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



## Turbowrenchhead (May 16, 2021)

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 (May 16, 2021)

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.



Find a Local Sawyer | Wood-Mizer USA


----------



## ammoaddict (May 16, 2021)

Turbowrenchhead said:


> 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.
> ...


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 (May 16, 2021)

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 (May 16, 2021)

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 (May 16, 2021)

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 (May 16, 2021)

I can't afford a portable band mill.


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 16, 2021)

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


----------



## ammoaddict (May 16, 2021)

Turbowrenchhead said:


> 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 (May 16, 2021)

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 (May 16, 2021)

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 (May 16, 2021)

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 (May 16, 2021)

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 (May 16, 2021)

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 (May 17, 2021)

poleframer said:


> 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 (May 17, 2021)

I have a guy coming Wednesday to look at the trees


----------



## poleframer (May 18, 2021)

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 (May 18, 2021)

unclemoustache said:


> 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.
> ...


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


----------



## grizz55chev (May 18, 2021)

Turbowrenchhead said:


> 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 (May 18, 2021)

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.


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 18, 2021)

It's $3700 and it's back order.


----------



## sonny580 (May 18, 2021)

LX25 Portable Sawmill


Built in the USA, entry-level hobby sawmill with 7HP or 9.5HP gas engine, 26 inch log diameter, 22 inch width of cut, 12 foot 5 inch log length, auto-locking sawhead, and quick-set log handling for everything you need to start sawing your own lumber.



woodmizer.com




check this out also harbor freight has a cheeeepie that would work with some re-man work to beef it up!


----------



## ammoaddict (May 18, 2021)

sonny580 said:


> LX25 Portable Sawmill
> 
> 
> Built in the USA, entry-level hobby sawmill with 7HP or 9.5HP gas engine, 26 inch log diameter, 22 inch width of cut, 12 foot 5 inch log length, auto-locking sawhead, and quick-set log handling for everything you need to start sawing your own lumber.
> ...


I read that the woodmizers are back ordered for 44-59 weeks. The HF ones say currently unavailable.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk


----------



## unclemoustache (May 20, 2021)

lone wolf said:


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



I read that the woodmizers are back ordered for 44-59 weeks. The HF ones say currently unavailable.


ammoaddict said:


> Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk



I have a Wood Mizer LT15 Wide. 
pretty happy with it. $10K. There are cheaper ones. I recommend spending at least $25k to get something with hydraulics and debarker. Well worth the cost in the amount of time it saves. I spend most of my time moving and positioning . 

But EVERY brand of sawmill is a year out on orders now. 



grizz55chev said:


> 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.



$120/hr is very high. Most charge around $70/hr.
I charge $50 because I’m new and still don’t really know what I’m doing.


----------



## lone wolf (May 20, 2021)

unclemoustache said:


> I read that the woodmizers are back ordered for 44-59 weeks. The HF ones say currently unavailable.
> 
> 
> I have a Wood Mizer LT15 Wide.
> ...


I hate waiting!


----------



## grizz55chev (May 20, 2021)

lone wolf said:


> I hate waiting!


My son bought his Woodmizer back 6 yrs ago, fully hydraulic, diesel powered, fully computer controlled cut settings. We're doing a job for a friend on Sat. 2 nice ponderosa and a good cedar, all hazard trees on flat ground right in the middle of town on 1/2 acre. We bid the job at $ 2k, which was $500 less than a bid he already had.. My sons traveling about 6o miles of mountain road to get here, so it's going to be an interesting day. I'll try and post pics when we get started.


----------



## sonny580 (May 20, 2021)

I cant believe the none to be had thingy!!!! WOW!! When I bought my Timber-Tuff a few years ago, it was delivered in 3 days from Northern Tool ! ---- guess times are changing! --- Anyway for casual or small time use they are still a good buy. 
IF you want to saw on a commercial basis, then you would probably want one of the expensive fancy ones.
I cut for friends on mine and you can run a LOT of logs thru it in an hour. I like the simple "no frills" of it --- No hydraulics or computer crap to give problems on them! 
Everybody has their preference as to what they want.


----------



## grizz55chev (May 20, 2021)

sonny580 said:


> I cant believe the none to be had thingy!!!! WOW!! When I bought my Timber-Tuff a few years ago, it was delivered in 3 days from Northern Tool ! ---- guess times are changing! --- Anyway for casual or small time use they are still a good buy.
> IF you want to saw on a commercial basis, then you would probably want one of the expensive fancy ones.
> I cut for friends on mine and you can run a LOT of logs thru it in an hour. I like the simple "no frills" of it --- No hydraulics or computer crap to give problems on them!
> Everybody has their preference as to what they want.


