing job in hand but I'm 45 days behind schedule on it, and another thats almost surely going to go. I have no idea how I'm going to do this... I dont have the equipment I need, I dont have the necessary skilled manpower for the equipment, I'm cash poor because I've been getting hammered with breakdowns, I don't trust any of these guys beyond the letter of the contracts. And I kinda need all three - 2 big multi year contract cutting orders plus my established business - to balance it all out so any one leg can fall and I'll make out. But I guess if it was easy anyone could do it.

It's January 01 here so I want to wish each and every one of you a fantastic 2021, and thank you for all the insights you've shared through 2020.
John

Stephen1 · December 31, 2020, 07:36:19 PM

2020 was a great year for me, I have 3 custom saw jobs sitting in the yard for next year, the 3 drying sheds are full of customers wood waiting for the kiln, I have 2 bundles of my own sawn, walnut, spalted maple waiting to go in the kiln. I am keeping things running just like that, just enough for me. I am probably in a position to purchse another kiln, but I would need to hire someone and then I would have an extra head ache I don't really want at my age. I am also not a believer tht this economy will keep on rolling. There is a lot of Government money rolling around, driving up prices and supplies. It has to end and the person with the cash wins.

TimW · January 01, 2021, 01:06:57 AM

I'm gonna saw stuff. Just a little more than I did in 2020.
hugs, Brandi

Magicman · January 01, 2021, 08:38:32 AM

Looking at my sawing job list, it appears that I just might start off with a bang. First up will be a 70 mile road trip ~200 SYP & Oak log job that I will start Monday. This is a repeat customer.

There are 5 other quite large jobs that are 90-150 miles away and two of them are repeat customers. That leaves 13 more small 1-2 day jobs.

I have 25 new blades, ~15-20 resharps, and 10 at ReSharp so I should be ahead of the curve on the ReSharp backlog. I received two 1½ X 7/39 (Turbos) to try but there will not be an opportunity to experiment any time soon. Just sawing um and leaving um. ;D

WV Sawmiller · January 01, 2021, 09:02:33 AM

I'm almost embarrassed to post when I look at the kind of number the MM posted for last year but, in spite of all the setbacks, I sawed a little more in 2020 than my previous best year but well over double the last 2 years.

This time of year is always slow because of the cold and mud from rain and melting snow so I scheduled cataract surgery 11 January and I am sure I will be limited in what I can do for a few weeks.

I have a couple of mobile jobs in the works where I did a site visit and am just waiting on the customer to get his trees cut down and logs assembled on site. Some of those will pan out, some will not if history repeats itself.

I have plans to build another bay on to my last storage shed I built for an additional 10X12 covered storage area which is always in short supply. No other real big plans for expansion at this time.

Happy New Year to all and stay safe out there.

TimW · January 01, 2021, 02:55:54 PM

Quote from: Magicman on January 01, 2021, 08:38:32 AM
Looking at my sawing job list, it appears that I just might start off with a bang. First up will be a 70 mile road trip ~200 SYP & Oak log job that I will start Monday. This is a repeat customer.

There are 5 other quite large jobs that are 90-150 miles away and two of them are repeat customers. That leaves 13 more small 1-2 day jobs.

I have 25 new blades, ~15-20 resharps, and 10 at ReSharp so I should be ahead of the curve on the ReSharp backlog. I received two 1½ X 7/39 (Turbos) to try but there will not be an opportunity to experiment any time soon. Just sawing um and leaving um. ;D

Lynn,
Let us know how the blades do, please. Happy New Year.
hugs, Brandi

123maxbars · January 01, 2021, 03:25:58 PM

This was actually my last logs of 2020 and I finished them up today, a small rainbow poplar and a good size cherry,

This Log Will Blow You Away, Massive Cherry On The Wood-Mizer - YouTube

Magicman · January 01, 2021, 04:01:24 PM

I will Brandi but for now I will be using my old standby 1¼" X T7°'s.

I have been idling for a few weeks so this morning I was surprised at how much "getting ready" I had to do. Fill the Diesel cans, mix chainsaw gas and fill my traveling gas cans, fill my chainsaw bar oil can, fold blades and fill my "magic blade can" & backseat box with blades, replenish the wire brush box, fill my blade lube jugs with antifreeze mix, and fill my ATF jugs. Guess that I had better get my lunch box out too. :

I was running and gunning in November and the first of December so tomorrow morning I will change the sawmill engine oil and replace the oil and fuel filters. I normally do oil changes, etc. at 250 hours, but this time it has been 300. Not a problem but it will be done before I saw again. Scheduled ~200 log 70 mile road trip starting Monday.

Hackeldam Wood Products · January 01, 2021, 04:07:22 PM

Quote from: Magicman on December 31, 2020, 10:05:41 AM

I started the original Whatcha Sawin' ?? topic with this picture back in 2014. Wow, how many of our logs have become lumber and sawdust in the past 6 years??

For my sawing, this next year is starting off with 19 sawing jobs on the list. Some of these customers really wanted it done this year but I decided to "schedule some vacation" and take a few weeks off.

