Hi, I'm new to the forum, but not Countryside. The forum seems great. We are currently renting a two hour drive from our portion of my parents' 320 acres of real bush. We're not on our land because this is the closest my husband could find a job to our land. We hope to save enough money in the next year or two to begin building. My husband would eventually like to be self-employed...he's a cabinet maker. We are currently working at purchasing all of his woodworking equipment cash.So, our question is: Would it be financially advantageous to buy a portable sawmill (like Wood Mizer)?

We plan to build our own house, as well as a shop, garage, outbuildings for storage, chickens, greenhouse, sugar house, etc. We also think it would be helpful as there would be a constant supply of maple for my husband to make furniture. We intend on avoiding drywall, using wood instead. We avoid credit to the extreme...all things now purchased cash. The 320 acres are dense bush of mostly sugar maple, with some oak, and the odd cedar and pine trees. My brother already lives on the property, and is a logger, with a skidder, so he could cut for us. He could probably get us a load or two of spruce (for a price), if that's the best for framing buildings. Would a purchase of a portable sawmill be advantageous in our situation? Any comments or opinions?

-- Rheba (rbeall@etown.net), August 30, 2000

Answers

I have a WoodMizer mill, it has paid itself many times over. I bought it used from a guy who used it to build his house. I was going to sell it after I built a few barns with it. I'm not going to sell it, my sons will use it to build their houses when they get old enough.

-- Rick (ArnoldBB@webtv.net), August 30, 2000.

Rheba! Rick is right. Ole Jeep [bro.] has an LT30 Woodmizer. He has sawn for bunches of people that needed work done besides for all us Gibsons. Small abounts of logs too small for bigger mills are a lot of his work. Hope he never sells it--I get lumber from'm-for free! Another friend has one that he's gonna sell. Divorce! If you're interested email me and I'll give you more info. Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), August 31, 2000.

I have no idea what type of sawmill you are talking about but my brother-in-law has a portable sawmill (as he also is a logger) and he rents his out. Could pay for itself in this way also if you're willing to do that.

-- Pat (pmikul@pcpros.net), August 31, 2000.

There is a website, WWW.SAWMULLEXCHANGE.COM, that lists all sorts of used aswmills and related equipment from all over the country. I bought mine through them.

I used to have a share in a woodmizer, and it is top of the line. There are other makes for less than half the price, with much less features, though I haven't seen any in use and couldn't compare them. We had a pretty basic woodmizer and I would say that unless it was going to be a business and work costantly, it didn't seem worthwhile to get the hydraulic log turning option.

I have also heard that woodmizers keep their value very well, you can use it for years and get almost what you paid for it, as they are rare used and go very fast.

-- Rod Perrino (redjouster@aol.com), August 31, 2000.

Rheba, the woodmiser is a good mill; it has a very thin band saw blade, which eliminates a lot of waste. On the other hand, the Mighty Mite takes out about a fat quarter inch saw kerf, which leaves you a big pile of sawdust compared to the Wood Miser.

On the plus side, the Mighty Mite can cut large diameter logs. The log stays put, while the mill makes cuts with two small blades and one large blade simultaneously. A Mighty Mite will cut a log of any diameter; the sky's the limit. I've had them mill six foot diameter logs, no sweat. \ The Wood Misers I've seen won't cut large diameter logs. Around here, that's a real consideration I think the max is around 24 inches or so, but don't quote me.

The other disadvantage to the Wood Miser is the blade is a lot more sensitive to dirt and gravel in the bark of the tree. One type has a tiny water jet which is said to blow the dirt off, right ahead of the blade. I don't know how well it works.

I do know that one guy who wanted to mill some of my trees with a Wood Miser told me I'd have to peel the logs before he'd use the saw on them! I had another guy with a Mighty Mite, who cut them, no problem, without peeling. I've got a lot better things to do than peel logs for this purpose!

Good luck to you, whichever way you go.

JOJ

-- jumpoffjoe (jumpoffjoe@yahoo.com), September 04, 2000.

Rheba, the woodmiser is a good mill; it has a very thin band saw blade, which eliminates a lot of waste. On the other hand, the Mighty Mite takes out about a fat quarter inch saw kerf, which leaves you a big pile of sawdust compared to the Wood Miser.

On the plus side, the Mighty Mite can cut large diameter logs. The log stays put, while the mill makes cuts with two small blades and one large blade simultaneously. A Mighty Mite will cut a log of any diameter; the sky's the limit. I've had them mill six foot diameter logs, no sweat. \ The Wood Misers I've seen won't cut large diameter logs. Around here, that's a real consideration I think the max is around 24 inches or so, but don't quote me.

The other disadvantage to the Wood Miser is the blade is a lot more sensitive to dirt and gravel in the bark of the tree. One type has a tiny water jet which is said to blow the dirt off, right ahead of the blade. I don't know how well it works.

I do know that one guy who wanted to mill some of my trees with a Wood Miser told me I'd have to peel the logs before he'd use the saw on them! I had another guy with a Mighty Mite, who cut them, no problem, without peeling. I've got a lot better things to do than peel logs for this purpose!

Good luck to you, whichever way you go.

JOJ

PS, personally, I have considered buying a mill, but I only cut the four or five trees a year which croak. For me it's not cost effective. The guy with the Mighty Mite cuts my logs for only $150 per thousand board feet (and that's the BOARDS' board feet, not the logs' board feet, which helps, considering the wide kerf of the Mighty Mite.

-- jumpoffjoe (jumpoffjoe@yahoo.com), September 04, 2000.

I think you should take a look to other equipment like the northwood lumbermate 4 or others befora making up your mind. is the lumber production requierement is low a hand feed equipment is better, also if you have a ground level samill, it dwill be easier to hamdle logs. you can get a good sawmill and a sharpening ansetting kit for about US $ 5500, and you can be sure that it will pay for itself in short time. juan martinez

-- juan camilo martinez salazar (juancamilomartinez@ingenieros.com), March 25, 2001.

You should buy your own sawmill, figure out what you want to cut first, then base your production needs on the mill that you decide to buy. If you are just going to build a house and a barn, sheds etc. You need a small manual mill. Baker products sells the best mills on the market, they have just came out with an all aluminum manual mill that has a 9 hp diesel engine, and will cut a 24" diameter log of any length. This mill sells for $3,800.00. They also make different mills in between this and their top of the line kubota powered mill.

-- Wayne Swyres (servowayne@hotmail.com), June 06, 2001.

if your husband has some metalworking and mechanical skills he could build his own mill i have some plans ive been drawing up for my neighbors if you want i could send them your way just a thought.

-- bear (bclime@hotmail.com), March 05, 2002.