Do you see sawmills being towed on the road?

[thecfarm]

I saw one,I saw one. It was being hauled by a small dump truck. I did not see it coming until I was right beside it.

[Southside]

Two Fridays ago on my way to pick up my Husky from the shop in Amelia. It was a WM but the whole thing was on another trailer with more gear, so not sure if that counts.  Thought of this post but figured I would not be able to find it.

[FarmingSawyer]

I travel all over mid-maine and I haven't seen a mill on the road, other than mine...... That being said....some S.O.B...(Sweet Old Bear) pulled one in to a neighbor's lot and milled up a pile of boards a month or so back. I passed while they were milling, but was on my way to an appointment so didn't stop and visit....and ask what the heck....
When I got back the mill was gone and about 500bf was sitting in the field. It's still there.....

I do pass by 2 Thomas mills which are parked every day. One of them has been mod-ed to be hydraulic. I'll swing in some day when I see him sawing. I also pass by a huge mill I can see from the interstate. Lots of boards and piles of sawdust. Huge bandsaw with an overhead line for the hydraulics. I swung in one day, but there was no one around and no easy way to get from the outer driveway into the mill area so I left. I pass it 4x a week but haven't seen it being used.

I the town I used to live in, I can think of 5 or 6 mills, mostly stationary. Mostly inactive. Saw some Orange at the Common Ground Fair. He'd come from VT for the day to demonstrate for the crowds.

[Chuck White]

I will usually see a couple of mills on the road each week, this past Saturday I met a Wood-Mizer being towed by a blue Chevy p/u.

[JohnM]

Saw some Orange at the Common Ground Fair. He'd come from VT for the day to demonstrate for the crowds.

We stopped and looked at the WM at the CGF but I didn't have a chance to chit-chat with him.  He was having trouble with his 'tractor forwarder', horse drawn. ;D  The engine for the hydraulics went out on him.

[OlJarhead]

In three years I've only seen one going up HWY 97 In the Okanogan when I was heading south.  I think it was an LT15.

Mine's not moved in a while until this weekend when I towed it with my tractor the half mile to my neighbors to do some milling.

Mostly, because of my real job, I've been milling for myself only.

[FarmingSawyer]

JohnM....they had a nifty articulated forwarder there on Saturday when I went....a spendy scandihoovian thing. The horse forwarders are great & I wish I had one for my team...but $$$$$.  When I chatted with him on Saturday afternoon he was sawing some junk pine for demo. His mill was running smoothly, but it had been acting up and he managed to pull the band off the wheels trying to do a drag back on a small slab. He's put some hours on that mill....owned it for 15 years I think. I also stopped and talked to the Thomas guys. Asked about a 10ft extension for my mill and about their new bunk system. I don't like the fact that they aren't adjustable, but otherwise they're more stout than the ones on my mill.

[JohnM]

I don't like the fact that they aren't adjustable, but otherwise they're more stout than the ones on my mill.

I wondered what their reasoning was about not making them adjustable, seemed like a big selling point.  Assume it's a cost thing.  Where abouts in the 'mid-coast' are you, FS?  I'm working in Belfast a couple days a week and we're looking to move down that way in a year or two.

For the sake of getting back on topic*, the only sawing related things I see on 'my' stretch of rt9 are log trucks.  There are at least 5 portable mills (likely more) within 10 miles of me.  When I'm traveling with my mill it just looks like I'm headed to the scrap yard. ;D

 

*At least I didn't mention the 'g' word, Ray!  ;) ;D :D

[thecfarm]

I thank you for that John.  ;D
That was a selling point with the moveable bunks. At the Bangor show,in 2012,they had one there with the movable bunks. I asked about it. Than a new feature was the clap board maker. Just a lever on the head to tilt it. That is real nice to have.

[ozarkgem]

I saw new Timberking 1400 headed south today.Well it was being pulled by a pickup.

[rooster 58]

This past Monday I was traveling to Virginia. I was southbound on I79 near Waynesburg, Pa. I saw a trailer sitting on the side of the road that had a small bandmill on it. It was green with yellow framework. Wasn't sure what kind it was :-\

[clww]

I saw my first one (an Orange model) being towed earlier last month on I-264 in Virginia Beach.

[FarmingSawyer]

This past Monday I was traveling to Virginia. I was southbound on I79 near Waynesburg, Pa. I saw a trailer sitting on the side of the road that had a small bandmill on it. It was green with yellow framework. Wasn't sure what kind it was :-\

Hmmm...Green & yellow are the color of Thomas Mills from Maine....but that's quite a far, distant sighting for one of those....

[thecfarm]

Saw something orange behind a truck the other day. It was an old one,but a goodie.

[JB Griffin]

Saw two in the last month and a half, both brand new, a manual Norwood and a LT35hyd.

[Chuck White]

It's 5.5 miles from my house to the sawjob I'm on now and sometime today someone move a new (or fairly new) LT40 in to saw some logs 3 miles from my house.

It took me by surprise when I spotted the mill on my way home tonight!

I think it's the mill one of my cousins bought at the Woodsmens Days, year before last!

[sprucebunny]

I see a sawmill every 6 months or so. Usually WM.

Saw a helicopter on a trailer yesterday  That's a first !

[dgdrls]

Another WM 2 weeks ago heading south toward the expressway/Thru-way most likely from Hannibal WM.
They are only 10 minutes from the office I work out of.

Dan

[4x4American]

I have seen maybe 4-5 portable mills going down the road around here.  If I have some eggs handy I throw them at the driver and yell GET OUTTA HERE!!! lol  Shoot log trucks pass by my house so many times a day I can't keep count.  There's a big commercial mill a few miles up the road from me is why.  But anywhere around here you can't go somewhere without seeing a log truck.  I love it, I usually take my hat off and put it over my heart as they go by if it's a good lookin rig lol

[4x4American]

For a small mileage fee, I'll be glad to tow my mill past the house of anyone who hasn't seen one, other than their own of course.  Might be a nice way to see the country(s).  My wife has always wanted to see New Zealand too.  That one will cost extra though. 

To answer the question, there are 3 other portable mills I know of in my county and two more in adjoining counties.  I have only once seen one on the road but have seen them set up at other locations from time to time.  I have to look into a basic biz license etc so I can start handing out cards and have signs for when I start towing mine around in a couple of weeks.

lol lol lol lol lol

[ScottInCabot]

Hopefully someday I'll get a call and my mill will be ready for pick-up....then I'll see one every time I look in the rearview mirror :D



Scott (haven't seen any others though) B

[terrifictimbersllc]

I'm happiest when look in the mirror and I see my sawmill is still behind my truck.

[Robert Owens]

I pull mine between my two farms that are about 22 miles apart and my neighbor down the road has a WM portable he occasionally pulls but that is all I have ever seen.

[JohnM]

"Saw" a brand new still in the box WM lt10 or 15 go by the house heading downeast.  Guessing Ross would know where it went.  ;)

[Chuck White]

Last one I saw being towed was mine, headed home, likely was the last tow for the year.

Will start being towed again next Spring.   8)