I’ve been watching more and more of your videos unfortunately I didn’t see this before. I’ve wanted a sawmill for years, Just did my first ever job last weekend, client needed some 24” eastern white pines milled up into random cuts. Barged my mill to an island to the site. My homemade log arch passed the ultimate test and My manual mill that can only do 22” wasn’t cutting very well With under 10hours of cutting experience I did finish the job but not as good as I wanted the outcome to be. I busted my ass, Frustrated and realizing how much I enjoyed it Spend 3 days obsessing about and how the job went how I could do better. With a bit of hesitation for the unknown and support from my girlfriend I pulled the trigger and put a down payment on a LT35 hydraulic. Videos like this are pretty simple, but they put me in a good mind set for things to come….. Thank you!
Great info. I've done two portable mill jobs to date and you're spot on with what you need to bring. I hadn't thought about being so clear with the customer about sawdust and ruts in the yard, so thanks for that tip!
I'm not running a portable sawmill business, but I am soon ready to pull the trigger on purchasing my own personal mill. I found your advice regarding equipment extremely helpful! Thank you so much.
I think you have the best way to do this explanations, so that is what makes the world better sawmill men understanding, and how you can get a satisfying to your customer, thanks to the great advice, I am not a sawmill owner yet but I'm planning to be one and I hope I don't have any problems,and if I have any issues I all way going to be remember your advice, I am going to give you a big tomb up 😁😀
Thank you. I am so blessed by your knowledge, Christian example and biblical principles! I have a Hud-son manual mill. I haven’t quite gotten the skill yet to cut consistently straight & exact measurements, but I’m improving slowly. I graduated from Indiana Wesleyan with a Masters in Ministry in 2005. Jesus is our all in all! Ed
Excellent video. When I’m using my hands for lifting I’ve found gloves reduce your effort. The friction gloves provide make it unnecessary to grip tightly. If you’re doing that kind of work for hours on end, for weeks and years you will thank yourself in the long run. Safety toe boots are a good idea. Maybe it’s just because I’m getting older but I take a folding chair on a job. When I take a break I want to be comfortable. Again, great video. I’m in Indiana so who knows maybe we will do business someday. Take care
I know I am a few years late to the game but with lumber prices I purchased a mill for building several projects for our small businesses. I plan on doing this kind of service on the side if there is time and these seem fantastic pieces of advice. I already keep tools, fluids, chains, straps, and gloves in all my vehicles so that is good. I hadn't considered getting the log arch...but will now.
Good call on the ear plugs, most cheaper earmuffs are only rated at 28 decibels, versus your earplugs which are probably at 32. Awesome video, thanks for taking the time to make it. As a previous safety professional, I appreciate when someone is prepared, as rushing and mistakes are what cause the majority of accidents.
Great video. You covered all the major items. Keep up the exercise content. I learn more about running a sawmill from your channel than just about any on RU-vid. I look forward to seeing your future content. I would add- bring lots of blades. On a bad day I could go through 6 to 10 with all the metal strikes and dry or abrasive wood. I like to bring a chainsaw winch to help move logs some. A winch can move a log that a tractor would struggle with and a pickup would never move. I can pull logs out of inaccessible areas with my winch. I do not have a log arch yet because a lot of the logs I saw are to bog for a small one and a big log arch will not fit in the back of my vehicle. Disclaimer: A winch is not a perfect tool mine brakes down all the time, if you get one expect to fix or replace it a lot dependingon its build quality. Also buy extra cable by the spool and use lots of lube on the cable before you try using it
Talking about nails one thing I have that you haven’t mentioned Is an inexpensive metal detector if you suspect a log may have nails it sure saves your blades
I enjoyed your video, good solid advice. I'm a business owner and have been for 23 years, you and I think alot a like when it comes to customers service. I recently purchased a sawmill (as a hobby) without knowing exactly what I was looking for in a mill. I have owned it less than a year and I am looking to upgrade already. How do you like your Wood Mizer and how are they to deal with?
Thanks for all the great info. I’ve been thinking of getting a sawmill to supplement my woodworking hobby. Doing small contract jobs may be a great way to justify the expense.
I have the 60" Logrite Peavy as well as the 30" Logrite "mill special". I find both indispensable! The point on the Peavy works great to slide or lift logs. I use a 20 volt blower because it is so easy and fast. I also have the exact same gloves! 😁
I also just realized that you didn't mention extra blades! I know that you are bringing lots of blades and because you have a Woodmizer I'm guessing extra belts too?
