Sawmill trailer build

[JD Picket]

I'm in the design phase of my sawmill trailer build for my Woodlands Mill HM 126. I have been doing a lot of searching online for different designs and ideas people had while building theirs. I was wanting to know if anyone has built a trailer to where there is room on the side of the mill on the trailer for stacking cut lumber to be offloaded later? I'm thinking of making my trailer 5' wide. The mill track is 30" wide. That leaves me about 30" to stack cut lumber to be off loaded on site or once I get home. I also have never been a fan of a trailer that only has one use.

Thanks,
JD

[Kbeitz]

Just another thought... I used a long boat trailer for my mill.
Most of the work is already done. My trailer was wide and I cut 32"
out of the middle to narrow it down. When working with the logs
it's hard enough to reach the log even now. There is no way I
would want my trailer to be any wider. Sometimes boat trailers
can be bought off craiglist real cheap.

[Joe Hillmann]

It may work but I would see it not working well.  You can only stack the lumber high enough so when you the head is all they way down the blade guard won't hit the pile of lumber. 

Also I like my mill bunks to be just above knee height.  Depending on how you set it up one side may be at an ok height an from the other side will be too low.  Also by stacking the lumber right next to the mill it will quickly bet in the way. 

If you are parked next to a log pile building it the way you are thinking would/may prevent you from being able to use a loader to load/roll logs from the other side of the mill. 

Like I said,  It could be done but I don't think you will be happy with it.

[Joe Hillmann]

Have you done any milling with your mill yet?  I would suggest running it for a day or so and stacking the lumber right next to it as if it were on the trailer to see if it works.


This is how I try to set up my mill site.  It allows me lots of room around the mill and I can bring a tractor in from the side opposite the log pile to load or roll big logs or park it with forks on the bucket to stack lumber to make it easier to move.  In the past I have put the slab pile on the other side of the sawdust pile but it often ends up getting in the way or once the pile gets too big it wants to fall into my walking path and I have to re stack it.


 

[Ljohnsaw]

Just talking without thinking it through all the way.  I'm assuming you don't have a hydraulic loader setup.  What if, on the trailer, you set up a dead deck to hold a log or two - opposite of where you are walking.  The deck could also be used to temporarily hold the flitches that need to be edged once you are done processing the current log.  Obviously it would have to be set up so as not to interfere with your mill head (lowering all the way down).

The space under the log deck could be used to store/haul cut lumber.  You could go a step further and have a fold out extension for the log deck...

[WV Sawmiller]

JD,

   Are you going to leave the mill permanently mounted to the trailer? If so you might check with your state DMV. In WV my mill is defined as a piece of mobile equipment and does not require a trailer tag but if I were to use it for additional purposes I'd have to register and tag it. If SC is like WV about this then you have to decide if using the trailer for your additional purposes is worth the extra expense of tagging and such.

   Just a thought - remember Free Advice is worth what you paid for it.

[fishfighter]

I see nothing but problems trying to stack lumber on a trailer with the mill mounted on that trailer. By adding a lot of weight, I sure it will flex the trailer bed on one side. Then, I see more time clearing out saw dust build up on the bed. Also, trying to reach over to adjust your back stops, you will be climbing on the trailer a lot.