Want to mill own lumber. Would like input. New to it.

[Turbowrenchhead]

Hello everyone. This is my first post. I've been researching an affordable way to mill my own lumber. We have about 30-40 adult spurce trees we have to remove to clear an area for a large pole barn. My first thought was how was I going to get rid of all that wood. Then after we priced out some lumber to build a small shed I was shocked at the estimate. So I though why not mill all of it. I've been reading on and off for the past week. I've learned that you want a powerful saw. I'm partial to Husqvarna. I grew up in the logging industry and that's what we used. I have a 445 and it's never failed me. I seen that you can mod saws with a pop up piston, big bore and muffler. I don't know if this is necessary or not. I found a used 372xp non x torq. For $550. I think it would be a good candidate for the mods. However no one has a out of box pop up for it. At least none that I found. I've been looking at the Alaskan jigs as a alternative. A good one is under 300 and a nice metal ladder/slide is under 200. And they're available now.
The portamill PM14 looks like a nice set up for the money. However it's 8-10 weeks out.
I have a $2000 budget to work with.
I'm a powersports repair shop owner.
I'm handy with small engine and rebuilds. So the mods on the chainsaw seem practical to me.
I appreciate any information. Thanks in advance.
The Po

 

[unclemoustache]

I would recommend you hire a mobile sawyer to mill the logs for you.
You would cut the trees down and limb then, cut to length, then stack them in a certain manner.
The mobile sawyer arrives and (with the help of 1-2 people you provide) will get those logs all milled up in a few days.
It would save you gobs of time and money, and you would have more lumber of better quality than what you would get with chainsaw milling.
Give him a cut list of what you need for the shed, and then ask his recommendation of what to cut for you to sell.
You may even wish to get your lumber stamped and graded, which will fetch a higher price, but it costs money for an inspector/grader to do that.

Wood Mizer has a list of sawyers, but there are others out there if you look for them.

https://woodmizer.com/us/Find-a-Local-Sawyer

 

[ammoaddict]

Hello everyone. This is my first post. I've been researching an affordable way to mill my own lumber. We have about 30-40 adult spurce trees we have to remove to clear an area for a large pole barn. My first thought was how was I going to get rid of all that wood. Then after we priced out some lumber to build a small shed I was shocked at the estimate. So I though why not mill all of it. I've been reading on and off for the past week. I've learned that you want a powerful saw. I'm partial to Husqvarna. I grew up in the logging industry and that's what we used. I have a 445 and it's never failed me. I seen that you can mod saws with a pop up piston, big bore and muffler. I don't know if this is necessary or not. I found a used 372xp non x torq. For $550. I think it would be a good candidate for the mods. However no one has a out of box pop up for it. At least none that I found. I've been looking at the Alaskan jigs as a alternative. A good one is under 300 and a nice metal ladder/slide is under 200. And they're available now.
The portamill PM14 looks like a nice set up for the money. However it's 8-10 weeks out.
I have a $2000 budget to work with.
I'm a powersports repair shop owner.
I'm handy with small engine and rebuilds. So the mods on the chainsaw seem practical to me.
I appreciate any information. Thanks in advance.
The Po

You don't need a pop up piston for a milling saw, good sharp chains and time is what you need. The 372 would work for milling softwood, but of course bigger is better.
There is a ton of info on the milling 101 thread.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

 

[Husky Man]

30-40 “Adult “ Spruce Trees, is Well beyond Practical for a CSM (Chain Saw Mill) you would be much better off to look for a portable bandmill, or hire a portable bandmill sawyer.

IF You decide to go with a CSM, for that kind of volume, I would recommend either the Husqvarna 395XP, or the 3120XP. CSMing is about the most abusive legitimate use, there is for a chainsaw.

if CSM isn’t going to be a long term use, consider the 395XP, it will likely be more versatile in the future. If you expect to CSM more after this project, consider the 3120XP. I haven’t checked his prices recently, but Dave “the chainsawguy” in the AS Trading Post, was selling NIB 3120XP’s for $1399.00 SHIPED PHO(Power Head Only) that isn’t much more than a 395XP but a lot more saw

Milling that much, I would suggest going with a Granberg CSM, they aren’t that much more for a Known quality, than some of the Chinese knock offs, that can be off questionable and inconsistent quality

With a CSM, the “listed size” of the mill is the frame rail length, NOT the size of log it can mill. The bar clamps will typically eat up 2.5” of capacity, and you will want a couple of inches more than the largest log that you intend to mill, to avoid binding the mill near its capacity.

A Granberg G555B Edging mill would be an excellent companion tool to the main mill, especially if you don’t expect to need double live edge slabs, at the mills capacity.

Just as you need more mill than you would expect, you need more Bar than you would expect. You typically need a bar approximately 6” longer than the mill’s listed size

CSM’s are more suited to lower volume, and Niche uses like Table Tops, you CAN mill what you are talking about with a CSM, but it will be VERY Time Consuming and Labor Intensive

Good Luck with whatever you decide, and Stay SAFE doing it

Doug

 

[ammoaddict]

There are a bunch of YouTube videos on milling. I suggest you watch several of them so you will know what you are getting into.
You didn't specify the diameter of the trees. That makes a big difference in the size of the saw you need.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

 

[67L36Driver]

Portable band mill. Don’t waste your time and money.

It’s called an Alaskan mill because if you are 100 miles from civilization, it’s the only option.

@Douglas Ostrander

 

[Turbowrenchhead]

I can't afford a portable band mill.

 

[Turbowrenchhead]

The biggest spruce is about 18".
And yes 20 that have to be removed.

 

[ammoaddict]

The biggest spruce is about 18".
And yes 20 that have to be removed.

