6-Month review of LT15(S) and moving to LT40?

Peter Drouin · April 19, 2024, 05:40:23 AM

I see more and more mills for sale. When some people see how much work it is they sell.

Magicman · April 19, 2024, 08:05:14 AM

There was never a shortage of sawmills, lumber, nor toilet tissue but there was an abundance of idiots doing panic buying and creating an artificial market.

Two years ago I declined an offer to sell my sawmill @ $55k. Was it worth that? No but had I sold, my sawing business would have been shut down for two years. I easily made that $55k sawing that year so I had the $55k and still had the sawmill. Funny thing was that I sawed that prospective buyer's logs that year.

I suspect that my sawmill's selling value today would fall somewhere in the $35-$40k range. I am seeing sawmills for sale on fb plus the usual sawmill selling websites. I seldom see sawmills for sale here on the Forestry Forum because our members are sawing...not selling. I actually bought my sawmill through Sawmill Exchange in 2002.

WDFL · July 22, 2024, 02:00:46 PM

Life throws curveballs continuously!!

Wife and I redid the budget and found the cash to pay for the sawmill. So I called WM and asked them to push back delivery until Q1 2025, to which they agreed and I also made a couple changes such as Command control and Accuset2 additions.

Got the call last week asking if I still wanted the mill, as it was coming sometime in August - asked for a call back the next day based on the previous January timeline - got the callback today that my mill was waiting pickup! So now I either have to "take it or leave it".

Meanwhile I've been watching a lot of auctions and the pricing is crazy low. I saw a very lightly used LT70 go for just over $45k. The book of faces had a number of steals in spring - I barely missed a new fully loaded LT35 for $26k and a guy on the other side of the country was willing to take $40k for a LT-40 SuperHyd Wide with less than 20 hrs.

Hmmmm..... Things cannot ever be easy it seems.

DocGP · August 01, 2024, 12:39:47 PM

WDFL,

I totally understand!! I was able to get my money back out of my little LT35 Diesel when I sold it, and used that as downpayment on a new LT50 Diesel. Was looking at an 18 month lead. 3 wks later, I got a call that my mill was sitting at the dealer waiting!!

Had to do a bit of scrambling/negotiating with the significant other, to make it work, but woah, wasn't expecting that.

I do think (for what that's worth) that we are entering a buyer's market. i really think that folks are hurting for money enough that deals will be available.

Doc

doc henderson · August 01, 2024, 03:29:21 PM

We have been anticipating this after the glut of sales to folks waiting 2 years for a mill to save money on wood during the pandemic but getting the product "years" after the pandemic was over.

SawyerTed · August 01, 2024, 06:39:39 PM

Those who were going to jump in the lumber business are finding out that sawing lumber requires support equipment, laborers, a kiln and markets. The amount of work involved is shutting guys down. An oak 2x6x12 is heavy. Twenty of them is a days work on a manual mill. The same reason brick masons, roofers and framing crews are hard to find is the same reason the sawmill market is going soft, it's hard work.

Everyday I see lumber for sale on FB marketplace at what would be a loss for me - and less than pre-pandemic prices. Because of the insanely low prices, people don't have to bother with cutting logs and calling me.

I have sufficient income to bide my time and wait for some sort of equilibrium to return. These newbies will cycle out and the manual and small mills that are skewing things will break or sit idle eventually.

tule peak timber · August 01, 2024, 08:57:07 PM

Bingo

newoodguy78 · August 01, 2024, 11:53:45 PM

SawyerTed I very much agree. For a year now I've been on the hunt for the right mill to fit my budget. Recently more and more manual starter type mills have been showing up at much more reasonable prices. Fortunately that's what I'm looking for. I've got money in hand just waiting for the right deal to come along. Talked to a guy today about one, reasonable to good deal on a Woodlands. Problem is between talking to him at noon and texting around 6 he went back on what he said twice, ehh I'll wait for another one.
Would I like to have a mill like yours, absolutely. Issue is for what I'm looking to do and have time to run it even an incredible deal would leave a significant investment sitting idle way more than being used.
I think between people realizing how much work milling is especially on these smaller mills and simply needing money for more crucial things it has turned into a mill buyer's market.

fluidpowerpro · August 02, 2024, 12:53:16 AM

I received an email recently from Hud-son about some demo units they are selling at a discount. You may want to check them out.

