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Harbor Freight band mill

Started by IndianaJoe, February 26, 2015, 03:23:52 PM

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IndianaJoe

Hello all, I am new to this forum. My farm is about 100 acres with about half of it being in timber. I was logged out two years ago. In wandering about my wood lots I noticed that they left a lot of large limbs behind, and did not even bother with the dead ash. I have the bug to get a mill and cut these "leavings" to do some projects around the farm, and possibly sell some to the local woodworkers. I am on a shoestring budget, and was wandering what people thought about the HF mill. It looks a lot like the woodland mill.

Joe Hillmann

I don't have experience with the mills but I can say that limbs don't make good lumber.  They usually have lots of tension in them which leads to crooked lumber.

Jeff

Limbs won't make worthwhile lumber, it makes great firewood though.  Woodland Mills is a Forum sponsor, so that is who gets our thumbs up.
Just call me the midget doctor.
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Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
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drobertson

I know of one member at least who has the HF mill, works for him,  limbs on the other hand, you must ask yourself, why did the leave them,  I know a few logs get left behind at times, but the limbs for a reason.  not saying you can't recover something from them, just don't expect good behavior from them,
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

Mm.kasco

I have read many reviews online for the harbor freight sawmill. The majority seem to really like the mill. Being on the shoestring budget I doubt that you could buy the parts and build a mill for the cost of the HF mill . Also there is a 20% coupon you can print off the Internet. They seem to cost about $ 1800.  I was just about to pull the trigger on a HF mill when I found a used Kasco for $ 1500.

21incher

Like everyone has already said, limbs make good firewood. Maybe you could cut them up and sell the firewood to help pay for a mill. All the new HF discount coupons say not good for the purchase of jacks, toolboxes, trencher, or sawmill so you will have to pay full price. I don't think it is comparable to a woodland mill but if you are only cutting for hobby purposes it may work for you. :)
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

goose63

The H F mill is a knock off to the Woodland.
I have a Woodland mill and had a few minor things go wrong but a phone call and I had all the help I needed you wont get that at H F
goose
if you find your self in a deep hole stop digging
saw logs all day what do you get lots of lumber and a day older
thank you to all the vets

hunterbuild

I still like my HF mill. I see them on sale for $1900, and yes the coupons don't work for them now. Still $1900 not bad for what you get. Yes the customer support is lacking, but if you have any mechanical skill you can handle it.     

drobertson

Quote from: hunterbuild on February 26, 2015, 06:05:02 PM
I still like my HF mill. I see them on sale for $1900, and yes the coupons don't work for them now. Still $1900 not bad for what you get. Yes the customer support is lacking, but if you have any mechanical skill you can handle it.   
I like this, mainly because this mindset covers most every mill on the market, regardless of the make,
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

seadawg

Hello everyone, Just had to add my 2cents about the harbor freight mill. I purchased one and to be honest it is a great little mill. I looked at the Norwood mills and did a comparison and they look so similar you might think they were made by the same company. I'm not a professional woodsman or sawyer but it does what I need it to do. It might not work for other people. We have eastern hemlocks here on the farm and I keep a eye open for people taking trees down in the small towns. My intentions for putting this post up is not to run Norwood in the ground but simply to share my thoughts and experience with the other green machine. :snowball:

mesquite buckeye

Regarding the limb thing; I've used lots of limbs for lumber. Probably at least half of all mesquite lumber produced is from limbs.
There will be stress in such logs, worse in thinner ones. With a lot of log turning, cutting out the belly of the log first and lots of leveling cuts, you can make it work. The lumber will continue to move more than trunk lumber until it has dried. If you cut it bigger (thicker) than you think you need it that will help. You can also cut cants, let them wiggle and twist for a few days, then put them back on the mill and get straighter (not straight) lumber. If you are using this kind of stuff for furniture or flooring, less of a problem as you can use shorter pieces. ;D 8) 8) 8) :snowball:

One more thing; lots of times there is more figure in limb logs than trunk logs. Just sayin'. :)
Manage 80 acre tree farm in central Missouri and Mesquite timber and about a gozillion saguaros in Arizona.

TooManyTrees

Quote from: Mm.kasco on February 26, 2015, 04:02:25 PM
I have read many reviews online for the harbor freight sawmill. The majority seem to really like the mill. Being on the shoestring budget I doubt that you could buy the parts and build a mill for the cost of the HF mill . Also there is a 20% coupon you can print off the Internet. They seem to cost about $ 1800.  I was just about to pull the trigger on a HF mill when I found a used Kasco for $ 1500.

