Milling/molding for $$$ how viable? - Woodworking Talk

jcmbs · 03-07-2009, 05:56 AM

I'm new to the forum and now a few years into the craft and I'm looking at stepping up to timbering, slabbing, kilning and molding my own wood. I did some timbering and rough milling with my Grandfather on his farm in Ohio with a Rip mill powered from the farm tractor PTO, and planing/molding on a Belsaw Foley with an oversized motor. I was going to start with a chain saw mill, Woodmaster 18 or 25 and a solar kiln using the timber for a number of projects we have planned as well as some possible routine sellers (desk, storage cabinets, turnings) that people keep asking me to build for them selves or friends. Once I have gained proficiency in the rough to intial milling I would set out to produce/sell molding from the house to supplement my income. However, what is the potential for at least breaking even or gaining a margin over operating costs. I'm hoping to tap into someones experience, as this may be part of my retirement plan in 5 years after I retire from the USAF. Currently stationed in Maryland living in southern MD. Thanks and all advice is welcome, definitely need to here the worst case with the potential success. Not looking to make it big, just turn what I have come to love into a means.

Sincerely

jcmbs

jeffreythree · 03-07-2009, 07:55 AM

Welcome to the forum! I am not sure about the molding since I have never really bought or sold any, but I do know it will be tough making an appreciable amount of lumber with a chainsaw mill. I have used a Ripsaw chainsaw driven bandmill that was twice as fast as the chainsaw mill with a thinner kerf and that was hard enough. Great for the occasional tree for personal use lumber. Hard on the back and get a good repirator because sucking 2-stroke exhaust is pretty hard on the lungs. I would consider finding a local mill to source the wood from and then create molding from that. You may even be able to find a local sawyer without a kiln, get cheaper green lumber, and kiln it yourself.

Kirk Allen · 03-07-2009, 09:48 PM

For starters, Thank you for your service! We appreciate our veterans!

Where are you stationed? Andrews? Do they have a wood shop on base? If they do, many tools can be used there for next to nothing to process your material, thus saving a bunch on tools.

If you start using free tools, you can use the profits to eventualy by your own machines that can do more and spead up production. Can you make a living doing it? YES!

I believe that making it work is 95% additude.

jcmbs · 03-07-2009, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirk Allen

For starters, Thank you for your service! We appreciate our veterans!

Where are you stationed? Andrews? Do they have a wood shop on base? If they do, many tools can be used there for next to nothing to process your material, thus saving a bunch on tools.

If you start using free tools, you can use the profits to eventualy by your own machines that can do more and spead up production. Can you make a living doing it? YES!

I believe that making it work is 95% additude.

Thank you for the reply and it's been an honor to serve this great nation. I'm stationed at Andrews AFB in MD, and there is not wood shop availabe here unfortunately the closes wood shop is on Ft Belvoir 45min-1hour drive. I do have a fairly well equiped shop and I'm upgrading to higher end stuff as the toelrances get tighter on my craft. I'm looking to upgrade the planer from my 10" Ryobi to something heavy duty with greater versatility. I love working from home, my wife and kids have even started showing great interest. I think I may start with a chain saw mill and get the Woodmaster 718 or 725 super pro pak and then next year look at bandsaw mill. We have a 3/4 diesel truck, trailer and atv with winch for moving lumber. Will have to upgrade the chainsaw to something with more "metal" and more than 18" on the bar. I did find some plans for mills that use a chainsaw on a frame. There are a few advertisements for portable mills and I have some freinds that have trees that need cut and timbered when the wheather turns.

jcmbs · 03-07-2009, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffreythree

Welcome to the forum! I am not sure about the molding since I have never really bought or sold any, but I do know it will be tough making an appreciable amount of lumber with a chainsaw mill. I have used a Ripsaw chainsaw driven bandmill that was twice as fast as the chainsaw mill with a thinner kerf and that was hard enough. Great for the occasional tree for personal use lumber. Hard on the back and get a good repirator because sucking 2-stroke exhaust is pretty hard on the lungs. I would consider finding a local mill to source the wood from and then create molding from that. You may even be able to find a local sawyer without a kiln, get cheaper green lumber, and kiln it yourself.

