For better or worst........

[Mr Mom]

     Did buying a mill help or hinder your health??
     I know that some people have had a hard life.
     You dont have to answer if you dont want to.

    The mill that i will buy someday will be manual.



     Thanks Mr Mom
   

[WH_Conley]

I'll give you the statistics and you decide.

Farming: Cracked hip, few scrapes, bumps and bruises.

Piledriving: Torn knee, crushed finger, lots of welding flash and burns. (fumes can't be real good either)

EMS (owner) High blood pressure, nerve problems (haven't took a nerve pill since I sold out), stressed marriage and family life.

Sawmill: Sawdust in eyes, nose and mouth. It washes out. Cold weather, hot weather, few blood blisters and strained muscles, frustration when a good looking log opens up bad, reversed when a poor log opens up good.

All in all I would guess that the mill was the hardest work ( since tobacco) but the easiest too, make since.

I would get a hydraulic mill, manual sounds good because of the physical activity but hydraulic makes the really heavy jobs easier and ups production enough that you get all of the workout you can stand.

Now that's just my opinion that don't amount to much.

[Tom]

It did a little of both for me.  I'm healthier for the exercises.  I'm mentally wealthier because of all the friends and companions I've made in my customers.  I'm known by name in two states and 6 counties by so many people that I can't even begin to know their names.  That's being famous in my book.  I eat well and it helps to pay bills as well as keep me out of trouble.

On the downside, repetition has helped to wear out my shoulders and heavy loads have helped to destroy my knees.  If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have attacked the work with such physical vigor but would have used available tools to ease the strain.  I've been lucky with no broken bones, bad cuts or crushing injuries.  

One must keep in mind that we have had members with bad cuts, broken bones and even one death due to the occupation.  It pays to slow down and think safety.

[woodbowl]

Getting my WMLT40m/HD helped my health to begin with. I went after it like a hog to slop. I busted out into the best shape I have ever been in. A few years ago the ole back introduced me to the ciropractor. Now that I've once again outgrown my income, it's trying to kick my butt. It's time for me to upgrade so I can produce more and not stay tired all the time.

The mill that i will buy someday will be manual.

 If it's just gona' be a play purdy, a manual mill will be good. If you want to make a little money, I hope you got a good strong back and a lot of spunk. Otherwise it's just a matter of time before you say ......... why didn't I get a hydraulic mill?   ;D

[Mr Mom]

     woodbowl---The reason i will have to go manual is money. I would like to get a mill with
hydraulics but i cant aford it right now.
      Tom ---I have notice that i gain a little weight and lost alot of muscle after becoming
Mr mom. I know that i will get cut bumps bruises and sometime much more.




     Thank Mr Mom

[thecfarm]

I have a manual mill just because it's for my own personal use.I've had it 5 years and might of made $300 with it.Just what I wanted.I have a day job and a small farm.No time to go full time into sawing.With a manual mill it's a lot harder to do everything.Better buy one of them Logrite Cantdogs.Are you up to turning big logs?I sell my big ones to the wood yards and cut the small ones.Try turning a 2 1/2 foot log by hand,16 foot long.It's not pretty.I have had my wife dog in a log for me before.She  couldn't handle a cant dog,but can dog in a log.I Useally keep the logs to a manageable size.Some people buy manual mill and think they are going to make money.I do hope they have ALOT of free labor.It's VERY slow.Almost like farming,you have to enjoy working for the end results.It's alot of work with a manual mill.Really give it a lot of thought.Just depends on what you plan on doing with it,a hobby or a buiness?

[Dan_Shade]

my mill is manual, i'm on the low end of production, i can handle decent sized logs without any help, but if you're going to make any progress, you need a helper.  I've had many cants that I just could not flip by myself with a 60" cant hook, I've also got a cant hook with around a 7' peice of pipe on it or something,  i've had them where I couldn't flip them with that either.

I've suffered back problems in the past (muscular, not disc problems), so I try to be very attentive to how I lift and push as to stress my back the least.  Is there a local guy with a manual that you can check out one of these days?  us manual guys jump at the chance for free labor!  It's a good way to make friends too

[woodbowl]

Some people buy manual mill and think they are going to make money. ........ It's VERY slow. .......... It's alot of work with a manual mill.

I bought a manual mill, worked it for 2 years full time for a living, almost killed me. Decided right then it was time to get in or get out. So I welded on my own hydraulics. Some components, I bought from Northern, Baileys & WM. Haven't made the loader yet. You can see it in my gallery. It's been going strong for 8 years.

