# Norwood HD 36 good starter mill?



## BigOakAdot (Apr 9, 2016)

Hey guys,

Ive been chainsaw milling occasionally on weekends at a tree companies place. I've developed a good relationship with the owner and we have been talking about taking it to the next level. 

He's always telling me how we can be more efficient and how we need to get more lumber stocked. Any of you who use a CSM know that both of those are pretty unrealistic. I've told him if he's really looking to make this a realistic business venture, we really need to consider an entry band mill. 

This outfit is quite large and he is constantly getting lumber in every day. To the point where he just had 3 tractor trailers come and take loads of logs out because he's running out of room. 

He just bought a new shop with a barn where we can store lumber indoors. This is where we would be doing the milling and at this point we need to decide on which mill to get. 

From the research I've done the Norwood HD36 seems like a great fit. Any guys who have a Norwood band mill how do you like it? We would be going with the manual version. Any recommendations on other mills to consider?

Budget wise we would be splitting the mill between the two of us. Potentially splitting it with a 3rd guy. We would consider any mill within a few thousand of 10k. 

The plan is to saw any logs under a few feet diameter with the Norwood and slab the really big stuff up with our panther mill. I have a feeling we will need to consider a solar kiln of some kind to recoup some of the money faster that we will be putting out. 

Also, he's going to wanna do some siding on a barn on the property. If we do go with a bandmill, we're going to want to mill up some planks for siding. Has anyone ever used green wood for siding and or framing? I remember seeing a post where a guy used green red oak for siding on a kiln he built. Are there types of wood that are better for using green. Maybe cedar or locust?

Sorry for the super long post. 

BOA


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## Sawyer Rob (Apr 9, 2016)

I've milled with the 36, it's a nice mill and you can add hydraulics later, if you want hydraulics...

SR


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## Franny K (Apr 10, 2016)

Baker will still make the model 18 even though it has been removed from their website. I probably would have got one by now they seem willing to modify it a bit the problem is go and pick it up or have a spot for a big rig to access. Do not seem to want to send to a terminal and put on my trailer. Of the four manufacturers at the Paul Bunyan show a few years ago I thought they had the best engineering. I only recall a monster band saswmill though. I would get the dvd from them and Timberking but have never seen either companies manual mills. Wheels do get in the way. I would want a welded together bed. Then there is acme thread vs hanging by chain.

Green lumber, I have worked on house building where the stuff from the lumber company was wet hem fir and doug fir. Some parts of the country seem to be mostly spruce that seems dried. Some projects with pine studs have a lot of them need replacing hopefully before the electrician shows up. A lot of barns get covered with sheet metal.


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## BigOakAdot (Apr 10, 2016)

Franny K said:


> Baker will still make the model 18 even though it has been removed from their website. I probably would have got one by now they seem willing to modify it a bit the problem is go and pick it up or have a spot for a big rig to access. Do not seem to want to send to a terminal and put on my trailer. Of the four manufacturers at the Paul Bunyan show a few years ago I thought they had the best engineering. I only recall a monster band saswmill though. I would get the dvd from them and Timberking but have never seen either companies manual mills. Wheels do get in the way. I would want a welded together bed. Then there is acme thread vs hanging by chain.
> 
> Green lumber, I have worked on house building where the stuff from the lumber company was wet hem fir and doug fir. Some parts of the country seem to be mostly spruce that seems dried. Some projects with pine studs have a lot of them need replacing hopefully before the electrician shows up. A lot of barns get covered with sheet metal.


Thanks for the reply. I think he wants to go for the wood siding for an aesthetic look. He also just bought a huge property so I think he's trying to save money by milling his own siding. 

I'll take a look at baker mills. Thanks the tip. 

Andrew


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## Sawyer Rob (Apr 10, 2016)

It's BS that you have to have a welded together bed... Norwoods bolt together bed is NO problem at all and is extremely strong! AND it's easier to add accessories to later...

There's several good mills out there, but the 36 is just as good or better than any of the others in it's class, and has some really good advantages over the others!

SR


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## BigOakAdot (Apr 10, 2016)

Sawyer Rob said:


> It's BS that you have to have a welded together bed... Norwoods bolt together bed is NO problem at all and is extremely strong! AND it's easier to add accessories to later...
> 
> There's several good mills out there, but the 36 is just as good or better than any of the others in it's class, and has some really good advantages over the others!
> 
> SR


Honestly it seems like the only mill with that log capability at our price point. I mean woodmizer mills are over double for the same log size.


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## hopm (Apr 10, 2016)

Cant miss a rare chance to talk about Baker. Had my Baker mill close to 15 years now. Product and support has been outstanding.


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## bigmoose (Apr 10, 2016)

You need to consider how u are gonna handle log that size of any lenth. When u aproach 28 plus inches and above ... Logs get heavy and loading the mill is tricky.


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## Mike Van (Apr 10, 2016)

When you decide on a mill, buy a sharpener & setter too, you can't make good lumber with dull blades. If you have no markets set up for the lumber, you'll soon be as buried in it as you are in logs. Like bigmoose said too, you need something with forks preferably to handle logs, lumber, slabs - You can not drag them!


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## BigOakAdot (Apr 10, 2016)

He has an inane amount of equipment for moving wood. 2 machines with forks and two monster front end loaders. 

I realize that but with some marketing and stuff I think we can find buyers. I know different carpenters and stuff who would definitely buy wood.


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