mobile sawmill

[nature worker]

As a director of a sociale economy organisation (in Flanders - Belgium) I've an new idea which I would like to explore.
Working with disadvantaged groups (low skilled - long term unemployed) in nature conservation, harmonious park and green management and landscape management we fell a lot of trees, mostly pine, which is sawn down as firewood. Occasionaly (although more and more) we come across more valuable trees (Prunus serotina, Quercus rubra, Robinia, Populus, Castanea, Aesculus,...). These are mostly solitairs or are felt while tinning out a wood.
Sawing them other than as firewood is not economicaly profitable (for a regular harvester).
My idea is to start sawing them ourselves with a mobile bandsaw.
This would be a total new activity for our organisation. And here, as we say in Flanders "comes the monkey out of the sleeve ". I have limited financial resources which I have to put in sensibaly.
Although I think it opens al lot of possiblities towards both our goals (social and economical) I have to start this new activity on an experimental basis.
So now I'm loking for a mobile bandsaw as cheap as possible.
Any ideas (and intrest in what we do) are welcome on this forum or at my e-mail adress [email protected]

Thanks!
Vic Theuns

 

[woodshop]

Welcome. Although it might cost you a bit more than your "limitied resources" can handle, if you want a truly portable bandsaw, the Ripsaw is about 50lb, and can handle a log up to about 40 inch dia. You will need a 50-60cc range saw. Grab a cup of coffee, and read through this thread. Ask away if any details you want explained any better.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=19709&highlight=woodshop

The alternative is an alaskan mill, which is a chainsaw mill. a LOT cheaper, but a little slower and will take more of your tree due to its larger kerf. You will also need a relatively large chainsaw if you are planning on milling wood that way. Again, it is a lot cheaper though, and may be the way you will have to go.

 

[TedChristiansen]

Vic,

Though more expensive than an Alaskan chainsaw mill, a Logosol Woodworkers Mill or M7 is a good solution. Because you dont have to push the saw through the wood (a crank with string pulls it through) you wont get tired as quickly.

See http://www.logosol.com

Regards,

Ted

 

[davvyd]

awsome info!!

Milling lumber woodshop style !! great link. thank you very much for that information. very helpful. I am a new to this aswell and I cant read enough from all of you experienced guys. MORE PICTURES, ACTION SHOTS WOULD BE GREAT. thanks again.

 

[Husky137]

I know he's on a limited government budget (which could be a lot by some standards) but I would be afraid that a couple of days with a chainsaw mill might reinforce the belief in their lifestyle of long-term unemployed.

 

[woodshop]

Milling lumber woodshop style !! great link. thank you very much for that information. very helpful. I am a new to this aswell and I cant read enough from all of you experienced guys. MORE PICTURES, ACTION SHOTS WOULD BE GREAT. thanks again.

Glad youfound my article helpful davvyd. I've milled several thousand bd ft of wood that way in the past few years. I also have over a thousand digital pics of csm and Ripsaw milling. I would be glad to dig out some more and post them for some of the new guys that aren't as familiar with exactly how this works and what is involved. I'll cull a few and post them next day or so. If you look through some of the milling threads you can find lots of pics of milling. Aggie and caseyforrest have posted many, rollermatic has a bunch showing his setup. Many of us have pics on here, you just have to dig around a bit using the search function.

 

[poleframer]

Cheap is my middle name-ha. Have a look at my csm, somewhere back in the milling threads. I took the procut idea and made it for less than a couple hundred bucks. With some fab skills a carridge isnt very hard to do, I've thought about making the rail and adjustable sawhorse setup even more portable, perhaps make the rails out of unistrut or some other cheap, straight , easy to aquire material.
All due respect to bandmills , but one basic advantage to csm's are the availability of chainsaws, chains, etc., as opposed to band blades,parts, etc.
I think kerf loss is more an issue in relation to the value of the wood, if ya have trees available, but the investment funds are tight, kerf loss isnt that important if you want boards instead of firewood. Thats where I was at when I made mine.
Russell

 

[woodshop]

All due respect to bandmills , but one basic advantage to csm's are the availability of chainsaws, chains, etc., as opposed to band blades,parts, etc.
I think kerf loss is more an issue in relation to the value of the wood, if ya have trees available, but the investment funds are tight, kerf loss isnt that important if you want boards instead of firewood. Russell

very good point, I cringe more when I have to waste part of a premium cherry log, where one single 8 ft board can be worth $50-70, more if figured... than I do when milling up a pine log that I'm doing only because I would still rather have pine boards than pine firewood. Bottom line is I average an extra board with my Ripsaw bandmill for every 6 I cut than if I used my csm for everything. Again... not necessarily a big deal. Unless you mill a lot of lumber as I do, maybe not worth the extra expense of a bandmill, even a little handheld one like mine. There are other advantages to a bandmill though, and while Russel is right, you can pick up chain and saw parts much easier than bandsaw blades or bandmill parts, if you plan ahead and keep organized, that is not as much of an issue in my opinion.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Go to www.norwoodindustries.com and contact them about purchaseing one of there bandmills where "you live". I know they have sold many mills over the pond there, and the owners are very happy with them.

Norwood sells a great bandmill, and i don't know of any other company offers as much sawmill for as low of a price as Norwood does... I know i'm very happy with mine.

Rob

 

[Sawyer Rob]

All due respect to bandmills , but one basic advantage to csm's are the availability of chainsaws, chains, etc., as opposed to band blades,parts, etc.

I've never had a problem finding bands for my mill.... These days, there's more companys makeing bandsaw bands than there are chainsaw chain...

As for mill parts, the berring ect. are all standard in my mill, i can buy most of them from an auto parts house... Best part is, i haven't needed them! You must be thinking of Woodmizer who is infamous for useing a lot of spl. parts in there mills...

As for powerplants... There's a LOT more places around here to buy a small four stroke motor, than a chainsaw big enough to mill with. If i had been milling with a CSM the last 10 years like i've been with a bandsaw mill, my guess is i'd be on my 4th or 5th power head by now?? To be honest, probable more... As it is, i haven't wore out even one Honda or B&S Vanguard motor in my life yet!

BTW, that many big powerheads would have cost me more than a new bandmill! Now, wanna compare fuel and oil cost too????

Rob

 

[poleframer]

Good reply Rob. I thought about a bandmill, but I don't do a lot of milling. Initial investment vs overall return is a consideration in a lot of decisions. I don't have the $ in my wallet to buy a bandmill, or time to build one (yet). I expect thats why a lot of folks go csm. I've said it before, will say it again. "Context". Whatever fits the situation best is the best choice. Making those decisions is why discussion forums like this ROCK!
Russell