I'm partners with 2 friends on a Mobile Dimension mill. Designed and manufactured in Troutdale, Oregon in the early 70's. Powered by a VW motor, reliable as all get out and spits out lumber like nobody's business. One man can make a lot of lumber real quick!


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 20, 2021)

I got a quote last night for $2k to cut up our 20-22 trees. 
Starting to think that a good Alaskan jig and a good saw is the way to go. 
I don't mind the labor.


----------



## softdown (May 21, 2021)

unclemoustache said:


> I read that the woodmizers are back ordered for 44-59 weeks. The HF ones say currently unavailable.
> 
> 
> I have a Wood Mizer LT15 Wide.
> ...



That depends on if they can work from home or must travel to site. Plus their equipment, manpower and experience will determine their potential milling speed. A 14hp engine cuts at roughly twice the speed of a 7hp engine.


----------



## sonny580 (May 21, 2021)

The Alaskan WASTES about half of the wood!!!---- Keep that in mind! .035 to .042 approx., for bandmill blade and from 1/4 to 1/2 inch PER cut for chainsaw .! Thats why bandmills have taken the market over all others. I used to have a Belsaw M-14 --- best saw on the market BUT a 1/4" kerf, but it would work the tails off 3 or 4 guys running it!
If you are going to just cut beams with them ----not quite as much loss. I only use mine to skin the few big logs I do so they fit the bandmill.


----------



## ElevatorGuy (May 21, 2021)

People really spend 10-25k or more to mill lumber!? What kinda money do you make from this?


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 21, 2021)

sonny580 said:


> The Alaskan WASTES about half of the wood!!!---- Keep that in mind! .035 to .042 approx., for bandmill blade and from 1/4 to 1/2 inch PER cut for chainsaw .! Thats why bandmills have taken the market over all others. I used to have a Belsaw M-14 --- best saw on the market BUT a 1/4" kerf, but it would work the tails off 3 or 4 guys running it!
> If you are going to just cut beams with them ----not quite as much loss. I only use mine to skin the few big logs I do so they fit the bandmill.


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 21, 2021)

I've taken that into account. I can buy a really nice saw, jig and aluminum ladder for less then he wants to cut it. 
Plus I'll have it for the future


----------



## Ted Jenkins (May 21, 2021)

ElevatorGuy said:


> People really spend 10-25k or more to mill lumber!? What kinda money do you make from this?


Yes would like to know what the lumber is used for. Do some people try to sell lumber or?? My needs have to do with some projects where as I need quite a bit of lumber. Thanks


----------



## sonny580 (May 22, 2021)

Actually,------It comes down to personal preference as to what type saw anyone wants to mess with. We are not in a heavy wooded area, logs are scarce and smaller than what commercial guys will cut so people bring them to me to cut on the bandmill. They help turn the logs on the mill. Most of them can be rolled on by hand but the few that are too heavy I fork them on with the skidloader IF needed.
I like the Timber Tuff cause it sits right on the ground, comes apart easy for moving or storage and dont take up a lot of space.
All of them have good and not so good points . 
There are a few of the fancy mills around here but they wont touch small logs, OR 1 or 2----gotta be a whole bunch!----most of them cant hold or cut small logs, and the ones that will try to cut small stuff charge 10 times more that the wood is worth.


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 22, 2021)

Do you have to use a 36" bar in the Alaskan mill? 
What is a good bar for milling? 
I know that you want to use a ripping chain.


----------



## Husky Man (May 22, 2021)

Turbowrenchhead said:


> Do you have to use a 36" bar in the Alaskan mill?
> What is a good bar for milling?
> I know that you want to use a ripping chain.


I covered Mill and bar sizes pretty well in post #4 

In post #8 you stated that the Biggest Spruce was 18”, if that is the case, then and you are determined to CSM your trees, I would suggest a Granberg G778-24 mill, and a 28” bar.

