The time has come to ask the big question...

[Sawmill]

:agree2:
Sounds kinda like my story, except I haven't sold out yet.

Everyone else sounds like "the glass is half empty" kinda people. Even with a CSM, if you have the right kind of wood, and the right kind of customers I think you could make a go of it (Just don't quit your day job untill things are swinging your way).
Custom sawing, and specialty products are the best ways to make money with a mill.

Andy

I think that is the only way to go when custom sawing. I sawed out gunstock material for on place, saw lumber for boat builders, got hooked up with a woodworkers guid and sawed for them on a regular bases, but the best one was the house builders in the area started using the trees cleared off the lots and using the lumber back into the houses being built. There are some housing developments that I sawed all the lumber for the floors and a lot of the lumber for the trim. But these jobs were the hardest hit when ever thing slowed down. But with a little planning I think you could still get buy as a part time operation if you already had the equitment

 

[huskyhank]

Do something that others won't, can't or don't do. I just cut a log with my chain saw mill that was too big for any of the real sawmills here. That's a good job for a CSM. On the other hand, there is no way that I could cut 1" barn siding efficiently, not even for my own use. I'd go buy it from a mill.

 

[Sawmill]

Do something that others won't, can't or don't do. I just cut a log with my chain saw mill that was too big for any of the real sawmills here. That's a good job for a CSM. On the other hand, there is no way that I could cut 1" barn siding efficiently, not even for my own use. I'd go buy it from a mill.

That is a big advantage of the chainsaw mill. I turned several jobs down because the logs were to big for my mill. This is where it all comes down to finding a nich and making it work for you

 

[gemniii]

Thanks for the input guys. As I said, I was thinking more of an enjoyable side line and paying for the saw/milling hobby. I have to work on the side any way to make ends meet, I wire houses on the weekends and work in the HVAC/Refrigeration field as a technician on commercial equipment during the day. I love what I do, but I would love to do side work right out of my wood shop and be able to spend time with the kids when I want to rather than spending most of my time away from home, plus it would be cool to pass the love of working with the wood down to my kids. I do understand that milling the wood and then trying to sustain a full time shop with it is not realistic, but I think a few small projects a year may be.

Warning - old fart advice coming -
As a sideline to start with it does make sense. Try putting out feelers for some quality trees, get some free trees and start making lumber and firewood. Lumber is just thin firewood.

And if your wiring houses for the rich vacationers let them know with GOOD pictures that you also do custom cabinetry. If you've already proved you are a good, trusted, honest worker that's half the battle in getting a contractor. This might let you do some cabinetry more at your leisure over the off season. Although I suspect wiring would pay better than cabinetry.

I've got to agree with Sawmill that's there's something special about milling.

Take standing trees, chainsaws, noise, fumes, a chain that could dismember you in seconds only inches from your body, mix with some sweat and skill and end up with some beautiful wood you won't find in a big box store.

 

[jimdad07]

Warning - old fart advice coming -
As a sideline to start with it does make sense. Try putting out feelers for some quality trees, get some free trees and start making lumber and firewood. Lumber is just thin firewood.

And if your wiring houses for the rich vacationers let them know with GOOD pictures that you also do custom cabinetry. If you've already proved you are a good, trusted, honest worker that's half the battle in getting a contractor. This might let you do some cabinetry more at your leisure over the off season. Although I suspect wiring would pay better than cabinetry.

I've got to agree with Sawmill that's there's something special about milling.

Take standing trees, chainsaws, noise, fumes, a chain that could dismember you in seconds only inches from your body, mix with some sweat and skill and end up with some beautiful wood you won't find in a big box store.

There is something special about making your own lumber. I have just been taking some of the better oak logs from my firewood logs and sawing boards. It is so addicting it's not even funny. I have been thinking of what was said earlier in the discussion about finding one thing and becoming the master at it. I was thinking of custom gun cabinets with hidden compartments. There is a hardware/furniture store near where I live that caters to the wealthy islanders that just have to have anything that say Thousand Islands on it. I was thinking the Thousand Islands Gun Chest or something along those lines. This store told me they would put anything on the floor that I want to make and sell. May be a good place to start. As for the bad pictures, I use my cell phone because I can't get the file size small enough with a regular camera to upload on here.

