Winter Sawmilling?

[RobJ]

Hello,

I have been reading over the Forestry Forum for over a month now, and doing research for even longer than that.  Currently I am the construction foreman for a landscaping company in Southwestern Ontario.  I make enough money to support myself and partner by doing longer hours and weekends during the Spring, Summer and Fall.  However during the winter I am laid off and while it is nice for the first few weeks to rest up after a hectic season, by February and March I start to get a little antsy.  This past winter I have been looking into self employment possibilities during the off season, and milling has been something that I have always been interested in.  I have already contacted Woodmizer and received their catalog, and will going to be  touring a mill in the next couple weeks.  Due to financials I would most likely be purchasing a manual mill, like the LT15.

My idea is to purchase a load of logs in the winter time and work my through them during the winter, air dry, and then sell through word of mouth, classifieds etc.  What I would like is some input on this idea.  Do many mills continue through the winter? Is it even worth it to try and move your logs through the snow?  I already have a full time job that supports us, but I am looking for something to give us a bit of supplemental income.  Because of the hours I need to put into landscaping during the summer the mill would really only be used in the winter.

Thank you

[beenthere]

Welcome to the forum.

Check out member Quebecnewf for some of his threads on milling as I believe he does some in the winter time.

A place to store the logs near (or in) the mill shed would limit the amount of dragging in the snow. Likely the more room in the shed to work the better this idea will work for you.

That being said, you didn't mention a shed being available.

[millwright]

Welcome to the forum, you will learn alot hanging around here. As far as milling in the winter I do in northern  Wisconsin with no major problems, we saw mainly redpine and I think it saws fine as the pitch is frozen snd not to much of a problem.

[bandmiller2]

Welcome Rob,Landscaping is next of kin to tree work,collect logs when and where you can.Your first project should be a building for your mill and some covered storage for logs.Face the building to catch the winter sun and be comfy to work in.Make and sell homeowner things like toolhouses,garden furnature est. Frank C.

[Magicman]

Since I am on the other end of the Continent, I can not give you any Winter sawing advice, but I can say Welcome to the Forestry Forum.   

[shelbycharger400]

anything in the winter is going to take more energy... =  food!!
snow is a pta!
What equipment do you have?
I know what i dont have, and cutting these trees down, haulin the firewood is not fun trapin through snow.

[homesteader shane]

I live east of Peterborough Ontario I do mill in the winter with a manual mill as well but it is harder and slower then the summer so I don't do as much. I have found that keeping everything plowed and snow banks at a distance helps and kept the band liquid from freezing can be a challenging. The other problem I've ran into is getting the frozen logs on the mill, I have a roll on system set up for summer but the frozen logs won't get any friction to roll up on the mill. I have a tractor but depending on the weather it might not be worth starting for 20min worth of work. If you have the time and the equipment it can be done.
I have an uncle that lives in Cambridge and he told me that he knew  of a person out that way that gets logs off of the roads department and Hydro and cuts them, of course he has to pick them up and had been doing it for years but I don't think he sold any of it.
good luck in what ever decision you make
If you are ever heading east let me know

[Chuck White]

Welcome to the Forestry Forum Rob.

This is a great place to hang out!

[bandmiller2]

Rob, winter is the classic time for sawmilling,most sawmillers were/are farmers keeping busy during winter.Theirs little worse than skeeters,and blackflies in a humid woods.What myself and partner used to do was start cutting as soon as it got cool, get the firewood out of the way.Would cut oaks that would have a couple of good logs and firewood.First snow would yard out the logs with my old OC-6 crawler to the mill.When the snow got deep we would enjoy milling under a roof.Really want to get spoiled, have a roof over your log pile.Frank c.

[RobJ]

Thanks for the input everybody.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Deep snow and (if this applies) willingness of customers to think of going outside when it's cold can slow down business. But working you'll keep warm.  Harder on your equipment when it's cold.  Better have 4WD on your truck.  Check out LL Bean for thermal underwear.   8) When your enthusiasm is up cold won't matter it's when things go wrong that it's hard.    : :

Wecome to FF.

[Bill Gaiche]

Welcome aboard. Hope your plans work out. I believe you will get more out of milling than just milling lumber. Good luck, bg