So the question is: Whatcha Sawin' 2021 ??
I

You are the busiest sawyer I know and a inspiration to an old (60) guy like me. Enjoy a Happy Healthy New Year.

Hackeldam Wood Products · January 01, 2021, 04:10:36 PM

Quote from: 123maxbars on January 01, 2021, 03:25:58 PM
This was actually my last logs of 2020 and I finished them up today, a small rainbow poplar and a good size cherry,

This Log Will Blow You Away, Massive Cherry On The Wood-Mizer - YouTube

Happy and Healthy New Year to you, your wife, Bruno and the cats and Dogs.
Rich

Hackeldam Wood Products · January 01, 2021, 04:13:14 PM

Quote from: WV Sawmiller on January 01, 2021, 09:02:33 AM
I'm almost embarrassed to post when I look at the kind of number the MM posted for last year but, in spite of all the setbacks, I sawed a little more in 2020 than my previous best year but well over double the last 2 years.

This time of year is always slow because of the cold and mud from rain and melting snow so I scheduled cataract surgery 11 January and I am sure I will be limited in what I can do for a few weeks.

I have a couple of mobile jobs in the works where I did a site visit and am just waiting on the customer to get his trees cut down and logs assembled on site. Some of those will pan out, some will not if history repeats itself.

I have plans to build another bay on to my last storage shed I built for an additional 10X12 covered storage area which is always in short supply. No other real big plans for expansion at this time.

Happy New Year to all and stay safe out there.

Happy Healthy New Year, Howard. Good luck with the eye surgery.

Hackeldam Wood Products · January 01, 2021, 04:18:40 PM

I plan on making some Lap siding in 2021 for a 10X12 shed that I am going to use for a planer and a cut to length station. I was going to buy a new one but got lucky and this one was on a post on the Wood-Mizer F.B. page yesterday. I drove a 120 miles to Illion, N.Y. to pick it up this morning. Met another nice guy with a sawmill. Happy New Year to all of you.

Hackeldam Wood Products · January 01, 2021, 04:22:06 PM

Another F.B. Marketplace find. No more lifting heavy slabs. A 80 mile road trip to P.A. Put a few miles on the Cummins this week...

Walnut Beast · January 01, 2021, 04:47:23 PM

Lucky boy. Nice treasure

Walnut Beast · January 01, 2021, 04:50:36 PM

Quote from: richhiway on January 01, 2021, 04:07:22 PM
Quote from: Magicman on December 31, 2020, 10:05:41 AM

I started the original Whatcha Sawin' ?? topic with this picture back in 2014. Wow, how many of our logs have become lumber and sawdust in the past 6 years??

For my sawing, this next year is starting off with 19 sawing jobs on the list. Some of these customers really wanted it done this year but I decided to "schedule some vacation" and take a few weeks off.

So the question is: Whatcha Sawin' 2021 ??
I
You are the busiest sawyer I know and a inspiration to an old (60) guy like me. Enjoy a Happy Healthy New Year.

Yes indeed. Your a Stud in my book Magicman. Thanks for all your input and wisdom 👍

KenMac · January 02, 2021, 05:36:31 PM

I haven't started my sawmill in 2021 yet, but I did set and sharpen enough blades to do me for a while when I get back to sawing next week. 8)

DPatton · January 02, 2021, 09:11:14 PM

2020 was a good growing year for D&S Sawmill Services and I'm proud of my accomplishments this year. What I do is small potatoes to what so many of you guys do but that's ok with me. I still work a full time job as a construction superintendent for one of the larger building contractors in Nebraska, so my sawing business is part time mainly just weekends for now. I completed 26 custom sawing jobs durning the 2020 season and increased the companies gross sales 2 1/2 times over my first official year in business (2019). I've begun to acquire some satisfied repeat clients, and met some great people with at least one similar interest along the way. I can honestly say that I sincerely enjoy my days that are spent traveling to new locations and custom sawing. I'm looking forward to 2021 and am currently spending a little time here in January sawing some materials for future sales. 2021 has also brought with it a rate increase because simply put, I've been told I'm not charging enough for the yield I regularly produce. 2021 is also the year I'm going to make it a priority to get my first solar kiln built and into production. This could be a game changer in my material sales market but will also require more time on my part to keep it operating.

caveman · January 02, 2021, 09:15:40 PM

John and I brought home a large butt log form a lightning killed, laurel oak that I dropped earlier in the week for an 82 year old neighbor. We also brought a few pecan logs home from my uncle's place today. We sawed one and went through three blades in attempts to get it to cut flat. We determined that one of us needs to be spraying diesel on the bottom of the blade or configure a blade lube system that cleans both sides of the blade. Sawing with a south wind like we had today is dang near torture.

One of the pecan slabs with included bark.

laurel oak. We may saw the pecan butt log tomorrow.

WDH · January 02, 2021, 09:31:52 PM

Kyle,

caveman · January 03, 2021, 05:43:56 AM

Yes, sir, but sometimes the potential reward is worth the trouble and aggravation. We may try to saw the butt log today. We cut the slabs yesterday at 2 1/2" thick (@WDH) in order to hopefully have enough to work with to flatten them after drying. We were about maxed out on width while using the backstops- does sawing at this thickness seem like a sound plan?