I'm going to have to set a few days aside and try and find a mill in my local area. I have heard that the amish do some sawerying but are off the beaten path. Have you seen any of the plans for solar kilns it looks like these may be the most economical to build, some as low as approx $600. I can defintely see the scope and scale of production using a chainsaw mill just would not be feasible to sell the lumber, just not enough volume given the time, effort and maintenace required. But it would give me enough to refine the process through drying, milling and buildup. Then the next year step up to a mill. Thanx

jeffreythree · 03-08-2009, 02:08 PM

Here is one of the better solar kilns I have seen: http://www.woodscience.vt.edu/about/.../vtsolar_kiln/ . I am considering modifying the fan setup to use a 12v solar cell and automotive radiator fans that run off of 12v to use out at my property that has no electricity.

Daren, one of the members here, sells plans for a dehumidifier kiln: Small wood drying kiln plans, dry your own lumber

And there is also a good dehumidifier plan in the book Selecting and Drying Wood from Fine Woodworking that I am considering for use at my house.

jcmbs · 03-22-2009, 03:43 AM

Sorry for the late reply, I have ben out of pocket for awhile but have since found a local sawyer and a couple of local folks with band saw mills. No kilns, but the solar kiln or dehumidifier plan look like viable options for a starter. Have not decided on which woodmaster yet, I will talk to them again on Monday and hopefully find some folks in the surrounding area that are using the machine or someone in the vicinity making molding. I would like to make some nice tabletops from exotic species or recycled large stock from local sources ie. barns, houses and could defintely use the 25" drum sander option. However, I could use the 712/718 for build up and molding/flooring and get a large seperate drum sander just for that operation. Any thoughts?

Thanks
Jason

Oscar · 03-23-2009, 06:25 PM

Jason:

Welcome to the Forum and thank's for your service (I'm also a vet). Your in a great place to start your adventure as there are a number of really skilled Sawyers, Woodworkres, Craftsman and Artists at this site. You'll undoubtebly be hearing from Daren, Texas Timbers and others who are the "Real Deal" and will tell you straight! By the way Daren offers Kiln plans that I personally am putting together and beleive will work as good if not better than any Soalr Kiln. I was going to build a Solar Kiln, plans are readily available (for free) at Woodweb. I chose the plans from Iowa State Univ as a starting point but as I said am instaed in the process of building a Daren

designed killn. As far as Molding is concerned, there is a real glut in the market here in IA, seems everyone and their brothers are in the milling and molding business. Don't let me discourage you though because there is money to be made and I'm convinced that thing's are going to be improving in the building/housing markets and people are going to be more cost conscious and will likely be buying from non-traditional sources vs. the Big Box stores! Right now in my area there a at least 2 people selling Molding Hard Maple, Oak etc .... on Craigsist for 2.25 a Lin ft. That's almost half of the 2007 market price in this area for Premium product and considerable less than local Home Improvement stores/Lumber Yards. Again welcome aboard and Happy Milling

Rick C. · 03-25-2009, 12:31 PM

Jason;
I too am a vet and thank you for your service.I got plans from Daren last summer and am drying my first load of 5/4red oak now.It's really flowing well,the temps are staying fairly constant.I can't find anyone to cut shorties and thats where I see some of the neatest wood.Now get this,be seated maybe dial 911,my wife God love her,suggested I get my own mill.I was gabberflasted and quickly ageed.It's going to take some research but I'm looking at next year.I too am counting on things improving plan to be ready.Good luck

jcmbs · 03-26-2009, 12:27 AM

Thanks all for the input, and thank you vets that came before me. I have not sold my wife on the mill yet. I did get a great price on a Woodmaster 718 with pro pack plus for $1250 about 4 years old and few if almost no hours. I will pick it up in May while I'm in Ohio on a 4 day pass. I have a few sources for "cheaper" rough cut wood thats air dried and they say I can check for fresh cut or make request. Therefore, I too will look at building a Kiln with the requirements that it be medium build, easily disassembled ( military move in the next 4-5 years possible retirement) and low if no grid energy use. Any thoughts on using solar cells for power? I will probably get a small log mill for my chainsaw to use when I go to the farm in Ohio (Jackson county, small town called Oak hill), as I just do not have the time this year for a small bandsaw mill.

I have also found a few people with bandsaw mills in my area that may be a cheaper more viable option. I have not found that there is much of a run on molding in this end of Maryland and there does seem to be a building movement to re-use wood sources such as old barns. There are many of the older structures that are constructed from Chestnut, oak or native hardwoods some in current supply and some exhausted due to disease and overharvest. I thought advertising rough cut wood and offering planing/molding to individul specs as a feeler and a way to slowly get into the groove. Good luck with the Mill and I will go to the link to view the de-humidifier style mill. Keep the replies coming, your knowledge, advice and encouragement is outstanding. Thank you

Jason