3/8” Pitch chain in either 0.58 or 0.63 Gauge should be a good choice for you. IIRC, you were considering a Husqvarna saw, and.058 is a pretty common gauge chain for Huskies, I’m pretty sure that 3/8” .063 is easy enough to find as well, the larger the gauge the better it will carry oil, which is important when milling, and set your oiler to MAX

With the 24” mill a 28” bar is a Very common size, and while it might not quite max out the capacity of a 24” mill, it should come close, and handle everything that you are currently wanting to mill 

A solid one piece milled bar rather than a laminated bar, with a Sprocket Nose, Not a “Hard Nose” would be your best bet. Make SURE that your nose end bar clamp is in far enough that it doesn’t crush the nose sprocket 

Again, I think that for you a Granberg G555-B Edging Mill would be a very worthwhile companion tool to have. I haven’t priced them lately but should be under $150 shipped 

if you have, or have access to either an upright bandsaw or tablesaw, either would speed up production and be more accurate for making dimensional lumber from the slabs, this is one of the ways that the G555-B Edging mill will come in handy, to give you a good straight side for the bandsaw or Tablesaw fence. Also after you “Top Slab” your logs, you can side slab your logs, which will let you mill a larger log on a smaller mill, which also makes for narrower slabs for the milling saw to cut. If trying to maximize the yield, remember to account for the kerf thickness of your cuts if you side slab both sides of your “Cant” 

It’s a Good thing that you don’t mind the Labor, because CSM’ing that much is going to take a LOT of work, and a LOT of TIME, but the G555-B and a band or Table saw would definitely help with both Time and Work 

Good Luck, and above all, Stay SAFE 


Doug


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 22, 2021)

I really appreciate the information. 
Yes the largest spruce is about 18. 
There are some other trees in the property that are larger and I will eventually cut down and process. So I would like to go 36" off thy bat. 
What would you recommend for a jig for 36?


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 22, 2021)

I found a 372x torq on ebay for 900.
Anything bigger is much n more $


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 22, 2021)

Thoughts?


----------



## Husky Man (May 22, 2021)

I haven’t priced anything in quite awhile, the price on the 372XP seems about right.
If you are wanting to mill bigger than about 20”, you will need bigger than a 24” mill, unless you use the G555-B to trim it down to a narrower width.

The guide rail kit, didn’t blow up well on my phone, but it looks like each rail is 3 pieces, the older Granberg 9’, and newer 10’ rails are 1 piece, as are the 5’ rails. Granberg does offer the connector kits to be able to mill longer beams, but the fewer joints, the more rigid the rail system will be, giving you better results in your lumber. I would recommend, and have myself the Granberg EZ Rail system, but it is your money, your choice 

you had asked if a 36” bar is necessary, it would be the best choice for a 30” mill 
For a 36” mill, you will want a 42” bar

Doug


----------



## Skeans (May 22, 2021)

Husky Man said:


> I haven’t priced anything in quite awhile, the price on the 372XP seems about right.
> If you are wanting to mill bigger than about 20”, you will need bigger than a 24” mill, unless you use the G555-B to trim it down to a narrower width.
> 
> The guide rail kit, didn’t blow up well on my phone, but it looks like each rail is 3 pieces, the older Granberg 9’, and newer 10’ rails are 1 piece, as are the 5’ rails. Granberg does offer the connector kits to be able to mill longer beams, but the fewer joints, the more rigid the rail system will be, giving you better results in your lumber. I would recommend, and have myself the Granberg EZ Rail system, but it is your money, your choice
> ...



Last prices I got on a Husky were the 572’s with a wrap in full West Coast trim and they were around that. For milling skip the 372’s they’re a nice little falling saw when hopped up but stock they’re dogs even the xpw’s. For milling use I’d look into a 395 it’s a better chassis for milling it’ll stay cooler has a better clutch setup and the power will be there if needed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 22, 2021)

I'm not even sure where I can get a 395. Nothing coming up on ebay or Amazon


----------



## foeke (May 23, 2021)

Turbowrenchhead said:


> I can't afford a portable band mill.


Then rent one. Preferably with the operating dude.
Or build one.
If you are a bit practical (and can weld), you can build a great cheap bandmill for the price of a good milling saw with attachment. And after you are done, you still saved yourself two weeks.
Plus a bandmill is far more reliable and every cut only takes 2mm wood where an Alaskanmill will take 8mm. Those mm ers add up.


----------



## Mad Professor (May 23, 2021)

Nobody's mentioned a logosol mill if you are going chainsaw route. 

I've not priced them lately but I got my M5 with a new 066 20 years ago and it has served me well. They had a killer sale back then and I paid ~$2400 will the 066, extra bars and chains.


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 24, 2021)

Husky Man said:


> I haven’t priced anything in quite awhile, the price on the 372XP seems about right.
> If you are wanting to mill bigger than about 20”, you will need bigger than a 24” mill, unless you use the G555-B to trim it down to a narrower width.
> 
> The guide rail kit, didn’t blow up well on my phone, but it looks like each rail is 3 pieces, the older Granberg 9’, and newer 10’ rails are 1 piece, as are the 5’ rails. Granberg does offer the connector kits to be able to mill longer beams, but the fewer joints, the more rigid the rail system will be, giving you better results in your lumber. I would recommend, and have myself the Granberg EZ Rail system, but it is your money, your choice
> ...