Thanks! Very helpful. Especially the professionalism part!! These days especially, a face mask is a must ... keeps out the sometimes toxic and harmful sawdust, and virus to boot; show the customer you care and expect him to wear one if you will be getting up close ... and depending on the kinds of situations you encounter, a 12V winch with a long, heavy duty lead for the battery hookup (or bring a spare battery!), a good lot of 1/4" aircraft cable, hooks and a couple of pulley blocks can get you out of some tough situations ... you can have two or three slip-on mounting points on your mill for light pulls, or on the back of your truck or a nearby tree or hammered in posts ... watch some Matt Cremona big log slabbing videos for imaginative uses of winch cable ... of course, if you will be generating long, wide 9/4+ slabs, require that the customer supply sufficient manpower for a full day of offloading ... you're a high price miller, not a laborer!!
You and my husband have the same work ethic (s) We use to have a construction company on the west coast now we are in Tennessee. He is still contracting but only has himself as the employee, due to many variables of reliability these days he now does simple things, no more building etc. although he might do one here and there. However we may need your help (advice) when he gets his mill. Would you be willing to chat with him personally on the phone he likes personal contact rather than emails etc. he is an old soul.Thank You
1) Palm padded gloves (bicycle/ motorcyle?) can be helpful if you run vibrating equipment that can cause hand swellling; 2) 1"-2" paint brush handy to clean sawdust BEFORE removing fuel/ oil CAPS to keep sawdust OUT of tanks/ filters :-) GREAT VOIDEO
One thing I would add is something to protect yourself from breathing sawdust, some of which can be toxic, but all inhaled wood dust is hazardous to your long-term health.
Very good video, thanks! Can you make a video on how you successfully market your sawmill services? Also, do you saw your own lumber for sale locally? What is your hourly charge?
A large table umbrella mounted over the controls keept me out of the sun. The best way to work is have the logs brought to your mill, You may haul them on your self loading trailer for a fee. or find a guy that hauls logs bring them to your mill. You get the Flitches, (firewood), and sawdust as a bonus. The best part is you can mill the logs at your convenience, and use your loader. No more dragging the mill across town with the big ass truck loaded to the max with all the stuff, to make the same money. Chances are good they will buy extra lumber from you. A good way to work is take 1/2 the logs for milling there half into lumber, until your stock is big enough.
What is a fair hourly price for middle Tennessee? I'm considering buying one but keeping it on my property, not taking it anywhere. Is this reasonable? Thanks for any advice
Get yourself a cheap battery powered blower. Bought one this fall and I’ll never go back to a gas one again. I use it 10x more because I don’t have to pull start it for 10 seconds of use.
How big of a sawmill do I need for a sawmill business . My friend bought a small mills cheapest one and thinks to make a sawmill business is this practical or not will he be able to charge that Same hourly rate as a big mill? I would think you would at least have to have a mill with hydraulics to make enough to pay or a lot of man power
It depends on what kind of business he is looking to make. My circular saw buddies say you can't make a business with a bandsaw mill because they are too slow, but then again, if I cut 1,000 bf a day I'm happy with it, whereas they cut about 30,000 bf per day. You have to be happy with what you can cut and set realistic expectations. More power, hydraulics make a big difference, but for a small business with low cashflow, those little manual mills are a good start. A lot of people want to buy sawmills right now, but most people don't understand the hard work it really takes to be successful at it. If a person is determined, I believe they can be successful at it. To answer another question, you can not charge the same as a bigger mill that can cut faster. That is more business ethics than anything, but if I knew my mill cut 1/2 as fast as it currently does, I don't think my conscience could charge the same. Hope this helps answer the questions, thanks!
@@southernindianasawmill1367 yes thanks for your advice I want to get one myself but have been watching the adventures my friend is having with his right now and learning from his mistakes. I would like to retire in a few years and a saw mill business would be fun. I have cut pulp wood and saw logs and fire wood for a living years ago and have both circle saw mill and band mill out to the house but never my own mill
Another word to the wise. There's NO difference between the motor of an F250 and am F450. The only difference in those trucks is the suspension. It's a lot cheaper to buy a 250 and just put heavy duty springs on it. Food for thought
Once you step up to a real heavy duty truck, there are many differences to accommodate the extra weight carrying capacity. Tires/ wheels/ suspension/ frame, etc. A person should never modify a vehicle to carry more weight than it wasn't designed to carry. It's true that engines are really no different, but the gearing in the transmission is totally different; another factor in its ability to move heavier loads. I used to think there was no difference except the springs, but that's not the case.