Watch videos, get an idea of how much time it will take for each board you intend to mill. I have a cheap Chinese farmertec 36" mill, it was a little over 100 bucks I think. It is fine except to 2 of the clamps nuts are welded on the wrong side. I haven't taken the time to cut them off and weld them on the other side yet. I also have a farmertec ms660 clone kit saw that runs good for the mill.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

 

[tfp]

Yes, very time and labour intensive for a CSM. It could be done though, and you’d get pretty fast (fast for CSM) by the end of it. I’d focus on having it set up as perfect as possible so only minimal finishing is required to get the end product to a standard you can use. Do you have any machinery to move all the logs and boards around? That would help

 

[BobL]

RE:Then after we priced out some lumber to build a small shed I was shocked at the estimate.

A few years back years ago I worked out that chainsaw lumber making means I'm working for about US$3.50 an hour. OK I'm a retired, slow and perhaps fussy and I'm not doing it for straight lumber but its not a general economical way of making lumber. In a few cases CSM does it's place.A few years back I slabbed up a 8ft x 24" log for a young couple in their tiny back yard with just a narrow footpath for access down one side of their house. They did think of hiring a crane to get the log out over their house but I charged them slightly less than the cost of the crane.

 

[nathan4104]

I’d also recommend hiring a mobile Sawyer.
I have a bit of experience sawing with a bandsaw mill and had about 4cord of nice logs sawed up recently. It was far easier to hire a guy who k ew what they were doing than mess around myself. I can’t see using a chainsaw to make anything other than beams /timber’s, unless you have lots of time to spent bent over pushing a chainsaw. With 18” you’ll have lots of potential to make 2x and 1x lumber which would be so much quicker with a bandsaw. It may be worth pricing! Some guys will trade a bit too. There’s more to nice lumber than running a (pick your blade type) through it.

 

[Turbowrenchhead]

What would be the normal rate to hire for the day?
No I don't have any heavy equipment. I have a atv with a winch and a large pulley tripod

 

[poleframer]

Lack of patience is ALWAYS more expensive. I have a BS mill that I took 8 months or so to piece together, 5 some years ago thats making me money and lumber now.
I'd agree with hiring a portable sawmill to turn your trees into lumber.
Everyone with a portable mill is gonna be busy right now, as a carpenter I find it funny that everyone is so hot and bothered to get stuff done this time of year, if they'd called me in febuary, it would be done.
Make some phone calls, and see if you can get someone out there to asses what you want done, and they could probably suggest how to move and arrange the logs you want milled, (your labor on a job saves money) and give them the leash to pick a timeslot that works.
For a good miller, 20 18" trees is a couple-3 days work, if they are stacked and ready.

 

[Husky Man]

Lack of patience is ALWAYS more expensive. I have a BS mill that I took 8 months or so to piece together, 5 some years ago thats making me money and lumber now.
I'd agree with hiring a portable sawmill to turn your trees into lumber.
Everyone with a portable mill is gonna be busy right now, as a carpenter I find it funny that everyone is so hot and bothered to get stuff done this time of year, if they'd called me in febuary, it would be done.
Make some phone calls, and see if you can get someone out there to asses what you want done, and they could probably suggest how to move and arrange the logs you want milled, (your labor on a job saves money) and give them the leash to pick a timeslot that works.
For a good miller, 20 18" trees is a couple-3 days work, if they are stacked and ready.

Sometimes February isn’t a very good option.


This was our place February 15th, not the ideal conditions to fall or mill 20-30 trees, or build a shed (Wink, Grin)

Hey poleframer, what part of Southern Oregon are you in?

I have been working out of Medford a lot lately, I had deliveries in Medford, Phoenix, Ashland, Lakeview, Grants Pass and Brookings

I will be through that area again tomorrow and Tuesday, on a different account. I have Bend, Klamath Falls, Phoenix, and back up through Grants Pass, Eugene, and Salem

Hoping to lay over at the Comfort Inn Ashland, that is where we were staying, when working out of Medford

Doug

 

[Turbowrenchhead]

I have a guy coming Wednesday to look at the trees

 

[poleframer]

Hey Doug, I'm east of Cave Junction, about half way to the caves. Nice place there, I grew up in Gresham, back when it was a small town of berry fields.
Once in a while we get heavy snows, but usually febuary is spring like here.

 

[lone wolf]

I would recommend you hire a mobile sawyer to mill the logs for you.
You would cut the trees down and limb then, cut to length, then stack them in a certain manner.
The mobile sawyer arrives and (with the help of 1-2 people you provide) will get those logs all milled up in a few days.
It would save you gobs of time and money, and you would have more lumber of better quality than what you would get with chainsaw milling.
Give him a cut list of what you need for the shed, and then ask his recommendation of what to cut for you to sell.
You may even wish to get your lumber stamped and graded, which will fetch a higher price, but it costs money for an inspector/grader to do that.

Wood Mizer has a list of sawyers, but there are others out there if you look for them.

https://woodmizer.com/us/Find-a-Local-Sawyer

What portable mill do you recomend and what is the cost?

 

[grizz55chev]

What would be the normal rate to hire for the day?
No I don't have any heavy equipment. I have a atv with a winch and a large pulley tripod

Local guy here advertised $120 hr. + $125 setup fee. He also charges for milage to and from the job but 8 can't recall the amount he was asking. Keep in ind that for a lot of the jobs, you need some type of equipment on hand to handle the logs, like a skid steer or Kubota. An 8 hr day can run well over a grand.

 

[sonny580]

do like I did----get a Timber- Tuff bandmill. 18" capacity x 9'1" length BUT you can make extensions to any length you want/need.
The 36" alaskan skins the bigger logs to fit the mill and I dont do that many big ones so it works for me.
The de-barker is nice in that it just makes the blade stay sharper longer by removing bark/knots/dirt/other nasty stuff in the log.