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 24, 2021)

Does anyone have a used 395xp they would like to sell me. I can't find one for less then $1600. All the local dealers can't even get them. They're none on ebay or Amazon.


----------



## Skeans (May 24, 2021)

Turbowrenchhead said:


> Does anyone have a used 395xp they would like to sell me. I can't find one for less then $1600. All the local dealers can't even get them. They're none on ebay or Amazon.



If you’re going to pay that look up @thechainsawguy here he might still have some 3120’s they were less then that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 24, 2021)

What is Woodslashers reputation on here? He's selling a rebuilt 3120.


----------



## ammoaddict (May 24, 2021)

Turbowrenchhead said:


> What is Woodslashers reputation on here? He's selling a rebuilt 3120.


I would say very good. I've never bought anything from him but he sent me a spike for a 562 free of charge.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk


----------



## ammoaddict (May 24, 2021)

In stock 395xp with 36" bar









Husqvarna 395XP Professional 94cc Engine .063" Ga 36" Chainsaw


The 36 inch Husqvarna 965902710 395 XP is a very powerful saw and is powered by a 94cc engine.




sleequipment.com





Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk


----------



## softdown (May 25, 2021)

ammoaddict said:


> In stock 395xp with 36" bar
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks like a great choice for a milling saw.


----------



## HumBurner (May 25, 2021)

Turbowrenchhead said:


> What is Woodslashers reputation on here? He's selling a rebuilt 3120.


I had a quick and solid trade with him a month or two ago. No worries.

Don't know the quality of his rebuilds, but he seems detailed and thorough from what I've seen.


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 25, 2021)

What is a good chain. Skip tooth or non. 
Ripping or regular. 
What brand names should I be looking for. Bar and chain.


----------



## ammoaddict (May 25, 2021)

Turbowrenchhead said:


> What is a good chain. Skip tooth or non.
> Ripping or regular.
> What brand names should I be looking for. Bar and chain.


Did you buy a saw yet?

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 25, 2021)

I'm going to buy a 3120.


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (May 26, 2021)

I would like to thank everyone for their help. 
I learned a lot. Even though I grew up in the logging industry I didn't know there was so much information and options for bars, chains, mills and so on. My father basically handed me a saw and said go cut trees.


----------



## Turbowrenchhead (Jun 2, 2021)

How is Matt Schmitt's reputation? I'm going to buy a new 3120 PHO from him soon.


----------



## CREbersole (Jun 2, 2021)

Turbowrenchhead said:


> How is Matt Schmitt's reputation? I'm going to buy a new 3120 PHO from him soon.


Dealt with him earlier this year on a new 395xp. Smooth transaction. Wouldn't hesitate to do it again.


----------



## unclemoustache (Jun 10, 2021)

ElevatorGuy said:


> People really spend 10-25k or more to mill lumber!? What kinda money do you make from this?




No, they spend a heck of a lot more than that! I spent 10K on the mill, but that's a cheap one. You can easily spend 70K or more for a good one.

I also spent another 8K on a lot of stuff that goes with it - phase converter, heavy -duty trailer, i-beam and chain hoist to help move the logs, log turners, and steel for making various tools (prybars, log hooks, etc). Then you need a tractor or skid steer to move the logs around, but my buddy who owns the property has one I can use anytime.

So far I've made a couple hundred bucks, but I haven't advertised my services yet as I'm still learning the ropes, and I haven't advertised any slabs or lumber yet, for they are all still drying.

But I've saved myself at least $1,000 so far by using my own milled lumber for projects. So, say $1,500 in profit/savings. Not bad for 6 months and not even open for business yet. Suppose we double that for the year to $3k, and then double that (at least) for actually being open for business, and I just might pay for it all in a few years.

But I don't really expect to get my money back, for this is something I really enjoy doing, and I wanted to have real property on hand instead of cash in the bank. I believe hyper-inflation is just around the corner, and cash is going to be worthless. Better to invest in real property and tangible goods.


----------



## foeke (Jun 10, 2021)

@unclemoustache Sounds like we are in the same boat. I am now building a wooden garden house with sauna from my own milled lumber. Only that will already pay for the about 10k we invested (in my mind, because I know I actually should not ignore my time as a currency).


----------



## scor440tk (Jan 20, 2022)

Turbowrenchhead said:


> I can't afford a portable band mill.


Hire a portable sawyer you have 2 grand that might get you a bit of lumber for the project there is no “cheap” way to do this


----------

