Retirement fun or "foley"

[Doug Varney]

I am about to retire. I have been managing my 50 acres of hardwood for 35 years. I have developed a passion for woodworking and have assembled a woodshop. I want to use my wood for something other than burning in my furnace. The fellow who has been cutting a bit of my wood into boards is too old to continue doing this. I can get a 1950's era 40" Belsaw mill (actually almost two of them) without an engine for <> $2,400. Is this folly on my part? I have a compulsive do it myself nature. I enjoy the process of restoring older equipment but if it is clearly a stupid idea, I would rather hear that message early.

Thx,

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I am about to retire. I have been managing my 50 acres of hardwood for 35 years. I have developed a passion for woodworking and have assembled a woodshop. I want to use my wood for something other than burning in my furnace. The fellow who has been cutting a bit of my wood into boards is too old to continue doing this. I can get a 1950's era 40" Belsaw mill (actually almost two of them) without an engine for <> $2,400. Is this folly on my part? I have a compulsive do it myself nature. I enjoy the process of restoring older equipment but if it is clearly a stupid idea, I would rather hear that message early.

Thx,

It's not stupid if it's what you want to do...

What will you do for engine??? To me, it sounds like this won't "end up" being a cheap deal...

I'd rather have a new bandmill than that Belsaw any day of the week... You can get a starter bandmill for $3,000.00 and for a bit more you can get a full size Norwood Lumbermate 2000. The LM2000 will saw more and better lumber out of a log, with less tinkering than that Belsaw will... And have a lot better resale if you get tired of it!

Rob

 

[820wards]

I am about to retire. I have been managing my 50 acres of hardwood for 35 years. I have developed a passion for woodworking and have assembled a woodshop. I want to use my wood for something other than burning in my furnace. The fellow who has been cutting a bit of my wood into boards is too old to continue doing this. I can get a 1950's era 40" Belsaw mill (actually almost two of them) without an engine for <> $2,400. Is this folly on my part? I have a compulsive do it myself nature. I enjoy the process of restoring older equipment but if it is clearly a stupid idea, I would rather hear that message early.

Thx,

Doug,

Glad to hear you are retiring. I retired last September and don't regret it one minute. The best part is you no longer need to set your alarm...

jerry-

 

[EPA]

Hi Doug: I retired back in 04--bought a Norwood LM2000 and a small tractor and have had a ball ever since// Go look at the Norwood town hall site and meet a bunch of great guys--EPA

 

[GeeVee]

Nothing aginst the Belsaw, or the old guy, but you have the coin, get a mill that will operate for you. And a small loader.

 

[user 19670]

I am about to retire. I have been managing my 50 acres of hardwood for 35 years. I have developed a passion for woodworking and have assembled a woodshop. I want to use my wood for something other than burning in my furnace. The fellow who has been cutting a bit of my wood into boards is too old to continue doing this. I can get a 1950's era 40" Belsaw mill (actually almost two of them) without an engine for <> $2,400. Is this folly on my part? I have a compulsive do it myself nature. I enjoy the process of restoring older equipment but if it is clearly a stupid idea, I would rather hear that message early.

Thx,

You will enjoy retirement. Not only don't you need an alarm, you don't have much need for a clock either.
LOL - A fellow I knew retired and he took his watch and put it into his old sheet metal lunchbox and then sent them through the baling press and made a pancake of them. Said "There, I don't need those anymore". Anyway, he took the pancake out to camp and nailed it to the fencepost at the end of the driveway :jawdrop:

 

[MJR]

My neighbor collects and restores tractors and heavy equipment. Once a year his club gets together and run their equipment and has a great time. This is how I see your old mill. If you plan on small volume wood working projects and truly don’t mind working on the mill go for it. It will be a great conversation piece and add character to your wood working projects. If you plan on any kind of volume or making a little $, any of the band mills on the market would be a better choice.

I have 12 years into my wood lot. It is good to hear about others taking pride in their stewardship. Good luck with the retirement.

 

[Doug Varney]

Thanks for the great advice ..

... both about the saw and the impending retirement. I am going to pass up the old Belsaw. I have an Alaskan chainsaw mill which I inly used once many years ago. I think in the short run I will have a local sawmill keep me supplied with hardwood lumber from my trees and I will use the CSM to satisfy my need to do some of it myself. If I have trees to burn then I have trees to board up even if I produce more sawdust than necessary. I do have a low mileage 1978 Mercedes diesel which should make a great biodiesel power source for something interesting. ;-)
As far as retirement is concerned .. I can't wait. I have had a wonderful job that I still love but over the many years, I have had so many exciting projects that I want more time for from improving logging roads, to playing on my Hammond b3 and Wurlitzer organ simulations to fishing, playing hockey to working on an old house in Tuscany http://www.uvm.edu/~dsv/Italy/POR/index.html
I may have to return to work to get some rest!

