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What is a good deal on a used sawmill?

Started by Hooterspfld, January 14, 2019, 09:34:11 PM

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Hooterspfld

So I've been keeping my eye out for a used sawmill to continue my hobby interest. A sawmill at this point for me is a "want" not a "need" and being so, I feel like it'd have to be a great deal for me to be able to justify the expense. However, there are rarely any used starter sized mills on the market and when I do find them, they seem very pricey! For example, there's a Ez Boardwalk Jr, within a couple hours from me with the following description: 
EZ Boardwalk JR, Band Saw Mill.
15ft track with 5ft extension.
13 HP Honda motor in like new condition.
Cuts 30"x17'2" log
Comes with log turner and approximately 8 blades
Saw has less than 40 hours run time and has been kept in great shape


He wants $4800, for what I can tell would cost $5475 new or $5850 with tax included. From pics it does look very nice, but it's still a used saw. I don't know if he's dropped big logs on it, let fuel sit in it or who knows what else. Any experience out there buying used mills and what should one expect to pay compared to new?

Woodpecker52

Most mills especially woodmizer keep their value and most are well built to handle heavy use hence the high values you see.  All mills will have faded paint and a few battle scars but this ain't like autos where there are a lot for sale.  Law of supply and demand at work. I think most owners keep their mills in good shape.
Woodmizer LT-15, Ross Pony #1 planner, Ford 2600 tractor, Stihl chainsaws, Kubota rtv900 Kubota L3830F tractor

jaygtree

if you're in the lookin stage of buying a mill and the ez jr is only two hours from you it would be a good opportunity to go try it out if the seller is agreeable to that. it would give you valuable experience and information for making a purchasing decision in the future.  jg
i thought i was wrong once but i wasn't.   atv, log arch, chainsaw and ez boardwalk jr.

Southside

You also have to figure in the economy is strong and steel has gone up, so used will hold their value longer.  This winter I have seen a couple of LT35's - same year as mine - sell for more than what I paid for mine used 4 years ago, that makes me smile!!  
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Darrel

If the mill is:

-used and 4 or more years old.
-manufactured by a reputable company
-well maintained
-fair market price

Justification of purchase is easy.  You will always be able to recoup purchase price and quite possibly have $$$ extra when you ever decide to sell.

I bought my LT40 in 2014 and I was talking to a guy just the other day that just bought a mill just like mine and paid $4,000 more for his than I did for mine. The sawmill exchange, see their add at bottom of page, had a mill like mine for sale a while back asking $5,000 more than I paid for mine. I tell people if you buy used, you can't loose.
1992 LT40HD

If I don't pick myself up by my own bootstraps, nobody else will.

terrifictimbersllc

If you have little experience milling it might be hard to spot some kinds of damage like you mention.  Good looking over on high alert maybe with a checklist you thought of in advance would cover a lot of the bases.

But in any case, little or well experienced,  if the seller can show you that he can saw a few boards off a log and then you saw one or two and it seems to work well giving smooth flat uniform thickness boards without any apparent problems, that would be a good test.
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

Stephen1

I imported my LT40HD from the USA 7 years ago. I sold it for 1500$ less than what it cost me.
I bought it with 700 hrs and sold it with 1900 hrs on it, I did replace a lot of items, electric motors, bearings and such, but the saw still ran and cut great. The 24 0nan still ran and hardly used any oil. The only issue I had was finding new mufflers.
Sawmills hold thier value, and last thousands of hours. A life time in some cases.
Ask MM, he has 90's mill and is still  making him money.
IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

Kwill

There is a lt40 to the west of you and a hudson also. 
Built my own hydraulic splitter
Built my own outdoor wood stove
Built my own log arch
built my own bandsaw sawmill
Built my own atv log arch.
Built my own FEL grapple

Hooterspfld

Thanks for the advice to everyone. I kinda figured it would be like what I ran into when buying my chainsaws. If a chainsaw or sawmill still works as it should, it's going to retain alot of it's value. I'm not in any hurry to buy one, honestly want to do some more chainsaw milling and try to get my kiln up and running over the next 6 months. Plan to just keep my eye out on the interwebs in case something comes up, I've had some good deals fall in my lap in the past.  

