Just a few more thoughts from a new sawyer about this hobby/business. I'm far from an expert but am beginning to see the possibility that I will eventually live up to the title of "sawyer." In no specific order....
1. A portable sawyer requires a good truck.
2. Portable sawmilling is hard on a truck.
3. Blade storage and management requires forethought.
4. You don't know what's involved with blade management and storage until you have to. It's a "Catch 22"
5. A new sawyer doesn't know what he doesn't know
6. No matter how much a new mill owner wants to, leave the walnut log until you've sawed several hundred board feet. (See #5)
7. Some wood just will not behave after being cut no matter what.
8. It's hard to get too much help at the mill, it is hard when you have too little help.
9. There's a difference between being a sawyer and a machine operator. You must think differently to become a sawyer.
10. Every log is different, a sawyer learns why and saws accordingly.
11. A machine operator will produce a lot of material for the fire pit, stove or burn pile. A sawyer not so much.
12. Look at free logs with a jaundiced eye. There's usually a catch.
13. Your business model/plan needs to be flexible - follow the market as necessary.
14. Learn to instruct helpers on safety and efficient off bearing.
15. Teaching proper stacking and stickering requires persistence and patience.
16. Customers require education sometimes - they sometimes want 2x10s from 10" logs.
17. Don't under estimate the value of your labor.
18. Get a bigger truck/sign/tractor/shed
19. When you plan your sawmill shed, plan what you think. Then double that.
20. When you build your sawmill shed, go ahead and grade the site for the addition.
21. Good gloves are consumable, nobody wears crummie gloves so they last forever.
22. Between May and October, set up in the shade if you can.
23. Read the manual first.
24. Marketing and sawing are codependent. Neither one is easy.
25. Free onsite customer consultations pay for themselves.
26. Cookies are easy money especially on short notice.
27. 30 blades are not enough, 45 is a start if you are sawing 3 or more days per week.
28. Blades purchased at the same time will likely have a similar life expectancy. Stagger blade purchases.
29. Maintenance pays for itself.
Ted,
Very good points. One of my favorites is #12.
@Magicman (http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=10011) has a good blade storage solution.
Yes Magicman does but he prefers to coil blades. My preference is flat storage. Either way, sharp blades and dull blades management is something that one has to do to understand.
Yup, whatever works best. I have never found a way to transport the flats in my truck to suit my liking. For trips lasting a week I put two cubes on my truck's back seat in addition to the waterproof Magic Can in the back.
#5!
Keep the prevailing wind direction in mind when you set up. Nothing worse than dust blowing in your face -Ash, because it's so dry already, is particularly bad.
Best gloves I've found is the Stihl Timbersports gloves, but they are not ideal. They fit great and since they are like a batting glove, give you better feel. I also moisturize the leather to make it last longer. The downside is the black spandex material between the leather and the top nylon. It starts failing after 2 or 3 weeks leaving holes for your fingers to slip out of. I really wish they'd get rid of the spandex and use a tougher static material like rip stop.
I think #9 should be "Number 1".
YH, that transition from operator to sawyer IS really important. It isn't a smooth curve. Sometimes it's learning about the logs, sometimes it's learning about the mill, other times it's blades, and sometimes it is material handling and so on. Sometimes it's looking at a stack of lumber and realizing it was a tough fight that day. But when things come together for a new sawyer, it feels good.
Last week I had a day when things just weren't going right. My helper and I quit before something went really wrong. We came back the next day and had a 1000 board feet day! I felt like we really made progress after that one tough day.
Great post Ted!
I charge almost twice the local standard rate for customer sawing and get more business than I can handle. I usually ask them why they don't go down the road to the seemingly dozen other guys who own bandmills? Typically, the answer I get back is "I've tried them because they are a lot cheaper, and they have a nice mill, sure, but they don't know what they are doing".
Being a sawyer is a lot more than buying a mill and reading the brochure.
Unlike many highly specialized trades, with bandsawmilling, there is normally not an apprentice period. Buy the mill, get to sawing.
Who would hire a guy to brick their new house if they knew he had just bought his first trowl a few weeks ago, and learned to lay brick and mix mortar by watching YouTube videos?
From the list you've made, and your posts, I'd say you are doing just fine. 8)
The only way to learn to mill is to just do it. You'll learn 80% that way, and the other 20% from other sawyers(this forum) ;D
When Woodmizer sells you a mill and you pick it up, they'll demo it for you. But if you think you're going to learn to mill that way, think again. There's too much to absorb right off the bat. It's a good start, but you can only absorb a little at a time. That is why it's important to do it. You can build your knowledge bit by bit as you go along.
That's a good list with some very valid points. Knowing what you need to work on is half the battle.
Not sure if it will help you or not, but I made 2 plywood boxes to carry 2 different degree blades to jobs. Then when blades come off the mill they get coiled. At the end of the day all the coiled dull blades go around a gas can.
Great post. New to sawmilling myself and dont know much of anything yet, definitely inspirational for sure.
I find myself saying that operating a sawmill is easy but sawing a log is much much harder. Still learning.
Bob
Thanks for the encouraging words. There have been several new people here lately. Since I'm a few months into this, I wanted to pass along some of my thoughts.
The more I've learned the more I find I need to learn. Some learning doesn't come in this business unless I make a mistake. Usually those mistakes are caused by either thinking I know what I'm doing or trying something new. Even with all the valuable knowledge here, there's some stuff you just have to do to understand.
Being a retired educator, I suppose reflecting on my progress is in my nature.
Come winter, if you're cold, you're not working hard enough.
Great post! One of the first things you have to decide is whether sawing is a hobby, or a business. A hobby is something you spend money on, for leisure and enjoyment. A business is trading goods or services for money to create income, and has to break even or (hopefully) generate a profit. If your running a business, be very careful about #18, and #19. You could get in over your head in debt, before you generate enough cash flow to pay it back. (Too many new businesses fail this way). As far as becoming a sawyer, you have to learn first hand (practice, practice, practice) to get good at any skill.
Excellent post/thread. We've been cutting for ourselves this season (practice) and #11 has definitely been in play. Between school of hard knocks and this forum, the fire pit fuel has been less prevalent. Huge respect to the sawyers.
Quote from: Resonator on October 15, 2018, 10:35:25 AM
Great post! One of the first things you have to decide is whether sawing is a hobby, or a business. A hobby is something you spend money on, for leisure and enjoyment. A business is trading goods or services for money to create income, and has to break even or (hopefully) generate a profit. If your running a business, be very careful about #18, and #19. You could get in over your head in debt, before you generate enough cash flow to pay it back. (Too many new businesses fail this way). As far as becoming a sawyer, you have to learn first hand (practice, practice, practice) to get good at any skill.
You are absolutely right! This is a business for me. And decisions about equipment, even small items, have to be within means of the business without pulling excessive amounts of personal funds into play. At only 7 months, the bigger truck and other equipment is on the wish list. I have to make do. On the other hand a sawmill shed/drying shed is a priority! Not being able to saw on rainy days is hurting my productivity.
5 and 11 work for me😄
Quote from: SawyerTed on October 15, 2018, 07:37:04 PM
On the other hand a sawmill shed/drying shed is a priority! Not being able to saw on rainy days is hurting my productivity.
I wish I had built my shed bigger to accommodate not only the mill but also lumber stack(s) and truck and trailer. That would have made it about 60 feet longer but I could have used it.
Bob
KelLog,
Trust me 60' is not a lot of lumber storage. It fills up real quick.