Thanks again,

Doug

 

[TNMIKE]

Foley Belsaw

I personally like old equipment (maybe its because I am old). and I like the old Foley saws. Part of the fun like you say is getting the old stuff back in operatiing condition. Sounds like you have the money and the time. You could probably get one mill running and sell the other to lower your total cost.

I assume you will power this mill with a tractor??? Ive seen it done that way and with a power unit. I love belted equipment..

If and when you get tired of the Foley you could always sell it and get a bandmill or build one like Im doing.

 

[TNMIKE]

After looking at your home in Tuscany

I would say you oughta go with the FOLEY... it fits you better than the Norwood..more character. My two cent worth for what its worth

 

[Doug Varney]

You are only half right

You are right about the time but not the $$$.

The Tuscan house (Pile of Rubble) was bought by my in-laws for a song years ago. My family DOES have the privilege of hauling stone and cement to rebuild it. I am serious about the privilege part as parts of the house are nearly 3,000 years old. The "new" section was built in the 1400's. One thing that I have learned while working there is to check your undies in the morning for scorpions. I was lucky to discover one there one time.

 

[Rodney Sinclair]

They still have a lot of those old Belsaws out there working today. I think something like 15 listed on Sawmill Exchange today. No way of knowing how many sitting in barns all over the country. At the same time, I know the Norwood is cute and sexy and all that stuff. And I understand that you guys that have them get paid if you can talk someone else into buying one. But I do have a small problem getting a picture in my head of one still being around (and working) 50-55 years down the road. And being worth more than was paid new on top of that. Wow!

Rodney

 

[Sawyer Rob]

They still have a lot of those old Belsaws out there working today. I think something like 15 listed on Sawmill Exchange today. No way of knowing how many sitting in barns all over the country. At the same time, I know the Norwood is cute and sexy and all that stuff. And I understand that you guys that have them get paid if you can talk someone else into buying one. But I do have a small problem getting a picture in my head of one still being around (and working) 50-55 years down the road. And being worth more than was paid new on top of that. Wow!

Rodney

First of all, i've NEVER taken payment from Norwood for selling a bandmill. I tell it like it is, good or bad, and that's the only reason i do it. Norwoods a great company, and i don't mind helping them out one bit.

Secondly, Norwoods been around what, 20 plus years? They are going "strong", selling a lot of sawmills. A nice old mark 3, is probably worth what it cost new right now. There's more than one guy still making money with there mark 3, and the mill is still turning out quality lumber.

Sawyer Rob.

 

[big daddio]

i got broke in on a frick mill, yeah it was in an older gentlemans back yard mill he'd put together with parts gathered up. there ain't no feeling like seein' that big circle blade partin' that log. and a helluva lot faster than a portable band mill...............oh yeah, a decade or so later i got me a woodmizer lt40. still goin' strong and sawin good...........but boys they's something about that whizzin' blade.

 

[Doug Varney]

Sawing as art

I didn't mean to start a gang war between the "blades" and the "bands" ;-)
What I am hearing that there can be very different technologies that bring us pleasure. Some mills seem to be very compact and efficient and others just feel good. I am glad we have a choice and can match our options to our desires. Seeing my income be cut in half with retirement, I think I will have to wait a bit before I make my selection. Until then I always have my Alaskan Chain saw mill.

 

[MotorSeven]

I didn't mean to start a gang war between the "blades" and the "bands" ;-)
What I am hearing that there can be very different technologies that bring us pleasure. Some mills seem to be very compact and efficient and others just feel good. I am glad we have a choice and can match our options to our desires. Seeing my income be cut in half with retirement, I think I will have to wait a bit before I make my selection. Until then I always have my Alaskan Chain saw mill.

Ahhhh, sounds like the difference between an "old" Harley & everything else. Some machines just have "soul", & that is what draws us to 'em!

The guy that cut all the logs for my first house had built his own circle mill (48" blade) from scrap. Man that thing was a wonderment just to watch. One thing to keep in mind, a circle mill can put a serious hurting on you if the board gets turned the wrong way or binds for whatever reason. I saw first hand the aftermath of a what happened when a helper turned a log the wrong way.....took out all of the hydro controls and the operators seat. Luckly the owner/operator saw what was comming & bailed out.

RD

RD