What Started as free firewood........... - Woodworking Talk

mdlbldrmatt135 · 10-13-2007, 08:00 PM

Has turned into me needing to find someone local with a band mill.....

Let's say I found a couple maple logs that had been down for awhile..... cut into one of them and found Spalting!!!!
So I have 2 logs 8-9' long the smaller is about 10" across the bigger one is maybe 12-14" Plus a few shorter Pieces........

Just need to get back up there and pick them up........ (they will be saved for me as I helped Cut all the stuff up and Haul it down)

**Daren** · 10-13-2007, 08:08 PM

What to we have here? Another urban logger in the making...wouldn't you freak if they were curly too

. I have pulled $20 bft wood out of the firewood pile

.

mdlbldrmatt135 · 10-13-2007, 08:12 PM

Yeah, Once I can Find someone to saw them up.......... I'll put them up in the Loft to dry....... I figure one of the Amish should be willing to do it............

I wouldn't call it Urban... LOL there's a fair amount of Woods around here..... most of the stuff we cut down was Ash....... thinking I might get some of that sawed up too

**Daren** · 10-13-2007, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdlbldrmatt135

..... I figure one of the Amish should be willing to do it............

They are kinda small, a guy with a bandsaw mill is your best bet. I know around here most of the Amish run circle mills. Oddly enough my bandmill was made in your neck of the woods. http://www.taschmid.com/...don't overlook that ash, good wood too.

**joasis** · 10-13-2007, 08:49 PM

A small bandmill isn't much of an investment, and any amount of logs more then a few may pay you to own one. I use my bandmill for things other then just sawing logs...mine is electric, and is in the shop, hooked to the dust collector.

mdlbldrmatt135 · 10-13-2007, 09:29 PM

Well, I know of a few other Sawmills.... Just have to find time to get ahold of them..... If I had the $$ I'd probably get myself a small one.....

Daren, It's about a 5-6 hour drive from here.............

Ok... looking... a small "chainsaw" mill might be doable............... I could maybe get the local Vo Tech center to do the welding........

**joasis** · 10-13-2007, 10:10 PM

Look on eBay, search "sawmill" and see that appears. You can find a cheap mill from Hud-son...made up close to you...and they will sell the components to save you some money. What you will discover is chainsawing isn't really a cost/time effective way to do it, and wastes a lot of wood.

Steve G. · 10-13-2007, 11:23 PM

I think timberking and woodmizer might have some lowend models that would suit you! Of the two I prefer timberking because of it's quality, but I havn't used any of them so this isn't fact that I'm stating.

mdlbldrmatt135 · 10-14-2007, 08:06 AM

Yeah but they''re stil out of my Budget for the time bieng.......... I know there's some band mills around here somewhere......

Clutchcargo · 10-14-2007, 09:39 AM

What is the price range of those budget band saw mills?

**joasis** · 10-14-2007, 09:51 AM

A basic bandmill can be had for less then 2k, and Woodmizer offers a small version that can be stored in a garage for less then 3k I think. Last time I heard a price on the Hud-Son Oscar 18 incher, it was $1800 or so. Used would be less, buying one without power would be less, and as I said, they can be electric powered if portable isn't high on your list.

My buddy bought one from Mr. Sawmill....$2800 delivered, 5 hp electric. I slabbed and squared nearly a hundred small cedar logs for a client wanting a log cabin look, rustic, on a cinder block cabin. That one job paid for the mill. While it isn't what I like to saw on, since it is slow, it would be ideal for an occasional log...like Daren does. And, my big mill, pictured in my avatar, isn't capable of cutting short logs......

**Daren** · 10-14-2007, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joasis

it would be ideal for an occasional log...like Daren does. .

I have $4500 in my mill, if you check my gallery/website ONE log I sawed was 1000 bft of curly maple I sold for $12-$17.50 bft. That was about a $15,000 log (which I got free). I have mentioned this before I share cut for other people for lumber too. They bring a nice walnut/cherry I get 1/2 for sawing and they don't pay me. Like joasis said I don't mill full time, just good stuff and it has paid for itself 100 (?) times over.
Only problem with a woodworker buying a mill, it can really turn things upside down. You find yourself in the wood business if you are not careful.

My mill is alot slower than joasis, but for my purposes I can still make a heck of a stack of lumber in a day (for a couple bucks in gas, since my mill is paid for). Here is me sawing some ash lumber. Ash is hard, stuff like cedar I can cut 2X as fast, I just have a 13h.p. engine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZH6LWq3fuY

**joasis** · 10-14-2007, 11:07 AM

I noticed after watching Daren's video, there is a HudSon also in the list.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB-eo...elated&search=

Sawing lumber is addictive, and perhaps you should not do it...look what it did for Daren! BTW Daren, I noticed you are still smoking? If so, Chantix works....worked for me.

**Daren** · 10-14-2007, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joasis

...look what it did for Daren! .

For anyone who might be confused...that was not a compliment. I have know joasis for some time.

Picture 1 is me before a sawmill, all nice and hugging puppies and stuff. Not a care in the world.

Picture 2 is me after a sawmill, all broke down and addicted to wood. Not a pretty sight.

Al Killian · 10-14-2007, 03:37 PM

I know a guy that does a good job on sawing. Where are you located?

mdlbldrmatt135 · 10-14-2007, 03:52 PM

Western NYS