[Brad_S.]

I pretty much echo what Tom said.

When I started milling full time, I came from the corporate environment. The physical exertion has been a plus for my health in some ways. I lost the tire that had been growing around my hips and had to move up a couple shirt sizes when my shoulders grew. I'm in better shape now than I ever was paying to go to a health club, and look younger than many of my peers. From a mental health aspect, though I don't like to think of myself as an egotist, like Tom, I take great satisfaction in being known near and far for my sawing abilities. I can't tell you how many times I've heard "Boy, I'd love to do what you do!". I wish I was doing as well as people think I am! :D

On the negative side, I'm dealing with severe tendinitis and carpal tunnel in my arms and hands. My sinuses are chronically plugged and therefore my ability to taste food is diminished. Right now I'm dealing with still another sty in my eye from sawdust. Even with ear protection, I have lost hearing and those first steps out of bed in the morning are tough. Mental health wise, even after all these years I still fret about the unpredictability of income, even though something has always come up at the eleventh hour in the past when an equipment payment was imminent. It's hard to stop and smell the roses when your concerned about business matters 24/7.

I have a top end mill with all the bells and whistles and it's still a lot of work. IMO if you're thinking of anything more than occasional weekend sawing, go hydraulic.

[Minnesota_boy]

The reason i will have to go manual is money. I would like to get a mill with
hydraulics but i cant aford it right now.

That's why time payments were invented.  I thought I couldn't afford the hydraulics when I bought my mill, but my wife convinced me otherwise.  I'm really glad she did.  Jobs that would have been nearly impossible with a manual mill are simple and easy.  I've convinced one of my competitors that based on my rate of production, he could custom saw one weekend out of a month and make the payments.  Anything more you can do goes toward profit.

[crtreedude]

With Harold down here, we are now getting into sawing. Starting with a Peterson but also looking at a bandmill as well.

Balancing hydralics to the ability to transport will be interesting. Also, for us, labor is cheap - and I don't mean Harold. A off-loader will cost me about a dollar an hour, figure 1.50 with benefits. Big stuff we can swingblade - smaller - bandsaw.

Also, a lot of the wood doesn't have to be turned at all - the wood tends to be very stable here. I am not even sure anyone quarter saws here.

I am looking forward to helping out like one day a week - getting a little soft with too much time in the office.

[Mr Mom]

  Thank you guys for the information and insite.
  I would like to get a mill with some hydralics. The money maker get to say what i get to buy.
  I dont plan to go full time. Just need wood to build some sheds and other stuff.
  I can get my dad to help. He said that he would give me all the encouragement that i need. :D :D :D


Thanks alot Mr Mom

[Brucer]

There's no question, my health has improved since I bought my manual mill last March.

56 years old, bad shoulder, weak back.
Since I started last spring, I've lost 20 pounds and my back and shoulder are OK.
My mental health is way better than it ever was when I was in an office job.

I've winched 3500 pound logs onto my manual WoodMizer.
The winch-operated turner can easily turn logs that big.

I wear steel toed boots and wrap-around safety glasses.
I use target shooter's ear-muffs for hearing protection -- they're better than ear plugs for engine noise.
If the wind is in my face, I wear a simple "procedure mask" that I buy from my dentist by the box.

Of couse, I'd love to have a hydraulic mill, but it simply wasn't possible when I started out.

[maple flats]

I ditto what Brucer said. I bought a manual swing blade mill (Peterson ATS) a year ago. Only mill part time and I am in much better physical (lost 25 lbs without any dieting) and mental shape than I have been in at least 25 years, maybe more. I am 59 years old and I really enjoy the work. I paid cash for the mill so I have no payments to make. I am much stronger and much more relaxed than ever. Today I worked firewood for 4 hours with a real muscular helper, my future SIL, he had a hard time keeping up with me. I do not look it but my Chiropractor (who I only saw 2 times ever and he says I do not need anymore) says I have a very muscular back and spine. I feel it is from the manual milling and PROPER lifting. Always work smarter not harder. My endurance has come up tremendously as well. Yes I do get tired but it still feels great. However, Milling is not all I do. As of 5-6 years ago I started logging small time, managing MY woods in a soon to be CERTIFIED TREE FARM, and working my 23 year old long neglected blueberry farm, 4 1/2 acres, and I also work on some of the rental duplexes I own, all of these most likely contribute.