SawyerTed · August 02, 2024, 09:24:30 AM

In yesterday's mail there was one of the monthly sawmill and logging equipment catalogs.

There were at least 20 Woodmizer and TimberKing sawmills listed for sale. 18 months ago there were maybe 1 or 2. It seemed that all the portable mills were listed in the consignment auction ads. There are more and more low hour mills appearing in the sales catalogs and fewer in the auctions.

The market is changing and will change more depending on where interest rates go and if lending continues.

WDFL · August 11, 2024, 10:07:36 AM

SawyerTed & Doc:

You sure are right. The deal is I want a hydraulic mill I can keep for the rest of my working life (and no, I ain't no Magicman so I'm thinking maybe 25 years) and use personally around my properties, with friends and family, etc. I prefer to buy new (unless it's a steal) and I will keep it under cover, maintained, etc. The current LT15 I have has probably 20 hours of use and still looks new, it's under cover constantly unless it's used.

I owe Newnan a call, and each time I decide to pass, the devil on my shoulder says to "go for it". My use case isn't flushed out, but I'm not getting younger and I'm not convinced the prices of mills will go down - notwithstanding the occasional distress sell or auction deal.

Magicman · August 11, 2024, 02:14:38 PM

What?? I am innocent as charged.

WDFL · August 21, 2024, 09:41:06 AM

Well I drove down to Newnan yesterday and came home with something new....

NOT A MILL.

But a set of load ramps and a winch for my LT15.

The LT-40 I ordered came in way too early for me to make the numbers work. It is what it is - I hope that someone else buys it and puts it to good usage.

Based on the number of mills siting inside the warehouse and outside on the lot, there's some deals a coming

I was looking on the marketplace and while a lot of folks are stuck on 2022/2023 scarcity pricing, there are deals to be had on lightly used mills. LT50, LT40s, and LT30s.

Sixacresand · August 21, 2024, 11:50:32 AM

Nothing wrong with not taking the LT40. I upgraded from a ten to a forty. In hind sight, I would have kept the ten and upgraded or replaced the tractor and stayed off the road. Just about all the lumber I used to do barn and house work were milled on the 10. The forty turned fun-milling into a job, which I did not need. If the forty is ever sold, and if I am still alive, I might buy a small manual mill to play around with.

SawyerTed · August 21, 2024, 12:34:37 PM

There's much to be said for being happy with what you have!

jpassardi · August 21, 2024, 03:05:19 PM

At least you have a solid mill in an LT15.
Have you considered adding power feed and up/down and possibly a log turner? I upgraded to 25 HP also. Adding those upgradse to mine has made a big difference in level of effort and improved production.

WDFL · August 22, 2024, 10:32:09 PM

Quote from: jpassardi on August 21, 2024, 03:05:19 PMAt least you have a solid mill in an LT15.
Have you considered adding power feed and up/down and possibly a log turner? I upgraded to 25 HP also. Adding those upgradse to mine has made a big difference in level of effort and improved production.

Interesting thoughts. I have the start model so I don't have the hand crank, which comes with the rope and pulleys needed for power feed. I've heard it was possible to source all that and I will look into it again.

jpassardi · August 23, 2024, 07:58:56 AM

If you have fabricating skills, build your own. I used an old power scooter motor and $20 PWM controller for power feed. For power up/down I use a dump truck tarp gearmotor w/ a PWM controller. I have less than $400 total in both.
The winch driven claw log turner is key to turning big cants without killing yourself or taking forever using equipment.
Personally, although I've cut thousands of BF, my mill is primarily for my own use so I can't justify having a $70K mill sitting there most of the time. Maybe when I retire I may upgrade to an LT40.
Good luck with whatever you decide!