 

[gemniii]

The gun cabinets sounds like an EXCELLENT idea.

Your probably windows based, but i think microsucks paint will resize photos. I use Gimp on Linux, and I'm pretty sure there is a version of gimp for windoze.

 

[gr8scott72]

The gun cabinets sounds like an EXCELLENT idea.

Your probably windows based, but i think microsucks paint will resize photos. I use Gimp on Linux, and I'm pretty sure there is a version of gimp for windoze.

Free account at Photobucket, upload pictures there, pictures auto resize, then just post link in your post.

I know some argue that doing this can make for posts with missing picture links down the road but I never delete pictures that I upload and have active links from stuff I did many years ago.

 

[Andrew96]

T I have been thinking of what was said earlier in the discussion about finding one thing and becoming the master at it. I was thinking of custom gun cabinets with hidden compartments.

Yup...now you're talking. I said make something and be the master of it for two reasons. You'll not only need to make a cabinet like no one has made before, but have some visible feature that makes it your own. Maybe a carved thingy, some curve somewhere, some special door pulls, a certain shape, or feature Something that makes it 'yours'..so someone can see from a photo (a good one), or from across the room, that that cabinet is a 'JD cabinet'. You'll then need to be the master of that cabinet. Create templates for any trick cuts you need. Make a gluing fixture up for any draws or any feature. Make templates for any parts you need to cutout (lay them over the wood to choose the best grain for that part). Everything has be done in the interest of speed and quality once you have your own design. Making a one off to be sold in the vacation area is a great start...make it right though...with an individual look, a special feature, a good name...get your shop together to make them true and fast, and you'll have full time orders lined up in a matter of one vacation season. Oh...don't just make a cabinet...make an example of a custom one to always have in that store. Get your name in there somewhere....sign them, date them, join the world of naming your price, working at your own speed. It does happen that fast.

 

[jimdad07]

[..so someone can see from a photo (a good one),

I have never seen so many who are so serious about photos I have a couple details worked out in my head that I have never seen on gun cabinets before, I was thinking of an inlay in the bottom drawer with a canoe or something along those lines.

 

[discounthunter]

[..so someone can see from a photo (a good one),

I have never seen so many who are so serious about photos I have a couple details worked out in my head that I have never seen on gun cabinets before, I was thinking of an inlay in the bottom drawer with a canoe or something along those lines.

photos are peoples only link to see stuff.you can decribe it all you want but no 2 people will visualize it the same.also,(no discredit to you) people can claim to be masters at something,with no pictures to say other wise theres no way to prove one way or the other.its like decribing a noise to a mechanic,some people just dont have the vacol cords to reproduce funny car noises,thats why the say,"bring it in". so yes pictures are needed,are good clear pictures are the best.

 

[jimdad07]

photos are peoples only link to see stuff.you can decribe it all you want but no 2 people will visualize it the same.also,(no discredit to you) people can claim to be masters at something,with no pictures to say other wise theres no way to prove one way or the other.its like decribing a noise to a mechanic,some people just dont have the vacol cords to reproduce funny car noises,thats why the say,"bring it in". so yes pictures are needed,are good clear pictures are the best.

I know, I was mostly joking. I am constantly getting the service calls that say the "rooftop unit sounds like it is coming off of the roof etc.".

 

[BobL]

photos are peoples only link to see stuff.you can decribe it all you want but no 2 people will visualize it the same.also,(no discredit to you) people can claim to be masters at something,with no pictures to say other wise theres no way to prove one way or the other.. . . .

I agree 100%, on another woodies form where I post, one guy wanted some advice about an old machine he was thinking of buying but He would not post any pictures of it. He kept trying with words to explain the problems it had but no one could help him and he got quite upset about.