# Newbie looking for advice...



## dh13134 (Nov 6, 2012)

Hi
(just signed up - looking forward to learning!)

I MAY have access to a supply of logs at some time in the near future so I'm thinking about getting into the portable sawmill business for a few extra bucks here and there (maybe more some day). I have ABSOLUTELY NO EXPERIENCE in it, but I consider myself a pretty capable "jack-of-all-trades" and I absolutely LOVE working with wood from the beginning to the end, so I don't have a shortage of desire by any means!

Most of whatever I will need to spend will come from the bank, so I'll need to make enough $$ to cover a loan payment.

-How do I get started? (pretty general, I know, but throw in whatever you think might help)

-What equipment would I need? (other than a sawmill)

-Who/where to sell milled lumber to?

-Any other thought would be greatly appreciated!

Any relavent threads on this site that you can point me to would be great!

Hopefully this is a good start to beginning my quest - really looking forward to it! Thanks in advance!


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## fromtheforty (Jan 15, 2011)

Good Morning,

There is a lot of things to discuss with your questions, more than enough to write a book. 

Is running a sawmill hard? No, but its certainly not easy either. There are a lot of things to learn like knowing how to get the most out of each log and knowing how to get the highest quality lumber out of the log. It also take attention detail. 

There is a guy 3 miles down the road from me that owns a logging operations. Feller buncher, skidder, the hole 9 yards. He has a big Baker, fully hydraulic sawmill and a edger. Problem he has is that he is the type of guy that has to go a 100mph all time. He cuts a crappy board ( 2.25" on one end 1.75" on the other) and I bet that $40,000 mill hasn't cut 500 bd/ft in the last 3 years.

Equipment needs: I can't imagine trying to saw without a skidsteer or a tractor. It seems that I am always moving logs around. A edger would be nice. I don't have one but I often wish that I did.

Selling lumber: This is probably the trickiest part. Craigslist will work, ebay, and Wood Barter. The only thing is that I think that its going to be very difficult to sell lumber that is not kiln dried. You can build a Daren Kiln to help with that. You are going to have to find a market for low grade lumber. Even the best logs have low grade lumber.

One thing that you every business owner underestimates their need for is a nasty 4 letter word. CASH. Buying logs, selling lumber takes lots of it. It can be amazing how quickly buying a few hardwood logs can ring up to $1,000. 

Honestly, I would start with a small, manual mill and work up from there. You should see if you actually like the work before you get too far into it. Green wood is heavy and sometimes the work can be back breaking. I'm not trying to piss on your parade but its not as easy as it looks.

Geoff


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## greg4269ub (Sep 1, 2009)

Do not go into debt unless you are extremely confident in selling the product you will be making! I can't stress this enough. From the time you take out the loan to the time you are able to sell your first board may be several months. I do custom cutting for other people to help with the eb and flow of sales. The payments on a mill, skidloader and kiln (if you buy one) will easliy top $1000 per month. Now you have to buy logs and pay an electric bill to run the kiln. In addition there is tons of support equipment ie chainsaws, log hooks, edgers, the list is a long one... This is where i got caught up when I started I was clueless as to what is needed to make the day go smoothly. For me I also needed a place to do my milling. I used my parents property til i was able to buy it. There was no out building so i was under the open sky for 3 years. I am now in the process of errecting a building to finallly put my mill in. 

I know this sounds discouraging just wanted to bring up some really important cash flow issues i see with borrowing the money to start. If you have a source for logs it may be better to find someone to saw them for you and build a customer before you invest in the equipment. (another point--- see what the competition is in your area it may be stiff it may not)


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## J Thomas (Aug 14, 2012)

Before you make the jump... Take a weekend job with a local mill & stick with it for about a year.. This way you get the feel of the operation both summer & winter.
You'll get the hang of how it's done, things to watch out for, how to "read" the particular log & how to keep the saw out of the "irons"
Mills are hot in the summer & cold in the winter and if it's windy wear your goggles.
Given a small band mill may not break the bank you can spend well over 20K on a nice hydraulic set up and you'll still need eqpt to move logs etc..etc..
A bit of experience with one will give you a much better understanding than we can on the keyboard.
Good luck.. Be safe.. & keep us posted.
..Jon..


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## dh13134 (Nov 6, 2012)

Thanks for the replies!

No sugar-coating necessary!! Good info. Thanks!

I've been checking craigslist.com for logs but I don't really know how to value and what to pay for them. Any quick thoughts about that! For example, here's a recent post:

"I have some beautiful hickory logs. Logs are 8-14' long, 18-24" diameter. Delivery available. Entire load $500 cash. Would make really nice wood beams or lumber..."

How would I start to value this?

Again, any of your thought are very welcomed.


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## dh13134 (Nov 6, 2012)

...by the way, the add also mentioned "Currently have 9 tons", for whatever that's worth.

I'm more interested in generally pricing a log - I assume based on diameter, length, etc instead of weight!


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## fromtheforty (Jan 15, 2011)

Scaling logs is another part of the business. You will need to find a "scale" or chart online. The scale will tell you how many board ft of lumber are in in each log based on the diameter and the length of the log. There are 3 scales that are commonly used - Scribner (I use this), Doyle, and international. Depending on which scale you use, you will get different results. Some scale higher on certain size logs, others are lower. I think its important to agree on the scale that you are using do that everyone is on the same page. I use a scaling stick (looks like a yard stick) that I bought from Bailey's. It gives you the # of bd/ft based on the measurement of the diameter. All you have to due is put it up to the small end of the log, find the measurement, and check the bd/ft calculation based on the length of the log. 

Certainly all log are not created equal. Knots, holes, and straightness all effect the value of the log. Logs in my area are basically categorized by veneer, #1, #2, #3, and cull (firewood). This is an area where you can make huge mistakes in overpaying for logs. It is also a source of disagreement between the seller and the buyer. Everybody thinks there logs are always #1 when they are really 2s or 3s.

To answer your question about the hickory, there is basically no way to know if its a good deal or not until you look at them, rate them, and scale the logs. You also need to have some idea on what the market is for hickory logs in your area. Who knows, it could be $.20 bd/ft or $.70 bd/ft. 

Hope this helps!

Geoff


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## Logger (Nov 26, 2009)

I have sawn Hickory on my mill a few times with not the best results, it can be hard to produce a good board on a band mill in my opinon, so I usally turn down cutting hickory unless the customer is fully aware of outcome.


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