Thanks for the suggestions Kwill,

I saw the LT40, but it looked abit ruff and 17,500 is out of my budget plus I'd prefere gas, cause I don't have much to any diesel experience.  The hudson was electric if I'm seeing the one you saw which wouldn't work either. There also a LT28 for $9,600 that looked like a good deal, but again a little more than I'm ready to spend.

I found this one though that looked interesting. If anyone has any opinion on it:

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Southside

For what it's worth, in the sawmill world torque is king, so if you had the option of diesel over gas, with everything else fitting your needs, go for the diesel, better performance, better fuel economy, and longer engine life - you won't regret it.  
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

richhiway

If you buy one in good shape and take care of it,it will hold it's value. True for most quality equipment. So look at it as a investment, not a cost. If you keep it two years and lose 1200 dollars that is only 12.50 a week, think of the enjoyment you will have for the price of lunch. 
Woodmizer LT 40
New Holland 35 hp tractor
Stihl Chainsaws
Ford 340 Backhoe

justallan1

I'd say go check it out and have the seller demo it for you.
I have an EZ Boardwalk Jr. and the thing is solid iron. Short of something bad with the engine I can't imagine anything else going bad without you being able to see or hear it while it's running. They are not that complex.
With the 30-40 blades I have and a track extension that I built, I wouldn't consider selling mine for much less than it's worth new. To be fair, I probably only have 40 on mine also though.
Something else to consider is giving Stanton at EZ Boardwalk a call. When I bought mine we had set it up that I would build my own tracks and he'd cut some off the price for me, therefore I'd save on the price and the shipping.
Hope this helps a bit.

Kwill

There is a timbery on spfd cl cant post a link.
Built my own hydraulic splitter
Built my own outdoor wood stove
Built my own log arch
built my own bandsaw sawmill
Built my own atv log arch.
Built my own FEL grapple

southland

Here is a super deal I missed out on a couple of weeks ago. Norwood HD36

moodnacreek

Rule of thumb, used machinery: A popular machine in good condition say 10-15 years old, worth one half price of similar machine new.

Kwill

Lt40 in Washburn mo. For 13k 24hp hydraulic 
Built my own hydraulic splitter
Built my own outdoor wood stove
Built my own log arch
built my own bandsaw sawmill
Built my own atv log arch.
Built my own FEL grapple

Hooterspfld

Thanks Kwill, Yeah I saw that LT40. Looks like a pretty good deal, as much as I'd like it, probably a little more saw than I need or could justify. There's a Ez Boardwalk Jr. that I might go take a look at if it's still for sale. I'm in the middle of a 25 day stretch of work with no days off, so can't really get out to look at anything right now. 

Southland, now that's the type I've deal i wouldn't be able to pass up!!!

Kwill

I would think we would see more of the lower end saws in our area for sale. Like the hudsons or harbor freight mills. I dont think i have ever ran across any of those.
Built my own hydraulic splitter
Built my own outdoor wood stove
Built my own log arch
built my own bandsaw sawmill
Built my own atv log arch.
Built my own FEL grapple

John Bartley

Quote from: moodnacreek on January 18, 2019, 08:42:00 AM
Rule of thumb, used machinery: A popular machine in good condition say 10-15 years old, worth one half price of similar machine new.
This (above ^^) is the rule of thumb that we used in the power equipment business for all the time I ran my shop.  Half of new in 70%+ condition is what used "retail" would have been.  Dealers taking a trade would give 15 to 30 percent less than that.
cheers
Kioti DK35HSE w/loader & forks
Champion 25hp band mill, 20' bed
Stihl MS361
Stihl 026

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