I don't think they allow you to use the 20% coupon on the mill anymore.

Busy Beaver Lumber

If you want to get money out of the tree tops, cut them to 16 inches and split them and you can sell them to me as firewood. I will take just about anything but ash, but i can take that too if you take bark and half inch of sap wood off.
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6 x 10 dump trailer
Grizzly 15in Spiral Cut Surface Planer
Grizzly 6in Spiral Cut Joiner
Twister Firewood Bundler
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Save a tree...eat a beaver!

Magicman

Hello seadawg, and Welcome to the Forestry Forum.

How about starting a thread and sharing some of your sawing interest.  Adding your location to your profile also helps with answering questions.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

petefrom bearswamp

busy beaver , why not the ash?
burns great spits easy and produces lots of heat.
I have been burning ash from tops from a timber sale here at home since 2009 and am on the last of it for this early winter.
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
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Magicman

I dislike using Ash for firewood because I have to carry out much more ashes than Red Oak.   :-\
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

kellysguy

Quote from: Magicman on June 01, 2015, 08:27:38 PM
I dislike using Ash for firewood because I have to carry out much more ashes than Red Oak.   :-\

why else you think they call it ash? ;D

Magicman

Thankfully I can be choosy when it comes to my firewood species.   ;D
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Peter Drouin

Quote from: Magicman on June 01, 2015, 09:52:43 PM
Thankfully I can be choosy when it comes to my firewood species.   ;D



you only cut two wheelbarrows full a year :D :D
A&P saw Mill LLC.
45' of Wood Mizer, cutting since 1987.
License NH softwood grader.

sandsawmill14

i like ash in the fall and spring because i can build a really hot fire in the morning to knock the chill off and it will burn right out.  but over all i like a mix of beech or hickory and red oak. white/post oak will work but i dont like it well as the others.  seems like it will never dry.
hudson 228, lucky knuckleboom,stihl 038 064 441 magnum

azmtnman

Quote from: petefrom bearswamp on June 01, 2015, 06:12:59 PM
busy beaver , why not the ash?
burns great spits easy and produces lots of heat.
I have been burning ash from tops from a timber sale here at home since 2009
I am a reformed Hoosier!  :D I'm going to guess it is because of a transport limitation to prevent the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer.
1983 LT 30, 1990 Kubota L3750DT, 2006 Polaris 500 EFI, '03 Dodge D2500 Cummins powered 4X4 long-bed crew cab, 1961 Ford backhoe, Stihl MS250, MS311 and MS661--I cut trees for my boss who was a Jewish carpenter!

beenthere

The knee-jerk reaction to the finding of the EAB in an area is to slap the quarantine on the movement of firewood. IMO it was something to do to show an effort in controlling the spread, albeit no one seems to really know just how it spreads.  But it indeed does spread.

I've burned near 100% white ash for the last four years (5-6 full cords for the season) and do not find it a big ash problem after burning. Maybe 20% more than when burning oak. Nothing like burning black walnut which is at least twice the ash producer.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Magicman

I also avoid Pecan and White Oak because of their ash producing tendencies.  Well I already said it above, my preference is Cherrybark (Red) Oak.  Hottest fire, best coals, and least ashes.

I say all of that and my woodshed is filled with Ash.  It's the tops, etc. from the logs that produced the flooring/ceiling for the Cabin Addition project.  I don't like waste either.   ;D
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Busy Beaver Lumber

Quote from: petefrom bearswamp on June 01, 2015, 06:14:19 PM
busy beaver , why not the ash?
burns great spits easy and produces lots of heat.
I have been burning ash from tops from a timber sale here at home since 2009 and am on the last of it for this early winter.
I have my DNR license and sell to state parks. To sell into the state parks you must remove the bark and 1/2 inch of the sap wood below if you ship ash into a state park.
Woodmizer LT-10 10hp
Epilog Mini 18 Laser Engraver with rotary axis
Digital Wood Carver CNC Machine
6 x 10 dump trailer
Grizzly 15in Spiral Cut Surface Planer
Grizzly 6in Spiral Cut Joiner
Twister Firewood Bundler
Jet 10-20 Drum Sander
Jet Bandsaw



Save a tree...eat a beaver!

IndianaJoe

When they logged me out, I just happened to be out in the field near the pile of ash while one of the broker/buyers was there. I got to talking to him while he was grading the ash. I asked him how it looked, he said that he was sure that most of mine was going to the factory in Jeffersonville. He said that at that time good bat grade ash was going for a premium, because about sixty percent of the loads that were being sent to them were rejected due to EAB infestation.

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