Thread: Portable saw mill

Hi Steve

The 3 mills you mention are all portable swingblade machines. They work very well, especially if you have larger logs and dont want to have to move big logs around. You can set up the mill around the log where it lays. I've hauled my mill over hills and through swamps on a trailer behind a quad bike and hauled the boards back out. A lot of work, but the cost of getting a couple of big logs hauled out of the middle of nowhere is more than they are worth.

My personal preference is for the Petersons, but I'm biased The other mills work on a similar principle but have their own pluses and minuses. They all get the job done. The timber you saw with one is as accurate as any mill, but of course the quality depends on the quality of the logs.

You can probably sell some timber, especially if you take the time / efforts to air dry it properly. Again that depends on what type and quality of logs you have available. The other common thing is to contract saw for other farmers in the area. Maybe you need to sound out your neighbours, see if they would buy timber or get you to mill logs for them. A bit of research into the type of trees you have and what the timber is suited to would be good too.

I run an older Peterson for my own use, it makes woodworking a lot cheaper and I've even been able to sell a bit of wood and a few completed items. I just saw as hobby at present, but I would like one day to upgrade to a newer mill and do a bit more commercial sawing.

Cheers

Ian

Steve,

This may be heaps more info than you were after, but this publication may be of interest to you:

http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/AFT/...%20sawmills%22

Cheers,

Oz Man

Ahhh so many choices

http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/artic...ticle_id=60204

thanks very much for the responses to my questions it has been much appreciated.

Steve

Steve

Contemplating this enterprise is just like any business. If you are lookng at it as a commercial enterprise for off-farm income really look closely at the viablity. Different if it is to be a hobby enterprise.

Check your initial costs. Sawmill (new starting at $14,000), reliable medium to large chainsaw, suitable vehicle etc etc.

Check availablity of timber in your area. Do you have a supply on your own land? Are the trees suitable for milling. Very hard to recover worthwhile timber out of logs smaller than 500mm dia if they are hardwood particularly with the type of saws you will be contemplating. Small logs require twin edgers to be really successful. Nobody wants timber that looks as if it has come off a banana plant!

Are there people around who might buy timber from you?

Just a few of the questions you should be asking. There are a huge number of farmers around who have a Lucas mill sitting in the barn collecting cobwebs. This should tell you something.

Regards
Paul

thanks for the advice bushmiller, I have put the idea on the backburner until I can get some experience in the scene first. Thanks once again ozesteve.