Difficulty deciding on a mill...need help

[Doc]

Here is my situation. I can be really low budget and build a mill, but time is not on my side here, and it would take me a bit longer than I am willing to deal with to get the thing done. This is still and option, but not optimal.

I am not in a position to purchase a new mill, and looking at the sawmill exchange some of the used equipment is as high as new, but many years old.

I have found several on Ebay, but I have read good and bad on the Oscar units. Are they good, bad or otherwise? At the price for a demo machine from ebay I will be getting the Oscar 30", but would for sure have to add a trailer to this. I see this as an interesting way to go, but want opinions on the oscar machines before I spend the money.

Doc

[ARKANSAWYER]

  First I would need to know two things.  What have you to saw and what do you want to make?
   If you have very large logs then hydralics or a swingmill would need to be your choices.  If you have very small logs and want to make 2x4's then a simple manual bandmill will do.  If you do not have much coin then hiring the sawing done would be better.  The $5 grand you would spend on a small mill will get a very large whack of lumber pilled with out other expenses and problems.  If you back is not super strong that will determin how you will need to spend.  If you can not walk very good that will determin how much coin is needed.  Portable on a trailer is nice but if you need to load large logs it gets old fast with a manual mill.
  Tell us what you got to saw and want to make and we can help you better.  Oscar is a nice light little mill but if a million bdft is your goal then a bit more mill will be needed.

[Doc]

You answered my question.......

How is the leg? Hope to hear you are back on your feet soon!

Doc

[ARKANSAWYER]

  I am on one leg and two sticks.   Be up by next week.  It is hard to keep a good man down and I have not hit the ground yet. ;D

[arj]

Doc    I have an Oscar 36 with a 20 hp B&S It works great does everthing I need it to do.  It is a manuel mill and some equipment to help move and turn large logs sure helps alot. Remember pushing the saw thru the log is the easy part  rolling a 30" oak with no hyd. is the hard part
                                 arj

[Rockn H]

Doc, do the Oscar mills you are looking at have the optional power feed?  If so I would look at the mill if its in your price range.  I have a manual LT40 ,no hydraulics, just a 1500lb manual winch to roll the logs up with.  A 28" 16' pine log is the norm, and its not that bad.  Maybe 60 seconds once its up to the ramp, but just like the hydraulics I've helped with, it takes a lot more work to get the log rolled to the mill than up on it.  Afraid I don't know anything about the build of the oscar mill as for as qaulity or longevity.

Sorry to hear about your leg Arkansawyer.  Takes an Arky to break his leg yet still be professional enough to let'em finish sawing. ;D  Saw where you crossed the river last week.  Urban probably felt like me when I visit the neighbors with the hydralic diesels. ;) ;D ;)

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Adding power feed to a manual mill is as easy as stirrin yer aigs into yer grits.  : ;D ;D ;D ;D